On a surprisingly chilly Monday evening, Area Activator Simon met up with 10 other Goodgymmers from all across the London boroughs (including first time runners Paul and Hanna- welcome!) at the Arsenal Community Hub on Benwell Road. As a team, we performed a few dynamic warm up drills up and down the Emirates Stadium slopes before running approximately 1.3 miles together to Thornhill Square Gardens, via Caledonian Road.

Upon our arrival, local volunteer coordinator Anna had already set out loads of wheelbarrows and borrowed spades, shovels and brushes for us all. Our objective for the evening (between our whole crew) was to move and shift as much fertiliser as possible from the entrance and onto the flower beds within the park. The fertiliser was a mix of compost and manure collected from prime race horses at Newmarket Race Course! Anna was keen to reduce the likelihood of the mulch being pinched as much as possible, so we did a smashing job of distributing it all across the green space. Half of our runners helped out by filling up the wheelbarrows with shovels and spades. The rest of our team then wheeled the barrows over to the flower beds, and sprinkled the soil across the gardens. A great effort all round.

As we completed our session, we gathered all of our tools together and returned them to the main shed in the park, and back to Anna's house towards the south of the park. From here, we ran back to The Emirates Stadium again, along Mackenzie Road, while waving farewell to some of our runners setting off home. A few of us then ran together to the incredible Tofu Vegan restaurant on Upper Street for delicious Chinese cuisine to celebrate our February Social!

Wonderful evening everyone, see you again soon!

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NEWS

Achilles International- Visually Impaired Guide Running at Emirates Stadium

Thursday 2nd March, 6pm, Arsenal Tube Station

We will be leading our weekly group run session with VI runners at Achilles International over at the Emirates Stadium. Guides of all abilities welcome and encouraged!

Sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-session-d41aed51-7751-4dba-857d-eb558469a16c

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Slow Ways Special x The Running Works

Friday 3th March, 7pm, The Running Works shop, Aldgate

Area Activator Simon will be leading a social 6.5 mile run from Aldgate, Monument, Angel and Liverpool Street, following submitted routes to the Slow Ways interactive mapping website. Our objective is to share our experiences of running these 3 routes at night as a group, offering important information to fellow pedestrians.

Sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/slow-ways-special-monument-holborn-angel-loop

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Compton Square Gardens Sunday Volunteer Morning

Sunday 5th March, 10am onwards, Compton Square Gardens, Islington

Elise and the local residents of Compton Square Gardens will be out on Sunday morning to help with maintaining a lovely green garden space by Union Chapel, Islington.

Sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/compton-terrace-gardens-volunteer-open-morning-march

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Caledonian Park Group Run, and Area Activator Simon's 500th Good Deed Social!

Monday 13th March, 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub & The Horatia, Holloway Road

Area Activator Simon will be celebrating his 500th good deed with Goodgym after our group run session at Caledonian Park. We are planning on visiting The Horatia Pub on Holloway Road for refreshments and delicious bao buns!

Sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/mini-group-run-social-area-activator-simon-s-500th-good-deed