- Goodgym Islington AA - Likes long slow runs - Coach in Running Fitness
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77 Month Streak
Block or report Simon Fitzmaurice
Islington
📍Maida Vale Underground Station W9 1JS
Be a sighted runner and explore the world of guide running!
Mon 1st Sep at 6:45pm
A new project with the Sam Morris Nursery and Isledon Gardens
Read moreMon 11th Aug at 7:00pm
Islington Report 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!
Thu 7th Aug at 6:00pm
Mon 11th Aug at 7:00pm
This wonderfully busy community food hub has asked our crew to help out with neighbourhood deliveries!
Read moreMon 4th Aug at 6:45pm
Islington Report written by Simon Fitzmaurice
5 keen Goodgym runners joined Area Activator Simon at the Arsenal Community Hub last night, to enjoy a group run up to the lovelySunnyside Community Gardens near Elthorne Park. Upon our arrival, we caught up with Eslam and the rest of our team, enjoying a warm Summer's evening in a pretty green space.
Shovels, forks, wheelbarrows and hose pipes were gathered up in advance, ready for a big Goodgym task! Our objective for the evening was to move the entire contents of a large compost bay, and then sieve through the soil to remove large twigs, branches or forgotten coffee sacks. The twigs were moved to a secondary compost bay, to allow them to break down over time.
As we rotated the soil, Michelle helped with spraying down the compost with water, to help with mixing the materials together (the soil has become very dry, and we needed to use forks to break it up). It took about 40 minutes for our team to remove the compost, but only 10 minutes to shovel it back into place- well done everyone l!
As as a Thank You for our hard work, Eslam invited us to the Sunnyside Community Gardens allotments and greenhouses, across the road from our work space. A hidden treasure trove of fresh vegetables, and community grown produce! We were even allowed to bring a few pots of callaloo back home with us!
Thanks again for a great evening.
Next week we will be at Elizabeth House Food Hub (meeting at 7pm)- more details below!
GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS
SESSIONS IN AUGUST
Community Mission - Elizabeth House Food Hub 7.15pm, Monday 11th 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
—------------------------------------
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!
—-----------------------------------
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!
Arsenal Emirates Stadium Thursday 7th August
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
—--------------------------------------
Elizabeth House Food Hub- Lunchtime Sweep Up Task!
Tuesday 5th July, 12.45 - 1.15pm, Elizabeth House
On Tuesday afternoons, during term time, the team at Elizabeth House Food Hub have requested for an extra pair of hands to help with cleaning and tidying up their donation centre.
Expect some satisfying sweeping and surface cleaning to assist this busy team!
—----------------------------
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
—----------------------
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.
—---------------------------
Penn Road Gardens - August 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.
—--------------------------------
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!
Mon 25th Aug at 8:15pm
Area Activator Simon invites you to a social after our plogging run!
Read moreMon 25th Aug at 6:15pm
A special group run with AA Simon, collecting rubbish and debris along a lovely North London trail
Read moreSat 2nd Aug at 11:00am
Islington Report written by Caterina Farulla
The workshop with Achilles International was a powerful and eye-opening experience (literally!). We were blindfolded to simulate what it’s like to run without sight, which really helped us understand the level of trust and communication needed between a guide and a visually impaired runner.
We then took turns guiding and being guided during short runs, learning the ropes—quite literally! The team also walked us through different types of visual impairments and how to tailor our support depending on the individual's needs.
It was informative, inspiring, and left all of us with a deeper appreciation for accessible running and the strength of the Achilles community. Huge thanks to the organisers and participants!
Thu 31st Jul at 6:00pm
Thu 31st Jul at 12:32am
Hi Simon, I’m new here
Thu 31st Jul at 7:47am
Hi Patchi. Just sent you an email.
Sat 4th Oct at 9:00am
Goodgym Crew are back for the exciting new installment of the Camino Ultra Epping Forest Race!
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