Katrin at the Euros

GoodGym Greenwich runner Katrin has been helping out at the football in London on match days for the Euros tournament.

After volunteering for two World Cups back in Germany, she decided to get involved in the Euros in London.

Following some Anti-Terrorist training (ACT), she has been part of the ‘London Squad’ and explains: “The training included a lot of useful information on how to spot suspicious behaviour and how to behave. I found it quite useful as we've been deployed in busy areas around the city such as London Bridge train station and the Potters Fields football village.

Katrin, who has been a member of GoodGym Greenwich for three years, says she’s not usually a big football fan but enjoys tournaments such as the Euros and World Cup.

“I believe that, especially this year, we all needed an event to celebrate life after lockdown.”

Katrin says she has always enjoyed volunteering and “totally agrees with GoodGym’s philosophy that gyms are a waste of energy when you can help out with little things in the community.”

As an ‘on-off runner,’ Katrin suffers with a chronic pain disease and easily get spasms that force her to take breaks. She explains: “I couldn't come to as many group runs as I would have liked, but I can make that up with missions because I just walk or cycle to do them.” She adds: “I go stay fit doing GoodGym stuff, but that's not all of it. During the lockdowns, missions have been a lifesaver mostly for my mental health as they allowed me to go out and do something with a purpose knowing that I can make a little difference to someone else.”

Since April last year, Katrin regularly shops for an octogenarian in her neighbourhood “He's very grateful, but he thought I would stop once shielding or the lockdown ended or when I'd have to go back to work” she explains. “I had to convince him several times that it's absolutely no big deal and that I enjoy doing this. What he doesn't realise is that I needed him just as much as he needed me!”