Tiny steps, big impact

On a lovely sunny day, we gathered at Stephens House and Gardens for a GoodGym Barnet starter session — a relaxed introduction to how GoodGym connects running, volunteering and local community spaces.

The aim of the session was simple: to give newcomers a flavour of what GoodGym does locally, using two great examples of our community activity — Stephens House and Gardens and the nearby Tiny Forest.

Stephens House and Gardens is one of Barnet’s much-loved green spaces, and GoodGym has helped there in many ways over the years, from gardening and planting to supporting the team with practical outdoor jobs. It is a brilliant example of how regular volunteering can help care for local community assets.

After numbering up and introducing ourselves, we had a fun opening chat about encounters with animals while out running. Needless to say, we won’t go into all the details here — but it certainly got everyone smiling.

We then headed off through the park and down towards the Tiny Forest. This is another fantastic local project where GoodGym has been involved, helping with planting, care and citizen science monitoring. At the forest, we carried out some simple measurements linked to carbon capture and biodiversity, using survey slabs to see how the site may be changing over time — including what is happening in the soil as the forest develops.

It was one of those GoodGym sessions that perfectly combined movement, purpose and community: a bit of running, a bit of learning, a bit of science, and plenty of fresh air.

Afterwards, we headed back to Stephens House and Gardens and enjoyed the sunshine at the café with some well-earned food and drinks.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

We’ll be running these starter sessions regularly, so if you’re new to GoodGym Barnet and would like a gentle taster, keep an eye out for the next one. And if you don’t want to wait, come along to one of our Tuesday evening group activities. We’re a welcoming group, we’re not about super fitness, and we always adapt what we do depending on the task and who is with us.

Clearing the past for the future

Today three GoodGym members came together at St Mary’s Church, Finchley, to help Helen with the careful task of clearing vegetation from around the churchyard memorials.

The aim is to uncover the stones so they can be properly photographed, recorded and categorised. Many of these memorials are Grade II listed, and each one offers a small but powerful glimpse into the lives of people and families who were part of Finchley’s past.

On a beautiful day, we spent a couple of hours working through the churchyard, gently cutting back growth and clearing away ivy that had started to cover some of the stones. It was simple, physical work, but with a real sense of purpose. Every cleared memorial became a little more visible, helping preserve both the history and the dignity of the space.

Helen shared some fascinating details with us as we worked. We learned that some of the smaller burial plots could contain up to six members of one family, and that many of the names recorded were children who had died very young. It was humbling to be working so close to these stories, and it gave the session a quiet sense of history and grounding.

As always with GoodGym, it was a mix of useful outdoor activity, community help and connection to place. We made good progress, but there is still plenty more to do, so we hope to return soon for another session.

A big thank you to everyone who came along, and to Helen for guiding us through the work and sharing some of the history of St Mary’s with us.

Mission report draft

A trim little mission for Mrs O

Daniel and I cycled over to Finchley for a quick Community Mission to help Mrs O, whose reduced mobility has made it much harder for her to keep on top of her front garden.

Once we arrived, we trimmed back a few small trees and tidied the ground area, clearing away debris to reduce trip hazards and make the garden feel more manageable again.

It was a short and simple task, but it made an immediate difference — and Mrs O seemed very pleased with the result.

Afterwards, Daniel and I stopped for lunch together, turning it into a lovely social bit of exercise with purpose: a cycle ride, a helpful task, and a good catch-up. Exactly the GoodGym formula.

Shepherds Hill Gardens, Sunset, Samosas and a Ghost Story Deferred

Last night GoodGym Barnet headed back to Shepherds Hill Gardens, where we try to help Pat and the local friends group every six weeks or so. Their regular volunteers have become a little less active over time, so our extra hands really do make a difference.

We met at the Phoenix Cinema, where the pre-run chat somehow turned to ghosts. Most of us were firm non-believers, with a few cautious “you never knows…” George promised an excellent ghost story, but sadly we never quite got to hear it one for the next social.

We then ran the 2–3km to Shepherds Hill Gardens. The tube strike made the roads busier than usual, but we were rewarded with lighter skies and a beautiful sunset.

Pat had three jobs ready for us: litter picking and sweeping the top area, cutting back ivy from the path, and adding compost around a newly planted fern area.

After a good burst of work, Pat treated us to hot tea, excellent chocolate biscuits and vegan samosas a heroic hosting effort.

George also spotted and heard a goldcrest, one of Britain’s smallest birds and a lovely London wildlife bonus.

We ran back to the Phoenix a few minutes late, but with the gardens tidier, the path clearer, the ferns happier and one ghost story still mysteriously waiting to be told.