15 GoodGym Barnet members took part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count (18 July–10 August), adding our sightings to the UK-wide citizen science survey. I managed three counts myself—numbers were low in my patches, so I’m keen to see the national results.

Butterflies are brilliant indicators of environmental health, helping scientists track the effects of climate change, habitat loss, and pollution. Early reports suggest a good year for gatekeepers, red admirals, and peacocks, plus a UK first—the southern small white fluttering in from southern Europe!

Citizen science is easy, fun, and open to all—you don’t need to be a runner or an expert. Next year, let’s get even more people involved: friends, family, neighbours… the more counts, the better the data.

Thanks to everyone who took part—your 15 minutes really can help protect our environment.

🦋 Count them, love them, protect them.

An epic evening once again helping out the lovely volunteers at Shepherds Hill Gardens! Deep summer brought all sorts of fresh and woolly faces together into our flock, from the lesser-spotted Peter to first-timer Marija. Great also to see Memory and Anthony out and about, as well as Phil, who walked to and from the site. And we had a visitor, Emily, joining us from Islington and who may come again given how close the gardens are to her.

Many hands made light work. Our host, Pat, had her arm in a sling, so she wasn't as able to get stuck in as she often does. Sprightly still, she made her way around showing us the various jobs and setting us to work. There was bramble-bashing - taken up by Lucy and Subham; some ivy clearing, which Paul and I had a crack at. And then lots of sweeping and tidying for the others, making the area safer and more inviting for visitors to enjoy. One of the Friends of Shepherds Hill, Joan, meanwhile, gave the area a quick litter pick. And, of course, we were joined by the boundless ball of furry energy that is Gus, who did a good job of sniffing out anything interesting in the bushes we might have missed.

Pat's message of thanks described us as, "A jolly and very hard working crew, who have given us peace of mind." Most welcome and we'll be back again soon!

Despite the blustery weather, this garden task was well-shielded by a lovely mature quince tree. Planted 30 years ago by the family, the tree is amazingly resilient, but it's in need of some TLC. Passersby often mistake the fruit for pears, so one of the tasks was to tie up the branches with fruit so they are out of reach. With a bit of pruning , the view from the bench in the garden was perfectly framed for a quiet summer evening.

The area around the bench needed tidying as well, with some empty pots, lots of leaves to clear up and some general litter and other things to organise. A quick sweep and transferring potted soil back into an empty compost bag for future planting, and it that was about it. The tree and a nearby camellia bush will need pruning some time in autumn, so perhaps Goodgym Barnet will visit again in a few months.

GoodGym Barnet: Buckets of Fun at Lyttelton!

You just can’t beat GoodGym in the summer – running in T-shirts and shorts, soaking up the evening warmth, and doing something good for the local community. This week, we took on a brand-new task: watering pollinator planters and fruit trees in Lyttelton Playing Fields – a leafy patch of green tucked into Hampstead Garden Suburb.

As always, we gathered outside the trusty Phoenix Cinema, where the pre-run chatter somehow turned to interesting relatives – the kind of chat that’s ripe for a bit of gentle teasing and a guaranteed follow-up during the task. Classic GoodGym: social fitness at its finest.

It was a short jog downhill through quiet streets – just over 2km – with the summer air feeling fresh and just right. This week was extra special as we welcomed back Phil, returning from a long hiatus due to a back injury. We kept the pace relaxed and let him guide the warm-up. No pressure, no race – just people moving together and supporting each other.

At Lyttelton Playing Fields, we were met by Stephen from the local Friends group, who gave us the lowdown on the ongoing community projects in the area. Our task? Give the planters of pollinator-friendly flowers and young fruit trees a solid soaking.

Armed with a very long yellow hose and a battalion of buckets, we set to work. Of course, the hosepipe couldn’t quite reach every corner, so teamwork came into play – some walked, some ran with buckets (some impressively carried two!), while others filled and ferried water back and forth. There was a steady rhythm to it: fill, carry, water, swap. And before long, the trees and planters were all looking perkier.

After wrapping up, most of us jogged back up to the Phoenix for a gentle warm-down – and a well-earned drink at the local pub.

Thanks to everyone who came along, helped out, and made it such a warm and welcoming evening. Check out next week’s run – you can join us at the Phoenix or meet us at the task. See you there for more running and more doing good!