19 Goodgymers ran 4-6km to help Caxton House with leafleting and destruction of lots of bushes!

We didn't have any newbies this week but plenty of 2nd and 3rd timers and of course regulars - lovely to see you all.

In the news this week:

1. Well done to Steve and James who both got PB's at Dulwich Parkrun at the weekend!
2. There is a GG social in Walthamstow this Thursday - join Pritesh for drinks, puns and heroes - sign up here.
3. Also there is a Community Mission at 10am this Saturday helping Barnsbury Square Gardens - lovely local Islington mission!

After warming up we headed to Caxton House, the slight incline all the way there always makes it tiring but great to know it's a down hill run on the way home.

Upon our arrival we met Rose who explained our two tasks: leafleting and destruction! A group of ten people, going off in pairs leafleted for the Community Centres Zumba Classes - nice!

Meanwhile the other eight people, who were joined by Sofia continued the work of destroying bushes and small tree's in the front garden. This space is going to be transformed once everything is removed. Armed with an array of tools we got to work chopping things down. Steve and George quickly chopped down some small tree's, while everyone else was contacting ever increasing spikey thorns!

Nice legs Graham!

Over time we were joined by pairs of flyers who'd finished distributing in their desonated areas. They helped massively to chop into small pieces the removed tree's and bushes. And beautifully Graham 'Always Shorts' Atkins got into the big bin and jumped on the incoming branches - he said "I haven't had this much in ages!" Always good to hear, especially when it's a bit colder than recently.

Once we collected all the debris up in either piles, the bin or bags we said our goodbyes to Rose. We headed to a local hill for some sprints before a downhill run home and biscuits - yum!

Sign up for next week here when we'll be helping Waterside Adventure Playground and Mildmay Community Centre.

PB out

17 Goodgymers ran 4.5km to help Caxton House Community Centre cut back bushes!

Welcome along to Gareth and George - it was there first time last night. Also welcome back to Claire who joined us again after having a baby.

In the news this week:

1. We are still looking for Finsbury Parkrun pacers this Saturday! Details here.
2. Goodgym February long run and Tooting Bec Track Session both on this Sunday.
3. It was Christina's last GoodGym Islington last night as she moving to Manchester - thanks for coming along and we're sad to see you go.

After we warmed up we all headed up to Caxton House Community Centre together, that lovely steady up hill that is always a bit of challenge but worth it for the downhill return home.

Caxton House is a fantastic hub in the Archway/Crouch Hill community - provide educational programmes, older persons groups and supports. Once we arrived at the task Rose explained our main task for this week was to cut back as many bushes, ivy and brambles as possible in the car park area. They want this area to be cleared as it is high maintenance and they'd like to secure funding to rebuild parts of it.

Sticks n' saws!

While the major of the team got started cutting back things, Ellie and Gareth did a litter pick sweep around the building and in the front garden. Armed with various tools, including saws, everyone really got into the destroying part of the task. So many small tree's and bushes were coming down eveywhere!

I may have underestimated how long it would take for us to bag things up, it took time to break down the branches and sticks to then bag them up. Amazing work all!

After 45 minutes of work we took a group picture and headed back other base for as stretch and biscuit round 2!

Sign up for next week here - we'll be shifting tonnes of woodchip for SHP.

PB out

24 Goodgymers ran 5km to help Sunnyside Community Gardens turnover compost piles and lay woodchip paths!

Welcome along to newbies - Kathleen, Steve, Helen, Claire and Rachel - lovely to have you all along, come back and join us again :)

In the news this week:

1. GoodGym is pacing Finsbury parkrun on Saturday 23rd February - especially on look out for 25, 30, 35, and 40 pacers - sign up here.
2. This Sunday James is leading CREOS Community Mission up in Crouch End - full details here.
3. Join the GoodGym Unofficial Unofficial Facebook Group here to keep updated with other things going on.

Corrrr that was a fun evening - loved it! After our intro and warm up we split into two groups to head up to Sunnyside Community Gardens. James & Steve led a faster and longer group by doing a lap of the Emirates, while the rest of us went up directly.

Upon our arrival we met Anna and other committee members who explained what our tasks were this week:

• There were two piles of compost that needed to be taken off, turned over and put back in a pile again. This helps fasten the process of making compost, which will then feed the garden.
• The second task was to lay woodchip over the paths.

Over 25 minutes we did some great work! The compost teams did a great job getting to the bottom (or as far as they could) - the piles were definitely smaller when we left - good turning. Team woodchip did a fantastic job moving the good chip stuff in bags and a wheelbarrow - lovely.

After a group picture we headed back to base for some stair sprints and some out of date biscuits.... oh hahaha.

Sign up for next week here when we'll be helping Caxton House.

PB out

18 Goodgymers ran 4km to help Thornhill Square Gardens

Thanks for coming along on such a cold night, we got lots done and it was great to see you all.

In the news this week:

1. Community Mission helping Crouch End Open Spaces in February is on the website - sign up here.
2. Goodgym races as well as doing good, check out all the races going on here.

Corrrr blimey it's definitely winter isn't it, dark and cold. But hey we did some good for our community, got a bit fitter and it was light until 5pm today - progress me thinks.

After warming up (kinda) we headed to Thornhill Square Gardens through the Barnsbury back streets. There in the dark we met Christopher, he informed our tasks were as follows:

Team One - Shifting two tonnes of mulch to be spread across three flower beds and growing tree saplings. Team Two - Cutting down three tree's. Team 3 - Collecting up a huge amount of twigs, branches and sticks.

We got to work, with head torches on and carrots fueled eyes straining in the darkness. Team One worked across a wide area with three wheelbarrowers, two shovellers and three spreaders in operation.

Meanwhile Team 3 went searching for trees marked with white cloth; Harry and Nicola found a little one to take down but Chris and Laura found a big one which in the end defeated them (due to time not strength).

HEDGEHOG DENS!

The majority of Team 3 became twig/stick collectors, putting them in bags and collecting them to be made into a HEDGEHOG DEN! After 40 minutes of work we were done, we headed home for a stretch and a biscuit.

Sorry for the bad photos, it was so dark! Sign up for next week here, we are helping Rose Bowl.

PB out

20 Goodgymers ran 5km to help the Rose Bowl sweep leaves - plus finished with a time trial!

Welcome along to newbie Tim whose first time it was last night, lovely to have you join us!

In the news this week:

1. GG London Xmas Party - it's this Saturday down in Southwark! Get your fancy dress costumes out and get ready to sing wham! If you haven't signed up please do and if you haven't paid the £4 please also do that - both ASAP.
2. GG Raceteam has two London Marathon places, you need to be part of the raceteam and have your name down if you'd like a chance - email graham@goodgym.org for more details
3. GG Islington Xmas Party will be after the last group run of the year on the 17th December, we'll be going for an Italian - bring your Christmas hat!

Back to what happened last night, after warming up we split into two groups. James led a team of 6 to leaflet for the This Girl Can Running Group in Islington, they dropped the leaflets on the way to the Rose Bowl.

The rest of us went straight to the Rose Bowl Community Centre via Higbury Fields and Balls Pond Road. This is a fantastic centre that looks provides education programmes, activities and counselling services to young people in the community. They've got a fantastic quad area and garden that is well used but at this point covered in leaves!

Party Ring Nostalgia

Our job was simple but big, to collect up as many leaves as possible across the space. Armed with brooms, rakes, shovels and bags we split into groups to get the job done. While everyone filled bags upon bags of leaves, a team of 5 was cutting back bamboo, trees and weeds - nice! Fuelled by hob nobs and party rings everyone smashed 30 mins of hard work. Well done!

After taking a group picture we headed back home slightly a different way and then did our monthly time trial!

Sign up for next week here when we will be returning to Mildmay Community Centre

PB out