Picture this: a mild winter’s evening in January, the kind where the air is crisp enough to make your cheeks pink but not so biting that your fingers refuse to function. It’s the sort of evening that whispers, “Stay indoors, put the kettle on, and ignore doing good with Goodgym! But, dear reader, this is exactly the sort of evening when six brave (or perhaps just mildly delusional) GoodGym volunteers laced up their trainers and set off from the Phoenix Cinema on our regular Tuesday run.

Let me pause to wax lyrical about the Phoenix Cinema. A recently refurbished little gem in the Barnet crown, it’s a piece of history where you can enjoy the cinematic delights of arthouse films and, let’s face it, a surprisingly new plush seat. If you haven’t been, consider this a polite nudge to visit. Use it or lose it—much like your fitness and, dare I say, sanity.

But I digress. Back to the task at hand. Our mission: to run 2 km to Shepherd Hill Gardens and assist the indefatigable Pat and Joan, two of Barnet’s many unsung heroes, in their noble quest to maintain the local green space. If you’ve ever wandered through a beautifully tended garden or park and thought, “Isn’t this lovely?” I assure you, it didn’t get that way by magic. Behind every pristine flowerbed and neatly stacked pile of sticks is someone like Pat or Joan—elderly volunteers who, with little fanfare, keep the green lungs of our city breathing.

We arrived earlier than expected, perhaps overzealous after a holiday season of indulgence, and were greeted with warm smiles and an armful of rakes. Our task was simple yet oddly satisfying: collect leaves, organize wood, and add to the composting area. It was humbling to see how grateful Pat and Joan were for our modest contribution. Just thirty minutes of our time, and their gratitude practically glowed. It reminded me how vital it is not only to support these heroes physically—lifting, raking, and hauling—but also morally. A little encouragement and camaraderie go a long way.

And then came the hot chocolate. Oh, the hot chocolate! Served with biscuits that defied all logic of biscuitry—crispy, crumbly, buttery perfection. I don’t know if it was the slightly drizzly air, the post-exertion euphoria, or just the fact that everything tastes better when you’ve earned it, but that hot chocolate was nothing short of divine. George, our vegan compatriot, tragically missed out on the biscuits and milky goodness, but he later made amends with a plant-based version back at the Phoenix.

For my part, I’d overdressed in a polyester fiasco of layers, so while George sipped his vegan cocoa, I found myself cooling down with ice cream. Because why not? Life’s little contradictions are what keep it interesting.

With the tools tidied and farewells exchanged, we headed back, our chatter a little louder, our spirits a little lighter. The takeaway from the evening, beyond the calories burned and the biscuits consumed, was this: we should all be a little more aware of the invisible army of people like Pat and Joan who give their time to make our communities greener, cleaner, and altogether more pleasant.

So, next time you’re strolling through a park or passing by a well-kept garden, spare a thought for the quiet heroes behind the scenes. Better yet, lend them a hand—it’s amazing what half an hour and a bit of moral support can do. And don’t forget to reward yourself with a hot chocolate. Or an ice cream. Or both. You’ve earned it. well done to our team give them a shout!

Beattie Theodore Lucinda George and our news recruit

Subham

A bright, winter day, sun ice-sharp through branches. Two signed-up Goodgymmers gathered near the Summerlee Avenue gate to meet the Friends of Cherry Tree Wood, where, lo and behold, we discovered two more lesser-spotted - but no less great! - Goodgymmers, Andras and Ruslan, along with around ten other volunteers.

With such a good turn out, we promptly split into two groups, with one group staying put near the gate, clearing brambles and extending dead hedge fences along the edge of the grassy area on the north side. The other group headed south to the shaded, already-existing forest garden (not the one we helped with last month[link]) to clear brambles from around the base of the saplings.

After barely an hour, team one joined the south team, having completed their task, and promptly swept through the remaining brambles with ease, and we were all done in under 90min! So we went for coffee at the nearby cafe for some cheery conversations and warmth.

Our brilliant Barnet Goodgymmers gathered for the first group run of the year, starting like they mean to go on! We gave newcomer, Subham, a warm welcome and in return he gave us the title for the report. We wished the Phoenix Cinema staff a happy new year and warmed up, and off we went with Rachel as our backmarker and Anthony the fourth corner of our well-wrapped quartet, litter picking around East Finchley's high street. Which was surprisingly... clean?!

Undeterred by the windswept pavements, we jogged our way south half a kilometre scouring the verge and pavements, rooting out litter. We crossed near the Engine Rooms and, with Rachel taking the lead, jogged our way back up to the tube station to plog at what we found. Then we jogged a solid km further up the High Road and got stuck into that weird patch of wasteland on the corner of Leopold Road - which will be familiar to anyone who plogged with us that time Gus found a tennis ball. In scant moments we'd filled our sacks with the endless supply of bottles, cans, plastic and other unidentifiable trash.

Then we strode back through the bracing night like the legends we were. All in, a solid 2.5km round trip with a bit of lugging and lifting thrown in. A final thanks to Penny for dropping off the picking sticks and to Daniel for dropping off the council sacks for us to use - a very well coordinated effort behind the scenes, and hope everyone else gets well soon!