Marie-Laure Hicks

Headtorch season is upon us!

Area Activator Simon met up with 6 runners at the Arsenal Community Hub on Benwell Road on Monday evening (including first timer Katherine, and GG Lambeth runner Alfie- welcome!). Our crew made our way out to Thornhill Square Gardens, just off Caledonian Road- running approx 3km each way.

Upon our arrival, we caught up with 6 more Goodgymmers (including regulars like Steve, Patrick and Benedict), and local volunteer Chris, one of the Friends of Thornhill Square Gardens.

We branched off into 4 groups between us- Team 1 picked up wheelbarrows from the community shed to assist with moving and shifting a pile of green waste and soil into a compost bin on the opposite side of the park. Team 2 helped to re-arrange and tidy a line of woven willow branches, positioned to allow new shoots to create an organic border around the flower beds. Team 3 set about weeding out the other flower beds, and trimming the connecting grass verges using loppers and secateurs. Finally, Team 4 continued their fine work of clearing the main entrance path of weeds and overgrown plants using shovels, hoes and gloved hands.

Within 45 minutes, we had all completed a plenty of objectives, especially with the darkness starting to fall. Portable work lights were used to illuminate our work spaces, along with our headtorches. We cleared up our tools and all of our green cuttings, and parted ways- 6 runners joined Trainer Simon for the return run (up hill!) back to the Emirates Stadium.

Wonderful work everyone!

Next Week!

We will return to Caxton House Community Centre to continue their lovely neighbourhood gardening project.

Sign up here to join us next Monday!

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/group-run-call-to-caxton-house-community-centre

Area Activator Simon started as a trainer for Goodgym Islington in August 2019 (after being handed the steering wheel from Paul Bown), and has just realised that he passed his 2nd anniversary.

Too busy Goodgymming while the world turned upside down for a year or so!

So we will be planning on hosting our monthly social at The Highbury Library on Drayton Park after our scheduled group run. Open to all Goodgymmers.

Register limit of 15 to start with, to ensure table allocations for this lovely local bottle shop, but can increase capacity upon request. Feel free to message below if we are full up.

We had a really strong turn out for last night's group run to Caxton House Community Centre- 14 total Goodgymmers, with 6 of us completing the full 2.4 mile run starting at the Emirates Stadium. It was a pleasure to see some familiar faces from the last few years (including Sally, who completed her 300th good deed!), and to hear of people's running plans (well done to Steve on his half marathon on the bizarre Olympic Park noodle course on Sunday!).

Upon our arrival at Caxton House, we were all offered much appreciated drinking water (especially at the start of this heat wave!), and were separated into two groups.

Group 1 were given clippers, loppers and gloves, and assisted the team with trimming back a mass of overgrown greenery around a front garden space. More clipping was also required for a huge pile of branches and overgrowth near the back entrance of the centre, with the intention of passing the wooden waste into a chipper.

Group 2 picked up wheelbarrows, shovels and forks, and set about clearing a collection of soil beds at the back of the centre. The plan was to distribute the old soil into a new planter, located in a sun trap and a better spot for growing food and vegetables. Unfortunately, the soil proved to be pretty firm due to the amount of sun we have experienced over the last week, but our team did a smashing job at picking away at the mud and muck.

We called time after 40 minutes of activity, and almost all of our group joined us for a social down hill run (and cycle) back to The Arsenal Community Hub.

Trainer Simon celebrates 2 years!

In September 2019, Paul Bown (legendary GG Islington and Camden trainer) moved to Sheffield, and Trainer Simon officially took over as the main organiser for GG Islington. To celebrate, we made a trip over to The Highbury Library on Drayton Park to enjoy our monthly social. It was a blast to see you all!

We have just listed the next social on the GG site, so feel free to sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/gg-islington-monthly-social-october