The Route: A Berry Good Adventure! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

This week our fantastic crew of do-gooders embarked on another mission to spread joy and burn calories in equal measure! We ran to Holy Trinity to meet the lovely Adam, taking the scenic route through the park where we couldn’t resist a spontaneous 50-yard dash. Because apparently regular running isn’t challenging enough - we needed to add some competitive spirit to really get those heart rates pumping!

Well done Fi!! Perdie sorry about the misbehaving bicycle...:0(

Mission: Operation Bramble Trouble

Once we arrived at the vicarage, it was time to get down to the nitty-gritty (and thorny) business of garden warfare:

Blackberry Bramble Battle Royale - Armed with secateurs and sheer determination, we took on some seriously aggressive brambles that had clearly been plotting garden domination. These weren’t just any old thorns - they were the kind that fight back! Several volunteers emerged looking like they’d been wrestling with a particularly grumpy hedgehog, but victory (and a kilo of berries) was ours!

Path Clearing Champions - We declared all-out war on weeds and moss, transforming a slightly shabby path into something so pristine it practically sparkled. The weeds didn’t stand a chance against our green-fingered army of destruction!

Weeding Warriors - No dandelion was safe as our volunteers pulled, tugged, and uprooted with the enthusiasm of people who genuinely enjoy making things tidy (which, let’s face it, is slightly concerning but utterly admirable).

🌟 LEGEND ALERT: Michael Hits the Big 3-0-0! 🌟

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we have a genuine superhero in our midst! Tonight we’re celebrating our absolute legend Michael, who has just recorded his 300th good deed with GoodGym!

That’s right - THREE HUNDRED acts of community kindness since he started back in 2017. To put that in perspective, that’s roughly one good deed for every cup of tea consumed during a typical British crisis meeting, or about the same number of times we’ve all said “this year will definitely be different” since 2017.

Michael, you absolute weapon of community spirit, you’ve been smashing it for seven years and show no signs of slowing down. From bramble battles to litter picking adventures, from community garden chaos to whatever weird and wonderful tasks we’ll inevitably stumble into next week - you’ve been there through it all!

Here’s to Michael: proving that being a legend isn’t just about what you achieve, but about showing up week after week with a smile, a pair of running shoes, and an inexplicable willingness to wrestle with hostile vegetation! 🏆

The Verdict

Another week, another successful mission accomplished! The vicarage is looking absolutely mint (pun intended), our step counters are very happy with us, and somewhere in Lambeth, a group of defeated brambles is probably plotting their revenge for next season.

Until next week, keep running, keep laughing, and keep being the kind of people who think spending their evening pulling weeds is actually a pretty decent way to spend time!

Remember: We’re not just working out - we’re working wonders in our community, one terrible pun at a time!

🏃‍♀️💪

Mission accomplished at Loughborough Farm!

Tonight’s fantastic six-strong crew descended upon Heather’s domain at Loughborough Farm like a well-oiled (and slightly soggy) machine. Armed with determination, our heroes tackled the great ballast adventure of 2025!

The MOT Spreading Squad 🚛

Our fearless volunteers channeled their inner road builders, spreading MOT ballast by the plant room with the precision of seasoned professionals. Who knew that “getting your steps in” could involve so much actual construction work? The ballast didn’t stand a chance against our collective enthusiasm and surprising upper body strength!

Timber Titans & Concrete Champions 🪵🏗️

Not content with just one heroic feat, the team also:

• Relocated ancient timber with the grace of furniture movers (but with more dirt under their fingernails)
• Conquered the concrete mountain - because nothing says “cardio” like hauling chunks of old concrete to their final resting place

Welcome Back Celebrations! 🎉

The evening was made even more special with some brilliant returnees:

• Jordan graced us with their presence after what felt like forever away - we missed those legendary lifting skills!
• Jo made a triumphant comeback after becoming a superhero parent to a beautiful baby boy! From Task Force hero to actual life-creating hero - now that’s an upgrade!

Tonight’s Dream Team 🌟

A massive shout-out to our incredible volunteers: Michael, Ben, Tilly, Jordan, Jo, and Adam - you absolute legends! Six people, countless wheelbarrows, and one very satisfied Heather at Loughborough Farm.

Remember: We don’t just run for fitness, we run for purpose! Next week, who knows what adventures await… but we guarantee it’ll involve getting pleasantly grubby while making a real difference in our community.

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Keep being amazing, GoodGym Lambeth! 🏃‍♂️🌱

🏃‍♀️🗑️ After a last-minute plot twist worthy of a soap opera, our heroic squad pivoted from their original mission to tackle the streets with some competitive rubbish collection. Nothing says “flexible fitness” like a spontaneous game of Litter Pick Bingo!

The Rubbish Results

Our magnificent crew turned street cleaning into pure bin-go gold, collecting everything from the mundane to the absolutely pants. Speaking of which, among today’s “treasure” haul were some bikini bottoms and underwear - proving that Lambeth’s streets really do have some cheeky surprises!

We’re not sure what story these garments could tell, but we’re betting it’s a brief one. 😉

The Dream Team

• Fi, Katie, Jenny & Ben - our usual suspects who never fail to pick up the slack (and everything else)
• Khai - our Greenwich guest star who traveled across boroughs to join the fun, proving that good deeds know no boundaries!

The Verdict

Another successful mission in the (bin) bag. The streets are cleaner, the community is tidier, and we’ve all had a rubbish good time doing it!

Remember: One person’s rubbish is another person’s fitness opportunity!

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Next week: Back to our regularly scheduled do-gooding (underwear optional)

Last night's group run was truly the root of all good things! Our dedicated runners (Manos, Michael and AA) set off from Papa's Park and made tracks to Windmill allotments, where we dug deep to support Annick and our local growing community.

Mission Accomplished! Our fantastic volunteers really grew into their roles, tackling essential maintenance tasks that will help the allotment flourish. The team split the work beautifully, ensuring no stone was left unturned:

Weed Clearance: Our runners showed they weren't afraid to get down and dirty, pulling up unwanted plants with determination. They really weeded out the competition when it came to thoroughness!

Skip Filling: The wheelbarrow brigade worked tirelessly, wheeling and dealing their way through piles of garden waste. Talk about moving mountains one barrow at a time!

Manure Transport: Our soil-diers demonstrated that when it comes to community service, they're not afraid of the dirty work. They really knew how to spread the love around the allotment!

Every single runner deserves recognition for their outstanding performance. From start to finish, the group showed they have the right stuff when it comes to putting down roots in the community. Their efforts will help ensure the allotment continues to be a place where great things can grow.

A massive thank you to all our incredible volunteers who proved that when we work together, we can really make something beautiful bloom. Your hard work and positive attitudes made the evening truly ground-breaking. You've shown that GoodGym Lambeth runners are always ready to turn over a new leaf for their community!

Until our next mission, keep growing strong!

GG Lambeth were back at it yesterday evening in the first group session post Shindig so lots of energy and enthusiasm for our task.

We had Manos, Michael, Tilly, Ben and AA Yianny gather at Papa's Park in the setting sunshine (the last of it for the week it looks like) ready to set off on the uphill run to BWG.

Once Perdie and Fi arrived we were met by our fantastic hosts Jean and Annick as usual joined also by Louie and the tasks were meted out - connecting the water hose to reach the far end of the playground planters and weeding all the invasive greenery that had accumulated along the side of the building.

Hoes were passed around, litter pickers picked and black bags grabbed and so we were off and at it. Importantly the hose (not hoes) didn't quite reach far enough despite a bag full of connectors and the need for an engineering degree to figure them out and so we had a watering can relay from the trampoline to the planters.

The task itself proved more challenging than it appeared but the group made a big impact in our time there however the most interesting element was Ben having an 80s classic one hit wonder stuck in his head, which he then shared and got stuck in everyone else's as well! (Did you know you can hum a tune into a well know search app and it will tell you the song?! Well you can and we did - Tarzan Boy by Baltimora!)

And so we wrapped it there plenty of good done and plenty of getting fit to boot. Big thanks to all and look forward to seeing you next week!