Every January, a group in red can be found walking and running in a (seemingly) aimless fashion around Camden.

They stop frequently and their eyes dart in a (seemingly) searching manner.

Several can usually be heard saying "I think that's a tree..." before leading the group into a shadow.

Welcome, friends, to GoodGym Camden's annual Christmas Tree Scavenge!

Meeting in the welcome warmth of the Somers Town Living Centre, our group swiftly donned gloves and dropped bags before heading out to the cold for a very important task: our weekly game of Simon Says.

Having completed squats, lunges, arm circles, stretches (of many varieties), spins, twirls, and twists, our group were suitably warmed and ready to scavenge Camden for naughtily discarded Christmas Trees.

Our borough's pavements can be difficult to navigate when they're at their tidiest, and they can become thoroughly inaccessible in January when folks dump their trees on sidewalks, by bins, and in alleyways. Our annual scavenge helps ease the burden :)

Splitting into two groups, our first group of Alison, Jack, John, Louise, Rose, and Steve (led by John) shot off and up through Camden, around Regent's Park, and into Primrose Hill where... they met the most magnificently large tree! Tossed aside, this wonderful fir wouldn't look out of place in a Nordic forest, but it (perhaps) did look out of place being carried through North London streets! Especially when it was joined by several other trees the group found en route!

Our second group of Anne, Ivar, and Jackie, meanwhile, stayed closer to home and explored the green spaces and roads of Somers Town. Amidst stories of the festive season, work, and more this group discovered their first bundle of green behind a bin, and they soon caught sight of four more discarded spruces!

The photos tell a story I can't. This group made a huge difference last night, and they did so while being active and social, which is just the ticket for a dark winter evening :)

Here's to next time!!