0 Month Streak
50 Month Streak
Camden
📍The Cafe at Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park N6 5HG
We'll be making an active + real difference at this special public park in Camden!
Mon 17th Feb at 6:15pm
Islington Report written by Simon Fitzmaurice
On Monday evening, Area Activator Simon ran from the Arsenal Community Hub and over the Elizabeth House Food Hub on Blackstock Road to help at this busy food distribution project. Dan, Matt, Emily, Maggie and Caitlin were on board with helping the volunteer crew over the half term holidays.
Elizabeth House Food Hub operates a busy "supermarket style" food bank, that invites neighbours around the Islington borough to pick up food and essentials for their families. Our team walked together to a variety of households across the area, dropped off the shopping before running back.
As the operations quietened down, the Goodgymmers helped out by moving non -perishable food back to the kitchen shelves, and then cleaned and folded down tables in the hall. Chairs were collected up, and the floors were swept, ready for the next session tomorrow. Our assistance was hugely appreciated, and we plan to return during the Easter holidays.
To celebrate, many of our team enjoyed some excellent Thai food and beverages at The Woodbine on Blackstock Road. Great work everyone!
GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS
SESSIONS IN FEBRUARY / MARCH
Community Mission- Caxton House Community Centre 7.15pm, Caxton House Monday 24th February
Group Run- Rose Bowl Youth Club 6.45pm, Rose Bowl Youth Club Monday 3rd March
Community Mission- Sunnyside Community Gardens 7.15pm, Sunnyside Community Gardens, Monday 10th March
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-sunnyside-community-gardens-composting
Group Run- Lighthouse Community Gardening Project, 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub Monday 17th March
Community Mission- Hornsey Rise Kickabout Playground, 7.15pm, Hornsey Rise Kickabout Playground, Monday 24th March
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-hornsey-rise-kickabout-playground
Community Mission- Barnsbury Square Gardens 7.15pm, Barnsbury Square Gardens Monday 7th April
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-friends-of-barnsbury-square-gardens
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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!
Emirates Stadium Thursday 20th February https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-398b3240-7201-49b9-b73c-d75d86b6a86e
Paddington Rec Track Thursday 27th February https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-f84dc6a2-273c-474c-bd46-5e29cc1d7268
Stratford Olympic Park Thursday 7th March https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-olympic-park-stratford-route-a6f34119-2ee1-423c-af26-d1ef84572c61
Paddington Rec Track Thursday 14th March https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-84f58337-118e-4cd7-93e1-4710a9923494
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Track and Towpath Social Running Sessions
Every Wednesday (fortnightly), 7.30am, Mile End Athletics Track
If you are looking for accessible training sessions that can be included in your schedule, then come and join Area Activator Simon for his fortnightly runs.
Track training is always more fun with others, and these are designed to be sociable and open to all!
Structured training sessions, followed by refreshments at The Yurt Café, Limehouse!
Wednesday 19th February
https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/track-towpath-morning-social-track-session-mile-end-4
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Elizabeth House Food Hub- Lunchtime Sweep Up Task!
Tuesday 18th February, 12.45 - 1.15pm, Elizabeth House
On Tuesday afternoons, during term time, the team at Elizabeth House Food Hub have requested for an extra pair of hands to help with cleaning and tidying up their donation centre.
Expect some satisfying sweeping and surface cleaning to assist this busy team!
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Green Guardians Spring Sessions
The Garden Classroom, Newington Green
Saturday 22nd February
Wednesday 26th February
Next session:
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Market Road Gardens
Tuesday 25th February
Next Session:
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Penn Road Gardens Open Morning (February)
Sunday 23rd February, 10am - 12 midday, Penn Road Gardens
Every last Sunday of the month, the residents of Penn Road invite keen volunteers to help with maintaining this lovely community spot just off Holloway Road.
Local volunteers will be on hand to direct anyone who arrives to offer their help between 10am- midday. Come on down to enjoy a lovely morning community task!
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Saint John's Garden: Building a Dead Hedge and Garden Maintenance
Saturday 22nd February, 11am - midday, St John's Garden
Friends of St John's Garden community group would LOVE Goodgym's help to build and maintain their dead hedges and as an optional lighter task help sweep the garden paths.
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Compton Terrace Gardens- Volunteer Session
Saturday 8th March, 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.
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Camino Ultra London- Lea Valley Races Finish Line Party!
Saturday 29th March, 12 midday, Here East, Stratford
The Camino Ultra London 50km and Gratitude 25km returns for 2025, stretching from Welwyn Garden City, to Ware, and then down the Lea Valley to our finishing line in Hackney Wick (Here East).
Race organisers Darren Strachan and David Bone aka DaznBone would love to invite the Goodgym community back to bring excitement and positivity to our runners, as they finish their races.
The theme is: Bring The Party!!!
Cowbells, cheers, noise makers, music and fun!
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Hackney Half Aid Station and Marshal Volunteering
Sunday 18th May, 7am onwards, Marion Place, Pritchard's Road (TBC)
The team at Motiv Sport have asked if our Goodgym team would be interested assisting with the 2024 Hackney Half Marathon on one of the 6 water and aid stations.
All volunteers that help in 2025 are offered a free place in any of our running events in 2026 (Hackney Half, London 10K, Oxford Half).
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/hackney-half-aid-station-and-marshal-volunteering
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London 10km with Saucony- Water Station Volunteers!
Sunday 13th July, 7.30am onwards, Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y 5AH
An incredible event that offers runners to opportunity to race through traffic free streets in the Capital!
Motiv Sports (who also operate the Hackney Half and Oxford Half marathons) have requested Goodgym assistance to help at their 2nd aid station on the day.
Food and water provided, and a free entry for any 2026 event on the Motiv Sports roster will be offered to all volunteers!
Mon 17th Feb at 6:15pm
This wonderfully busy community food hub has asked our crew to help out with neighbourhood deliveries!
Read moreSat 15th Mar at 11:00am
We'll be making an active + real difference at this special public park in Camden!
Read moreSat 15th Feb at 11:00am
Camden Report written by Alex Murtough (he/him)
4 wonderful GoodGymers (Emilie, Emily, Matt, and Steve) and 1 Alex took GoodGym to the West End today.
Explore one of Theatre Land's side alleys and you may stumble across a lush plot of trees, flowers, and calm. The Phoenix Garden has been in the community's hands for 40 years, and it's a haven from the bustle from dawn until dusk every day of the year.
Our brilliant group stepped fully into the GoodGym spirit today.
The garden uses gabion cages to hold raised growing beds. And the cages are filled with Covent Garden's debris from the area's bombing in World War 2. These bricks and this rubble hold a history, and we were moving them to give life to a new structure today.
Our task was to empty the existing cages, move the cages to a new (sunnier) spot, and re-fill them. The new bed will be lined and filled, and the hope is that the sunnier climes will result in better growth this year.
Over 90 minutes, this wonderful troupe emptied, shifted, wheel-barrowed, and re-assembled, and the result was a huge difference :)
Thank you, everyone! We will be back here soon!!
Sat 15th Feb at 11:00am
We'll be making an active + real difference at this special community garden in London's West End!
Read moreWed 12th Feb at 6:15pm
Camden Report written by Alex Murtough (he/him)
(Check out Gosia's wonderful Insta video here!)
There is a large hall in Tottenham Court Road's American International Church.
It's the sort of hall you can imagine Charles Dickens in - he'd probably say something profound like - this is a nice hall.
And it's usually home to West End casts rehearsing plays and musicals - if you sneak in on a Wednesday night, you'll usually glimpse costumes and sets and a large double bass.
But last night we were tasked with turning the hall into the evening's winter shelter. And by 'we', I mean our wonderful group of our first good-gymers Auriela, Kiera, and Kayla (welcome, all!) and our Camden regulars Alex, Emilie, Emily, Gosia, Louise, Jackie, John, and Steve!
On arrival and having been welcomed by our brilliant host, Brooke, a smaller group of Auriela, Emilie, Kiera, and Kayla headed straight to an empty room that they soon turned into a welcoming dining room!
And while our smaller group were good-deeding, our larger group were doing the same - the hall popped with beds and the beds got dressed with warmth!
After 30 happy minutes, we turned out into evening Camden just as the shelter's guests were starting to arrive - nice one, everyone!!
Wed 12th Feb at 6:15pm
AIC's cold weather shelter helps 16 Londoners each and every week - you'll be making sure things are ready and inviting for the evening's guests :)
Read moreSun 2nd Feb at 9:30am
Hackney Report written by Dan (He/ him)
A lovely sunny morning for a paddle along the River Lea, guided by Leaside Trust coach Beate, who got us kitted up with a life vest and paddle, and got us warmed up with some reactive catch the paddle games.
We boarded our canoes in twos and quickly learned how to navigate the waters of the River Lea. The weather was on our side as we explored the River and encountered wildlife as well as other vessels.
After this great social paddle we went to the Springfield Cafe for a well earned lunch.
Thanks to the Leaside Trust who treated Goodgym to this lovely canoe trip 🙌
Sat 1st Feb at 11:00am
Camden Report written by Alex Murtough (he/him)
Our friends at Ingestre Road Estate in Tufnell Park needed a little help yesterday.
They care for a special woodland area - built and maintained by this community for decades - and a few new bins were in order.
And recycled (made from plastic bottles) were what they ordered. Swish and smart, these bins will withstand the seasons and blend in with the surrounding trees.
Over 90 minutes, this wonderful group of Alison, Caitlin, Cherian, Emily, John, Pete, and Steve drilled holes, affixed latches, and applied bases. They did all this while Pete showed me how to use a drill.
And... while the handiwork was progressing, Emily and Steve also took 15 minutes to plant a patch of rescued (courtesy of Pete) plants, giving an underloved tree a little more company :)
Thank you so much, everyone!
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