After a weekend of braving Storm Dennis (also known as Winter Storm Mabel, a weakening European windstorm which became one of the most intense extratropical cyclones ever recorded), 20 happy Goodgymmers were treated to a pleasant wind and rain free evening of running and good deeds!

Storm Ciara came along 2 weeks ago and Storm Dennis was just last weekend- before heading out for our warm-up, we asked the Goodgymmers: "What the next storm be called?" (must be a female name beginning with "E"). Our responses were as follows:

• Emma
• Edna
• Esme
• Evelyn
• Eleven- like from Stranger Things
• Emily
• Eva
• Eugenie
• Errrrr.....

Single Homeless Project

Our crew made their way up Holloway Road (past a few road crossings and long traffic light breaks- might try some back streets instead next time), and towards 104-107 Mercers Road, two sites for the Single Homeless Project. Last year, a team of our runners did an excellent job of shoveling almost 4 tonnes of wood chip and mulch into the front yard of number 107 (we needed to get it all off the street before the end of the night, and we battled with the elements!). This time, we were requested by Regina the volunteer coordinator to carry bags of the wood chip from 107 Mercer Road to the back garden of 104 Mercer Road (approx 200m away).

We had a good system going, with our group slitting sharing the roles of bark shovelers and bag carriers between them. The trick was not to over-fill the sacks, as 200m can be a long way to walk when you are encumbered with woodchip and mulch! Another small team assembled in the garden at 104 Mercer Road, helping to prepare some bulbs for the upcoming spring season, and making sure that the bark was offloaded in the right locations.

A really satisfying task- it is amazing to see a huge pile of bark start to deplete as the Goodgymmers crack on. SHP are dependent on our contribution to fixing up their gardens, and are super appreciative of the work we have completed so far. We will be back again next week with some new tasks too!

We jogged our way back to the Arsenal Community Hub, and Graham demonstrated a few cool down stretches before we finished up for the night. Trainer Simon had a few digestives to pass round too, continuing the GG Islington biscuit tradition.

NEWS

February CREOS Community Mission

One of our classic monthly community missions will be happening this weekend (Sunday 23rd February- rescheduled from last week). Lovely gardening and green space maintenance task located near Wood Vale, Crouch End (assisted by the community for over 50 years). Typically followed by a picnic, a chat, hot drinks and occasionally some cider! A really pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

More info and sign up can be found here.

The Big Half is coming!

Come and support our Goodgym runners at one of London's best half marathon events! On Sunday 1st March, we have plenty of folks from all different GG boroughs participating, and loads of friends assisting on aid stations too.

If you would like to sign up to volunteer on one of these stations, you can find more information about this here.

Whether you are running, supporting or cheering, everyone is invited join us for drinks and food in London Bridge after the event (which finishes in Greenwich- our plan is to avoid the crowds!). Sign up here for the post-Big Half meet up.

Hackney Half 2020 aid station

Sunday 17th May sees the return of the amazing Hackney Half marathon, and Goodgym have committed to manning the Mare Street aid station on the course. This is the best place to see the race, and is one of the highlights of the run- loads of crowd support, feels like a party! 25 volunteers are required to make this happen, so sign up quick to avoid disappointment. Aid station volunteers will also receive an entry for a future Virgin Sport event (e.g. Oxford Half or ASICS London 10km).

Sign up here, and add your name to the list!

It's our first Goodgym Islington group run after the January challenge, and we kept up the great work with an excellent task! I'm sure many have heard that the entire GG community absolutely smashed their ambitious target of 8,000 good deeds all across the country.

15 lovely Goodgym folks (including a new member, Lizzy- welcome!) joined us at the Emirates hub tonight for a trip to Caledonian Park. Before we started our warm-up, we performed the weekly count-off and asked the question: "Do you have a pet?". The answers were as follows:

• No. I can't even look after a plant.
• No, but I definitely want a dog.
• Yes. A tabby cat called Kyra.
• I used to have an African Land Snail.
• I used to have two rabbits called Sargent and Pepper.
• Tess, a Staffie Lurcher.
• Mo the Cocker Spaniel.
• I have a funeral urn of my cat.

We performed a series of dynamic warm up exercises outside to get the blood pumping (ankling, high knees, lunges, pogo jumps), and then we ran a lap around the two sloped ramps up to the Emirates stadium itself. The first runners back were told to continue running up one of the ramps a second time, and to continue doing hill repeats until the final runner had completed the lap.

Caledonian Park

Our crew jogged their way up Mackenzie and Market Road towards the park, and we met up with Miriam, the lead volunteer co-ordinator on the way. Wheel barrows, shovels and rakes were picked up from the safe storage location, and we made our way to the Clock Tower. We were told that the inaugural Calendonian Road Junior parkrun was a real success, and we were congratulated for our involvement in creating new paths to allow it to happen (and for volunteering for the original recce event). More information about Cally Junior parkrun can be found here.

All of the tools were wheeled down to the forest trail path section of the park, which Goodgym Islington has helped to maintain in the past. Large piles of concrete grit and composted wood chip had been left for us to spread across the dark woodland, with the intention of making the wooded paths safely accessible for all visitors.

Our team were separated to set their tasks- we had a group dedicated to shoveling the concrete grit and wood chip into wheelbarrows, and then others depositing the material in different locations around the park. Hanry and Jack took it in turns to sprint from place to place with their wheel barrows (possibly trying to resemble rally drivers). The wooded path was illuminated with scattered light from Goodgym head torches throughout the evening.

After taking a quick photo or two in front of the lovely Victorian clock tower, our runners made their way back to the hub again, and Graham demonstrated some cool down stretches whilst Trainer Simon picked up some celebratory biscuits for a task well done!

NEWS!

Market Road Tennis Courts and Metro Blind Sport

Goodgym have been invited to get involved with the Metro Blind Sport Annual Tennis Competition this year. The task would involved offering assistance to these amazing players, helping out as a ball person and generally being excited to watch some great tennis!

The tournament commences on Saturday 9th February, and we are looking for help bethween 11am-2pm, and 2pm-5pm.

Sign up to the 11am-2pm slot here, and sign up to the 2pm-5pm slot here.

Trainer Simon's 100th good deed (+ Pizza and Drinks)

After our next group run at Mildmay Community Centre and Newington Green next Monday (10th February), we are planning on visiting the Victoria Tavern on Holloway Road to enjoy our monthly social (with pizza and drinks), and to celebrate Trainer Simon's 100 good deed (his first was at GG Tower Hamlets some time in 2016).

Come and join us at 8.45pm, and sign up here for more information.

Special Market Road Gardens Weekend Task

We are planning on returning to one of our most popular tasks at Market Road Gardens on Saturday 15th February, starting work at 11.30am (great post-parkrun activity). The plan is to continue building the main accessible car park and gardens at the entrance of the Lumpy Hill Adventure playground. Local volunteers will be present from 11.30am- 4.30pm, so feel free to pop in and help!

Feel free to sign up here.

Despite Monday afternoon being a complete wash-out, 20 brave Goodgymmers joined us for our double task group run, and were treated to a much pleasanter working conditions! Plenty of regulars, and a few folks back for a new year of Goodgym deeds, starting their 2020 tasks this evening. Always welcome and hugely appreciated.

Before our warm-up and run to our tasks, we performed the count-off, and Trainer Simon asked the question: "What was your first job?"

The answers were as follows:

• A "newsboy" in Harrogate, N.Yorkshire
• Newspaper boys x 6
• Ticket tout (before I knew it was illegal)
• Ballet tutor for little ones
• Cold caller for an insurance company
• Underage barperson x 2
• I sold socks
• Pot washer
• Car washer around my local neighbourhood

We performed a few warm-up drills outside the Emirates community hub (high knees, straight legs, abducter twists, lunges and squats) before separating the team into two groups. Group 1 set off on their way to Caxton House near Archway (approx 6 km of total running), and Group 2 made their way to Market Road Gardens (approx 2 km total running/walking).

Caxton House

Upon their arrival, Group 1 met up with volunteer co-odinator Rose, and immediately got to work around the community centre. Some of our Goodgymmers set about clearing the entrance stairway from leaves and debris for easy, safe access for visitors- they made swift work of this with brooms and hand brushes. In the mean-time, the rest of the group tidied up the indoors of the hall, and helped with pulling staples out of walls, ready for a new children's project to be posted up.

This was just the start of a big deep cleaning task, so we are likely to return to Caxton House very soon.

Market Road Gardens

Group 2 jogged over to meet Franie of Octopus Communities (and friend of Market Road Gardens and Hayward Adventure Playground), and to continue our project from last week. The vehicle access route for Hayward Adventure Playground needed to be broadened to allow large buses and coaches to drive right up to the site, and to do so safely. This would make unloading children from vehicles easier and safer. Our team started to lay down tarpaulin sheets on top of the access path, and added hardcore and rubble on top of the sheets to create a sturdy, non-skid surface for vehicles. Our goodgymmers loaded wheelbarrows full of heavy concrete fragments, and easily distributed it onto the originally very muddy section of the park.

The garden is really starting to look lovely- 1600 bulbs were planted by children from local schools in this park, and we can't wait to see what the place will look like in Spring.

We all set off back to the Emirate hub to enjoy some more New Zealand biscuits from James, and a few stretches to cool down after our runs.

NEWS

Tom McCann's Great North Run

GG Islington regular Tom McCann is supporting the National Autistic Society by running the Great North Run this year.

The NAS are an essential charity organisation that transforms the lives of the 700,000 autistic adults and children (and their families) in the UK. They strive to change attitudes by improving public understanding of autism and helping businesses, local authorities and government to provide more autism-friendly spaces, deliver better services and improve laws.

Tom's Justgiving page is here if you would like to donate to this great cause.