The Great Stockwell Shuffle 📦🏃‍♀️ to find out why we went bad this week check out the Lambeth Insta page!

Date: This Week
Destination: Stockwell Park Community Centre
Mission: Operation Lift ‘n’ Shift Supreme

The Brief

Our magnificent seven (plus a few extras) laced up their trainers and jogged over to meet Nick & Julie at Stockwell Park Community Centre. Little did we know we were about to embark on the ultimate game of “Will It Fit?” - Community Centre Edition!

The Challenge

What started as a simple “moving some donated items” quickly escalated into an episode of “Extreme Decluttering: Volunteers At Large.” Our task? Wrestling with a mountain of miscellaneous mayhem that would make Marie Kondo weep.

The Inventory of Incredulity:

• Fridges (because apparently keeping things cool is so last season)
• Dishwasher (now officially on permanent vacation from dish duty)
• Boxes of books (heavy on knowledge, heavier on our backs)
• Kids’ toys (proving that fun really does weigh a ton)
• Pasta presses (for when you need your carbs really flat)
• Broken keyboards (no longer making beautiful music together)
• TVs (giving us the silent treatment)
• Picture frames (framing us for excessive lifting)
• Scrap plastic (the stuff that dreams are made of… apparently)
• Bean bags (surprisingly un-bean-like in their cooperation)
• And much, much more! (insert dramatic echo here)

The Plot Twist

Just when we thought we’d mastered the art of community centre Jenga, Nick and Julie threw us a curveball: “Oh, and could you possibly carry these two enormous wardrobes to a flat down the road?”

Cue nervous laughter and the collective sound of volunteers mentally calculating their life insurance policies.

Mission: Impossible - Wardrobe Protocol

Armed with nothing but determination and questionable spatial awareness, our heroes Michael, Katie, Jenny, Adam, Paul, Eric, and Jo transformed into human furniture movers extraordinaire.

The real challenge wasn’t the carrying (though our shoulders would like a word) - it was the ultimate test of Tetris skills as we attempted to navigate two massive wardrobes through a front door that clearly wasn’t designed with “wardrobe delivery” in mind.

After much rotating, tilting, and what can only be described as “furniture yoga,” we achieved the impossible. The wardrobes are now happily settled in their new home, probably gossiping about their epic journey.

The Heroes of the Hour

Let’s give a massive round of applause to our absolutely wardrobe-ous crew:

• Michael - Master of the pivot maneuver
• Katie - Queen of “maybe if we turn it this way…”
• Jenny - Chief morale officer and corner-spotter
• Adam - The human measuring tape
• Paul - Keeper of everyone’s sanity
• Eric - Professional furniture whisperer
• Jo - The voice of reason when reason was in short supply

The Verdict

Another successful mission in the books! We lifted, we shifted, we conquered. Our community is a little tidier, one family has some new wardrobes, and we all got an absolutely moving workout.

Until next week, keep running and keep giving!

P.S. - If anyone knows where we can get a degree in Applied Wardrobe Physics, asking for several friends…

---

GoodGym Lambeth: Where fitness meets furniture moving, and everyone wins!

The Route: A Berry Good Adventure! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

This week our fantastic crew of do-gooders embarked on another mission to spread joy and burn calories in equal measure! We ran to Holy Trinity to meet the lovely Adam, taking the scenic route through the park where we couldn’t resist a spontaneous 50-yard dash. Because apparently regular running isn’t challenging enough - we needed to add some competitive spirit to really get those heart rates pumping!

Well done Fi!! Perdie sorry about the misbehaving bicycle...:0(

Mission: Operation Bramble Trouble

Once we arrived at the vicarage, it was time to get down to the nitty-gritty (and thorny) business of garden warfare:

Blackberry Bramble Battle Royale - Armed with secateurs and sheer determination, we took on some seriously aggressive brambles that had clearly been plotting garden domination. These weren’t just any old thorns - they were the kind that fight back! Several volunteers emerged looking like they’d been wrestling with a particularly grumpy hedgehog, but victory (and a kilo of berries) was ours!

Path Clearing Champions - We declared all-out war on weeds and moss, transforming a slightly shabby path into something so pristine it practically sparkled. The weeds didn’t stand a chance against our green-fingered army of destruction!

Weeding Warriors - No dandelion was safe as our volunteers pulled, tugged, and uprooted with the enthusiasm of people who genuinely enjoy making things tidy (which, let’s face it, is slightly concerning but utterly admirable).

🌟 LEGEND ALERT: Michael Hits the Big 3-0-0! 🌟

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we have a genuine superhero in our midst! Tonight we’re celebrating our absolute legend Michael, who has just recorded his 300th good deed with GoodGym!

That’s right - THREE HUNDRED acts of community kindness since he started back in 2017. To put that in perspective, that’s roughly one good deed for every cup of tea consumed during a typical British crisis meeting, or about the same number of times we’ve all said “this year will definitely be different” since 2017.

Michael, you absolute weapon of community spirit, you’ve been smashing it for seven years and show no signs of slowing down. From bramble battles to litter picking adventures, from community garden chaos to whatever weird and wonderful tasks we’ll inevitably stumble into next week - you’ve been there through it all!

Here’s to Michael: proving that being a legend isn’t just about what you achieve, but about showing up week after week with a smile, a pair of running shoes, and an inexplicable willingness to wrestle with hostile vegetation! 🏆

The Verdict

Another week, another successful mission accomplished! The vicarage is looking absolutely mint (pun intended), our step counters are very happy with us, and somewhere in Lambeth, a group of defeated brambles is probably plotting their revenge for next season.

Until next week, keep running, keep laughing, and keep being the kind of people who think spending their evening pulling weeds is actually a pretty decent way to spend time!

Remember: We’re not just working out - we’re working wonders in our community, one terrible pun at a time!

The Friends of Loughborough Park do a monthly litter pick of this lovely green space and it was a pleasure to enjoy their volunteers in the sunshine. Lots of people have had picnics in the park recently so there was loads of rubbish to collect! We divided and conquered the park, separating the waste into recycling and general waste. After our efforts we enjoyed a cup of tea and delicious apricot cake baked by one of the volunteers!

🏃‍♀️🗑️ After a last-minute plot twist worthy of a soap opera, our heroic squad pivoted from their original mission to tackle the streets with some competitive rubbish collection. Nothing says “flexible fitness” like a spontaneous game of Litter Pick Bingo!

The Rubbish Results

Our magnificent crew turned street cleaning into pure bin-go gold, collecting everything from the mundane to the absolutely pants. Speaking of which, among today’s “treasure” haul were some bikini bottoms and underwear - proving that Lambeth’s streets really do have some cheeky surprises!

We’re not sure what story these garments could tell, but we’re betting it’s a brief one. 😉

The Dream Team

• Fi, Katie, Jenny & Ben - our usual suspects who never fail to pick up the slack (and everything else)
• Khai - our Greenwich guest star who traveled across boroughs to join the fun, proving that good deeds know no boundaries!

The Verdict

Another successful mission in the (bin) bag. The streets are cleaner, the community is tidier, and we’ve all had a rubbish good time doing it!

Remember: One person’s rubbish is another person’s fitness opportunity!

---

Next week: Back to our regularly scheduled do-gooding (underwear optional)

Mission Accomplished at Cressingham Gardens

Our dedicated team of GoodGym volunteers got their sweat on while making a real difference in the community! We tackled a major garden transformation project that left everyone feeling accomplished and energized.

Tasks Completed

• Full garden weeding - cleared the entire space of unwanted growth
• Central area restoration - removed weeds, concrete blocks, and old wooden edging to create a clean, usable space

Highlight of the Day

The most memorable moment came when we discovered an unexpected family of residents - five adorable little toads! 🐸 This delightful surprise brought smiles to everyone’s faces and reminded us that our gardening efforts are creating habitats for local wildlife too.

Community Impact

Christine from Cressingham Gardens was absolutely delighted with the transformation. Her joy and gratitude made all the hard work worthwhile and perfectly captured why we do what we do.

Special Recognition

Huge thanks to Katie who stepped up brilliantly to co-lead the session meeting Jordan at Papa’s when Joao got held up with work commitments. This kind of flexibility and teamwork spirit is what makes GoodGym Lambeth special.

Another successful mission combining fitness, community service, and unexpected wildlife encounters - exactly what GoodGym is all about!.