GoodGym Barnet helped a local primary school in East Finchley

A big well done to everyone who came along to our Tuesday group run from the Phoenix Cinema.

We stopped on the way for a few simple exercises, including squat kicks and some arm resistance work, before heading on to the school’s forest area.

Once there, we found a large pile of steaming wood chip and got stuck in, spreading it along the path as requested. It was warm work, but it made a real difference to the space and should help make the forest school area safer and easier for the children to use.

Lovely to get this message from the school the next morning:

“Wow what a great job yesterday thanks so much. Sorry we did not come out we were chasing rats lol”

Thanks again to everyone who helped. A great team effort.

Big, shout out for Wren and Somaieh on her first GoodGym mission thanks for coming hope to see you next week at Highgate Woods

With near perfect weather for a 5km charity walk and community gathering, three Goodgymmers came together to help make Our North Finchley's event a success. Coming all the way over from Hatfield, Alice finally found a community session that fitted her timetable. And, amazingly despite his epic marathon trek the day before for the Thames Path Hike, Richard also rocked up, looking not too worse for wear and keen to help steward the route.

Joining about ten other volunteers from the community and led by our excellent local health and safety duo Andrew and Del (they'll be leading the team at East Finchley Festival next weekend). Some helped with even more litter picking and putting up gazebos earlier in the day, while the very talented Filip, who's been to a few Goodgym sessions, volunteered as a trained first aider to keep everyone safe.

We were also incredibly lucky to have an absolute legend from the local area, Bill O'Connor, who is one of the Ever Presents - these five legends have participated in every London Marathon since it launched in 1981, and Bill completed his 46th Marathon this year, running in the 80+ category. Having already run 8km that morning, it was incredibly generous of him to offer to lead the opening lap of the walk, and he even did an extra lap for fun. A fantastic role model, and one we hope will join Goodgym Barnet for a training session some time in the near future.

Meanwhile, the event ticked along in family fun spirit, young and old spreading out around the open space, walking, some running, some kicking balls around the route and some in prams or carried. Team Goodgym took up a couple of posts around the route with water bottles for those that needed them. Richard was stationed next to the monkey bars by the Porters Way path, and decided to try and get one hundred pull ups in while waiting for the walkers.

Then, wrapping up at 15:45, people collected their belongings, packed down tents, cleared up the area and left everything looking pristine. Proceeds raised from the event will be shared between Our North Finchley's community campaigning and four charities - Barnet Mencap, Rephael House, North Finchley Community Grocery and Goodgym!

We started off as usual at the Phoenix, led by George and shadowed by our semi-back-marker, quantum-state Richard, before heading out for a leaflet drop. We tripped up garden paths (well, that of Rachel's secret soul mate) and out again, until we exhausted our leaflet supply, before turning our steps towards the allotments.

After briefly considering a game of cat and mice with the slightly late Subham, we entertained ourselves by skipping down the high street, and with Rachel’s question for the evening about coping well (or not) with a last-minute change. She told the story of a very last-minute change during a search and rescue exercise, where she managed to confuse the team slightly by forgetting who she was supposed to be as the missing person (having been upgraded from witness to witless lost person, at the last minute).

George then told us about watching for stag beetles with Daniella. Having waited a little longer than sensible they were just about to head home having not seen a single beetle when they saw a man, who had just arrived, catch a stag beetle out of the air. This stag beetle expert gave them a memorable evening helping him with his nightly survey. Result - more stag beetles than they could ever have wanted to see.

Then last-minute Subham was challenged over last-minute coffee choices. Apparently, the American isn’t a fan of an Americano. We let him espresso himself on the subject.

Then it was on to the allotments, where mattocks were wielded, plants were pulled up, bind weed was unbound, and great progress was made. There was a moment of peril when Beattie appeared to be held hostage by the horseradishes, which threatened to pull her down a very particular type of rabbit hole. Thankfully, she escaped before becoming fully radishilised. At the end of the session, we were rewarded with a last-minute offer of magic (non-coffee) beans (what could go wrong?).

Sheela helpfully released us into the wilds of East Finchley after the session was complete.

After leaflets, stag beetles, coffee confessions, mattocks, magic beans and one suspiciously powerful horseradish, we decided we had earned the right to head heroically home.

Today Goodgym volunteer at the Play Street event on Windermere Avenue, N3. This community initiative, supported by the council, temporarily closes part of the road to traffic, creating a safe space for local residents, particularly children, to play and socialise outdoors.

My role was to assist at one of the road barriers. I helped inform approaching drivers about the road closure and explained the purpose of the event.

The atmosphere was welcoming and friendly, with children enjoying the freedom to play games, ride bicycles and scooters, and interact with neighbours in a safe environment. Adults also had the opportunity to socialise and strengthen community connections.

The event was well organised, and residents were supportive of the initiative. It was rewarding to contribute to a project that promotes community engagement, outdoor activity, and safer neighbourhood spaces for families.

Overall, the Play Street was a successful community event, and I was pleased to support local residents in creating a fun and safe environment for everyone to enjoy.

Our second round of clean up at the Glebelands Open Space started and ended in the same place as last week - around the Albanians Association Football Club. While the area looked a lot better than last week, there was still a huge amount to do.

Unfortunately, the Council hadn't managed to find last week's haul, so the first job was to re-bag what the foxes had opened, then carry everything up to Summers Lane. Luckily, the Lesser-Spotted Steve was there to help. Then we got stuck into the verges around the clubhouse, pulling out old plastics, fast food, cans.

Along the fence against the David Lloyd car park we found even more nitrous canisters, and by the end of our collection we must have gathered close to 40 of the things. We carried the whole stash up the lane and reported it, but there's still more along the way. We'll do one more session on the morning of the community event on 14 June, so everyone can enjoy the green space and the area's a bit safer for wildlife.