On Monday evening our intrepid GoodGymers ventured into the heart of Church House Gardens to clear fallen rocks that were blocking a path.

The rocks will be reset into the wall they had fallen from, rather than discarded, helping maintain the manicured gardens.

We also swept up some of the few bits of debris and litter we could find around the park, then Kerry from the Friends of Bromley Town Parks and Gardens gave us an impromptu ghost tour past the medieval church that dates back eight centuries.

Note to Area Activator: remember a head torch next time 💡

Kerry and the Friends Of group have another community mission lined up for Sunday 15th November if you're free to lend a hand. Hope to see you there.

Trick or treat yourself to useful tools that'll save you a fortune this Halloween?! 🎃

That was the message our team circulated round Bromley last night, flyering for Library of Things (LoT).

LoT has handy lockers dotted around London, including one in the Greener & Cleaner hub in The Glades shopping centre.

For a fraction of brand new you can hire tools for DIY projects, like GoodGym Bromley member Mairi did recently to build a hedgehog hotel in her garden.

All our volunteers last night have unlocked an extra discount to use these lockers, which I'll share directly via email.

Special mention for the returning Helen and new-to-Bromley volunteer Kay-yee.

Great energy, great pace and some great spooky decorations on show!! 👻

On Monday night we were back in Bromley helping spread the word for Bromley Borough Foodbank (BBF).

BBF has signed up to a series of run for charity events, including a 5K, 10K and half marathon in Crystal Palace in December.

Secure your place via BBF and help your miles go further with fundraising supporting their cause across the borough.

Find out more here:

https://runforcharity.com/charity/bromley-borough-foodbank

Keep your eyes peeled for updates on our upcoming Monday Night Run Club.

On Saturday morning a remarkable 738 parkrunners – including a handful of GoodGymers past and present – assembled in Norman Park for the weekly 5K.

It was heart warming to see a sprinkling of GoodGym T-shirts amid the mass of runners, young and old, lending a hand with set-up and marshalling.

Special mention to Ian for dusting off his top to show solidarity, and Lucy, a seasoned parkrunner, making her GoodGym debut.

It was lovely to grab a coffee post-run in the Trackside Café too. Hoping we can make this a more regular feature, possibly earmarking one Saturday per month for a GoodGym run + social.

Watch this space.

On Monday evening we made the most of our Indian summer to stretch our legs in Norman Park.

As the sun set we lapped the parkrun 5K route, alternating running and walking to gradually improve our stamina, before circling back to join James from the Friends of Norman Park to lend a hand in the on-site micro-forest.

After our back-to-back heatwaves, the saplings are just about clinging on but they need our help with regular watering and weeding to give them the best chance of survival.

Special mention to returnee Vinesh for ticking off his third workout of the day and regular Marina for tagging an extra-long run onto our session.

We'll be back in Norman Park this Saturday morning for the Bromley parkrun – a free 5K course you can run or walk – followed by a coffee catch-up in the nearby Trackside Café.

You can sign up here.

I'll be there – be great if you can make it.

Sam 🙋‍♂️

Last night GoodGym Bromley went door-to-door flyering for the fantastic local charity Bromley Borough Foodbank (BBF).

BBF has recently signed up to a number of Run for Charity and Ultra Challenge events, giving people of all ages and abilities the opportunity to turn their miles into meaning.

Now they're calling on residents to take part in a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon or epic 100K ultra endurance challenge to raise funds and awareness for their cause.

• December 2026 - Crystal Palace Park - 5K, 10K, Junior Race and Half Marathon
• April 2027 - Brighton Seaside Marathon Weekend - Full Marathon

Sign up via BBF's Run for Charity links here to get a discounted entry price.

Special thanks to Ray at BBF for pulling everything together and GoodGym Bromley regular Mairi for putting up with a somewhat poorly Area Activator (still reeling from completing the Berlin Marathon on Sunday).

Next week we're heading directly to Norman Park to give everyone the option to walk or run before mixing in with watering the micro-forest near Hook Farm Road Car Park.

Sign up here.

Sam