Ten Years of GoodGym Barnet – Back Where It All Began

Ten years ago GoodGym Barnet held its first group run to Long Lane Pasture. Yesterday we went back to where it all began with old friends, new faces and over 30 people joining us to celebrate a decade of doing good in our community.

A big group set off from the Phoenix Cinema after our traditional warm-up but this time we also went around the group remembering some of our favourite GoodGym moments from the last ten years. Gardening, clearing graffiti from the Phoenix, Halloween runs in fancy dress, Tiny Forests, litter picks and countless community missions. It was a lovely reminder of just how varied GoodGym has been.

We ran through the back streets of East Finchley, keeping everyone together with the occasional stop for squats, exercises and a few questionable drop kicks!

At Long Lane Pasture we met Donald, other volunteers, councillors and GoodGymers who had made their own way there. Donald told us a little about this wonderful nature reserve, saved from development and now looked after by volunteers.

After gathering around the Green Flag for a photo, we squeezed in some gentle yoga breathing and mobility before getting down to business , clearing litter from the footpath alongside the reserve.

Then came the important birthday business: cake and beer!

Huge thanks to Donald and everyone at Long Lane Pasture for hosting us and providing plenty of cake, Richard for the vegan cake, Athletic Brewing for the beers and Theo for some additional refreshments with a little more kick!

There was another milestone worth celebrating too: congratulations to Subham on reaching over a 100 good deeds. What better evening to do it.

Most importantly, it was wonderful seeing people who have been part of GoodGym Barnet at different times over the last decade. Some we see every week, others we haven’t seen for years. You’re always welcome back even if it’s only once a year!

One message we received afterwards perhaps summed the evening up best:

“The energy is infectious. You have created a wonderful community, and Barnet is richer for having you in it.”

But GoodGym isn’t really about what we have created. It’s about supporting people like Donald and the volunteers at Long Lane Pasture, and all those people across Barnet who quietly take responsibility for our green spaces, charities and community organisations.

Sometimes a couple of hours of our time gets a job done. Just as importantly, hopefully it reminds those people that they aren’t doing it alone and that what they do is noticed and valued.

And it does something for us too. Getting outside, being active and doing something useful alongside other people is pretty good medicine for life.

We might only make a small difference each time but a small difference is considerably better than no difference at all.

After ten years, we’re still running, walking and cycling into our community, getting our hands dirty and seeing where we can help.

Here’s to the next few years and hopefully plenty more familiar and new faces joining us along the way. ❤️

Happy 10th birthday GoodGym Barnet!

The plan was simple: help the Phoenix Cinema by delivering some promotional leaflets. Then came the call… could we help water the planters at Lyttelton Playing Fields instead?

As GoodGym helped with the planting over the last couple of years, there was only one answer: yes!

With temperatures still around 29°C, we warmed up at the Phoenix, delivered leaflets en route to support our fantastic local cinema, then jogged on to Lyttelton. Thanks to the hosepipe ban, around 15 planters had to be watered the old-fashioned way—with buckets and teamwork.

Of course, not all the water reached the plants… there were a few well-aimed splashes too! It was a great reminder that even serious challenges can bring people together with a smile.

As our climate changes, we’ll need more of this—communities helping communities. That’s what GoodGym does best: getting fit, having fun and making a real difference together.

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🎉 Save the Date – GoodGym Barnet is 10! 🎉

This August we’re celebrating 10 years of GoodGym Barnet – and we’d love you to join us.

Whether you’ve run, walked, volunteered, hosted us, or worked alongside us to make Barnet a better place, you’ve been part of our story. Over the last decade we’ve helped dozens of local organisations and met some incredible people. We simply couldn’t have done it without you.

Join us on Tuesday 18th August at Long Lane Pasture, the very place where GoodGym Barnet began 10 years ago. We’ll lend a hand with a short volunteering task, then celebrate with food, birthday cake and plenty of time to catch up. Event details & sign-up https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/10-year-anniversary-gardening-at-long-lane-pasture-nature-reserve

If you’re still a GoodGym member, please sign up via the link. If not, just reply to let me know you’d like to come so we have an idea of numbers.

It would be wonderful to celebrate with as many old and new friends as possible. We hope to see you there!