How many?

They didn't stop coming last night. A whopping 43 GoodGymmers - our second highest turnout ever - rocked up to Highbury Pool ready to get fit and do good.

Newbs

Big hand to first timers Cath, Weronica, Dan, Fran, Wendy, Kirsty and Alix and nice to see a couple of last week's newcomers now old hands in brand new red GG shirts!

Tasking

Our task for the evening was to continue putting the finishing touches to the ongoing project at Barnsbury Community Centre, and luckily there was plenty to do: one team worked hard on shifting sacks of soil from one side of the gate to the other; another team weeded and turned over soil around the magnificent centrepiece; we had a group watering the abundance of plants and flowers that are now everywhere; and a final group grabbed dusters and wipes and gave the heaters, sides and windows within the centre a jolly good clean.

Maths

People sometimes worry that 30 minutes or so on a task isn't all that much, but when you consider that 43 x 30 minutes = over 21 hours, which if you include breaks and going home to sleep and stuff is about 3-4 days work for a single person, it becomes obvious how effective the GoodGym style of volunteering is.

Bunch of Planks

As always, we stopped halfway through the evening for a biscuit which fuelled us well for the post-task PLANK CHALLENGE. The plank world record was set at the weekend and we wanted to see how close we could get to the eight hours and change achievement.

Everybody spread themselves out across the garden (a sight to behold) and just kept planking until they could plank no more. Everybody made the minute mark and a majority got to two minutes. Then they started dropping like flies. With five minutes approaching, and the sun going down, only four remained. We decided that anybody who made it to five minutes would be a joint winner and all four did. Core! Big hand to Patrick (still grinning at the end), Oli, Rich and Dan. Plank-off final next week?

Activities Abundant

For our journey back we split into four groups: Patrick led a group for a game of Coney McConeface on the fields; Simon took a group for some sprinty bits, including secret surges, indian file and the tennis ball reaction game, which badly needs a name; Aidan sorted out the long running group; and Kike worked people hard on the hills. For this final group their good-deed-doing for the evening wasn't over since they witnessed a collision with a motorbike and cyclist. Luckily no major injuries and first-aider Kike and co. calmed the cyclist down and got him off to have his scrapes seen to. Well done team.

Town vs. Country Club

Debate for the evening was town vs. country. Do you prefer the tranquility of the countryside or the hustle and bustle of a city? Some of us liked being able to drive, park, leave our doors open, seeing cows & sheep all the time and buying eggs from our neighbours; but the majority preferred a lifestyle that extended beyond Londis staying open until 9pm on a Friday night and the occasional car boot sale.

Next Time

Reckon we can manage 50 runners next week? We're going to have at least three tasks on offer which will be confirmed very shortly, but you can sign up now!

See you soon,
Simon

This week 25 glorious good-deeders graced the streets of Islington for our third journey to Sunnyside Community Gardens. An amazing community garden in Archway that is for all to enjoy and specialises in therapeutic horticulture for those with physical and mental disabilities.

Among us were first timers Nadia, Del, Katherine, Ceiran, Kim, David and David. A very warm welcome!

We split into three groups for the journey up: fast feet folk led by Graham, medium men and women taken by David and philosophers with Simon.

On our journey up we discussed how we all had an axe to grind with drivers. Apparently lots of things bug us about them: not indicating, tailgating, middle lane hogging, opening car doors on cyclists, stopping for no reason, not stopping at zebra crossings, not pulling over far enough, speeding, cutting up cyclists, and simply existing. Stupid drivers.

Anyway, we made it to the task without getting run over and met our hosts, the ever-keen Yvonne and Alan, who had plenty for us to do.

Half of us continued cutting back brambles and branches from the garden's corner. Loppers and secateurs were in action as usual, but some of the slightly thicker branches needed an AXE. Check out the photos and tell me these guys aren't having fun. There were a couple of wheelbarrows and buckets in action as a few of us carried the discarded foliage to its resting spot.

At the other end of the garden the rest of the GoodGymmers wielded shovels and spades (yeah, axes aren't the only things you can wield) and set about clearing a path of woodchip and made a gigantic pile held in place by some of the logs we shifted a couple of weeks ago.

Today's biscuit break took the form of a Bourbon Cream. Quite a popular choice.

Before heading off Richard showed Simon the "Skunk Cabbage" (Lysichiton americanus) in the garden's pond (see photos). I've read up on it and apparently "... it contains calcium oxalate crystals, which result in a gruesome prickling sensation on the tongue and throat and can result in intestinal irritation and even death if consumed in large quantities" Glad we remembered the Bourbons.

For the journey back we got into the same three groups. David's group sped off, Graham added in a few hill reps before zooming home and Simon's group played secret surges and took the blurriest selfie ever.

Another week of getting fit and doing good. Excellent tasking and running everybody. That's what it's all about.

Next week we're off to Barnsbury Square Gardens. Don't miss it!

Simon

P.S. William's head was not chopped off by an axe in the group photo.

10 Girls, 1 Guy, a 6k run, 30 Petunia's, 2 odd encounters and 1 big fun night at GG Brent.

Rain, rain go away, at least by 7pm anyway...... oh great you did thanks for that! After a thankfully dry end to the evening and No April Showers in sight, GG Brent and it's merry band of women and one man, congregated at the Queensbury Pub on Willesden High Road for a joyful and high spirited start to the week.

Sadhana's upcoming first marathon led the discussions as the crew planned the logistics of getting to Brighton to support...... and to eat fish and chips hurrah, but obviously the first thing more important LOL the fact Sadhana will be running 26.2 Miles in 6 Days!!!!!! Woo HOO.

With housekeeping in check and a warm welcome outstretched to our 2 new ladies - Andrea and Gillian, we set to work, pounding the pave the 1.8mile route over to Harlseden High Street to link with our favourite pastor Marcia Tull for a spot of planting after our galavanting.

Leading from the back and welcoming the new starters coach Ellie was lucky enough to have coach-runner Clairey-Bell on hand to step up to the plate and lead from the front and putting the leading pack through their paces by the sounds of things!! The back pack cruised the streets and were joined by a local character on a bike who invited us in for tea and a slice of his Battenberg...... We hope he meant cake!! Declining we powered on!!

In no time at all the flurry of red tees had descended onto the high road and were greeted with the best smiling face ever - Marcia, with boxes and boxes of beautiful spring flowers that we would be tasked with planting in the front garden of the church!

Harlesden Methodist Church is a crucial part of the community and serves the people of Harlesden in more ways than one, offering guidance, a safe space and worthwhile outreach to the community on a regular basis. What better way to give back then to brighten up their surroundings as the Spring comes in!

Off to work we set, to the soundtrack of Mariah Carey and Tom Petty, a musical feast for the ears, while we Got Diggy with it on task.

30 minutes of hard graft included: * The discovery of 10 foot worms * Laura's rat cage * Hidden Treasures - Gin Bottles and Cork Screws to name but a few

Before long the time was up and the merry band of Do-Gooders were on their way once more, but not before some lung busting sprints up and down the high road and star-jump squats for good measure!!

On route back and there was sharing and caring, thrills and puddle spills, giggles and gumption...... But just a typical night for one of the best groups of people in the land, where the running and the do-gooding go hand in hand with the community and friendship that's blossomed over the year.

A Fabulous evening, terrific task and job well done from the Brent Brigade

Until next time folks........

Do Good. Feel Good. Inspire