Five Goodgymmers gathered at the Phoenix for the short run to the Fuel Land Allotments, where Brigid and Les were already at work on the Finchley Charities' community allotment.

But before we got started, it was time for a takeover! Beattie and Rachel brilliantly stepped up to lead our warm up as part of This Girl Can's Move for 10 campaign. Our 10min warm up started with some gentle jogging on the spot, before getting into: * lifting knees and kicking backsides * jump twisting * hip joint warm ups * sprinting on the spot * imaginary stick breaking over the knee * and skipping up the side road then back down

As we did so, they gave us two icebreaker questions for the evening because women have to work twice as hard to succeed! No arguments there! Our questions were: * When was the last time you had a girl boss? * When have you experienced nature 'in tooth and claw' (i.e. the scary side)?

With our brief answers in mind and our muscles warmed up, we set off for the Fuel Lands with Sheela back marking, hearing about all the great bosses we'd had and that time I hit a hornet with a skewer, or the two mice Rachel found nesting in her boot over the weekend (and which Beattie had mysteriously passed to her to put on without disturbing them moments before, but she definitely didn't put them in there herself).

At the gates, Sheela let us in and we made our way to the community plot, where Brigid and Les set us on a number of tasks. First there were some logs to carry. Then we tried and failed - possibly fortunately, for health and safety reasons - to lift the lid on a well cover, to see what was going on. Beattie managed to spy through a corner what was going on - mud, no water, not a lot of excitement - which was sufficient to tell us to delve no deeper.

Sheela and I then helped sow wildflowers as part of the Finchley Pollinators' plans to sow 600 mini-meadows this year. Richard helped Les move some of the paving slabs we'd dug up earlier in the summer, then was joined by the others to help move a large, empty water tank to nearer some beds. Brigid was busy chopping up comfrey leaves to fertilise trenchesa around a bed, and told us the history of the variety - bocking 14, which is a sterile variety developed in the village of Bocking, Essex. It's apparently as nutritious as manure for the soil.

With the daylight fading, we started tidying away tools, but at the shed at the back we still had a pile of sticks they'd dragged from the side by the fence, which needed sorting. So, with 10 minutes left of the session, we decided to snap all the smaller branches off and put them in the wheelbarrows, so the larger branches would be easier to move around.

No promises, but the sticks may end up fuel for a barrow fire in late October, when we go back (with headtorches) for one last session.

(Also! I can't remember any of the puns people were coming up with for the report - something about wells? Post in the comments if you remember!)

We had a great turn out for our return to the Finchley Charities' community plot at the Fuel Land Allotments. Ten Goodgymmers gathered, half at the Phoenix for the warm up run and half at the allotment gates for the task. We were met by the lovely plot coordinators Brigid and Les, as well as Carmel from the Finchley Charities. (A brief shout out to www.goodgym.org/v3/profile/sheela-guttula, who couldn't make it due to an injury - get well soon!)

With many hands, we made light work of the tasks: carrying logs from the back of the plot to the front to extend the palisade, weeding bindweed, horseradish and oak seedlings and watering the vegetables. We also admired the wonderfully weird icon of Jesus the group found by chance painted on an old slab resting by the shed, as well as a lovely tiger moth spotted on a fence near the plot.

It was great to see Jamie out again for his third session - hoping work commitments will allow for lots of future sessions. And thank you to Richard for suggesting the pizza and popcorn social afterwards for some of us.

We started off as usual at the Phoenix, led by George and shadowed by our semi-back-marker, quantum-state Richard, before heading out for a leaflet drop. We tripped up garden paths (well, that of Rachel's secret soul mate) and out again, until we exhausted our leaflet supply, before turning our steps towards the allotments.

After briefly considering a game of cat and mice with the slightly late Subham, we entertained ourselves by skipping down the high street, and with Rachel’s question for the evening about coping well (or not) with a last-minute change. She told the story of a very last-minute change during a search and rescue exercise, where she managed to confuse the team slightly by forgetting who she was supposed to be as the missing person (having been upgraded from witness to witless lost person, at the last minute).

George then told us about watching for stag beetles with Daniella. Having waited a little longer than sensible they were just about to head home having not seen a single beetle when they saw a man, who had just arrived, catch a stag beetle out of the air. This stag beetle expert gave them a memorable evening helping him with his nightly survey. Result - more stag beetles than they could ever have wanted to see.

Then last-minute Subham was challenged over last-minute coffee choices. Apparently, the American isn’t a fan of an Americano. We let him espresso himself on the subject.

Then it was on to the allotments, where mattocks were wielded, plants were pulled up, bind weed was unbound, and great progress was made. There was a moment of peril when Beattie appeared to be held hostage by the horseradishes, which threatened to pull her down a very particular type of rabbit hole. Thankfully, she escaped before becoming fully radishilised. At the end of the session, we were rewarded with a last-minute offer of magic (non-coffee) beans (what could go wrong?).

Sheela helpfully released us into the wilds of East Finchley after the session was complete.

After leaflets, stag beetles, coffee confessions, mattocks, magic beans and one suspiciously powerful horseradish, we decided we had earned the right to head heroically home.

Moonlight Mission at FUEL Lands On Tuesday evening our GoodGym Barnet crew gathered outside the Phoenix Cinema before heading off on a short 1.5 km run to FUEL Lands, where Finchley Charities are developing a community allotment. A bright moon lit the start of the run, before disappearing behind thick grey cloud, leaving a rather dramatic sky above us as we arrived to meet Bridget and Sheela from Finchley Charities. The task was to reposition several raised beds so they ran parallel with the path, making them accessible for people using wheelchairs or with restricted mobility. This wasn’t just a simple shuffle — it meant emptying the beds, removing the wooden frames, repositioning them, and refilling them with woodchip and soil. With only three GoodGymers on the task, expectations were modest. Maybe one bed if things went well. But the GoodGym work ethic kicked in. Working in the dark, we dismantled, moved and rebuilt the beds, eventually completing three fully reassembled raised beds, ready for planting. Not bad for a small crew and a head-torch shift. Even in the low light you could see the potential of the site. The allotment is shaping up to be a wonderful community space where people can get involved in gardening and spend time outdoors. The project is run by Finchley Charities, an extraordinary local organisation that has been supporting people in the Finchley area for over 600 years. Mission accomplished, we jogged back to the Phoenix Cinema where popcorn and refreshments awaited. Fancy getting involved? We’ll be back helping again soon join us for a run, a workout, and the chance to support a brilliant local project.

Bonfire Barnet: Marshmallows, Moonlight and Community Spirit!

It was our first full-dark Tuesday since the clocks went back, but that didn’t stop the GoodGym Barnet crew from lighting up the night quite literally!

We gathered at the Phoenix Cinema, where the staff had gone all out with their Halloween decorations a suitably spooky backdrop for the evening. After a quick catch-up, we numbered up, chose our back marker, and set off along East Finchley High Street on our short run to the Finchley Charities allotments at Fuel Lands.

Finchley Charities is one of Barnet’s oldest community organisations, supporting local people through almshouses and community initiatives. Their allotment space is now being used to grow food for the local food bank and as a hub for education and wellbeing.

We met Simon on arrival and waited for Scarlett before heading through the gates to our task burning brambles and shifting compost bags. The fire soon crackled to life, feeding on the cuttings, while the ashes were set aside to nourish the fruit trees later.

Then came a surprise treat Bridget produced a bag of marshmallows and some impressively long sticks! Cue laughter, firelight, and toasted sugar under the night sky not your typical Tuesday evening run.

As we reflected the next day, it struck us what an unusual but joyful way it was to spend an evening: running, chatting, laughing, helping out, and toasting marshmallows together.

We cooled down with a gentle walk back to the Phoenix, where a few of us stopped for refreshments and a final chat.

Thanks to everyone who came along, ran, walked, and lent a hand. If you fancy doing something a bit different on a Tuesday night and helping your local community while you’re at it come and join us at GoodGym Barnet!

As the leaves began to fall, GoodGym Barnet gathered at the Phoenix Cinema to warm up ahead of tonight's task in East Finchley. Rachel brought this week's icebreaker, asking what childhood books had shaped us. We followed George's lead, and skipped and jogged along the High Road up to the Fuel Land Allotments, discussing all things Roald Dahl to Tolkien.

Once we reached the imposing metal gates, our GoodGym crew grew again. Great to see Simone, alongside our regulars, and special shout out to Will who joined us for the first time and hopefully not the last. The staff and volunteers from Finchley Charities led us through the gates into the allotments, a green oasis hidden away from the busy street and even sheltered from the autumnal winds blowing beyond.

Once gloved up, we got to work. Beattie wielded a mattock and no bramble stood a chance. Lucy and Simone helped fill in gaps around the pond, taking care to leave the logs undisturbed that served as a bridge for amphibious friends. George got his steps in while ferrying a wheelbarrow along the length of the allotment. Rachel and Will made fast work of building a new compost heap, keeping an eye out for nesting slow worms.

As evening descended, we dug through the soil (and agreed it's officially time to dig out the head torches). Once we were satisfied with what we could still see of our handiwork, we were thanked for our efforts and could leave the allotments knowing we've helped both Finchley Charities and Finchley Food Bank. The leaves may be turning golden and the days getting shorter, but that won't stop GoodGym Barnet from lending a helping hand and digging deep where we're needed.