We had a great turn out last night to deliver goody bags full of holiday activities, chocolate and candy to residents at the Grange Estate. Seven well-wrapped Goodgymmers set off from our temporary base at the Old White Lion. With Lucinda as our backmarker, we took the scenic route through East Finchley tube to the alleys parallel to the High Road, meeting with Emma Hodge and her colleagues from Hope North London in the middle of the Grange Estate.

Along the 1.5km way, we learned about the strangest jobs - voluntary or paid! - any of us had ever done. Rachel threw soup at people for a protest film, while Ben played jazz on a pirate ship one summer. Beattie once taught a Mongolia man 'fluent' English in five minutes (at his request). But Rupesh probably had the weirdest job: he used to extract eyeballs for a living (yes, really).

Then it was all about bringing a little bit of hope and cheer to the residents of the many blocks across the estate. We split up into pairs and took up Santa sacks full of the goody bags, then spread out to the various blocks, buzzing our way in and running up and down loads of stairs to reach letterboxes.

Our team of holiday elves delivered around 250 goody bags in 45min, putting a very large dent in the pile. Emma assured us her team could finish up and thanked us for a job well done.

GoodGym Barnet Tuesday Evening Run: From Screens to the Streets!

Tuesday’s GoodGym Barnet run was a fantastic way to step away from screens and connect with our community and environment. We kicked off the evening at The Old White Lion Pub, where laughter and chatter warmed us up for the activity ahead. After numbering up and sharing some festive cheer, we crossed the road to Cherry Tree Wood—but not before a detour for a warm-up jog!

We headed to a peaceful cul-de-sac (usually quiet but surprisingly bustling that evening) for some stretches and short sprints. The dynamic warm-up got our hearts racing, setting the tone for the night ahead.

At the park, Task Host Roger greeted us, ready with a unique mission: transforming part of the woodland into a future fruit haven! Our first task was to collect wood from a fallen tree, prepping materials for the next step. Along the way, we welcomed Anthony, who joined us after a delayed bus, and Rusland, a familiar face we hope to see more often. Even my dog, Gus, relished the adventure, enjoying a park all to himself as we worked.

The main activity was a physical challenge: removing turf to create planting beds for raspberries and other fruit bushes. By the glow of head torches (and the city’s soft light pollution), we dug, stripped, and shaped the ground into a neat half-moon formation. Roger’s enthusiasm—and our “sod off” puns—kept the energy high as we worked up a sweat in the cool November air.

As always, GoodGym is about the unexpected joys of helping out. Whether it’s digging in the dark, sprinting down a quiet street, or reconnecting with old and new faces, every session leaves you with a story to tell and muscles well-used.

We finished back at the pub for a cosy drink and a conversation that hit home: how often do we let social media distract us from real life? The dopamine-driven scroll might feel good, but nothing compares to the satisfaction of making a tangible difference in your local area.

Why Not Join Us Next Time?

If you’re reading this, maybe it’s time to ditch the screen and dive into something real. Discover the satisfaction of helping your neighborhood while keeping fit and making friends. Join GoodGym Barnet and turn an ordinary evening into an extraordinary adventure!

Ready to feel alive again?

See you next week—we we are delivering parcels of Goodwill for Hope London!

thank you to our host, Roger for facilitating this event!

The snow hadn't settled, but the air was knife chill. Wet leaves everywhere like they thought they were back in fashion. Still, four well-wrapped Goodgymmers rocked up to Stephens House and Gardens for a hard boiled night of raking leaves outside Inky's Stables Cafe.

The yard was covered, but we leafed no stone unturned. We swept, raked and bagged until the yard was safe as houses. Helen, our host, normally does this job by herself. She was grateful, that much was clear. And the café staff? They'd bawl their eyes out to see the yard swept so clean. We stacked four sacks out the back and high-tailed it to a classy joint on the High Road for something to chase the ice out of our lungs.

This was Kirsten's second time out with us and Ben's third. They brought the energy of a dozen Goodgymmers with them. Great to have them at our backs. Ben even wanted to run back, which means some of us clocked up a full 5km round trip. Not bad for a cold, wet, dark and cold November evening.

There'll be other nights and other runs, but this one took more than a few leaves out of the old Goodgym playbook.

On a brisk November evening, GoodGym Barnet gathered at the Phoenix Cinema, ready for a run. My trusty computer assured me the skies were cloudy, but the rain on my face hinted otherwise. Clearly, technology and I had a bit of a misunderstanding — maybe the computer was right, and I was simply too human to grasp its wisdom?

The Phoenix was buzzing with a private event, but we still managed to crowd together, number up, and chat. Naturally, the big topic was cinema. Each of us threw in a film recommendation, and, honestly, we’ve got some eclectic taste here at GoodGym Barnet. Here’s what made the list:

🎬 GoodGym Barnet’s Film Picks • The Educators • Howl’s Moving Castle • Once Upon a Time in Anatolia • Round Midnight • Lost Highway • 12 Chairs (Russian comedy!) • Blood Simple (aka: “If you’re into misunderstandings and murder…”)

So, next time you’re scrolling through streaming platforms, consider one of our picks — and if you think we missed a must-watch, add it in the comments!

As we set off, the cold wasn’t quite “recreational ground weather,” so we took an alternate path that felt like stepping into an enchanted forest. With the glow of street lamps filtering through the trees, we ran through a tunnel of golden-brown leaves, looking every bit like we were sprinting through a woodland fairytale. Just one of those rare, perfect little moments that makes GoodGym so special.

Mission Accomplished… with Style! Upon arriving, we met Vicci from the Friends Group who helps care for this hidden gem of a park. We threw on our head torches, which transformed the damp grass and shadowy paths into a scene from a sci-fi movie — an alien planet expedition, complete with litter bags as our “research specimens.” We worked in pairs (perfect for some bonus conversation!) and ended up with a respectable stash of litter, enough to give the area a fresh start.

On our way back, we even caught a glimpse of foxes in the woodland. Their eyes glinted like jewels as they peeked out, a little audience for our ragtag team of trash-collectors.

New Faces and Noteworthy Moments Special shoutout to Ben, joining us for his first GoodGym run, and to Kirsten, returning from a brief break. And kudos to Kubilay, who’s volunteered for an upcoming mission to build a table for a gentleman in Barnet. We also had Anthony, who received a surprise in the form of a small women’s GoodGym shirt (yes, the admin strikes again!). And let’s not forget BT and Rachel, heading off to Norway to catch the Northern Lights—safe travels, and bring back stories!

We ended the night with a warm-down, mutual applause, and some well-deserved refreshments back at the Phoenix Cinema. Yet again, we’d proven that GoodGym is about more than just fitness or service—it’s a way to get out of our heads, connect with our community, and have a blast together, rain or shine.

Ready to join the fun? Come along next Tuesday, and who knows—you might discover a new favorite film and get a glimpse of the foxes yourself!