22 Camdenites ran between 5-7km to help C4WS and Sheltered Housing!

Well when we arrived yesterday, instead of find a quiet community centre, there was a hat exhibition going on! Was bizarre but quite brilliant. We did our introductions outside talking about the following news:

1. Welcome along to Sally and Alice whose first time it was last night! Thanks for coming :)
2. Join our facebook groups - there is one for GoodGym Camden and another called Unofficial Unofficial GoodGym Socialising which is a general GG group - come join :)
3. The American International Church (where we make the beds) are having their annual Service of Thanks on Saturday 24th March @12:30pm. We are all invited to come along to share the celebrations, and give them the opportunity to say Thank You for all our support this season.
4. GG Camden's birthday celebrations will be on Thursday 12th April at the Skip Garden - pizza, bake off and booze! Come along!

Okay onto what we actually did last night, splitting into two groups we got lots of GOOD done.

C4WS Report by Rosie:

It was the last time this season to go help the American International Church on Goodge Church which is part of C4WS, a Camden best homeless shelter. Each week from January to March we've made beds for the homeless there each week. Saving lots of time for the church volunteers and doing tons of good for our community.

Here is a our weekly rhyme on the bed making:

Wore Red

Turned Heads

Made beds

Rosy led

There was only 10 beds to make this week as the majority of the service users have been moved onto permanent housing - which is fantastic news! After quickly making the beds the group headed to Regents Park for a 5km loop.

Sheltered Housing Report by PB:

12 of us headed to help Sheltered Housing in Ashdown Crescent, Kentish Town to do some tidying up and gardening. We met Cathi who told us all about the housing projects great work - providing care and a sense of community from people aged 65 up.

Our tasks for the evening were as followed:

1. Steve, Zahava and Alice dug, planted 12 trees and composted an area.
2. Laura and Natasha filled up a wheelbarrow full of compost for one of the residents
3. The rest of the team swept, trimmed and cleared the entire garden

After a group picture and saying goodbye to Cathi we headed home and did some fun Camden File on the way home - practicing our arm technique and speed.

Next week we it's Biggest Task of the Year Part Two - Southbank Rooftop Turf Lifting - sign up here! We need 50 people PLEASE!

PB out.

27 GoodGymers ran between 4-6km to help three tasks in Camden - Cecil Sharp House, C4WS & American International Church!

Welcome along to Linda, Lizzy and Kara whose first time it was last night - lovely to have you join us!

In the news this week:

1. Well done to Sarah Rajabalee whose 50th Good Deed it was last night, she's been coming to GoodGym Camden since March 2016, has ran half marathons and contributed massively to Camden being a better place!
2. On 12th April we are going to Skip Garden for our 5th Birthday Party - see details here - gonna be fun!
3. So you know how last week was the biggest task of the year, well BIGGEST TASK OF THE YEAR Part Two will be on Wednesday 28th March lifting the turf for Southbank Rooftop - sign up here - need 50 people please!

Right last night we had three amazing tasks, helping three amazing charities:

1. Cecil Sharp House - monthly gardening trip
2. C4WS - making beds for the homeless
3. Skip Garden - moving logs for this amazing organisation

Cecil Sharp Report by Katherine:

Frances led a group of 8 to our monthly task at Cecil Sharp. The group headed into the walled garden to work on the patio, trim a bush and tidy the lawn. Unfortunately the wind meant the lawn had to be done a second time due to the leaves being blown everywhere...”did we not get all the leaves in the Autumn?”.

ALPS

The group then headed up to Primrose Hill to take on the ALPS (Arms, Legs, Posture and “Surprise, you’re going up the hill a fourth time”). After a quick stop at the top for the view, the group headed back with their improved running technique.

C4WS limerick by taskforce (led by Kat):

There once were 8 runners from Camden

They ran in pairs, not tandem

They made beds at speed

To get their good deed

8 runners, all women from Camden

Skip Garden Report by PB:

A group of 10 of us headed to Skip Garden to help Global Generation with a people power task, meeting Gwen between the fairy lights we split into three teams to move a ton of logs - movers, draggers and stackers.

Armed with good will, trollies and wheelbarrows we got the task done in no time! Imagine how long that would have taken one person!

Band Work!

Saying our goodbyes to Gwen we did a lap of Granary Square before doing some conditioning, including - step ups, tri-dips, squats, jump-squats, single-leg squats, resistance band work, planks and mountain climbers.

Once Rosie's group has joined us we did a quick fitness session of x3 90 seconds, accelerating your speed with 30 seconds to go! Boom!

Next week we are helping Sheltered Housing, leafleting for the Farm and making beds for the last time this year!

PB out.

15 hardcore GoodGymers walked 3km and made 15 beds for the homeless at American International Church

Wow you guys are beyond amazing, 15 people in this weather is incredible! The beast from the east ain't nothing on GG Camden, we're the best innit. Welcome and huge cheers to Abbi whose first time it was last night - awesome!

In the news this week:

1. Next Wednesday at GG Camden there is the biggest task of the year at Southbank Centre helping Grounded Ecotherapy lift a lot of crushed concrete. If you are free please come along!
2. Next Thursday (8th March) is GG Monthly Drinks in Greenwich, come along for puns, fun and drinks!
3. Well done to Rosie for smashing Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday in 1.34 - boom!

Ain't snow stopping us now. In some of the harshest weather to hit the UK in years, 15 of Camden's finest gathered together to trek across the St Pancras/Russell Square area to help make beds for the homeless. On an evening like last night making those beds for the guests at the American International Church seemed as important as ever. I thought earlier in the day whatever happens those beds will be made, whether I'm alone but I didn't have to fear I had a team of good-doers.

March of the Camdenites

Upon our arrival at the Church we got to work making 15 beds for the homeless and the support staff staying there that night. It's all about your technique with bed making, it seems Beth Nelson got lost in the bed (must have missed the health and safety briefing). The quickest bed makers went to finish off the job in the other room.

Truer words haven't been said: "Snow way Camden will let you down". Jenna from C4WS emailed me this morning with WARM regards for our work:

THANK YOU to the team for braving the snow and freezing temperatures last night to help us with the shelter.

We opened the shelter slightly earlier for our guests, and the efficiency of the runners made this process very smooth.

We are extremely grateful.

Five of us made it to the pub to talk about the 90's and warmer times - do you remember laying on the grass? Or struggling to keep your beer cold? We don't. We will soon.

See you next week for the biggest task of the year.

Stay safe. Stay Warm.

PB out.