A damp start to the mission and first time back at the story garden getting it ready for their open day.

We helped move loads of timber, built a new compost bin and met a lot of spiders along the way!

Great to be back and thanks for the treats!

Tonight, six GoodGymmers turned up to help Global Generation clear out Skip Garden.

Global Generation is an educational charity that takes short-term leases on areas of land that are waiting for building work to start, and converts them into green/growing spaces that are usable by the local community. This year, they've been moving operations from one of their old sites (Skip Garden, located at the rear of Granary Square) to one of their new sites (Story Garden, located at the rear of the British Library). As they approach the end of their wind-down operations at Skip Garden, they asked for some volunteering help.

GoodGym were happy to help 😎💪🏻

On arrival, we were a little surprised to see the Skip Garden site shrouded in darkness. Fortunately for us, we hadn't turned up to the wrong place! 😄👍🏻 Unfortunately for Skip Garden, an accident with the wiring earlier in the day had caused a power cut across the entire site.

With limited options for what we could do (health and safety hat says no!), we settled on a pleasant enough job of moving some soil into builder's bags and liberating some plants from the ground for later transfer to Story Garden.

So, here's a breakdown of what we got up to:

• Katrin seemed mostly focused on digging and moving soil (at least whenever she was within my eyeline: she probably did a lot more outside of my eyeline)

• Sally and Helen worked on freeing an absolutely massive (& aromatic!) curry plant

• Becky and I worked on freeing some plant that, for reasons known only to my subconscious, will always be known as a "crowning bush" 🤷🏼‍♀️ (why, brain?!)

• Finally, John was a ghost in the machine, working almost entirely out of my sight (I think he likes it that way).

Because of the lack of electricity, we finished up after an hour or so of work, all of us feeling like we'd gained an extra hour somewhere or other (twice in a month! #winning!), and went off to enjoy the rest of the evening in a different manner.

24 Goodgymers ran between 3-7km to stack logs for Skip Garden and garden for Belsize Community Library!

Welcome along to Elize who was on tour from Lambeth! No newbies last night but plenty of regulars, always lovely to see you. Please do sign up for group runs so I can plan tasks accordingly.

In the news this week:

1. The GG Christmas Party is on Saturday 1st December near Elephant and Castle - dress as something beginning with C for Camden like Clint Eastwood, Cat Woman or a the Canal! - full details here.
2. Frances is leading a 16km long run this Saturday along the Southwark Circle - sign up here.
3. Plus there is a Community Mission helping Crouch End Open Spaces on Sunday, free picnic to finish!

After our introductions we warmed up and split into two groups:

Skip Garden Report:

Frances led a team of 11 to help Skip Garden, managed by Global Generation this amazing charity in the heart of St Pancras puts on educational programmes and activities for children and adults.

The task this time was to stack up tons and tons of logs which will be used to make pizza's in the kitchen, which in turn funds the charities activities.

After the task was done the guys enjoyed a progression run around Granary Square and an early finish to the pub.

Belsize Community Library Report:

A team of 13 of us headed up, up, up the hill to a new task - Belsize Community Library is a charity and community run centre of learning that puts on lots of meeting and activities on top of the obvious quality book borrowing.

The Hills Have GOOD!

We met Emma, the Business Manager, who tasked us with sawing away a tree, sweeping up and weeding. We split into teams of 3-4's and got to work. Weeders weeded planters and pots, sweepers swept leaves and rubbish and sawers tidied up an overgrown tree. We made sure most people had a go with the sawing - nice!

After 30 minutes we'd collected up 6 bags of leaves, weeds and tree that will hopefully be composted by our friends at Antrim Allotments. On our way home we went via Primrose Hill and learnt how to effectively run down hill - flying!!!

Well done all! Sign up for next week here.

PB out

29 GGers ran 5-10k to help Abbey Community Centre and Skip Garden!

Welcome along to newbies Ellie and Jenny, plus welcome back to second timers and regulars!

This week was all about big numbers for the Camdenites:

1. Frances Powrie hit an amazing 300 Good Deeds - FP has been smashing missions and group runs for over three & half years and she is an amazing part of GG! Well done!
2. Equally as GOOD Chris Howson has now hit a 60 month streak for group runs, that's 5 years in a row! Wow!
3. Long run this Saturday from Wandsworth to Croydon on the Wandle Trail - more details here
4. Social on Thursday 4th October at Islington Townhouse - News, IPOM & More - details here
5. Sofia 2019 here and for race suggestions for 2019 please see the form here.

Skip Garden Report:

21 of us headed to Skip Garden, it's been a while since we've helped Global Generation with their work but it was great to be back under the pretty lights and amongst the skips, bees and chickens.

Harvest Festival prep!

Our task was to be heavy lifters, a group of four lifted ten huge heavy bags of soil, a bookcase and a planter from a storage cupboard to the back entrance. Meanwhile the main group formed a chain gang to move logs, crates and more from one location to another for storage.

After finishing up we headed to the canals for some running and then everyone smashed a time trail around Granary Square! Everyone smashed it!

Abbey Community Centre Report:

A team of 9 headed north via Primrose Hill on a speedy mission to deliver leaflets for the wonderful Abbey Community Centre, based near Kilburn, about their older persons services and community cafe.

The brilliant Brent Trainer Pritesh was on hand to lead the gang around town - great job!

Please note someone left a John Lewis suit & suit bag in the Living Centre - please contact me if that's you

Sign up next week here when we'll be helping Sheltered housing and Coram Fields.

PB out

33 of Camden's finest helped Skip Garden with some gardening and we leafleted for Green Gym & Kentish Town City Farm

Welcome along to Antonia whose first group run it was last night - lovely to have you along.

In the news this week:

1. Well done to Shirin who hit 50 Good Deeds last week! Woop woop!
2. Also a massive well done to Sophie and Steve who represented GG at Manchester Marathon recently, both achieving under 4 hours.
3. This Sunday is the London Marathon and GoodGym has various cheering squads out and about - have a look here. Myself and 20+ other GoodGymers are running - come along and cheer us on!

Chris' Leaflet Telegram:

This week were leafleting for Green Gym who run local gardening projects in Camden and Kentish Town City Farm who run programs for people 60+ in the local community.

Sunset running

We headed up to Kentish Town. Bumped into Jess (Sophie's mate) on the way there on her bike. Split into two groups, tackled the areas marked on the map around Kentish Town, working our way back down to Castlehaven. Pritesh was at the back, Steve gave a leaflet to some corner lads. Stop.

Skip Garden Report by PB:

We headed over to Skip Garden, through a busy Granary Square (it was like it was the first day of summer or something). Upon our arrival we met Chief Gardener Emma who explained our jobs:

1. Folding up and loading the yurt onto a van to be moved to the Canada Water site - this provides lots more space in the Garden for activities!
2. Shovelling soil into small bags so to be easily used around the garden to feed the plants & flowers
3. Moving the compost ridan out of the way - it's unfortunately broken and will be removed soon, so no more ridan fun.
4. Moving very heavy pots from inside to outside
5. Watering the plants - they need feeding

RIP Ridan

After we'd taken a group picture we headed for a run on the sunny canal with two options on the way back, short with Frances or long with me.

I am recovering from London Marathon next week so Pritesh is in charge and you're going to Antrim Allotments - sign up here.

PB out.

27 GoodGymers ran between 4-6km to help three tasks in Camden - Cecil Sharp House, C4WS & American International Church!

Welcome along to Linda, Lizzy and Kara whose first time it was last night - lovely to have you join us!

In the news this week:

1. Well done to Sarah Rajabalee whose 50th Good Deed it was last night, she's been coming to GoodGym Camden since March 2016, has ran half marathons and contributed massively to Camden being a better place!
2. On 12th April we are going to Skip Garden for our 5th Birthday Party - see details here - gonna be fun!
3. So you know how last week was the biggest task of the year, well BIGGEST TASK OF THE YEAR Part Two will be on Wednesday 28th March lifting the turf for Southbank Rooftop - sign up here - need 50 people please!

Right last night we had three amazing tasks, helping three amazing charities:

1. Cecil Sharp House - monthly gardening trip
2. C4WS - making beds for the homeless
3. Skip Garden - moving logs for this amazing organisation

Cecil Sharp Report by Katherine:

Frances led a group of 8 to our monthly task at Cecil Sharp. The group headed into the walled garden to work on the patio, trim a bush and tidy the lawn. Unfortunately the wind meant the lawn had to be done a second time due to the leaves being blown everywhere...”did we not get all the leaves in the Autumn?”.

ALPS

The group then headed up to Primrose Hill to take on the ALPS (Arms, Legs, Posture and “Surprise, you’re going up the hill a fourth time”). After a quick stop at the top for the view, the group headed back with their improved running technique.

C4WS limerick by taskforce (led by Kat):

There once were 8 runners from Camden

They ran in pairs, not tandem

They made beds at speed

To get their good deed

8 runners, all women from Camden

Skip Garden Report by PB:

A group of 10 of us headed to Skip Garden to help Global Generation with a people power task, meeting Gwen between the fairy lights we split into three teams to move a ton of logs - movers, draggers and stackers.

Armed with good will, trollies and wheelbarrows we got the task done in no time! Imagine how long that would have taken one person!

Band Work!

Saying our goodbyes to Gwen we did a lap of Granary Square before doing some conditioning, including - step ups, tri-dips, squats, jump-squats, single-leg squats, resistance band work, planks and mountain climbers.

Once Rosie's group has joined us we did a quick fitness session of x3 90 seconds, accelerating your speed with 30 seconds to go! Boom!

Next week we are helping Sheltered Housing, leafleting for the Farm and making beds for the last time this year!

PB out.