GoodGym Barnet helped a local primary school in East Finchley

A big well done to everyone who came along to our Tuesday group run from the Phoenix Cinema.

We stopped on the way for a few simple exercises, including squat kicks and some arm resistance work, before heading on to the school’s forest area.

Once there, we found a large pile of steaming wood chip and got stuck in, spreading it along the path as requested. It was warm work, but it made a real difference to the space and should help make the forest school area safer and easier for the children to use.

Lovely to get this message from the school the next morning:

“Wow what a great job yesterday thanks so much. Sorry we did not come out we were chasing rats lol”

Thanks again to everyone who helped. A great team effort.

Big, shout out for Wren and Somaieh on her first GoodGym mission thanks for coming hope to see you next week at Highgate Woods

A few Goodgym Member members came online to do yoga.

Yoga talk

Get rid of the Fuzz Dr Gil Hedley explains brilliantly in his online talk that in order for the body to be optimally healthy and feel physically good, it’s important to move at the beginning of the day. Overnight, our muscles rest and while they’re not moving, layers of connective tissue and bodily fluid – fondly known as ‘fuzz’ – builds up between them. That urge to stretch we get upon waking is essentially an act of releasing the fuzzy build up found between muscles. If we don’t move and stretch however, this layer continues to thicken and build up, causing stiffness, chronically ‘tight’ muscles and common aches and pains. 

please sign up to the next session.

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/yoga-with-paul-tuesday-9-55am-56369879-a2d1-434a-bb1f-6c5b88be426b?legacy=true

Delivering the goods at North Finchley Community Store

Today, 15 June, Subham and I headed to St Barnabas Church in North Finchley to help out at the Community Store.

The store has a regular delivery on Monday mornings and needs a bit of GoodGym muscle to help get everything from the van into the shop and storage areas. Unfortunately, the delivery was delayed, so Subham had to leave before it arrived but thank you to him for coming along and being ready to help.

When the van did eventually turn up, there was plenty to shift, including fresh fruit, frozen goods and various other items. I worked with Kenny to transport everything into the store and down into the storage area.

Inside the shop, items are given a points value, which can change depending on stock levels, expiry dates and what needs moving on quickly. It’s a brilliant system: helping local people financially while also reducing food waste.

This is a regular Monday GoodGym Barnet session, so do look out for it and come along when you can. It’s practical, friendly, useful work and a great way to support the local community.

GoodGym Barnet helped out at the regular Friday gardening session at Stephens House & Gardens, working with Julian between 10am and 12pm.

Arriving at 10am sharp, Julian and I got stuck into tackling brambles in various locations around the park. These were deep-rooted and determined, with their usual talent for spreading far and wide if left unchecked. The work was so tough that my spade actually bent while trying to dig out the roots!

As always, it was a pleasure to be in such a magnificent park, with bumblebees buzzing around and lovely conversations with park users interrupting the hard graft in the best possible way.

At 12 o’clock we downed tools and headed to the Bothy Garden for a well-earned social tea and biscuits.

This is a regular volunteering session supporting Stephens House & Gardens. You can also support the house by using the café, renting rooms within the house, or getting involved as a volunteer.

Come and check it out if you’ve never been — it really is one of Barnet’s special places.