This year, the Santa of Acton brought the ladies from the neighbourhood a special gift: an invitation to free fitness classes in January. And no, it wasn't a free month membership that gyms tease people with at the start of each year, but a 6-week programme for 40+ women who want to improve their health while enjoying themselves in a great company.

Santa's four elves: Maria, Sevan, Steph and Kash, took Father Christmas' sack full of leaflets and swooped across the night sky, dropping the flyers through chimneys in Acton's Mill Hill area. Hopefully, the ladies for whom the classes had been designed weren't away for Christmas, and if they were, hopefully the leaflets won't get lost in a sea of other ads before January!

5 Islington Goodgymmers joined Area Activator Simon by the clocktower in Caledonian Park last night, ready to help Gail and the local volunteer gardening team. We were treated to a gorgeous evening, with big atmospheric Winter skies - perfect for tramping around on the woodland walk.

Our objective for the session was to transport as much sand as possible from the North side of the park (through the arches on the Clocktower aka the finishing line for Caledonian Junior parkrun), and over the the woodland walk and the community amphitheatre. While 4 of our crew used wheelbarrows to shift the material, Matt and Emily used rakes to smooth out the pathways on the other side. Stephane, Alice, Hermione and Simon kept an excellent rhythm going while carting the sand from point to point, allowing us to cover loads of ground by the end of the night. We even created a really smart ring of safe walking ground around a tree in the middle of the path.

Congratulations everyone on completing our last official group task of 2025. Come and join us for our specialFetter Lane Festive Snoopy Trail next Monday!

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GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS

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SESSIONS IN DECEMBER

Group Run - Festive Fleet Street Quarter Snoopy Trail, 6.45pm, St Paul's Cathedral Monday 22nd December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/wild-in-art-fleet-street-quarter-snoopy-trail

Achilles International UK- Betwixtmas Special 6pm, Arsenal underground station, Monday 29th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/achilles-international-uk-special-betwixtmas-group-session

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Achilles International VI Guide Running Sessions

Every Thursday, 6pm, Various London locations

On Thursday evenings, the all abilities sports charity Achilles International holds a group run session at a London location.

Here is a list of our upcoming events and sign up pages. Runners, supporters and guides of all abilities and experiences welcome!

DECEMBER

Stratford Olympic Park Thursday 18th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-olympic-park-stratford-route-f32c11d7-52e8-4432-af5e-b0aaa7647de4

Betwixtmas Special - Emirates Stadium Monday 29th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/achilles-international-uk-special-betwixtmas-group-session

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Track and Towpath - January Challenge Edition!

Come and join Area Activator and UK Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) Simon for a fun mixed pace training session Over the month of January, Simon will be hosting a weekly morning running workouts in various parks in the Islington and Tower Hamlets boroughs. All paces and abilities welcome! The intention is to build up fitness together towards the Runthrough Victoria Park 10km on Sunday 1st February.

Thursday 8th January 7.50am, Arsenal Community Hub, Emirates Stadium

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-naqi-laps-at-emirates-stadium

Thursday 15th January 7.50am, Poplar Union, Bartlett Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-bartlett-park-belters-6bc739c3-0900-472e-bbad-59e72d3f9e24

Thursday 22nd January 7.50am, Common Ground coffee, Finsbury Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-finsbury-park-kenyan-hills

Thursday 29th January 7.50am, Mile End Climbing Wall, Meath Gardens

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-meath-gardens-kilometres

Runthrough Victoria Park 10km Event!

Sunday 1st February, 9am, Victoria Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-runthrough-victoria-park-10km-february-2026

(Strava group link)

https://strava.app.link/3aQu4W5ISYb

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The Green Guardians Volunteer Gardening Sessions

Tuesdays (and a single Saturday) 10am - 12 midday

Market Road Gardens, London N7 9GT

Come along and meet the TGC team and help us to keep Market Road Gardens looking beautiful! All tools provided. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Tea, coffee and biscuits also provided.

Winter Dates

September 16th, 23rd, 30th

October 7th, 14th, 21st (not 28th!)

November 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th

December 2nd, 9th and 16th

Next session

Tuesday 16th December:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-garden-classroom-market-road-gardens-tuesday-volunteer-morning-3871824c-7e65-40a2-9197-237517d2ee5b

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The Green Guardians Volunteer Gardening Sessions

Wednesdays (and one single Saturday) 10am - 12 midday

TGC Hut, Newington Green Park Building, 2 Newington Green, London, N1 4RF

Come along and meet the TGC team and help us to keep Newington Green tidy and lovely!

All tools provided. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Tea, coffee and biscuits also provided.

Winter Dates

September - 17th, 24th, and Saturday 27th

October- 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd

November- 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th

December- 3rd, 10th and 17th

Next Session

Wednesday 17th December

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-garden-classroom-newington-green-green-guardians-volunteer-morning-33f5e43f-fc67-4590-9963-2232c6bea20c

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Green Guardians- Whittington Park Sessions

Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions, Whittington Park, Archway

We have six really interesting gardening session happening at Whittington Park. We'll be planting native wild flowers, hedging and bulbs, creating a stumper and planting fruit trees.

These are relaxed friendly sessions where the emphasis is on spending time outside in nature, whilst learning and sharing skills and meeting new people.

The sessions are free and open to all, though under 16's must be with a responsible adult. No experience is needed. We provide tools, gloves, guidance and refreshments.

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Session Dates

1. Thursday 16th Oct 2025, 10am to 12pm ; planting native wildflower

2. Thursday 13th Nov 2026,10am to 12pm ; planting native bulbs

3. Tuesday 6th Jan 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Orchard tree planting with the Orchard Project (with optional free volunteers lunch at 1pm)

4. Tuesday 13th Jan 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Wildlife hedge planting

5. Tuesday 20th Jan, 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Loggery habitat creation

6. Tuesday 27th Jan, 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Loggery habitat creation

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Next session

Tuesday 6th January, 10am - 12 midday:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/green-guardians-whittington-park-community-gardening-6d711904-bb7a-4e18-ae12-41d415b2788a

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Elizabeth House Food Hub - Xmas Supplies Prep

Tuesday 16th December, 12.30 - 1.30pm, Elizabeth House Food Hub, Hurlock Street

The team at Elizabeth House Food Hub have requested for an extra pair of hands to help with preparing up the donation centre.

As the holidays are approaching, the centre will be expecting more visitors to make use of this vital service. Your help is invaluable!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/elizabeth-house-food-hub-xmas-supplies-prep

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Friends of Canonbury Square- Volunteer Morning

Saturday 20th December, 10am - midday, Canonbury Square Gardens

The Friends of Canonbury Square Gardens host an open community gardening session on the 3rd Saturday morning of every month.

Usual tasks would include bulb planting, trimming, laying compost, maintaining flower beds and litter picking.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/goodgym-islington-friends-of-canonbury-square-volunteer-morning-35af9b6b-461a-49a4-8421-a25b2b4f339d

I was back at Mr H flat for more sorting. During the last session we did clear a lot and it also gave him some motivation and did some sorting himself at his pace. Today was sorting out the boxes in the shelf and also the furniture drawers below the TV. Mr H was able to declutter again today and we sorted items by category, then we put then away in order of importance or usage. Found various tools, electrical items. IT equipment, vaping accessories, cleaning products, comics, music tapes, photos. plastic bags etc .... Items sorted and more space done with a full black bag of unwanted items to be put in the rubbish. Mr H got another boost with this session as not alone and motivated by the assistance of sorting things out. Mr H wants us to come back next time to help with the kitchen.

Arrived at Mrs A in the morning to be welcomed by her daughter who then introduced me to her as she was inside the flat. After a small chat, i was provided with big black bags as a broom as leaves to be removed. The garden has a massive tree that gives on both her and her neighbours garden. Can you beleaf if : leaves all over the place from the walkway, the flower beds, the flower pots, chairs and in the smaller plants in the garden. I was watched by 2 cats who adventured into the garden - curious on what I was doing? Curiosity killed the cat....NOT!!!No cats were armed in this mission. They watched and went wondering into the other gardens. Ninety minutes later and all the leaves were gone and 4 massive bags appeared in the corner. the garden looked totally different without all the leaves and you could see what was in the flower beds.

Sunny morning and just over 40 juniors attended parkrun this morning. Goodgymers helped setup before going to their positions for the run. Marshals today were Harvey and [Steph Ducat](/v3/profile/stephane-vessaud. Maria was on tokens with Joanna at the finish funnel. Joanna also on communions. The junior parkrunners started to wear Xmas tops and socks like sone of the marshals. Xmas is coming. There was also a person playing guitar at the bottom of the course.

Crispy and sunny Sunday morning in Ealing and 3 Goodgymers ran at an easy pace to Acton Junior parkrun. Chatty run and we tried to convince Santa 🤶 to join us from Acton Market, but he had other matters to deal with. We did a small loop in the park to roughly do a 4km run.