Early on a chilly (but thankfully dry!) Saturday morning, Goodgym Islington Area Activator Simon and Run Director Lorna met up in on the far side of Finsbury Park to pick up a wobbly wheelie cart full of fluro vests, neon signs, loudspeakers and finishing tunnel tape. As we made our way to the park cafe, excited runners and volunteers appeared from all directions, sporting Goodgym red shirts and additional layers for the cold.

8 goodgymmers joined the essential volunteer team to help bring Finsbury parkrun (a free weekly timed 5km event, hosted in parks nationwide and worldwide: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/) to 382 runners, walkers, buggy pushers and canicrossers. Between us, we took on roles vital roles like timekeepers, course marshals, barcode scanners, finishing token sorters and finishing funnel managers, and made sure that everyone had a super positive and safe event.

One of our highlights involved being asked:

"Who are you Goodgym folks, and can we have you back to cheer every week?"

That's what it's all about!

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The first finisher for this week's parkrun event was an extremely talented runner and all round lovely guy called Seyfu Jamaal.

Seyfu is a keen runner for London Heathside Running Club, and a regular participant at Highbury Fields and Finsbury parkrun. Earlier this year, he won the London Landmarks Half Marathon outright, and has been working as a mentor with the Running Charity, encouraging others to engage in the London running community.

Seyfu’s journey to the UK was a sad and traumatic one, experiencing the horrors of trafficking and torture, he finally arrived in the UK aged just 17. Ethiopia, his home country, has triggered a state of national emergency, and Seyfu has recently his asylum application rejected by the Home Office. He is currently appealing this decision, submitting that it is not safe for him to return home.

Please sign this petition to help one of our local running heroes!

https://www.change.org/p/home-office-stop-team-gb-hopeful-from-facing-persecution-in-ethiopia?fbclid=IwAR1rsGUp0xvXnekhQ513f9UN4iwmUZhNbYCZh80DfewKP4DCGzhkd8IgZoQ