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

We had a Goodgym Yoga special at a local Barnet House. In the ground of Avenue House Park. The house very generously gave us one of their big upstairs rooms to do yoga for the benefit of GoodGym and local people who support Stephens House and Gardens . The session was also broadcast on Zoom for those that could not attend the session. We all went for a coffee in the café after.

We had a great turn out last night to deliver goody bags full of holiday activities, chocolate and candy to residents at the Grange Estate. Seven well-wrapped Goodgymmers set off from our temporary base at the Old White Lion. With Lucinda as our backmarker, we took the scenic route through East Finchley tube to the alleys parallel to the High Road, meeting with Emma Hodge and her colleagues from Hope North London in the middle of the Grange Estate.

Along the 1.5km way, we learned about the strangest jobs - voluntary or paid! - any of us had ever done. Rachel threw soup at people for a protest film, while Ben played jazz on a pirate ship one summer. Beattie once taught a Mongolia man 'fluent' English in five minutes (at his request). But Rupesh probably had the weirdest job: he used to extract eyeballs for a living (yes, really).

Then it was all about bringing a little bit of hope and cheer to the residents of the many blocks across the estate. We split up into pairs and took up Santa sacks full of the goody bags, then spread out to the various blocks, buzzing our way in and running up and down loads of stairs to reach letterboxes.

Our team of holiday elves delivered around 250 goody bags in 45min, putting a very large dent in the pile. Emma assured us her team could finish up and thanked us for a job well done.

A perfect autumn afternoon set the stage for a Halloween/Samhain celebration! Even though Kirsten couldn’t join us due to illness, the rest of us—George, Theo, and myself—gathered in the heart of Tarling Road Community Garden, ready for a afternoon of festivities.

Just a couple of days earlier, we had worked on the garden paths, so it felt rewarding to see the space being enjoyed by others in the community. We were welcomed by Leo and some of the garden’s trustees, who had brought out their creative flair with spooky webs, coloring activities, and decorations, which added a festive touch to the garden’s late autumn atmosphere.

As we gathered around the open fire, a generous pot of spicy pumpkin soup was ladled out, warming us from the inside out as the cool November air set in. The fire crackled and flickered, adding to the magic of the evening.

The highlight of the gathering was a ceremony to welcome in the New Year. Each of us took a leaf and wrote down a single word symbolizing a feeling we wanted to release or leave behind. With a touch of lavender, we threw our leaves into the flames, watching them burn away while we sang together, voices blending into the night.

The atmosphere was fun and relaxed, and the little ceremony gave us a chance to reflect and reset in good company. It was an afternoon well spent—just us, the garden, and the warm glow of community.