Orchard Runs and Hedge Heroics with Goodgym Barnet April 1st, 2025 – Friary Park, North London

It was a cloudless, golden evening for GoodGym’s latest outing to Friary Park, where four valiant volunteers converged from across the borough — by foot, bike, and good intention — to lend a hand (and legs) to the Friends of Friary Park.

Our mission? Water an orchard and a very thirsty hedge, both planted to boost local biodiversity and food sustainability. The orchard, a collection of young fruit trees, had had a drink recently. The hedge? Not so lucky. It hadn’t seen much water since Christmas, and it showed.

Led by Nick and Sarah, with help from Sarah’s young daughter (who enthusiastically joined our end-of-session exercises), we got to work. The hedge was a long way from the tap, so we made do with watering cans, a wheelbarrow, and a repurposed caravan tank, jogging and schlepping our way across the park in a joyful sort of sloshy relay.

As the sun dipped behind the trees, we closed with a bench-based workout: squats, dips, press-ups, and sprints. The perfect blend of graft, laughter, and effort with a purpose. We even managed a group photo on a beautiful old tree stump — captured with flair by our junior photographer.

Why do we do it? Because when community groups lack manpower and councils lack funding, an hour of help can make a real difference. We need more hands, more hearts — so why not join GoodGym and bring a friend?

It was the best of tasks, and it was the worst of tasks. We arrived at the location and were told about the exciting environs of Friary Park with its centre for the community, including the elderly Zimmer frame-wielding Bollywood dancers and other members of the community who needed support.

We then found out that we had only forks and spades: it is a truth universally acknowledged that a good gymer requested to trim trees must be in want of Secateurs.

We unrooted various nettles and weeds (and so it goes…).

Time is the longest distance between two places. Can you imagine the site as we finished cleared and beautiful ready for planting?

In the annals of Good Gym history, last night’s gathering will likely stand out as one of those delightfully peculiar events where the unexpected becomes the norm. It was a Group Run, you see, except for the small matter that we didn’t actually run as a group. But, as with all things in life, it’s the little surprises that keep us on our toes—metaphorically speaking, of course.

The evening began with a plan: meet at the park, do some good, get a run in. Simple enough, you’d think. But as the day unfolded, a collective decision was made: Why run when you can meet directly at the destination? Perhaps it was the distance to the park, perhaps it was the lure of a more leisurely approach to our community efforts. Whatever the reason, the running shoes stayed curiously clean for most of us.

However, not everyone succumbed to this unorthodox notion of a non-run. Enter Ashley and Rupesh, our heroes of the evening, who took it upon themselves to uphold the sacred tradition of the Group Run. With a spirit that could warm the coldest of hearts, they laced up, hit the pavement, and ran from their homes to meet us at the park. Their effort was nothing short of commendable, the kind of commitment that deserves a standing ovation—if not a medal.

The rest of us, on the other hand, chose a path of less resistance, assembling at the park like a slightly underwhelming flash mob. And what a lovely park it was! As we gathered, the air was filled with the cheerful chatter of comrades who had collectively decided that tonight, the run could take a backseat to the task at hand.

The evening’s mission was accomplished with all the usual Good Gym gusto, albeit without the cardio component we typically associate with these events. litter pickers. in hand, we tackled the task with the same enthusiasm we usually reserve for a good sprint. The work was done in record time, perhaps motivated by the thought of the comforting, stationary journey home.

As we wrapped up, there was a shared sense of achievement—though whether it was from the good deeds or the successful evasion of a run, it was hard to say. We parted ways, some walking, some catching a ride, and Ashley and Rupesh, well, they ran. Again. True legends of the night.

So there you have it: a Group Run where we mostly didn’t, a task completed with smiles all around, and a reminder that even when plans go awry, the spirit of Good Gym remains gloriously intact. And, in the end, isn’t that what it’s all about?

and also a big shout out to Ashley on her first goodGym event.

Tonight, the GoodGym team embarked on our longest run yet, a thrilling 9 km journey to Friary Park. It was a night filled with camaraderie, new faces, and a touch of mystery.

As we gathered at the Phoenix Cinema, our run leader Moya orchestrated a lively warm-up session, getting us pumped and ready for the challenge ahead. Among us was the courageous Kubilay ,tackling the distance with gusto, proving that every run is an opportunity for growth.

With Katy from Southwark joining our ranks, we set off along East Finchley High Street, pairs chatting away with Paul diligently back marking. The crisp night air fueled our spirits as we traversed the 4 km stretch to the park, the journey made lighter by laughter and conversation.

Arriving at Friary Park, we were greeted by the enigmatic statue of a woman, once lost in anonymity but now revealed to be a rejected likeness of Queen Victoria. Illuminated by moonlight, she seemed to wield a litter picker, a silent guardian aiding us in our mission.

Teaming up with the Friary Park friends group led by Nick, we dispersed into pairs to tackle the task at hand: litter picking. Amidst the occasional firework, we diligently scoured the grounds, though pleasantly surprised by the park's overall cleanliness.

As Moya ushered us back, Queen Victoria's silhouette waved farewell, her litter picker raised in solidarity. Returning to the Phoenix for a well-deserved warmdown, our spirits soared as Kubilay shared nuts from his Turkish farm, a delightful treat capping off a night of adventure and goodwill.

Until our next escapade, let's continue spreading positivity one run at a time!

A fantastic, five Goodgym members came together to help the friends of Friary Park. Four of us gathered at the Phoenix Cinema for a chat before setting off on the 5 km run down East Finchley High Street, into Glebelands and then up a steep hill to the park. It was a beautiful warm evening with the Sun starting to set we gathered around the newly restored statue of Queen Victoria. Apparently she had not liked the statue and had banished it and somehow it ended up in a suburban park. We then met up with Nick, who provided litter pickers and bags for us to spend the next half an hour collecting detritus. Joe add also joined us so we were now five! litter picking is a fun, mindful activity very goal orientated and we had several sacks at the end. Well done everyone for helping out and improving the park and encouraging the friends group in its activities. The friends group are looking to become a charity soon so they can start to fund raise and improve the park even further. Three of us ran 5 km back, and feeling the heat, we had some refreshments at the Phoenix.

Well done to Theodore who ran with leggings on! Yesika for running the longest group run distance of 10 km on her second outing! Jyothsna for recovering from injury to join us for the litter pick! Ruslan for being superfit, doing extra running and exercises en route.

Five fantastic, resilient Goodgym members came despite heavy rain. Unfortunately the host that evening cancelled our planned assistance at Friary Park. It was probably for the best being our longest run of 6 miles in total. Plan B was put into action as we decided to deliver some GoodGym leaflets to the local people of East Finchley. Running down the High Street our best bet was to get to the station and intercept would be members as they exited the station. We literally had to jump streams of running water. Check out the photo of Niki leaping across a road of water! It’s not an easy thing to engage with people after a hard days work in the pouring rain, but we managed to distribute about 30 leaflets to some likely looking candidates. Most importantly, we had a laugh! Skipping over puddles, dodging the worst of the rain, people ignoring us. There was even one guy that started limping as soon as we asked if he was a runner? 😂 Well done for weathering, the storm showing some grit and facing up to rejection! A most memorable day, certainly very different! But that’s good, right? And you know what we needed the rain!