Area Activator Simon met with 4 Goodgymmers (Stephane, Damarcus, Deidre and Louie) at the Arsenal Community Hub last night, ready for a nice run up Camden Road over to Rowstock Gardens (aka Camden Estate Gardens). Our crew did a smashing job running up the slopes (after a dynamic warm up), and we caught up with the rest of the team in good and ample time.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Michelle (the resident coordinator for these community plots), who set us our objectives for the evening. The first task involved snipping down long bamboo shoots using loppers and secateurs, separating the stalks and the branches for gardening canes, composting or dead hedging projects. We then swept up and tidied the space before moving to the next spot.

We then helped to move some rubber slip matting over to the newly swept up areas of the gardens. The plan is to make the space as safe and welcoming as possible for local gardeners to start planting over Spring. Keep an eye out for many more Camden Estate Garden projects in the near future!

Congratulations on a successful evening of Goodgym activities, all!

And a special mention to Goodgym legend Alison, who joined our group for one last time as a London resident. We wish you all the best with the move up North, and Thank You for all of your help and enthusiasm over the years!

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GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS

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SESSIONS IN JANUARY

Community Mission - Thornhill Square Gardens Monday 26th January, 7.15pm, Thornhill Square Gardens

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/community-mission-thornhill-square-gardens-bulb-planting

Group Run - Highbury Quadrant Estate Gardens Monday 2nd February, 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/group-run-highbury-quadrant-green-space-garden-maintenance-c550b9a7-5238-44bf-9de0-ba87c43d2872

Community Mission - Timbuktu Adventure Playground Monday 9th February, 7.15pm, Timbuktu Adventure Playground, Grenville Road

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-timbuktu-adventure-playground-9d2481fd-d49f-4677-abf0-10a9ec7a4998

Community Mission - Everleigh Gardens Monday 16th February, 7.15pm Everleigh Street Open Space, Finsbury Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-everleigh-gardens-compost-turning-heroes

Community Mission - Sunnyside Community Gardens Week 1 Monday 23rd February, 7.15pm Sunnyside Community Gardens

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-sunnyside-community-gardens-composting-5439c0b2-571d-4e44-a751-07d75147db73

Community Mission - Sunnyside Community Gardens Week 2 Monday 2nd March, 7.15pm Sunnyside Community Gardens

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-sunnyside-community-gardens-composting-f559dec9-4a24-4648-a1aa-64a10fc267b2

Community Mission - Friends of Graham Street (FROGS) Monday 9th March, 7.15pm Graham Street Gardens, Islington

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-friends-of-graham-street-park-frogs

Community Mission - Light of the World Church Monday 16th March, 7.15pm Evershot Road, Stroud Green

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-light-of-the-world-church-gardening-and-painting-efb9b4f4-6ee0-46dc-98ab-eaf3d323f215

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The Green Runners x Preloved Sports Running Kit Swap

Tuesday 27th January, 7 - 9pm, The Horatia, Holloway Road

Do you have sports kit that doesn't get used as much as it could?

Or would you prefer to keep your lovely nice running shoes ready for race day, and have a spare pair for Goodgym tasks?

Simon from Goodgym Islington will be hosting an evening for swapping or donating your used running kit for those who need it.

All items can be swapped with participants and sign ups, and anything left over can be taken home or offered to Preloved Sports, an organisation dedicated to keeping sports kit out of landfill.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/kit-swap-and-runner-s-jumble-at-the-horatia-fbc6d351-7f2b-42db-aef5-f7f20c30b3dd

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Goodgym Social & Area Activator Simon’s Last Session

Monday 2nd February, 8.30pm, The Tollington Arms, Islington

After 6.5 years, Area Activator Simon will be hosting his final group run session with Goodgym Islington this evening.

After our group run to Highbury Quadrant Estate, we will be making a trip to the award winning local pub, The Tollington Arms, less than 200m away from our bag drop location on Benwell Road!

As well as offering excellent refreshments, the pub has been well known for offering delicious Thai food with loads of varied dietary and vegan options available!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/aa-simon-s-last-session-the-tollington-arms-arsenal

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Achilles International VI Guide Running Sessions

Every Thursday, 6pm, Various London locations

On Thursday evenings, the all abilities sports charity Achilles International holds a group run session at a London location.

Here is a list of our upcoming events and sign up pages. Runners, supporters and guides of all abilities and experiences welcome!

JANUARY

Emirates Stadium (Arsenal underground) Thursday 22nd January, 6pm

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-a5cf5cde-57c4-4111-b675-5c975e917f82

Paddington Rec Track (Maida Vale underground) Thursday 29th January, 6pm

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-c8f069b7-bd22-4b46-8487-2995ff23d1b6

Stratford Olympic Park (Stratford underground station Westfield exit) Thursday 5th February, 6pm

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-olympic-park-stratford-route-43cdd678-5685-423a-bb4e-f85a2600a9bc

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Track and Towpath - January Challenge Edition!

Come and join Area Activator and UK Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) Simon for a fun mixed pace training session

Over the month of January, Simon will be hosting a weekly morning running workouts in various parks in the Islington and Tower Hamlets boroughs.

All paces and abilities welcome!

The intention is to build up fitness together towards the Runthrough Victoria Park 10km on Sunday 1st February.

Thursday 22nd January 7.50am, Common Ground coffee, Finsbury Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-finsbury-park-kenyan-hills

Thursday 29th January 7.50am, Mile End Climbing Wall, Meath Gardens

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-meath-gardens-kilometres

Runthrough Victoria Park 10km Event!

Sunday 1st February, 9am, Victoria Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-runthrough-victoria-park-10km-february-2026

(Strava group link)

https://strava.app.link/3aQu4W5ISYb

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Caledonian Park junior parkrun- January 2026

Sunday mornings, 8.45am, Caledonian Park

Junior parkrun is a wonderful free weekly timed 2km social running initiative, with events occurring all across the UK (and now the world!).

Children aged from 4-14 years old are allowed to run this safe looped course in Caledonian Park however they like, with the encouragement of friendly marshals, volunteers and parents.

The core team are always on the lookout for:

Course marshals

Barcode scanners

Funnel managers

Course set-up and close down assistance

A tailwalker!

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Upcoming sessions:

Sunday 25th January

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/volunteer-at-caledonian-junior-parkrun-e082674b-e559-41cb-bb6c-8face5a8050b

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Maria's Gardens, Isledon Gardens - Shed Building

Sunday 25th January, 11am - 1pm, Maria's Gardens, Islington

We are planning to lend a hand at Maria's Gardens, a Nature Trail between Isledon Gardens and the Sam Morris Nursery Gardens. One of the key objectives for this session is to build a new tool shed for the regular local gardening team.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/community-mission-maria-s-gardens-isledon-gardens-shed-building-fun

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Green Guardians- Whittington Park Sessions

Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions, Whittington Park, Archway

We have six really interesting gardening session happening at Whittington Park. We'll be planting native wild flowers, hedging and bulbs, creating a stumper and planting fruit trees.

These are relaxed friendly sessions where the emphasis is on spending time outside in nature, whilst learning and sharing skills and meeting new people.

The sessions are free and open to all, though under 16's must be with a responsible adult. No experience is needed. We provide tools, gloves, guidance and refreshments.

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Session Dates

1. Tuesday 6th Jan 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Orchard tree planting with the Orchard Project (with optional free volunteers lunch at 1pm)

2. Tuesday 13th Jan 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Wildlife hedge planting

3. Tuesday 20th Jan, 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Loggery habitat creation

4. Tuesday 27th Jan, 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Loggery habitat creation

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Next session

Tuesday 20th January, 10am - 12 midday:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/green-guardians-whittington-park-community-gardening-68de0746-83b9-4d74-b3dc-2b939ca3bb42

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Penn Road Gardens Monthly Open Volunteer Morning

Sunday 25th January, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens, Islington

Every last Sunday of the month, the residents of Penn Road invite keen volunteers to help with maintaining this lovely community spot just off Holloway Road.

Local volunteers will be on hand to direct anyone who arrives to offer their help between 10am- midday. Come on down to enjoy a lovely morning community task!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/penn-road-gardens-open-morning

Nice to see Ms F again after a while away. Heard about a successful shopping session and shared stories about my Christmas. Successful on the shopping front and came to well under budget. Only downside was the rain but I managed.

Ms N moved in a little over a week ago and really needed a lot of help getting things in order. She was really nice and had lots of interesting stories to share. Me and Paul worked well as a duo, processing the boxes in an efficient manner and sorting between kitchen, living room and bedroom things. Paul then started emptying some of the boxes and I folded the cardboard boxes down. Likely that we’ll be needed again to finish the move in.

They had almost all of the items on the shopping list. Ms F was trying to print something urgently but I could only fix half of the problem. Talked about a recent job interview. Appreciate the tea and biscuit as always.

Met up with an old school friend for lunch who works in the area so it was an obvious logical next step to help out here to stay away from my desk for a bit longer. They were unloading new stock from a Felix Project van when I arrived so helped with some lifting. I then had to quality inspect some carrots and cabbages for a bit and present them neatly to go on the shelves. Final task was to unbox longer life projects which I am demonstrating in the photos (totally not staged!). Had a really nice chat with two regular volunteers and really appreciated the tea. Planning to go back when I next have time in the new year.