Thankfully a slightly cooler session for the team at Clean Break this week. We got the pressure washer out while others used hand tools to remove the weeds we also planted some new plants and watered the garden.

Goodgym Islington regulars Rain and Annikki met Area Activators Simon and Sam outside the Arsenal Community Hub on Benwell Road on a warm Monday evening, ready for our group run to the lovely ARC community centre in Angel. We all engaged in a dynamic warm up using the Emirates Stadium slopes, and then set off on our 1.8 mile run across the Islington borough (passing task locations like Canonbury Square Gardens and Compton Square Gardens on route).

We met up with the rest of our team outside the ARC Centre upon our arrival, and met with Damien (and a beautiful black 18 month old pointer dog called Rollo) for an introduction to our evening of gardening. Our plan was to visit the Packington Playground and Canalside gardens opposite the ARC centre, two of the main locations for some of the 4000 donated plants, bushes and trees from the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show, and to water as much of the greenery as possible before the upcoming heatwave.

New starter Halle (welcome!), Caitlin, Alison, Charlotte and Helen took the lead with watering the flower beds surrounding the local parks by filling up watering cans and butts and making sure that all of the terrain was as soaked as possible. Rain and Sam took control of a sprinkler system and a long hosepipe to drench the ground as best we could over the course of the hour. Meanwhile, Nurjehan, Annikki, Rachel and Alice engaged in some litter picking between the two parks, as loads of rubbish had found itself strewn across the two community projects. The team had filled multiple bags of refuse in such a short amount of time- great stuff!

We regrouped after approx 45 minutes of much appreciated help, and we all set off in our own separate ways after a group photo. Smashing task everyone, well done!

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Goodgym Summer Social Rounders Tournament- North vs South!

Our summer rounders session (set up by Area Activator Sam from Southwark- check out their Wednesday night group runs if you are ever in Peckham!) will be hosted in Victoria Park on Saturday 16th July (4pm onwards). Friendly park and picnic fun, open for Goodgymmers and non-Goodgymmers alike.

Click the following link for more info:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/summer-social-rounders-victoria-park-away-game-north-vs-south-of-the-river

Area Activator Simon and Adam met up outside Elizabeth House Food Hub this evening, after avoiding a bit of a downpour earlier this afternoon. A smaller group today, possibly due to the number of GG Islington runners taking on Hackney Half Marathon on Sunday (congratulations everyone!).

After a warm up and some dynamic drills (a few picked up from the London Heathside Running Club!), we ran to The Rose Bowl Youth Club in Canonbury, via Whistler Street and Highbury Fields (lovely to see so many people out enjoying the lighter evenings- playing tennis, 5-a-side football and basketball).

Upon our arrival, we met with Charlotte, Adam and Dawn, the main volunteer coordinator for the Rose Bowl (busy multitasking between a fundraising event and setting our Goodgym group up with an evening task! What a superstar!). Our plan for tonight was to try and clear as much overgrown greenery from the main play area of the Rose Bowl as possible, ready for the local school groups and youth groups over Summer. The centre has great facilities for football, basketball and hockey, and requires regular gardening to maintain the play ground. Between us, we were able to fill up 5 full bags of weeds, ivy and saplings within 40 minutes of effort, and found time for a kick about afterwards!

Great to see you all, folks. Wonderful work tonight!

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GG Islington News

ARC Centre x Chelsea Flower Show

Our friends from the ARC centre and the Packington Gallery have an ambitious gardening project on the cards next week. The community centre have been gifted loads of plants from the Chelsea Flower Show, and are in need of plenty of hands for planting trees, shrubs and plants!

We will be visiting the Arc Centre next Monday as part of our group run:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/group-run-big-packington-dig-day-with-the-arc-centre

But we also plan to visit on Saturday 28th May (11-1pm- post parkrun!)

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/arc-centre-x-chelsea-flower-show-saturday

And on Sunday 29th May (12-2pm)

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/arc-centre-x-chelsea-flower-show-sunday

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Penn Road Gardens Open Volunteer Morning

The lovely folks from Penn Road Gardens are also planning on meeting up for a morning of gardening on Sunday 29th May. Expect some compost rotation and some new mulching around this great hidden garden near Caledonian Park.

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/penn-road-gardens-open-morning-may

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June Social- The Victoria Tavern

After our group run next Monday at the Arc Centre, we will be running over to The Victoria Tavern on Holloway Road for some excellent pizza and refreshments!

Sign up here to get involved!

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/june-social-the-victoria-tavern-holloway-road