7 wonderful GoodGym folk made light work of a balcony clear-out!

Tottenham Court Road hummed its usual bustle as our group – of Helen, Jackie, Lydia, Siobhan, and Steve – climbed through the American International Church's magnificent doors.

We were there to meet the AIC's brilliant community engagement aficionado – and fellow GoodGymer – Brooke, who had a perfectly-shaped task for GoodGym!

The balcony is suspended above the church hall and it's filled with the usual – pews, books, community notices – as well as the less usual – an eclectic assortment of chairs, random poles, fun-looking toys, and more!

We were there to move the excess items down the three flights to the basement, across the church's underbelly, and out to the side entrance ready for collection and recycling!

Cue this team kicking into the most efficient (and happy) human chain I've ever witnessed – they picked, carried, passed, and repeated – onlookers marveled, removal companies trembled, and the loot was moved and tidily organised in 45 swift minutes!

Thank you so much, everyone! Here's to next time!

7 GoodGymers made a meaningful difference in Camden this week!

This lovely group headed to one of our usual haunts – Lismore Circus Community Woods in Gospel Oak – and we got busy with pruning, litter picking, hedge trimming, and more!

The photos tell a happy story – 60 minutes in nature with friends – and all while making a meaningful difference in Camden :)

Here's to next time!!

10 wonderful GoodGym folk made a green-fingered difference in Kentish Town!

Five of us – Alex, Danny, John, Matt, and Steve – started out from Somers Town yesterday evening.

Matt ran from Battersea Park – John sprinted from Euston Station – Danny ran down from Kentish Town – and Steve wove his usual route up from Bloomsbury!

Together we followed a steady route towards Willingham Terrace (situated in a very hot Kentish Town) and met five others – Alison, Caitlin, Helen, Lydia, and Sarah – each of whom made their own journeys (on foot and bike) to our good-deeding venue.

Hilda has lived on this estate for decades and she's transformed the green spaces – there's a bountiful allotment that was once a verge – and it's all thanks to Hilda's perseverance and creativity.

Yesterday was our second visit and we were focused once again on the communal square's hedgerow.

Weeds were pulled – grass edges were established – and four great big bags of cuttings were collected and disposed.

The difference was huge – and all under an overbearing July sun!

Thank you, everyone!! See you next time!!

Lismore Circus Community Woods is an urban space in Gospel Oak, staffed by volunteers, which is where we come in. They can always do with some extra help and there were ten of us!

First we had to move a fallen tree. Then we set to work on the hedges, which were growing over footpaths and a cycle path, and were generally looking rather untidy. Fancying ourselves as skilled hairdressers, we thought about working on perms, wedges, buns, braids, and mullets, but in the end just made some nice fringes.

By the time we’d finished, the paths were free of overhanging and overgrown foliage, and the hedges were cut back to leave a proper edge to the path.

A special welcome to Victoria, who we’d previously met at Hampstead ParkRun, and was here for her first ever good deed! See you again soon Victoria.

13 inspiring GoodGym folk made a wonderful difference in Kentish Town last night!

Some people can distinguish a grass from a weed and a weed from a flower. I am not one of these people.

But many of these intelligent beings... everyone apart from me... were present in our special group!

Our group in red 👉 Alison, Danny (on their first good deed - hello!), Helen, Imogen, Jackie, John, Majid (on their first good deed - huge welcome!), Sarah, Siobhan, Steve, and Will 👉 arrived in Kentish Town (not far from the Prime Minister's house!) to meet the wonderful Hilda (who was also on their first good deed!!) 👉 and we were there to help her cultivate a healthy hedgerow 🌳💚

I watched in awe as this group identified the 'keeps' from the 'get-rids' while also sharing stories and connecting. The weeds were piled – bag upon bag – and the remaining wild flowers and bushes noticeably started to breathe. And I resorted to taking photos and walking up and down in an attempt to look busy.

Across 60 bright evening minutes this group opened space in the hedgerow – and the fruits of their efforts will carry through into June and beyond – this would have taken a single soul 13 hours to match!

Thank you so much, everyone, for a well-spent evening ☺️

Here's to next time!