Octopus Communities
135 GoodGymers have supported Octopus Communities with 61 tasks.
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Upcoming sessions
Monday 22nd September 2025 7:15pm - 8:30pm
Previous sessions
Special Delivery (First Class)
Monday 11th August
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
Goodgym Islington were delighted to be invited back to Elizabeth House Food Hub to lend a hand with the team's busy Summer Holiday food bank project.
As we approached the distinctive blue hall just off Blackstock Road, Arsenal, we were able to see the place was already buzzing with activity. This well established food bank project operates like a supermarket for donated food and supplies from local businesses. Residents arrive to pay a small donation to cover managing costs, and are able to take shopping and essential items back home.
David and Robin agreed to travel over to Highbury Hill to drop off a few bags of shopping to a family near by. In the mean time, the rest of our team helped with closing down the food bank. We cleaned and sanitised all the surfaces, and we moved tables back into a storage room. Any non perishable food were moved over to the kitchen, ready for next month. All leftover food was taken to composting bins to rot down for more gardening projects (check out Highbury Quadrant Estate Gardens!).
We finished up the evening with sweeping up the floors, ready for play scheme tomorrow morning. Excellent work, efficiently completed in record time!
Thank you so much for joining us this week (It was my 750th Good Deed!). See you all at Arsenal Community Hub for our group run next Monday!
GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS
SESSIONS IN JULY / AUGUST
Group Run- Highbury Quadrant Estate Gardens 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub Monday 18th August
Bank Holiday Special Group Run- Parkland Walk Plogging with Camino Ultra and Trash Free Trails 6.15pm, The Woodman Pub, Highgate Monday 25th August
Group Run- Isledon Gardens 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub Monday 1st September
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Post Group Run Social August- Someday Canteen, Finsbury Park
Monday 25th August, 8.15pm, Someday Canteen, Finsbury Park
Area Activator Simon began leading sessions for Goodgym Islington 6 years ago, taking the reins from Goodgym legend Paul Bown (still active in GG Sheffield). We invite you for good food, excellent refreshments and fun times!
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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!
Paddington Rec Track Maida Vale Thursday 14th August
Hyde Park Lancaster Gate Thursday 21st August
Stratford Olympic Park Thursday 28th August
Arsenal Emirates Stadium Thursday 4th September
Paddington Rec Track Maida Vale Thursday 11th September
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Compton Terrace Gardens- Volunteer Session
Saturday 9th August, 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-august
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Golden Olden Community Gardens - Monthly Volunteer Open Day
Saturday 16th August, 10am - 2pm, Opposite Whistler Street, Islington
Olden Community Garden is a charity that maintains this lovely green space, with the object to promote a community garden for the benefit of people living or working in the London Borough of Islington. Olden Garden gives local people opportunities for education and recreation, with the aim of increasing involvement in the community and reducing isolation.
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Penn Road Gardens - July Volunteer Day
Sunday 31st August, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens
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.
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Camino Ultra Epping Forest 50km and 25km Eco Trail- Aid Station Superstars 2025!!!
Sunday 4th October, 9am onwards, Rangers Road, 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!
Another Good Turn and a Berry Nice Reward
Saturday 31st August 2024
Written by anne malcolm
Two Goodgymmers were back on hand today, helping the community gardeners at Highbury Quadrant.
After giving a young apricot tree a good drink, the goodgymmers were introduced to the compost heaps where fresh cuttings from the garden were dug and turned into the the existing heap to help speed up the composting process. A local robin joined in a supervisory role.
Then, following a quick introduction to the tiger worms in the wormery, and the 'hot box' full of not-tiger-worms, the next task was to water the plants and raised beds.
There was still time left to harvest the ripe tomatoes and pinch back the basil plants in the greenhouse to encourage new growth.
As we worked, we were offered raspberries and black currants fresh from the garden, and we left with a wonderfully fragrant stash of rosemary, basil and tomatoes to enjoy at home.
Fox Cubs and Five Years!!!
Monday 12th August 2024
Written by Simon Fitzmaurice
In August 2019, Area Activator (former Trainer) Simon took over the reins of Goodgym Islington from legend Paul Bown before his departure to a new life in Sheffield. 5 years have passed since this first group run session (with a global pandemic in the middle of it), and we are thrilled to think back on the hundreds of projects we have completed since then!
This evening, our crew met outside the Arsenal Community Hub (on perhaps the warmest day of the year!) for a social run across the borough. After a chat about the Olympics (climbing was our favourite event!) and an introduction during our dynamic warm up (welcome to first time GG Islington runner Kieran!), we ran together up Highbury Hill and onwards to Highbury Quadrant Estate Gardens!
Upon our arrival, we met up with local gardening wonder woman Frannie, who had a smashing hands-on task ready for us. But first, we were treated to some freshly served water melon slices from one of the residents of Highbury Quadrant- an incredible gift on such a warm and humid night. Together, we wheelbarrowed a collection of hoes, rakes, secateurs and loppers from "the meadow" and through to "the orchard" green spaces, and set to work.
Our task for the evening was to cut back a patch of overgrown greenery and vines, and the pathways that surround this spot. All excess weeds were collected for the compost heap back in the meadow. Following the clipping and snipping, we then laid out several sheets of tarpaulin-like material across 10 metres or so. This area has now been made into a Children’s Story Time Spot, where youngsters can gather together for reading classes. Our last task involved laying down large wooden logs around the spot, to keep the sheet in place, and to offer natural seats for children to enjoy. We made a complete transformation in the course of an hour!
During our session, a local fox family keep an eye on us working next to their den at the bottom of the garden. One cub in particular was very curious, and watched us intently from a safe distance!
To complete an excellent task well done, our team ran/walked/cycled an extra mile to Someday Bar in Finsbury Park for celebratory pizza and refreshments. Well done, everyone!
GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS
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 15th August- Green Park
Thursday 22nd August- Paddington Rec Track
Thursday 29th August- Battersea Park
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The Garden Classroom- Weekly Volunteer Mornings in Islington Parks!
Wednesday mornings, 10am - midday, Newington Green
The Garden Classroom has started multiple weekly open garden mornings in Newington Green, Market Road and Hillside Park (near Caxton House). Set up by trained horticulture specialists and open to all!
Newington Green Next Wednesday- 10am - midday
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 17th August
Crouch End Open Space (CREOS) Volunteering Day
Sunday 18th August, 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!
Penn Road Gardens Volunteer Open Day
Sunday 25th August, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens
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.
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!
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
Water on tap
Saturday 3rd August 2024
Written by Dan (He/ him)
We arrived and the sun came out as we divided and watered the community gardens, which included apple, pear trees and berry plants, giving them a well earned drink. 🍎 🍐 🫐 💦
Back to our roots
Saturday 4th May 2024
Written by Dan (He/ him)
Six GoodGymers arrived on this sunny Saturday morning to help clear an unusable allotment bed which was covered with ivy, random objects and deep roots.
We cleared the whole bed making a big difference and it looked as good as new! Ready for growing and it will help with biodiversity in the area.
We also uncovered a forgotten bench and found time to give it a bit of a spruce up.
Allot of Compost
Saturday 6th April 2024
Written by Dan (He/ him)
We carried and wheelbarrowed 30 bags of compost to Fran's allotment, where the vegetables grown will be given to the local foodbank.
Through an obstacle course of narrow paths, hills, brambles and mud we reached the most farthest allotment, and what a view!
At the end of the task Fran managed to glitch my phone and take a vertical panoramic, but also a normal one too.
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