GoodGym Islington
Super Loops at Emirates Stadium with Achilles International
Thursday 8th June
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
6 Goodgym runners (including first time guide Luke) joined the Achilles International crew for a smashing group run around the Emirates Stadium tonight. Visually impaired runners Andrew, Andy, Imran, Tom (first timer), Brendan and Mark joined us for an awesome run in the sun!
See you at Green Park next week for more VI running good times!
Green Beans and Exercise Machines
Monday 5th June
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
On Monday evening, Area Activator Simon, Luke and Dharmesh caught up for a top run across the borough, making our way to The Rose Bowl youth club in Canonbury. All of us had been involved with Hackney Half this year- as a pacer, as a runner and as a water station volunteer! Also, special shout out to Dharmesh for completing the Edinburgh Marathon last weekend- certainly recovered quickly and efficiently.
Upon our arrival, we were joined by Benedict, and then we met with Dawn, the lovely coordinator at the youth club, who put us straight to our first task. Between the four of us, we retrieved a large sack of fresh soil, and carefully filled up a planter (after Benedict prepared a lining in advance) right up to the brim. We were then able to proceed with transferring some lovely new bulbs and sprouting into the fresh bed.
Dharmesh and Benedict created an awesome poly-tunnel using leftover stakes, plastic sheeting and string (super impressive), while Luke and Simon broke down excess packaging and boxes for the busy food bank project.
After a super successful job done, our crew took a slight diversion back to St Paul's Way, to assist with another Goodgym project. We spotted a free outdoor exercise gym located just by the Rose Bowl, and proceeded to demonstrate the usability of the available equipment. This can then be logged as part of the "Move Map", an interactive guide for free gym equipment across the UK, set up by "Move the Masses".
Check it out here!
https://www.movethemasses.org.uk/
NEWS
Achilles International VI Running Group Session- Emirates Stadium
Thursday 8th June, 6pm, Arsenal tube station
Our weekly group run with Achilles International returns to the Emirates Stadium this Thursday. Come and try guide running or assisting our visually impaired athlete friends in a welcoming and accessible environment.
Crouch End Open Space (CREOS)- Forest Path Building
Sunday 18th June, 11am - 1pm, CREOS meadow
We will be returning to one of our oldest and most popular community tasks as part of the Islington group. The Friends of Crouch End Open Space (aka CREOS) will be meeting up at to continue to build more forest paths between Highgate and Muswell Hill. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning!
https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/crouch-end-open-space-creos-volunteering-day-june-2023
Guide Runners Needed for Metro Blind Sport Athletics 2023 (50 year Anniversary!)
Saturday 24th June, 10am - 3pm, Mile End Stadium
Experienced and new guides needed for this annual visually impaired athletics event. An incredible sports day for athletes of all abilities!
Penn Road Gardens Open Volunteer Morning
Sunday 25th June, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens
Every last Sunday of the month, the residents of Penn Road invite keen volunteers to help with maintaining this lovely community spot just off Holloway Road.
Local volunteers will be on hand to direct anyone who arrives to offer their help between 10am- midday. Come on down to enjoy a lovely morning community task!
Having a ball, guide running on the Mall
Thursday 1st June
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
On Thursday evening, Achilles International and Goodgym runners and guides met up at Green Park station for our weekly group run. We were joined by new VI runners Andrew and Alex from Achilles New York (who snuck out on their lunch break- still on Eastern Time!), and new Goodgym guide Oliver- welcome!
Glorious sunshine enjoyed by all of our guides and VI runners- we had a mix of running and walking groups this week, making the most of of 1.2 mile loop of pedestrian friendly access (and a Hyde Park extension for those who want to go further).
Wonderful running and guiding everyone, we will be at Emirates Stadium and Arsenal next week!
A Rake’s Progress
Saturday 3rd June
Written by Islington runner
They’re preparing for the Islington in Bloom competition, so there were loads of volunteers. I focussed on taking the grass.
Over Andover and over and over
Monday 29th May
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
Simon and John met at the Gym Group on Caledonian Road on a special Bank Holiday Monday Goodgym group run. After dropping off bags in the gym, they made a round trip from the end of the Islington/Camden border, over to the hub for Foodcycle Islington in Canonbury.
From here, our crew ran the 2 miles up to Seven Sisters Road, following the glorious Gillespie Park Nature Trail towards Finsbury Park station. Andover Estate Community Centre (on Corker Street) is a newly founded food bank project, offering free meals to the local neighbourhood (no questions asked) and building a friendly hub for residents.
Between the two runners, John and Simon delivered approximately 150 flyers to the buildings immediately surrounding the food bank project (switching between upstairs or downstairs distribution and leapfrogging between houses to make sure that no houses received multiple flyers!).
The team even found an outdoor gym set-up hidden within the estate- seated cardio bikes, leg presses and pull-up bars. We were accustomed to stopping whenever we found some free equipment to make sure that it was functional before submitting our findings to the Move The Masses website (find out more information here: https://www.movethemasses.org.uk/move-map/ ).
John and Simon ran together to Holloway Road, before zipping back to Caledonian Park to complete a successful evening of leafletting in the local area. Great job all!
Getting It Right!
Sunday 28th May
Written by John Shirley
Volunteers are vital for Junior ParkRuns to go ahead.
But sometimes GoodGymers have an extra little task to perform - turning the "Start" sign to the arrow on the other side. That's not easy to forget.
Equally easy to remember, is to count the number of times the kids go round. Third time round, pick up the cones and arrows and take them back to end of the race. Otherwise you could be waiting all day.
But GoodGymers are very diligent. Thanks in part to our marshalls, the run went well; come along next Sunday and help out!
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