On Monday evening, 3 Goodgym folks (including Dee on her first GG run- welcome!) joined Area Activator Simon for a group run over to Market Road Gardens. Simon, Kike, Aidan and Dee ran together across Holloway Road, and up to Caledonian Road to meet Paul (one of our regular Goodgym cyclists) at the doors to the permaculture garden space.

Simon had the keys on hand (arranged in advance by the top folks at Octopus Community Network) and proceeded to open the community garden equivalent of Fort Knox to allow us access to the space and the necessary tools for the task (better safe than sorry!).

Our plan for the evening was to move all of the contents of a compost bay (full of green waste and dry rotted leaves) over to a hugelgarden space opposite, designed to speed up the decay process, and to provide fresh compost of spring gardening after the winter months. Between us, we separated into 3 teams- team 1 shoveled the green waste into wheelbarrows. Team 2 transferred the wheelbarrows to the hugelgarden spot. Team 3 unloaded the wheelbarrows and spread the mulch evenly across the beds.

This proved to be a pretty efficient way of working, and we almost cleared the entirety of the compost bay within 45 minutes of effort! A very satisfying accomplishment on one evening!

Nikki joined our group run crew for the 1.2 mile social run back to the Emirates Stadium, where we completed some additional stretches together before heading off into the night. Great work everyone!

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CREOS (Crouch End Open Space) November Open Day

We will be returning to one of our favourite weekend community missions next Sunday (21st November), from 11am - 1pm. This time, we plan to lay down some fresh hoggin (cement and sand mix) along the woodland paths between Crouch End and Highgate Woods. It is a great day out, and is often followed by hot drinks and a picnic hosted by the Friends of CREOS.

Sign up here to get involved: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/crouch-end-open-space-creos-volunteering-day-november-2021

Finsbury parkrun Goodgym Takeover

We have arranged with the lovely folks of Finsbury parkrun to take on most of the volunteering duties and pacing opportunities on Saturday 4th December. We would love to see a strong Goodgym presence on the day, whether you choose to run or to volunteer!

Sign up for for more information, and to get involved:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/finsbury-parkrun-goodgym-takeover

Goodgym Islington Christmas Party!

We will be hosting a special Xmas social at the Hammerton Brewery Taproom just off Caledonian Road on Thursday 16th December.

Sign up here to join us: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/goodgym-islington-festive-social-at-hammerton-brewery-taproom

Frannie from Octopus Community Network invited our Goodgym team back to the Tufnell Park Plat Nursery (first time in 2021). This is a really interesting local project, converting some un-used space behind an Islington council estate to become a gardening hub for the residents. First job involved moving some large planting tables- requiring 8 people to lift the metal beds together in unison. This quick bit of manoeuvring freed up some additional space for 2 more plots, and plenty more plants!

Richard and Alison borrowed a wheelbarrow to unload some fresh compost into these new beds, while David and John helped with clearing up the area surrounding the tool shed, and moved an old plant pot shelf to another location. Steve and Ellie used spades and hoes to sift through some older soil which had dried up over lock down, and added some fresh soil to the mix- introducing some fresh nutrients to the planter beds.

Wonderful work everyone- it was so great to be back. Ellie was offered a tiny pot plant as an addition to her new garden! An incentive for us all to return as soon as we can!

5 local Goodgym folks joined us for our second Easter holiday evening delivery session at Elizabeth House Food Bank. Goodgym Islington have been leading a hand at this community centre throughout 2020, typically on Tuesday lunchtimes. However, the volunteer team set up a play scheme for families and children off school, changing our community mission timings to a couple of rare Monday evening sessions instead.

Our crew became part of a production line of volunteers making up bags and parcels of essential items and weekly shopping for local households. This week, every delivery included at least 1 pre-cooked meal from different restaurants in the area- offering delicious looking stews, noodles, salads and curries.

Within 45 minutes to an hour, our team were able to drop off every delivery across the whole of Islington, Arsenal and Finsbury Park areas. Smashing work everyone!

If you would like to get involved, we will be back again next Tuesday at 12.30pm (back to our original time slot). Sign up here: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/elizabeth-house-foodbank-deliveries-dd59b9e0-a9e9-4996-b2aa-451522177596

When I arrived GoodGymmers were already bursting out the door with bags in their hands.

While loading a food parcel for delivery, a few more joined (you can easily spot a GoodGymmer, not by their red shirt, but their brisk pace and joy in their eyes).

Got all of the allocated food parcels out in just over half an hour, nothing beats a large task like busy bee GoodGymmers.

Shout out to Ellie for her 50th good deed!