Today Beatrix and the Friends of Canonbury Square focussed on trimming back the sage and rosemary bushes and building a dead hedge, while I got stuck in with aerating the lawns. I joined forces with some Friends to shear some plants, which will apparently come back stronger now they've been cut back, and should produce lovely yellow flowers in the summer. After a welcome tea and biscuit break, we clipped a plant which was overgrowing by the fence and tidied away the branches. A relaxed morning overall, with lovely chats, very satisfying results, and a bonus take-home fresh bundle of rosemary and sage!

Tony the Tiger alias Steph Ducat the cereal killer(see socks) was running around Islington to attend a community mission with friends of Canonbury Square. Steph arrived early and met with Beatrix who was in charge. Beautiful treasure in the square : earthly treasures as beautiful garden with patches of green spaces, trees, leaves, plants without flowers at moment as winter and benches to enjoy this square. Steph was given the task of doing holes in the grass patches to improve the water irrigation, allow the ground to breathe and also help the worms with airing the soil. Then 2 runners appeared in the park ...Kash and Sevan who were going to a mission locally but got cancelled at their arrival so decided to join the party. They both started with some earth clearing and cutting twigs and trimming along the hedges but also filling the new water tank near the shed. As getting cold they enjoyed tea and coffee with some biscuits. Leaves were also picked up before the 3 Goodgymers from Ealing ran to grab some lunch locally before running to their next mission.

Canonbury Square has been described by the Evening Standard as “London’s most beautiful square”. But it takes work to keep it that way.

There were several tasks to be undertaken, so it was good that six GoodGymers were on hand to assist. Dan and Byron worked on the composters while Alison, Emily, Ines and John shared the task of sweeping the paths. There was even time for some weeding before a coffee and a chat.

We joined the Canonbury Square local gardening group and helped prune, rake, weed, and spread mulch on the flower beds.

The leaf mulch was from the bins we turned over last December and the "organic material" came from the animals at Freightliner Farm.

We had a lovely sunny, Saturday morning task filling some truly enormous sacks with leaves. The Canonbury Square Gardens group were as welcoming as ever.

Welcome Julia to your first task! Give her some support Julia!

It was touch and go whether our group run session with Goodgym Islington was going to go ahead on Monday, as the met office had issued a Yellow Weather Warning for snow and ice around London. However, after the heavy fall of snow earlier in day, the footpaths and pavements within Islington became more manageable. 5 intrepid Goodgymmers joined us for our special Christmas run over to Canonbury Square Gardens on the evening- our final group run session of 2022! It was a pleasure to run with you all!

We performed a warm up just off Benwell Road, and discussed some tips for running safely across snow, ice and uneven surfaces (keeping feet at least a shoulders width apart, maintaining shorter, more controlled strides, and limiting quick sporadic movements when turning wherever possible)- great for technical trail running too! We covered the 1 mile run past Highbury and Islington station as carefully as possible, and reached Canonbury Square in good time.

Beatrix, one of our regular task owners, had left us a collection of ancient pitch forks, shovels, brushes and green waste bags at the back of the square with clear instructions for our project. The objective for the evening was to cultivate the compost bins as best we could- taking out the freshly rotted green waste- leaves, branches, twigs and moss that has become perfect mulch after a year, and filling the green bags ready for Spring gardening. In the meantime, we then dug out some of the fresher leaves from another compost bin, and relocated them while we picked up the older leaves at the bottom of the bin, and transported them to the next bin. This process continues along two more compost bins, allowing all of the green material to be rotated, ready to become mulch. A very satisfying system!

We successfully completed the full switch around within an hour of graft, and continued our run back to The Emirates Stadium. From here, our Goodgym Islington crew enjoyed some delicious pizza and refreshments to mark the end of another super productive Goodgym year, and the last group run of 2022!

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NEWS

Achilles International Guide Running at Paddington Rec Track

On Thursday 15th December, Area Activator Simon and Achilles International will be hosting their weekly visually impaired (VI) guide running session at Paddington Rec Track. Meeting at Maida Vale Underground station at 6pm, and enjoying an awesome run with great people!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-861e4964-b276-4255-8d3b-a699cab9e2ec

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Headtorch Group Run-Christmas Edition

On Friday 16th December, we will be hosting a special group run from The Running Works shop in Aldgate, and following the Thames Path to enjoy the city's Christmas lights. From Westminster Bridge, we will pass Green Park, The Albert Hall and over to the most festive pub in London, The Churchill Arms.

12 km for the full distance. But a shorter option will be available too!

Sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/goodgym-islington-headtorch-group-run-the-christmas-edition

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Canonbury Square Gardens Christmas Volunteer Morning

On Saturday 17th December (from 10am - 12am, perfect post parkrun task!), the resident gardening volunteers of Canonbury Square Gardens will be opening up the space for a session of green maintenance ready for Spring 2023. There has been a rumour that gluhwein and hot drinks will be on offer for all involved!

Sign up here!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/friends-of-canonbury-square-volunteer-morning-december

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Elizabeth House Food Hub Christmas Deliveries

Although Goodgym Islington have finished their group runs for 2022, we will still be meeting up next Monday (19th December, from 6pm) to lend a hand to one of the more organised and vibrant food bank projects in the borough. The team will be preparing parcels and full bags of shopping for families and isolated people within Islington, Highbury and Arsenal, and would hugely appreciate any assistance with deliveries on foot!

Sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/elizabeth-house-food-hub-xmas-deliveries