Super Nature film.. Super nature Reserve and super goodGym runners doing some good!

We gathered in the foyer of the Phoenix Cinema and welcomed two new GoodGym recruits—big shout-out to Edward and Neeral on their first session!

The Phoenix also gave us an emergency bundle of leaflets to distribute for Super Nature, a film celebrating the natural world, showing at 2pm on Saturday 5 September, followed by a Q&A with director Ed Sayers. The Phoenix is an important charitable community cinema, so please support it if you can. Find out more and book here⁠ https://www.phoenixcinema.co.uk/PhoenixCinemaLondon.dll/WhatsOn?f=634449

After warming up outside, we numbered up by sharing the television programmes that influenced us as children—from Teletubbies and Bagpuss to Star Trek.

We split into two teams and delivered all the leaflets along a nearby road before setting off at a good pace for the two-kilometre run to Glebelands Local Nature Reserve.

Glebelands is one of the last surviving parts of old Finchley Common and is a Grade I Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. Its clay soil holds water, feeding natural springs, streams and seasonal ponds. These support rare wetland plants and wildlife, including great crested newts. It may look like a small patch of rough woodland, but it is one of Finchley’s most precious natural spaces.

Although the ground looked dry, subsurface water and mud meant that we couldn’t do the planned clearance work. Instead, we split into pairs for a litter pick and found a surprising amount of rubbish, particularly around a concrete structure that seemed to act as a litter magnet!

With our bags full, we headed back—an enjoyable evening supporting both our local cinema and an important local nature reserve.

GoodGym members Paul, Richard, George, Rachel and Subham showed up for the Film screening for the Tiny Forest part of London Climate Action Week (LCAW) 20-28 June on what I believe was the hottest day of the year. We welcomed a full crowd at The Phoenix Cinema, which is also our local meeting point on Tuesday evenings. There were many Earthwatch folk as well as locals and we also were able to spread the word abour GoodGym as well as the Barnet Tiny Forest, which we often have helped with. After the film, which documented Tiny Forests in Europe as well as told more of the story of Prof. Miyawaki, the founder of the Tiny Forest method, there was a Q&A with members of Earthwatch as well as Paul representing GoodGym, which was well received. A great time was had by all! And we were able to escape the heat!

On Tuesday 23 June, GoodGym Barnet braved the heat warnings (sensibly) to stay active and help our community at Highgate Wood... actually, a great place to be in this heat!

Most of us met at the Phoenix Cinema, where the conversation quickly turned to Britain’s highest recorded temperature: 40.3°C in Lincolnshire in July 2022. Richard won the debate! This week may not reach that peak, but prolonged heat, humidity and warm nights can be particularly challenging because our bodies and buildings have less opportunity to cool down.

After a gentle warm-up, we headed through the woods to meet Cindy. She enthusiastically shared news from a recent moth survey: 47 moths were caught and a range of different species.

We then visited the developing visitor centre, which will showcase the history and ecology of Highgate Wood—including a Roman pottery kiln dating from around AD 50–150. There will also be a Cindy corner.( that sounds like a legacy)

Our task was to repair a woodland fence that had been pulled apart to build dens. With plenty of willing hands, it was soon restored, leaving time for some Forest) bathing , stretching and movement with the breath.

Thanks to everyone who came along Please continue to take care in the heat—it is not only the highest temperature that matters, but also the duration, humidity and lack of cooler nights.

shout out to Abdikani on his first Community mission great effort!

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.