Hester Watson

On a sunny Saturday morning GoodGym members came out for a group run with a difference.

Tower Hamlets member Simon and area activator Laura had arranged a meet up and collaboration with the London branch of Frontrunners – Europe's largest LGBT+ sports club – at their weekly multi-ability run in Victoria Park. We started with an introduction to both organisations and why they are important to their members.

GoodGym Tower Hamlets are an enthusiastic bunch of about 30 regulars who are interested in keeping fit while getting involved in local community projects and meeting like-minded people in their local area. It's an inclusive and friendly club where members run, cycle or walk to meet up at weekly or daily tasks where we garden, tidy, clean or just chat with someone who needs our help.

London Frontrunners are a mixed ability, running club for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-binary, and Queer people, and their allies, and are part of a world-wide club that started in San Francisco in 1974. The club meets all over London and provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ people to be part of a sport environment without fear of exclusion or discrimination based on their sexuality and gender.

At 10:15, 5 GoodGymmers and 12 Frontrunners set off on two routes – a 5k loop of Victoria Park and a 10k run around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Everyone regrouped at the Pavilion Café for coffee, breakfast and chats to catch their breath.

Laura and Simon then led the whole group on to one of our regular Victoria Park activities – donning protective gloves and armed with grabbers and rubbish bags - picking up litter around the play areas, woods and fields where bottles, cigarette ends, cans and all sorts of trash had escaped the bins.

Forty-five minutes later and some people were so engrossed (competitive!) with picking litter, but the group slowly came back together to show off our collections. Photos, thank yous and goodbyes done and everyone headed off their own ways.

Next meeting is already set up for 11 June ([see details|https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/goodgym-tower-hamlets-x-london-frontrunners-saturday-morning-run-social]).

Everyone is invited for this fun and friendly run – join us!

Catherine at the Glasshouse had a delivery of baby plants - but they urgently needed to be planted. So who's she going to call? GoodGym of course!

With less than 48 hours notice, she had four of us on site, willing and able to strip the covering from dozens of plants, insert them in flower-pots, and line up the pots in trays. Most of the estate's residents haven't got gardens, so they'll now have a chance to "grow their own".

And that wasn't all - we filled buckets of water from a hose, to provide much needed irrigation to two large trees (which we made earlier), much to the gratitude of one resident.

Catherine's son Liam, a big fan of GoodGym, was even on hand with "food" provision, though the earth, twigs and stones on offer weren't the most appetising.

We always knew it was going to be a good one.

When Catherine of the Parkview Estate got in touch to ask for a hand planting two fruit trees, we were pleased to say the least.

It’s been a while since we visited this pretty, large estate that borders Victoria Park, and so we were delighted to be heading back to this well populated area, served excellently by a committed TRA, including Catherine and her family.

And into teams it was...

Teams were soon divided, with a larger group digging the holes for the trees (and uncovering all sorts of treasure in the process); another team was tasked with filling barrows with compost, while another, unrelated-tree-team were dispatched to clear a large-ish roadside bed of weeds.

It was all go.

Assisted by Catherine, husband Des, and son Liam, the team dug, planted, shovelled, wheeled and watered for well over an hour. It was tough, it was pretty tiring and it was a tremendous task.

We congregated in front of the community food garden after 8, to drop trowels and say our cheerios.

A brilliant night was had by all.

We can’t wait to return and the shout-out’s go to all this week.

(…But especially to our Leo, who last week headed back to the Kedleston Community Centre, the night after our great Monday night task, to address the TRA about the activity GoodGym have been involved with at the Teesdale and Hollybush Estate over the years.​

This was a much appreciated contribution, and one that Leo offered to participate in very generously at the last minute. Leo was presented with a certificate to thank us for joining in. Way to go, everyone).

And as for next week, keep your eyes peeled for next week’s task, details of which are being finalised as we speak…

Until then.