I went along to help Mrs P, who really loves her garden but struggles to stay on top of it because she's recovering from a stroke. My job was to give her flowerbed a bit of TLC. I dug and loosened the soil, took out roots and weeds, and applied a good helping of compost. Now it's ready to plant some bulbs later in the autumn. I also filled some planters with compost and have everything a good drink of water. Mrs P was very grateful. We chatted a bit, she told me about her life and recovery from the stroke, and I left. Looking forward to seeing her garden flourish!

Three Goodgymers attended the Windermere Avenue Play street in Finchley to help locals manage this monthly summer event. For a few hours on a Sunday the street is closed to cars, allowing the local children and adults to roam freely and socialise on the street. Goodgym helped the organisers to staff the barriers at the end of the street, to ask motorists to go the long way round, or to let those through who live on the street. The unseasonably good weather continues, so it was a gloriously sunny day for everyone to enjoy the freedom of the street.

Super Nature film.. Super nature Reserve and super goodGym runners doing some good!

We gathered in the foyer of the Phoenix Cinema and welcomed two new GoodGym recruits—big shout-out to Edward and Neeral on their first session!

The Phoenix also gave us an emergency bundle of leaflets to distribute for Super Nature, a film celebrating the natural world, showing at 2pm on Saturday 5 September, followed by a Q&A with director Ed Sayers. The Phoenix is an important charitable community cinema, so please support it if you can. Find out more and book here⁠ https://www.phoenixcinema.co.uk/PhoenixCinemaLondon.dll/WhatsOn?f=634449

After warming up outside, we numbered up by sharing the television programmes that influenced us as children—from Teletubbies and Bagpuss to Star Trek.

We split into two teams and delivered all the leaflets along a nearby road before setting off at a good pace for the two-kilometre run to Glebelands Local Nature Reserve.

Glebelands is one of the last surviving parts of old Finchley Common and is a Grade I Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. Its clay soil holds water, feeding natural springs, streams and seasonal ponds. These support rare wetland plants and wildlife, including great crested newts. It may look like a small patch of rough woodland, but it is one of Finchley’s most precious natural spaces.

Although the ground looked dry, subsurface water and mud meant that we couldn’t do the planned clearance work. Instead, we split into pairs for a litter pick and found a surprising amount of rubbish, particularly around a concrete structure that seemed to act as a litter magnet!

With our bags full, we headed back—an enjoyable evening supporting both our local cinema and an important local nature reserve.