It was back to school for the hard-working volunteers of GoodGym Waltham Forest today with a lovely spring evening run and a ground breaking task at the delightful Willow Brook Primary School .

Before we get to the evening's proceedings there are a couple of news items:

Save the date

Sunday 16th June will be a fabulous Community Mission for GGWF when we are invited to take over at Waltham Forest Junior ParkRun. More details to follow in my next email

Virgin London Marathon

A truly magnificent event whether you are taking part or spectating. I encourage anyone to get downtown and watch the action. East London provides some great vantage points to see the everyone from the Elite Athletes to the array of fancy dress costumes on show. If you fancy getting all GoodGym for the event, there is a cheering station at Victoria Embankment check it out

Okay back to our playground chores

After a decent 3 km school run admirably led by Ercole, we arrived at Willow Brook to be greeted by Alfonso, Alison, and school Head and running enthusiast Gra...errm Mr. Clifford!

We had a decent showing tonight with fourteen altogether including new to GGWF Kimberly and Mireille. I met Mireille at GoodGym Hackney over a year ago and since then she has clocked up a formidable 82 good deeds. It was also great to see Amarjit back with us after swanning around South America for several months (well jelly) .

Sadly after constant pounding with footballs, rucksacks, careering school children, wind and rain the delightful picket fence the bordered the back of the playground has departed. The demise of the fence has opened up the playground to include some lovely trees (poplars maybe?), and I am sure they will serve as an excellent addition to playground activities from now on.

Where we came in was that some levelling was now required to even out the undulating landscape. Levellers were a 17th Century political groups that counted one Gerrard Winstanley among their number, and I have always hoped this near namesake of mine was a distant ancestor. It would salvage the family from the series of scoundrels that seem to crop up in the more recent annals of the family tree. Of course, music fans will also recall the 90's folk-rock band of the same name. But I digress, tonight The Levellers were at Willow Brook Primary, and they were levelling the land with enthusiasm. Pickaxes were swinging, mud was flying, and the earth moved.

Next week we are back to continue our task at Greenleaf Road Baptist Church. We will also be heading to Lloyd Park for some time trialling so don't miss out folks and sign up now

☮️

Birthday run

Last night was GoodGym Waltham Forest's first birthday, and we celebrated in style with a fantastic blend of long termers, long lost friends, recent recruits and one GG VIP! In no particular order welcome back to Joanna "Long Lost" Loxton, welcome to Manuela for the second time on two weeks and welcome to Beth Hoskins. It was Beth's first outing with GGWF but her 709th Good Deed with GoodGym - yes that's right folks, say it again, Seven Hundred and Nine!

Anyhoo, before I get into the events of last night here, is some brief news items:

This Saturday why not join Ruari "99 Parkruns and counting" Rhodes and me at Walthamstow Parkrun for a free timed 5k? Starts at 9 am and don't forget your GG t-shirt!

Good luck to Carmen and Ruby in this weekend's Brighton Marathon. Can't wait to hear all about it and I know you are both going to do GGWF proud.

Okay well, I am not going to go on too much here because in a moment we are going to ditch my halting prose and I will hand you over to the more elegant poetry of Kirsty Jones. Before that, I want to say a massive thank you to Pippa who worked hard last night to produce a cake that was stunning to look at and even more stunning to eat. It was everything a great cake should be perfectly moist, sweet, smooth and full of delightfully rich flavours. Thank you too to everyone who came to George Mason Lodge Last night and to everyone out there who has made it such a fantastic year for GGWF. You are all amazing people, and it is a privilege to know you all.

Okay enough from me. The following poem was written by regular runner Kirsty who read it to us last night in the pub over cakes and beer. What could be better than that? Over to you Kirsty.

Since our first head count, standing right here
Every Wednesday night we've run to do good
Spreading Good Gym spirit through our neighbourhood
We've shovelled at St Mary's to better the grounds
Created a rainbow fence and sandcastle mounds
We've plogged the banks of Lea Bridge road
Collecting bags of hubcaps, a heavy load
Spectated by locals, horses and dogs
While completing our tasks and during our jogs
We've painted and planted at The Mill
Built wooden planters ready to fill
One important job that we tried not to bodge
Was meticulous landscaping at George Mason Lodge
We cleaned toys, pulled weeds, painted a door,
Barrowed compost, picked litter and so so much more
Ant very busy taking photos all the while
"Guys can you quickly pose behind the rubbish and smile?"
But it's not all about the good deeds, not just about the run
We've also had laughs and barrow fulls of fun
We hosted our first social at Mirth Marvel and Maude
To the first year of many now let us applaud
Raise high your glasses and don't be modest
Give up three cheers for Good Gym Waltham Forest!

☮️

This Saturday is Earth Hour when we can acknowledge the damage human society is inflicting on the planet by switching off at 8.30 PM. To mark this event, GoodGym has teamed up with WWF to hold sustainability focussed events this week throughout the Land, including last night's task. But before we get to that, here are a few items of important news.

Walthamstow ParkRun this Saturday

GoodGym Waltham Forest (GGWF) Run Trainer, Ant, is planning on running Walthamstow Parkrun this Saturday. Why not kick off the weekend with a nice 5 km run and join him/me (I'm not sure why I'm talking in the third person here). If you are unfamiliar with Parkrun, you can find details and register, here

GGWF is 1 🎉

Incredible as it seems it was on April 11th 2018 that a ragtag group of beautiful people walked into Mirth Marvel and Maud and ran out onto the streets of The Stow to do great things. Come rain or shine we have been doing the same every Wednesday since then. Our first birthday run will take place two weeks hence with a visit to the delightful George Mason Lodge. There is talk of cake and drinks afterwards but I am open to suggestions at how we mark this auspicious event, or you could surprise us. Any ideas and suggestions welcome.

GGWF is 40

See what I did there? Perhaps I should clarify. Unbelievably the GoodGym project has now established fifty areas around the UK. What a story and what a difference we have made. Being part of this movement is something special, so each area is celebrating this success, with a photo to represent the number we were at launch. I am proud to say they GGWF is currently in third in the like listing with our cryptic pic. Thanks to Raymond, Fergus, Ros and Francis for the modelling work. All the photos can be viewed and liked here #GG50areas

Back to the business of our Earth Hour run to Willowbrook

We were joined by a great crew tonight. As well as our usual regulars we were lucky to be joined by GoodGymGoodDeed Maestro, Paul Grey. It was great to meet Paul and hear some of the wealth of GoodGym stories he has gathered during his 137 outings. We were also joined tonight by newcomers Michael and Filip, both of whom are just starting on their GoodGym journey but I am sure one day they too will sit atop a glittering pile of good deeds.

Regardless of past performance this triumphant trio swelled our group substantially and were all a welcome and hardworking addition to the evening's collective.

We also had a couple of birthday girls in the shape of Pippa and Nerys. Both of whom bought a cornucopia of cake along with them for some post deed deliciousness. Happy birthdays to you both, the cakes were magnificent.

But I seem to have skipped to the end without telling about the run and task, so on with the story. We headed to Willow Brook Primary and a testing 3 km run to get us there only slightly late where our eternally patient and always smiling contact Alison was waiting for us with her team headed by Alfonso who proceeded to set us up on the night's task of leaf and litter clearing.

Head torches at the ready for our last full dark task of the long, long winter the team got cracking, and in no time a hopper was bursting with leaves and other bits and pieces that had been languishing in an unloved corner of the playground of this otherwise much loved and splendid primary school.

After that is was back on the road for another 3kms when we reached the end, the ravenous runners devoured the delicious delicacies baked by Pippa and Nerys.

Next week

We visit a new destination to do a bit of a litter-pick. Sign-up here

Two weeks hence

We celebrate our first birthday at your favourite care home and mine, George Mason Lodge. Sign-up here

☮️

Well we did, in fact, go through the Mill, all the way through and into the garden on the other side.

But let's backtrack a little, we started our session tonight with an easy 1 km trot downhill to The Mill at the other end of the High Street. The Mill is a fantastic resource for the people of Walthamstow, and IMHO, it puts the "om" in "community", and I'm not just talking about the Yoga for Cyclists session that was going down in the room next to where the GG team weaved their task completing magic.

Our mission today was a gardening one, including: 1. Bagging up about a metric tonne of soil 2. Removing a wooden flowerbed/cattle trough type thing 2. Weeding 3. Digging over 4. Pruning 5. Cutting 6. Clearing

The team set about the tasks with a cheerful efficiency that the German Football team would pay good money for. We didn't have a massive turnout tonight, but for me, seven was the magic number as it was perfect for the space we were working in and the task at hand. With our work done and the Yoga/Cyclists still doing the downward dog, we headed out to the Douglas Eyre Sports Centre for a double helping of drills.

Burpees Squat Jumps, Burpees Squat Jumps, Burpees Squat Jumps, Burpees Squat Jumps - I swear it was harder watching than participating. Next up we had sprints x4 with a variety of return runs, and the team was ready to return. I say the team, but they were so outstanding, I think they all deserve to be named, well done Kirsty, Alex, Nerys, Pippa, Ercole and Swabbi you guys rock.

☮️ Ant

Ding, ding, Round Two, and out of Mirth, Marvel and Maud emerge the formidable Good Gym Waltham Forest Crew. Undoubtedly as a unit, they are a lean, mean, running and gardening machine. They won the first round last week against the weeds, sticks and empty miniature whisky bottles of St. Mary's Churchyard and today we were back for more.

After a headcount and a discussion about favourite cheeses (no less than three mozzarella fans), we hit the road and a short but sharp stomp up, up, up the hill to the task. After visiting the armoury (garage), everyone grabbed a weapon (strimmer, shears, forks, gloves, spades) and went hammer and tongs at the offending plant life. Evil nettles were felled, compost was excavated, paths were cleared, the bones of The Dread Pirate Roberts were uncovered ... okay, I made that bit up, but you get my drift. Much blood, sweat and tears were expended as the hardworking crew worked their magic.

While everyone played a hugely important part, I have to make a special mention to GoodGym Superwoman Deborah Redmond, who joined us on a day trip from Bristol. Also a warm welcome to Brave New Runner, Ayanna. Great to see both of you.

Back to the task and if anyone thought they were getting a gentle downhill jog back to the boozer, they needed to think again. Off we trotted to the splendid surroundings of Lloyd Park for an intensive full body workout session of burpees and squat jumps. Then a breathless run back to base. I'll end this part of the report with a big thanks to the Big Guy, Ramon - top back marking fella.

There is a bit more non-task related info for interested readers. We now have a GGWF WhatsApp Group, which you can join here We also have an Instagram page/account/thing?. Thanks to Clara and Ercole for setting those up.

Finally, join us again for next week's task where we will be plogging at the Walthamstow Marshes near the riding centre. Just think, running, making the world better and looking at horses. What could be better? Sign-up now

That's me done.

Peace, Ant ☮️

Maybe it was Jo's talk of the Dutch Masters recently seen on a trip to Bruges before we set off, but the GoodGym Waltham Forest crew got their Rembrandt on big time today. Our mission was some interior decorating at The Mill, a magical community centre down the other end of the High Street.

Great to see GG tourist Ernesto (moonlighting from Islington) who was accompanied by the first timer and painting expert, Chloe. No time was wasted in getting to the destination after our usual conference, headcount and review of upcoming holidays we made a beeline for The Mill. On arrival brushes and rollers were distributed, masking tape was fastened, dustsheets were laid down and the paint was applied. The Mill's main meeting room began to gleam like Meghan Markle's teeth.

While the main body of our crew beavered away in the meeting room, we also had Ercole and Katie sanding, cleaning and painting blackboards and Jennie 'Rothko' Matuszek supported by Ramon who both did a fantastic job on the door frame of the errm latrine. Transforming the off-white woodwork into an intense shade of Dutch Orange!

All in all, I think these GoodGym artisans have paid a fitting tribute to the borough of culture with a fantastic bit of painting decorating.

But, the story doesn't end there. The precision of the painting was matched only by the speed the task was accomplished so we had time to kill, which meant time to drill. We headed south to the Douglas Eyre Sports Ground for x6 100 metre sprints with various routines (grape-vining, skipping, fast feet) on the returns.

With heart rates hitting the heights, we finally headed back (uphill) to Mirth, Marvel and Maud for merriment.

On 29th July 1981, Charles, Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer. As the country gears up for another momentous marriage, one could be forgiven for thinking that the last time a weed was plucked from the garden of George Mason Lodge was when Prince Harry's mum got hitched.

Happily, this did not deter fifteen intrepid GoodGymers who arrived at Mirth, Marvel and Maud in search of adventure and cake on a chilly evening in May. After a chorus of Happy Birthday to Raymon 'Kingfisher' Umunna, we welcomed Carmen and Amarjit to their first tasks at Waltham Forest and set off on a 2-mile run to our destination.

While the old folks inside beavered away on their big day bunting making, our hardy crew got cracking to restore this stunning tree-shrouded garden to its former glory.

Terrifying triffid-like nettles were torn from the earth at a furious rate. Bag after bag was filled with fallen weeds.

At one point we had to send out for more bags after we filled everything we were given. It was a sight to behold and a truly magnificent effort from all who were there.

After a quick photocall, it was back on the road and back to base for some stretching and refreshments in MM&M. Huge thanks go to Lizzie for bringing along the Lemon Drizzle cake to celebrate Ramon's birthday. Great ~baking~ buying skills, Lizzie :)

Next week, Return To George Mason Lodge.

On a balmy May evening, nine runners shrugged off the hurly-burly of the urban environment and headed to the peace and tranquillity of Walthamstow Marshes. Our task was to clear this stunning site of special scientific interest of litter that was blotting the beautiful landscape. Despite the heat and the challenging distance of over 3.5 km we managed a brisk pace and enjoyed a very peaceful and pretty route thanks to the navigation from and pacing skills of Ercole, our multi-marathon-man.

Along with our fantastic regulars Clara, Jennie, Ercole, Ramon and Pippa it was great to welcome Swabbi back to the group after a few weeks away and of course Lizzie, Kirsty and Alex who are on a bit of a GoodGym roll themselves. While I'm name-checking, I want to give a double thumbs up to Pippa (10km PB) and Clara (first lady at Wanstead Parkrun) - Girl Power! Fantastic running ladies:)

Anyhoo, back to the task at hand, it was nice to see that our designated marsh was not overly covered in litter. Nevertheless, the group set to work with brisk and cheerful readiness and probably cleared the site of every bit of litter therein. We filled several bags, no doubt bringing cheer to the hearts of the grass snakes, small mammals and ground-nesting birds that dwell there.

After a bit of horse whispering and packing away we wasted no time in hitting the road for the 3.5 km run back to base for a cool down stretch and a cool down drink, for some.

See you all next week for our jaunt to a local care home for some green fingered gardening - don't miss out as rumour has it that there may be some lemon drizzle cake knocking about for Ramon's birthday!