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!

Six Goodgymmers rocked up for a third go at the overgrowth along the East End Road fence of Stephens House and Gardens. Five of us jogged from the Phoenix, and met up with Warwick, Allison and Richard, already hard at work. Theo soon rocked up ready to roll, so we got stuck in, cutting back the bushes, sweeping the brickwork and brushing the pavements.

We bagged things up and carried the full rubble sacks around to the compost pile. On the way back, there was a brief opportunity for some monkeying on the monkey bars, but then back to it, until we had finished the whole of the last part of the fence! Not to worry though, there are other fences in need of some vegetation maintenance.

Meanwhile, tonight's icebreaker asked what was the most recent work of art to have moved you to laughter or tears. From the Weight of Being exhibition at Two Temple Place earlier this year, to Laurie Lee novels and zombie drama - even a facebook video meme (yes it's art!) - we had plenty of food for discussion as we worked. Then, with three of our team living only a few minutes away, just three of us jogged back to the Phoenix to collect bags and be on our merry ways home, feeling fitter and very satisfied with our good deeds.

NB: CONGRATULATIONS SUBHAM!

I completely missed it, so adding this special note! Well done to Subham, as this was his 100th good deed! What a champ!

Today we headed to the Bull Theatre in High Barnet to help Susi and Dave get this important local theatre and performing arts centre ready for its next season.

With its theatre and two dance studios, the Bull provides a great space for young people and the wider community to get involved in drama, dance and music. We got stuck into some much-needed decorating. painting walls, cleaning them down as well as painting the floor.

There’s plenty of history here too. The site dates back centuries and has been a pub, magistrates court and, from 1975, the Old Bull Arts Centre. When its future became uncertain in the early 2000s, the local community helped save it, and today it continues as an independent charity and home for performing arts in Barnet. It has even seen the likes of Amy Winehouse and Alexandra Burke perform here in their earlier days.

It’s exactly the sort of community facility that is worth supporting giving young people opportunities to build confidence, learn skills, perform and meet others.

And, of course, this was GoodGym so we had to get there actively! Jack and I cycled, Subham ran some of the way, while the rest of the team made their way by public transport.

Thanks to Susi and Dave for welcoming us. Hopefully this is the start of us doing a bit more to help keep this historic little theatre vibrant and serving the Barnet community for many years to come.

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.

also

🎉 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!

A few people came online to do yoga.

Yoga talk

Yoga can contribute to muscle development while nurturing physical and mental wellness. In yoga studios and classes, practices like vinyasa yoga incorporate strength-focused poses that engage muscles and encourage growth. While yoga’s primary goal isn’t solely muscle-building, it does enhance overall body strength and tone.