No fitness session this week, so everyone had plenty of time to get there by the stated time of 19:00. But when the nearby church clock struck seven, there were only three of us! Could it be that when teacher's away, her pupils lose all discipline and roll in late?

Actually everyone did arrive quite soon afterwards, and made sure they didn't get put in detention, by working very hard. Louise arrived to find the youth centre deserted, but soon realised we were busy in the back yard. She'd kindly offered to take on the painting task ("baggsie painting"!), but tonight we were concentrating on the leaves.

The cold weather last weekend had us wrapping up warm, but in contrast the trees decided to shed the last of their covering - and the yard was in parts calf-deep in leaves. We hadn't got leaf-grabbers, but we did have rakes and brooms, black bags, a bin, a huge yellow rubble sack, a wheelbarrow and most importantly, the hands of ten GoodGymers!

This time, we had not just to sweep up the leaves, but remove them to a nearby grass area where we made a huge pile for the council to pick up. Kitty caught up with an old friend (one of two sisters), and it was hard to get everyone to finish, when there were still a few leaves on the ground.

But we'll be back before Christmas - when there'll be a social! Sign up for the drink at https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/tower-hamlets-christmas-drink .

And of course there'll be more fun next week when we return to Hollybush (https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-big-monday-night-task-back-to-hollybush-estat-for-the-planter-makeover-with-the-teesdale-hollybush-tra).

See you then!

8 top Goodgymmers met the lovely Dawn at Rose Bowl Youth Club last night. The GoodGym Islington crew had been called out to offer our assistance with garden maintenance and green fingered tasks as the darker nights draw in. Plenty of leaf sweeping in October, particularly useful for clearing up the playground for football loving youngsters! Well done everyone!

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GROUP SESSIONS-

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Monday 21st October- Rose Bowl Youth Club- Community Mission 7.15pm, Task Location

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-rose-bowl-youth-club

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Monday 28th October- Elizabeth House Community Centre Food Hub- Group Run 6.15pm, Arsenal Community Hub

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-elizabeth-house-food-hub-6-15-pm-start

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Monday 4th November- Turning Compost at Pollard Close- Community Mission 7.15pm, Near Biddestone Gardens, Holloway Road

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-compost-turning-on-pollard-close-b7e8ad39-e346-404c-adb8-4e468d73811a

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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!

Thursday 17th October- Paddington Rec Track

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-239016f4-29a3-4d22-839a-74c8861547ca

Thursday 26th October- Paddington Rec Track

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-f833f9cd-bce9-4935-8887-450e04cab643

Thursday 31st October- Stratford Olympic Park- Runthrough Chase The Moon- Halloween Special

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/achilles-international-runthrough-chase-the-moon-olympic-park-halloween-special

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Thornhill Square Gardens- October Workday

Saturday 2nd November, 10am - midday, Thornhill Square Gardens

This is an open volunteer gardening morning set up by the Friends of Thornhill Square. As one of the largest public spaces in Islington without council maintenance assistance, extra pairs of hands for bulb planting, composting, litter picking and preparing flower beds would be hugely appreciated!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/thornhill-square-gardens-open-volunteer-morning-november

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Compton Terrace Gardens- Volunteer Session

Saturday 9th November, 10am - 1pm, Union Chapel, Islington

A smashing community mission for those partaking in Highbury Fields or Finsbury parkrun on a Saturday morning!

A friendly gardening group started to look after the park about 10 years ago. We are always looking for more help - with planting, mulching, pruning, and all the other things a garden needs.

Everyone welcome, no special skills needed! Lots of fresh air and a nice chance to meet local people. We meet once a month on a Saturday morning near the shed in the middle of the Gardens.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/compton-terrace-gardens-volunteer-open-morning-november-a2e4f504-9d8a-45ff-ad0f-70fee4b72900

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Friends of Canonbury Square- Volunteer Morning (November)

Saturday 16th November, 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/friends-of-canonbury-square-volunteer-morning-november-51415f7c-08d0-49be-9f36-3f2414efab4c

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Crouch End Open Space (CREOS) Volunteering Day

Sunday 17th November, 11am - 1pm, Hanley Tennis Club Car Park, Greenways

Our monthly trip to CREOS this year for a woodland regeneration- loads of smashing forest path building has been planned!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/crouch-end-open-space-creos-volunteering-day-november-2024

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Met League Cross Country Series- Goodgym Race Team

Various locations, October 2024 - February 2025

Met League Cross Country is a set of five 7-8km races organised by London race clubs. They are held in parks and forests around London with the routes including a mixture of grass, gravel and a fair bit of mud (it is XC after all!)

Sign up to the Goodgym Race Team for £15, and enter ALL 5 RACES for the bargain price of £20!

Newbies encouraged and welcomed- the most fun you can have running over the Winter months!

Fixtures

9th November Horsenden Hill https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country

30th November Uxbridge https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-uxbridge

11th January Welwyn Garden City https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-stanborough-park

8th February Trent Park https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-trent-park

And one by one our little group grew tonight, until there were no fewer than 13 GoodGymers working on the new hazel fence at the pretty St Leonard's Priory Park up in Bromley-By-Bow.

We said hello to first time GoodGym-ers Gurprit, Anton, Anna, and a warm welcome to Tower Hamlets to Anna!

Starting with four teams (one chopping hazel, one weeding, one digging fence-holes and one repairing our less-than-perfect previous hazel fence), it was definitely a case of learning on the job as we pruned, stripped and chopped; weeded and wove, blitzing multiple jobs at one time.

With the team working flexibly, rotating out of one task to another, particularly as time sped on ("Hazel! We need more hazel!"), it was a busy but sociable evening, with the countdown to sunset well and truly on.

A decent workout was had by all, whether digging up weeds or sawing tough branches.

It was after 8 before the team were generously stacking up the kit, and wheeling barrows to the back of the park.

With Kareem providing decent tech assistance, the all-important group pic remained in tact, despite the lack of light.

A great effort, everyone - and a final shout-out to Charlie, who came up with tonight's belter of a pun.

Next week

...we're back to Hollybush Gardens, for our first visit of Autumn with Margaret and Ash.

Until then.