When it rains, it pours! Unfortunately, that meant the task owner for the outdoor task at Cossall Estate messaged an hour before to cancel! Yet, fortunately for us, we had a second task. TRAID came to save the day as their final day of sale ended on Wednesday night, so they need our assistance to clear the summer season clothes all out and luckily, it was an indoor task too!

There was an added twist to our group run tonight, we met Carine and Ed from ZDF ("a German BBC") as they wanted to film us for their "culture in Europe" piece to show their German audience what GoodGym is all about.

They met Sam and all of the GG runners including Emma, who they used as their protagonist for their piece at Old Spike Roastery. We welcomed Maria for her first group run after attending eight community missions over the week! The time arrived to 18:45 and with all the runners crammed in, they listened and ZDF filmed Sam's intro speech before heading out for a warm-up for the last time (or second last time) on the Green.

After our warm-up, Sam's ice-breaker for tonight was fitting as he asked: It is Secondhand September and since we're going to a charity shop, what was the last secondhand item that you brought?

Many mentioned a piece of clothing from a suit jacket to shirts, but also jewelry, furniture (but from Ebay) and kitchen utensils. Ensuring that items have a second life and nothing goes to waste...

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Say Käse 🧀

After ZDF filmed an intro piece with Emma, Sam led from the front as Anna backmarked to ensure no one was left behind. The run was only a short 1k as we ran through the backstreets of Peckham, but at least we got our legs moving. We made it to TRAID to find Ed filming us as well as Mikhail and Paulin getting stuck in with the task at hand. Elena also met us there.

We come here every quarter to help clear out the TRAID store as the fashion season moves with the seasons.

Our main task was to unclip / un-hang the clothes on display before putting them in a massive cardboard box, so that it could be shipped back to the main warehouse for re-distributing / some clothes will come back next summer. At the same time, the hangers needed to be bagged or boxed by type. This looked like a daunting task with the amount of clothes left on the rails, but once we got into a rhythm, it was done within 20-30 minutes.

Lastly, we had Sam, Isaac and Maria taking down Sale signs whilst Mikhail hoovered the floor. There was a large group taking the time to sort and match shoes that needed to be bagged up with the last shoes missing a pair being discharged in another bag.

ZDF used this opportunity indoors to film us doing our work whilst they interviewed someone from TRAID, Sam and their protagonist, Emma.

Finally, we got in our group photo before heading back to Old Spike saying goodbye to TRAID and Carine and Ed from ZDF! A quick 1k run back to base for a quick stretch in the light rain.

Some of us went for a pint or two at the White Horse to de-brief and catch-up!

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Thank You to all the GG-ers

A personal thanks from me to all those who came out tonight! Firstly, a massive thank you to Anna and Daryl for backmarking the run there and back. Thank you to the rest of you for coming along as it was chunking it down all day and running in the rain is never fun. In the end, doing one task at TRAID worked out with the amount of clothing and hangers that we needed to put away. At least, we stayed dry for an hour!

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Thank You to TRAID, Carine and Ed

GoodGym is all about getting fit and doing good! We praise the runners/cyclists/walkers who come to get fit and help out, but we often forget about our task owner. I would like to take this opportunity to thank TRAID who ensured we had a task tonight as the rain cancelled our second task! Also, a thank you to Carine and Ed for filming us and we hope the piece will inspire someone in Germany to start their own version of GoodGym!

Michelle was back for her second good deed! Good to know, we didn't scare her away!

As Sam opened up Old Spike, Nathan, Clare, Lindy, Isaac, David, Michelle, Nelly and Anna came between 18:30 - 18:45 to mingle and hear Sam's speech before heading out for a warm-up.

After our warm-up, Sam's ice-breaker for tonight was a two-part question, which was: Today is, International Chocolate Day (not to be mistaken with World Chocolate Day on the 7th of July), what is your favourite chocolate bar? Or what is your favourite real estate agent?

No one, but Sam answered the real estate agent question and said Winkworth whereas everyone was happily giving all types of chocolates from your standard Snickers and Mars to more fancy Green & Black and Lindt.

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When the wasps sleep

With Sam leading from the front and Lindy backmarking, we made it up and over Grove Hill to head down to Thorlands Gardens in Camberwell in 20 minutes to find Emma, Mikhail and Vic already there. Mikhail couldn't leave his day job as he took the register for Simon as Simon prepared the tools that we needed.

Tonight's task was simple. One team focusing on creating a new growing bed in the Forest garden by turning over the soil, watering it and bring over woodchip mulch to put down and the other clearing back the second terrace.

Emma, Lindy, Nathan and Nelly jumped at the opportunity to do the long runs between Thorlands Gardens and the woodchip pile as they brought over barrows and barrows of mulch. Anna and Isaac helped clear, turn over the soil and water the bed whilst Clare was nearby cutting back at the pyracantha bush and buddleia stump.

David, Michelle, Mikhail and Vic were all part of the team clear the terrace as they chopped back at the brambles and bindweed.

What we noticed was the night got darker quite fast and realised we should have had our headtorches on this early in the year. Yet, we powered through and made a good start for those who would come on Saturday to finish off the task!

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Thank You to all the GG-ers

A personal thanks from me to all those who came out tonight! Firstly, a massive thank you to Lindy and Isaac for backmarking the run there and back. Thank you to the rest of you for coming along as we got started on creating another bed for growing as well as cleared back a bit of the second terrace. The nights are getting darker sooner, so please remember to bring a headtorch for next week.

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Thank You to Simon

GoodGym is all about getting fit and doing good! We praise the runners/cyclists/walkers who come to get fit and help out, but we often forget about our task owner. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Simon who prepared the tools and opened up Thorlands for us on this late summer's night. Thank you for providing the photos too!

After discussions with the BetterPoints team, they decided to give away 100 BetterPoints for each GoodGym session a user attends (redeemable to twice a week). This is why Sam had a print out of a QR code prepared for those who want to claim their points! Just another way of rewarding yourself by getting fit and doing good!

As we all gathered in Old Spike on the last Wednesday of August, we welcomed in Abigail, Alex, Claire, Clare, Daryl, Elena, Emma, Gemma, Lindy, Nathan, Nelly and Steve as Sam talked all things GoodGym before announcing that it was Steve's 500th good deed! He draped him in the GG cape before giving him a golden party hat and balloon with a faded 500 on it. Congrats Steve!

After our warm-up on the Green outside, Sam's ice-breaker question for tonight was either: What is your favourite fun fair game (due to the Peckham Rye Fete this weekend)? or What TV game show would go on?

We had all suggestions from hook-a-duck to coconut shy and toss-a-ring (on a bottle) to the claw in the Arcades.... For TV game shows, we had those who wanted to win money in The Chase to those who wanted to challenge themselves in Survivor, Takeshi's Castle and Total Wipeout. We also had some weird Japanese hostess game and someone brave enough to try Big Brother...

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The Heartbreak Insect Hotel

Our run took us over the hill and down again as we ran at a comfortable pace to tackle 3k in 22 minutes. As we arrived on-site, we saw Folarin and Mikhail waiting for us, but we also met Sophie, who came for her first good deed after being invited by Clare to come along (with a bribe to get ramen later...). At the back of the group run, we had Magda who jogged along with us as we arrived in Camberwell. Here we were, all 17 of us, eager to get going. We were met by Catalina, who had brought over the tools for us to use. The main task was to clear back a weeded stepping stone pathway in the Wildlife Triangle, but she needed a few volunteers to help her bring over insects for the bug hotel, but also transport woodchip to the allotment.

Our man of the night, Steve and Claire put their hands up to become the transporters of the catepillars whilst newbie, Sophie and her friend, Clare put their hands up to transport barrows of woodchip mulch to the allotment. The rest used the limited tools and gardening gloves to clear back the path in the Wildlife Triangle.

With 90s tunes blaring, the site got a transformational change within the 35 - 40 minutes that we were there. A few insects got to live in the bug hotel whilst the extra catepillars got the other end of the estate... Sophie and Clare managed to move mountains of mulch (at least, 5 barrows full) and we all got to celebrate Steve's 500th good deed at the end with mashed up vegan cupcakes that had unsparkled sparklers.

As 20:00 approached, we said our goodbyes and ran the most direct route back to Old Spike before a few of us decided to continue Steve's celebrations with a slice of pizza and a few beers at Voodoo Ray's!

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Thank You to all the GG-ers

A personal thanks from me to all those who came out tonight! Firstly, a massive thank you to Lindy for backmarking the runs there and back and being the constant support to Abigail. Thank you to the rest of you for getting on with the task and the run wasn't so bad either. Lastly, another congratulations to Steve for hitting 500 good deeds and to Sophie for claiming her first!

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Thank You to Catalina

GoodGym is all about getting fit and doing good! We praise the runners/cyclists/walkers who come to get fit and help out, but we often forget about our task owner. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Catalina for bringing out the tools and telling us what tasks needed to be done. It was quite a stark contrast within our 35-40 minutes session and we're always pleased to help out at Elmington Community Garden. We will be back to help support you come October before it gets cold and dark!