Undeterred by the drop in temperature and threat of rain, our trusty group of Goodgymmers gathered for a return to the Tinyforests at Mutton Brook. And, for a change, we had cyclists with us!

Daniel has been carrying on with his pioneering work to engage local asylum seekers in community projects. He organised invitations to two groups, so cycled from Mutton Brook to the Phoenix Cinema and back to help ferry our guests to the site. He introduced the tinyforest, citizen science and the kind of care Goodgym brings to green spaces across Barnet. He'll be working on signing them up properly, so they can engage with more volunteering and connect with the area.

The rest of us ran from the Phoenix - Beattie, Subham, Theodore and myself. We took the quick route as we set off a little late, arriving at about 7:20. The other cyclist, Paul met us on site, helped litter pick the field with us.

Aside from the remains of a barbecue, there wasn't too much litter in the main field - a weird pair of thermal sports leggings, the usual bottles, wrappers, cans. Others found bigger stuff near the roadside, and we took our fair haul of two sacks up to the bus stop bin.

We checked on the tinyforests, skirting the bounds. Earthwatch have put some clearer markers around their attempt at a tinymeadow, which hasn't worked too well. But the original tinyforest is doing so well it seems to have put some runners under the fence, with new trees now as tall as the original! Amazing to see a forest taking shape.

With another week to go before the clocks 'spring forward', it was dark by 7pm, so there wasn't much citizen science we could do after our plog. But with the extra time, that meant a slightly longer, scenic jog back through Northway Gardens and Lyttleton Park. A good bit of cardio!

What a day for a Community Mission at Stephens House and Gardens.

Under blue skies and warm spring sunshine, I joined Helen and Noah to plant a Eucalyptus debeuzevillei – the Snow Gum, bought in memory of my mum after the previous tree sadly died.

This one should be a tougher customer apparently hardy and happy in a wide range of conditions — so here’s hoping it thrives. Compared with the redwood we planted a few weeks ago, this was a lighter job, but we still gave it the full treatment: compost down, soil mixed in, tree planted, and a guard grid fitted around it.

With that done, we moved on to some weeding around the pond, making the most of a truly beautiful spring day with flowers and fresh growth everywhere.

Best of all, we finished in traditional style: tea and biscuits in the Bothy garden.

A lovely afternoon, a meaningful planting, and a little bit more life added to a very special place.

Two Goodgymmers joined a fantastic community event bringing together organisations working to make Barnet a cleaner and more sustainable, organised by BeLifted.

The first panel explored ways of making businesses and community organisations sustainable. The second panel featured Community Energy Barnet and Finchley Pollinators, with some inspiring examples of how much we can achieve by coming together. Then there was some general mingling, refreshments and chats.

It was great to see a whole host of organisations, projects and people Goodgym Barnet have connected with over the years, as well as some new ones: Barnwood Community Centre, the Eco Show and Tell Fairs, National Park Cities, Coppetts Wood Conservationists, Friends of Friary Park, Barnet Friends of the Earth and some of the great volunteer organisations we meet at networking sessions.

Huge thanks to the organisers, and here's to making Barnet a healthier, cleaner and sustainable borough, one car-free journey at a time.

Stars, sprints and shovels at Martin Primary’s Forest School

On a beautiful clear evening, with the stars out and the temperature just right for running, a magnificent seven GoodGymers set off from the Phoenix Cinema for the short 1km trip to Martin Primary School’s Forest School on Tristan Green.

Before we got moving, we squeezed in a quick warm-up with kick-ups and knee raises to get the heart rate up, then jogged through the backstreets. On the way, we even found a handy spot for a few sprints, because GoodGym never misses a chance to mix community work with a bit of fitness.

Once at the school, we got straight into the jobs that needed doing. The team helped clear and tidy the outdoor kitchen area, recovering pots and pans that had somehow spread themselves all over the forest school, and then turned to the heavier work of repairing the paths with fresh woodchip using wheelbarrows, rakes and shovels. We also tackled a rather sizeable hole, filling it in before it could cause any more trouble.

It was one of those classic GoodGym evenings that shows what the group is all about: collective energy, practical help, fresh air and exercise, all wrapped into one session. There’s something especially satisfying about getting outside on an evening like that, doing useful work alongside other people who’ve chosen to spend their time helping out locally rather than sitting indoors.

A special welcome back to Gavin joining us again for his second session, and great to have Subham there too, adding to the growing task force.

A lovely evening, a useful task, and another reminder that doing good together feels even better outdoors.

A few people came online to do Yoga.

Yoga talk Yoga teaches us to find ease in effort, comfort in discomfort, and resilience in every breath. This idea is beautifully mirrored in a concept called hormesis—the practice of facing small, manageable challenges to grow stronger and more adaptable. Whether it’s holding a pose longer than feels easy or stepping onto your mat when it’s cold outside, these moments of deliberate effort cultivate resilience.