The Goodgym Islington crew avoided some wet and windy weather again on Monday evening, before heading to Caledonian Park to help Gail and Miriam and the local volunteer team. Area Activator Simon ran with Caitlin and Damarcus up and along Mackenzie Road and towards a firework display firing off in the distance (a gender reveal party in Cally Park, apparently?).

Upon our arrival, the crew gathered wheelbarrows and shovels ready to assist with winter path building. Over a ton of fine ground sand has been donated to the park by a builder's merchant, and our objective was transport the material over towards the nature walk and amphitheatre section of the park. This is a popular wooded trail for walkers and runners, which unfortunately gets quite water logged during the winter months.

Together, we successfully pushed 10 wheelbarrow loads of heavy material across the whole of Cally Park, and made a great start on this big task. We kept a system running to allow half of our team wheelbarrowing and the rest of our crew raking and shovelling. Well done everyone!

Our plan is to return next week- see you at the Cally Clocktower at 7.15pm next Monday!

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GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS

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SESSIONS IN DECEMBER

Community Mission - Caledonian Park Winter Path Building (2), 7.15pm, Caledonian Park, Market Road Monday 15th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-caledonian-park-autumn-path-building-3958ef1a-8608-40f0-9c5a-5ac4e95edbc2

Group Run - Festive Fleet Street Quarter Snoopy Trail, 6.45pm, St Paul's Cathedral Monday 22nd December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/wild-in-art-fleet-street-quarter-snoopy-trail

Achilles International UK- Betwixtmas Special 6pm, Arsenal underground station, Monday 29th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/achilles-international-uk-special-betwixtmas-group-session

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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!

DECEMBER

Emirates Stadium, Arsenal Tube Thursday 11th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-ea675dbf-ae40-4d79-a61c-794cc89b3878

Stratford Olympic Park Thursday 18th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-olympic-park-stratford-route-f32c11d7-52e8-4432-af5e-b0aaa7647de4

Betwixtmas Special - Emirates Stadium Monday 29th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/achilles-international-uk-special-betwixtmas-group-session

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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 8th January 7.50am, Arsenal Community Hub, Emirates Stadium

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-naqi-laps-at-emirates-stadium

Thursday 15th January 7.50am, Poplar Union, Bartlett Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-bartlett-park-belters-6bc739c3-0900-472e-bbad-59e72d3f9e24

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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Goodgym Islington Social (December) - Angel Comedy Club, Camden Head

Tuesday 9th December, 7.30pm, Camden Head Pub, Angel

A celebration of Goodgym fun over 2025, with a trip to the famous Camden Head pub in Angel, host to stand up comedy and fresh sketches, 7 days a week.

Come on down for refreshments, food and a nice catch up before the Xmas holidays!

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/gg-islington-social-december-angel-comedy-club-camden-head

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The Green Guardians Volunteer Gardening Sessions

Tuesdays (and a single Saturday) 10am - 12 midday

Market Road Gardens, London N7 9GT

Come along and meet the TGC team and help us to keep Market Road Gardens looking beautiful! All tools provided. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Tea, coffee and biscuits also provided.

Winter Dates

September 16th, 23rd, 30th

October 7th, 14th, 21st (not 28th!)

November 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th

December 2nd, 9th and 16th

Next session

Tuesday 9th December: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-garden-classroom-market-road-gardens-tuesday-volunteer-morning-ca6de4a6-9980-4c09-b5a9-ee0abff06989

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The Green Guardians Volunteer Gardening Sessions

Wednesdays (and one single Saturday) 10am - 12 midday

TGC Hut, Newington Green Park Building, 2 Newington Green, London, N1 4RF

Come along and meet the TGC team and help us to keep Newington Green tidy and lovely!

All tools provided. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Tea, coffee and biscuits also provided.

Winter Dates

September - 17th, 24th, and Saturday 27th

October- 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd

November- 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th

December- 3rd, 10th and 17th

Next Session

Wednesday 10th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-garden-classroom-newington-green-green-guardians-volunteer-morning-cda15ffa-65fd-4996-b7ba-207170b0eaf4

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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. Thursday 16th Oct 2025, 10am to 12pm ; planting native wildflower

2. Thursday 13th Nov 2026,10am to 12pm ; planting native bulbs

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

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

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

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

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Next session

Tuesday 6th January, 10am - 12 midday:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/green-guardians-whittington-park-community-gardening-6d711904-bb7a-4e18-ae12-41d415b2788a

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Compton Terrace Gardens- Volunteer Session

Saturday 13th December, 10am - 1pm, Union Chapel, Islington

A smashing community mission for those partaking in Highbury Fields or Finsbury parkrun on a Saturday morning!

A friendly gardening group started to look after the park about 10 years ago. We are always looking for more help - with planting, mulching, pruning, and all the other things a garden needs.

Everyone welcome, no special skills needed! Lots of fresh air and a nice chance to meet local people. We meet once a month on a Saturday morning near the shed in the middle of the Gardens.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/compton-terrace-gardens-volunteer-open-morning-november-8d6cb78f-3a20-4a94-9d60-a6851a71d496

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Elizabeth House Food Hub - Xmas Supplies Prep

Tuesday 16th December, 12.30 - 1.30pm, Elizabeth House Food Hub, Hurlock Street

The team at Elizabeth House Food Hub have requested for an extra pair of hands to help with preparing up the donation centre.

As the holidays are approaching, the centre will be expecting more visitors to make use of this vital service. Your help is invaluable!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/elizabeth-house-food-hub-xmas-supplies-prep

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Friends of Canonbury Square- Volunteer Morning

Saturday 20th December, 10am - midday, Canonbury Square Gardens

The Friends of Canonbury Square Gardens host an open community gardening session on the 3rd Saturday morning of every month.

Usual tasks would include bulb planting, trimming, laying compost, maintaining flower beds and litter picking.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/goodgym-islington-friends-of-canonbury-square-volunteer-morning-35af9b6b-461a-49a4-8421-a25b2b4f339d

On Monday evening, Area Activator Simon met with 6 Goodgym gardeners at the hidden urban gem that is Camden Estate Gardens (Rostock Gardens). We met with the lovely Michelle, who had set up the space specially for our visit, despite the wind and rain earlier in the day.

Our task for the night involved using rakes and brushes to gather up as leaves and green debris from around the allotments and beds. We then used grabbing implements and shovels to fill up wheelbarrows or to drop the leaf mulch into various planters. The remaining green waste was then moved to compost bins and builder's merchant bags, ready to be rotted down over the next few months. Our collections from previous years have now become lovely soil for Spring time planting!

We did a smashing job over 40 minutes, and completely cleared the space in no time. Excellent efforts all around!

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GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS

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Currently being updated- watch this space!