Islington

Group run

Great Run, Top Soil, Good Gym

6 GoodGymers made their way 1.5km to help the Friends of Caledonian Park in Islington.

  • John Shirley
  • Jacqueline Shirley
  • Simon Fitzmaurice
  • Luke Burrage
  • Mehmet
  • Sebastian Tiong
 
Monday, 26th of August 2024
 
Led by Simon Fitzmaurice

Area Activator Simon met with Luke and Mehmet at the Arsenal Community Hub for a lovely Bank Holiday Monday Goodgym session. Despite the centre being closed up, the crew still made the most of a solid 1 mile run together towards Caledonian Park (last training runs for The Big Half on Sunday for Mehmet and Simon!). On route, the team bumped into Sebastian, and Goodgym Camden legends John and Jacqueline before approaching the famous Caledonian Clock Tower.

Miriam (friend of Caledonian Park) met us by the Tollacre Café- the finishing line for Cally Park Junior parkrun- and explained our project for the evening. Our plan was to use our lifting and shifting skills to wheelbarrow many loads of wood chip, top soil and re-purposed mulch from Finsbury Park to various locations in the park. The premium top soil was transported to the children's play area near the clock tower itself. And the mulch, soil and chop were wheeled across Market Road (south of the park) to Lumpy Hill Playground, into a fresh new planter and within the play area itself. Wheel barrows and former refuse trolleys were used to complete the job- we were able to leave 2 wheelbarrows full of soil at the playground ready for schoolchildren to use for planting on Tuesday morning too!

Great job everyone, see you all at Caxton House Community Centre next week!


GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS


GROUP SESSIONS- SEPTEMBER 2024

Monday 2nd September- Caxton House Community Gardens- Group Run 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-session-caxton-house-in-bloomhttps://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-session-caxton-house-in-bloom


Monday 9th September- Timbuktu Adventure Playground- Community Mission 7.15pm, Task Location

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-return-trip-to-timbuktu-adventure-playground-05283270-5e90-483f-b3e1-9086fd8d63a5


Monday 16th September- Lighthouse Community Project- Group Run 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-lighthouse-community-project-gardeninghttps://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-lighthouse-community-project-gardening


Monday 23rd September- Thornhill Square Gardens- Community Mission 7.15pm, Task Location

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-thornhill-square-gardens


Monday 30th September- Hornsey Rise Playground- Group Run 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-sunnyside-community-centre

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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!

Thursday 29th August- Battersea Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/achilles-international-vi-guide-running-battersea-park-e4c0dc7c-e6e2-4b8f-8f92-cc50dafb8e96

Thursday 5th September- Paddington Rec Track

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-10b9cf51-aa84-4701-94c5-e5663da2853b

Thursday 12th September- Emirates Stadium

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-70a28bf7-b1a3-4afd-8e0f-469a008c6fa5


Highbury Quadrant Greening with Elizabeth House

Every Saturday, 10.30am - 12 midday, Highbury Quadrant Meadow

A fantastic task for post-parkrun runners at Highbury Fields or Finsbury Park!

Elizabeth House Community Centre, in partnership with Islington Council, Highbury Quadrant Tenants and Residents Association, Highbury Councillors and community organisations transformed three unloved and unusable green spaces on Highbury Quadrant estate.

These green spaces have been designed into three distinct spaces, improving bio-diversity and the local environment. There is now a beautiful meadow, an orchard and woodland areas.

Local residents have the opportunity to access these green spaces and take part in gardening and nature based activities, every Saturday mornings 10 am to 12 pm.

Saturday 31st August

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/highbury-quadrant-greening-with-elizabeth-house-47ea6ac8-5999-4364-8be6-910989fd09c5

Saturday 7th September

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/highbury-quadrant-greening-with-elizabeth-house-7cbac9c1-4d3c-4b2d-83f1-a25d38dbfd03


Thornhill Square Gardens- September Workday

Saturday 1st September, 10am - midday, Thornhill Square Gardens

This is an open volunteer gardening morning set up by the Friends of Thornhill Square. As one of the largest public spaces in Islington without council maintenance assistance, extra pairs of hands for bulb planting, composting, litter picking and preparing flower beds would be hugely appreciated!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/thornhill-square-gardens-open-volunteer-morning-september

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Arachne Turkish and Cypriot Women's Group Refurbishment Project

Tuesdays, 6.30 - 8pm, Hercules Street, Holloway Road

"Arachne has recently had a small flood! We are still seing clients, but we would really value some help to wash down our office and community room walls and windows to get ready for a refurbishment. We might need support moving some office furniture. We will also be cleaning our shop front to look more welcoming for our clients and community."

Tuesday 3rd September

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/arachne-group-holloway-road-cleaning-up-ahead-of-a-refurbishment-project

Tuesday 17th September

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/arachne-group-holloway-road-cleaning-up-ahead-of-a-refurbishment-project-e3378e44-fdbc-46f4-8d2f-dfbf874ac4fa


Compton Terrace Gardens- Volunteer Session

Saturday 14th September, 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.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/compton-terrace-gardens-volunteer-open-morning-september-ed964447-f0a5-4268-8200-8269ba5a6ac6


Crouch End Open Space (CREOS) Volunteering Day

Sunday 15th September, 11am - 1pm, Hanley Tennis Club Car Park, Greenways

Our monthly trip to CREOS this year for a woodland regeneration- loads of smashing forest path building has been planned!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/crouch-end-open-space-creos-volunteering-day-september-2024


Friends of Canonbury Square- Volunteer Morning (September)

Saturday 21st September, 10am - midday, Canonbury Square Gardens

The Friends of Canonbury Square Gardens host an open community gardening session on the 3rd Saturday morning of every month.

Usual tasks would include bulb planting, trimming, laying compost, maintaining flower beds and litter picking.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/friends-of-canonbury-square-volunteer-morning-september-a208aa91-1020-4284-b3df-e1da936f357f

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Camino Ultra London Lee Valley Eco Trail- Aid Station Superstars

Saturday 5th October, 9am onwards, Ranger's Retreat, Chingford DaznBone (aka Darren Strachan and David Bone) and the Camino Ultra team are putting together the logistics for their next 50km ultra race (running from Wanstead Flats, up the green corridor to Epping Forest and back), and have invited the Goodgym crew to get involved!

On the course, there will be 4 major aid stops, and we have been invited to take over the first refresh point and the penultimate aid station.

This will involve providing water and snacks to runners of all abilities during the key stages of their race, and to support them with smiling faces and enthusiasm!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/camino-ultra-epping-forest-50km-and-25km-eco-trail-aid-station-superstars-2024


Goodgym Race Team Big 4- Love Luton RunFest 2024

Sunday 13th October, 8.45am onwards, Luton Town Centre

This 5k, 10k, and half marathon around the streets of Luton is a popular road race with GoodGym. Join us for this 4th and final official GoodGym race team race of 2024. Big Goodgym running crew meet up to be expected!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/love-luton-love-luton-runfest-2024


Met League Cross Country Series- Goodgym Race Team

Various locations, October 2024 - February 2025

Met League Cross Country is a set of five 7-8km races organised by London race clubs. They are held in parks and forests around London with the routes including a mixture of grass, gravel and a fair bit of mud (it is XC after all!)

Sign up to the Goodgym Race Team for £15, and enter ALL 5 RACES for the bargain price of £6!

Newbies encouraged and welcomed- the most fun you can have running over the Winter months!

Fixtures

12th October Claybury https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-claybury-3aab4cb8-8f15-4d0d-a0ed-126cdf50e85e

9th November Horsenden Hill https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country

30th November Uxbridge https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-uxbridge

11th January Welwyn Garden City https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-stanborough-park

8th February Trent Park https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-trent-park

Report written by Simon Fitzmaurice


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Simon Fitzmaurice
Led by Simon Fitzmaurice

- Goodgym Islington AA - Likes long slow runs - Coach in Running Fitness - Avid screen printer

GoodGymers helping out
  • Back markers

    Make sure that no one is left behind

    • Mehmet
    • Luke Burrage

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GROUP RUN- Arachne Group, Holloway Road- Cleaning up ahead of a refurbishment project

Monday 18:45 - 20:30
Led by Simon Fitzmaurice
The Arsenal Community Hub

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