Arc Centre
123 GoodGymers have supported Arc Centre with 71 tasks.
Top supporters
Previous sessions
Water Legends
Monday 3rd August
Written by StephDucat
Hot Monday night, and 6 legends made their way to ARC. We welcomed Joe to his 1st Goodgym session. Some of us ๐โโ๏ธ and the others just ๐งโโ๏ธ at the meeting point. Mission tonight was to water the fruit trees and the beds as very hot and the plants are in need of water. The team took the water from the water butt's and we had enough time to litterpick in the garden. Making our way back we collected rubbish in Canal Square where we found empty bottles of water, energy drinks, vodka, buzz balls and plastic bags of rubbish. Da Marcus was smiling alot : was it the laughing canisters he found? Two bags of rubbish where collected. wat-er session .
A Sunny Day In Islington
Saturday 11th July
Written by Denzel Kessie
This was a special collaboration between GoodGym and the amazing Sole Striders. Rather then a run, we decided to take a nice long walk from Caledonian Road to ARC Collective in Islington. From there we had a quick hydration break before heading to the allotment to meet up with Amy who gave everyone a breakdown of how ARC Collective works along with a breakdown of the allotments progress.
From there, we were all split into groups. Some of us were weeding, some were planting, some were watering and other videos were wheeling barrels of compost from the main ARC site back to the allotment. We got a lot of work done, made some great conversation, and we may have convinced Amy to start a gardening TikTok. Hopefully it works. Amy really appreciated the help and the Sole Striders team enjoyed the experience so much that they're already talking about a second visit. What a amazing Saturday.
Islington's Real Red Army
Monday 1st June
Written by Hermione Taylor
Monday night brought out a magnificent twelve GoodGymers to ARC, with six running with Steph Ducat from Arsenal stadium, and all 12 rolling up their sleeves to get the towpath garden ready for planting out.
While some of us were still buzzing from Sunday's Arsenal Parade, others were visibly relieved that football had packed up for the season - and that this wasn't a week for litter picking!
Amy from ARC marshaled this particular Red Army into action across three fronts: one crew tackled the prickly job of cutting up and bagging thorny hawthorn branches; another set to work building raised beds along the garden border; and new member Devika and I got our hands well and truly dirty turning the compost heap.
The transformation of this little patch - small in size but brilliantly situated - since our last visit is genuinely impressive. A good night's work, a fresh set of raised beds, and all last night's rain should combine to even more progress and growth by our next visit. Bring it on.
Branching Out at the Canal
Monday 13th April
Written by Hermione Taylor
Nine GoodGymers made their way to ARC Community Centre last night, meeting Amy and Autumn at their canal-side community garden in a mission to clear the decks โ or rather, the beds โ ready for a season of planting.
And what better way to celebrate Amy's 200th GoodGym session than with her hosting us!
Five of us ran there from Arsenal and joined another four there. The main task was clearing a long pile of dead shrubbery from along the fence, trying to fit it into two big garden waste sacks like a game of tetris. Louise put her sawing skills to the test, beelining it for the fattest of branches, while Deirdre fiercly attacked and bashed the overflowing bag of branches with a spade, and Mehmet and Luke demonstrated impressive feats of strength, hoisting a hefty railway sleeper into place to squash down the contents of the other bag. We're not as scary a bunch as that sounds...
Steph Ducat carefully dug out burdock and prepared the ground at the end of the garden for a tree that will be planted later this week. And over at the wildflower roundabout, Caitlin, Da Marcus, and Deirdre made a (small) start on weeding.
Looking forward to returning in a few weeks to continue with their great work...
Making the River less Fowl
Monday 12th January
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
On a slightly rainy Monday evening, Area Activator Simon met with early Goodgym arrival Steph Ducat at The ARC Centre, Islington. Stephane told me that he had passed through the area for another mission just the other day, and was happy to join us for our riverside plogging session that evening. As the rest of our crew gathered up, we took our our hardy gloves, litter pickers, head torches and bin bags ready for our brisk walk, along with small bags of bird seed for feeding the local water fowl on Regent's Canal. The birds have had a hard time recently, especially with the icy conditions and frozen water!
Within 50 minutes, we had walked together through the Riverside Gardens (on the Packington Estate) and along the canal side to De Beauvoir, Shoreditch, collecting loads of rubbish and debris on route. Almost 7 full bags of rubbish had been gathered from the parks and the towpath. Well done everyone!
GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS
โ------------------------------------
SESSIONS IN JANUARY
Group Run - Camden Estate Gardens Monday 19th January, 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub
Community Mission - Thornhill Square Gardens Monday 26th January, 7.15pm, Thornhill Square Gardens
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/community-mission-thornhill-square-gardens-bulb-planting
Group Run - Highbury Quadrant Estate Gardens Monday 2nd February, 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub
โ-----------------------------------
Goodgym Social & Area Activator Simonโs Last Session
Monday 2nd February, 8.30pm, The Tollington Arms, Islington
After 6.5 years, Area Activator Simon will be hosting his final group run session with Goodgym Islington this evening.
After our group run to Highbury Quadrant Estate, we will be making a trip to the award winning local pub, The Tollington Arms, less than 200m away from our bag drop location on Benwell Road!
As well as offering excellent refreshments, the pub has been well known for offering delicious Thai food with loads of varied dietary and vegan options available!
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/aa-simon-s-last-session-the-tollington-arms-arsenal
โ----------------------------------
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!
JANUARY
Paddington Rec Track (Maida Vale underground) Thursday 8th January, 6pm
Stratford Olympic Park (Stratford underground station Westfield exit) Thursday 15th January, 6pm
Emirates Stadium (Arsenal underground) Thursday 22nd January, 6pm
Paddington Rec Track (Maida Vale underground) Thursday 29th January, 6pm
โ-----------------------------
Achilles International UK- Greenwich Peninsula parkrun takeover
Saturday 17th January, 8.20am, North Greenwich tube station
Achilles International UK, the pan-ability charity who host regular social running events are planning on hosting a meet up at the new Greenwich Peninsula parkrun.
The team are looking for runners willing to help as a VI (visually impaired) guide for the run, but also also helpers to look after guide dogs and to offer support on the day!
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/achilles-international-uk-greenwich-peninsula-parkrun-takeover
โ-----------------------------
Track and Towpath - January Challenge Edition!
Come and join Area Activator and UK Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) Simon for a fun mixed pace training session
Over the month of January, Simon will be hosting a weekly morning running workouts in various parks in the Islington and Tower Hamlets boroughs.
All paces and abilities welcome!
The intention is to build up fitness together towards the Runthrough Victoria Park 10km on Sunday 1st February.
Thursday 8th January 7.50am, Arsenal Community Hub, Emirates Stadium
Thursday 15th January 7.50am, Poplar Union, Bartlett Park
Thursday 22nd January 7.50am, Common Ground coffee, Finsbury Park
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-finsbury-park-kenyan-hills
Thursday 29th January 7.50am, Mile End Climbing Wall, Meath Gardens
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-january-challenge-meath-gardens-kilometres
Runthrough Victoria Park 10km Event!
Sunday 1st February, 9am, Victoria Park
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-and-towpath-runthrough-victoria-park-10km-february-2026
(Strava group link)
https://strava.app.link/3aQu4W5ISYb
โ------------------------
Caledonian Park junior parkrun- January 2026
Sunday mornings, 8.45am, Caledonian Park
Junior parkrun is a wonderful free weekly timed 2km social running initiative, with events occurring all across the UK (and now the world!).
Children aged from 4-14 years old are allowed to run this safe looped course in Caledonian Park however they like, with the encouragement of friendly marshals, volunteers and parents.
The core team are always on the lookout for:
Course marshals
Barcode scanners
Funnel managers
Course set-up and close down assistance
A tailwalker!
โ------------------
Upcoming sessions:
Sunday 11th January
Sunday 18th January
Sunday 25th January
โ-----------------------
Maria's Gardens, Isledon Gardens - Shed Building
Sunday 25th January, 11am - 1pm, Maria's Gardens, Islington
We are planning to lend a hand at Maria's Gardens, a Nature Trail between Isledon Gardens and the Sam Morris Nursery Gardens. One of the key objectives for this session is to build a new tool shed for the regular local gardening team.
โ------------------------
Green Guardians- Whittington Park Sessions
Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions, Whittington Park, Archway
We have six really interesting gardening session happening at Whittington Park. We'll be planting native wild flowers, hedging and bulbs, creating a stumper and planting fruit trees.
These are relaxed friendly sessions where the emphasis is on spending time outside in nature, whilst learning and sharing skills and meeting new people.
The sessions are free and open to all, though under 16's must be with a responsible adult. No experience is needed. We provide tools, gloves, guidance and refreshments.
Session Dates
Tuesday 6th Jan 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Orchard tree planting with the Orchard Project (with optional free volunteers lunch at 1pm)
Tuesday 13th Jan 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Wildlife hedge planting
Tuesday 20th Jan, 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Loggery habitat creation
Tuesday 27th Jan, 2026, 10am to 12pm ; Loggery habitat creation
โ-------------------
Next session
Tuesday 6th January, 10am - 12 midday:
โ---------------------
Friends of Canonbury Square- Volunteer Morning
Saturday 17th January, 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.
โ------------------
Penn Road Gardens Monthly Open Volunteer Morning
Sunday 25th January, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens, Islington
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!
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sign-up/penn-road-gardens-open-morning
Canal Canter
Friday 17th May 2024
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
Areas Activator Simon, Anne, Dan and Patrick met with lead gardening volunteer Mariana at The ARC centre on a gloriously sunny Friday evening. Together, we were tasked with a 1 hour time limit to help with moving a newly donated sack of fresh soil, over to Riverside Gardens on Regent's Canal, with the use of shovels, wheelbarrows (of varying quality!) and buckets. Each trip was approximately 400m from point to point, so we were putting in some solid wheelbarrow mileage between us!
Riverside Gardens is a lovely protected wildflower garden just off the Packington Estate. Full of flora and fauna, and cultivated to remain semi-wild. We successfully deposited almost 2/3rds of the full bag of soil between us- great progress for a big task!
We will return next week to complete the job!
Sign up here to get involved:
https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/the-arc-centre-riverside-gardens-part-2
Loading...