The community garden at the Hoxton Trust is looking lovely at this time of year. This is thanks to the rich nutrient-packed compost that Eslam has been making with the help of GoodGym. Nathan and Eslam spent a sunny Sunday morning preparing the next batch. First, fresh garden cuttings were added to the newest pile. Then, the older piles were turned over using forks and shovels. This helps the sticks, leaves and other organic matter to break down. Coffee husks were added to the piles to help make the compost more nutritious, whilst also helping local businesses giving back resources to communitie. All of the compost piles were given a healthy shower of water to create a moist environment for the creepy crawlies, worms and microbes to thrive. These creatures have been doing a good job so far and we already have some rich brown mulch that will make for some great compost in the future.

On Monday evening (after an incredible thunderstorm, breaking some of the humidity lingering), Area Activator Simon met with Alice at the Arsenal Community Hub, ready for a social run towards the Islington / Harringey border. A nice 1.5 mile run up Sussex Way, and over to the idyllic Sunnyside Community Gardens near Elthorne Park. Upon our arrival, we met with the rest of our Goodgym Islington team (including first timer Georgina- welcome!) and main task volunteer Eslam who led us to the main compost cultivation site.

Our tasks for the evening were split between two main locations - Sunnyside Community Gardens and Hornsey Rise Kickabout Playground.

Project 1 involved digging and shoveling some freshly processed compost from one bin, and moving to another location, mixing the material with additional matter as we go. Leaf mulch, old soil and donated cockles and muscles (!) were combined together for effective rotting before being expertly lifted into another bin, ready for more composting.

Project 2 required shovels, wheelbarrows and builder merchants bags. We took the opportunity to fill the sacks with woodchip and compost, before wheeling each sack up to Hornsey Rise Kickabout Gardens- an incredible community allotment and green space in progress. A minimum of 15 full sacks were moved and shifted between us over the course of the evening - well done everyone!

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GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS

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SESSIONS IN MAY

Community Mission- Highbury Quadrant Estate Gardens 7.15pm, Highbury Quadrant Estate, Monday 19th May

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-highbury-quadrant-gardening

Group Run- Camden Estate Gardens 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub Monday 26th May

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-camden-estate-community-food-gardens-a57fe67c-0f2c-4104-98b9-938ddb1c81eb

Community Mission- Camden Estate Gardens 7.15pm, Camden Estate Gardens, Rowstock Gardens Monday 2nd June

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/community-mission-camden-estate-community-food-gardens

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Achilles International VI Guide Running Sessions

Every Thursday, 6pm, Various London locations

On Thursday evenings, the all abilities sports charity Achilles International holds a group run session at a London location.

Here is a list of our upcoming events and sign up pages. Runners, supporters and guides of all abilities and experiences welcome!

Arsenal Emirates Stadium Thursday 15th May https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-47950339-2d63-4a65-8ca5-95eec0655f99

Paddington Rec Track Thursday 22nd May https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-addfc9c2-e2a4-4d39-ac0d-e580031471d8

Green Park Thursday 29th May https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-green-park-summer-session-0bb69e86-9c77-49b7-b0b6-1fedcb6cd097

Stratford Olympic Park Thursday 5th June https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-olympic-park-stratford-route-a3ff6c7a-86fd-49cc-bf89-8bf08addadab

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Track and Towpath Social Running Sessions

Every Wednesday (fortnightly), 7.30am, Mile End Athletics Track

If you are looking for accessible training sessions that can be included in your schedule, then come and join Area Activator Simon for his fortnightly runs.

Track training is always more fun with others, and these are designed to be sociable and open to all!

Structured training sessions, followed by refreshments at The Yurt Café, Limehouse!

Wednesday 14th May

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-towpath-morning-social-track-session-mile-end-10

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Elizabeth House Food Hub- Lunchtime Sweep Up Task!

Tuesday 13th May, 12.45 - 1.15pm, Elizabeth House

On Tuesday afternoons, during term time, the team at Elizabeth House Food Hub have requested for an extra pair of hands to help with cleaning and tidying up their donation centre.

Expect some satisfying sweeping and surface cleaning to assist this busy team!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/elizabeth-house-food-hub-lunchtime-sweep-up-task-a70f79c4-2bb9-4375-8314-293959057b3a

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Green Guardians Spring Sessions

The Garden Classroom, Newington Green

Wednesday 14th May

Wednesday 21st May

Next session:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-garden-classroom-newington-green-green-guardians-volunteer-morning-e046bbad-3961-4fc8-9836-9ebf5a2bbe77

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Market Road Gardens

Tuesday 13th May

Tuesday 20th May

Next Session:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-garden-classroom-market-road-gardens-tuesday-volunteer-morning-cc03f02a-1a52-4a97-a092-dc6cfdd264f7

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Kit Swap and Runner's Jumble at The Horatia

Tuesday 13th May, 7.30-9pm, The Horatia Pub

Do you have sports kit that doesn't get used as much as it could?

Or would you prefer to keep your lovely nice running shoes ready for race day, and have a spare pair for Goodgym tasks?

Simon from Goodgym Islington will be hosting an evening for swapping or donating your used running kit for those who need it.

All items can be swapped with participants and sign ups, and anything left over can be taken home or offered to Preloved Sports, an organisation dedicated to keeping sports kit out of landfill.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/kit-swap-and-runner-s-jumble-at-the-horatia

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Hackney Half Aid Station and Marshal Volunteering

Sunday 18th May, 7am onwards, Marion Place, Pritchard's Road (TBC)

The team at Motiv Sport have asked if our Goodgym team would be interested assisting with the 2024 Hackney Half Marathon on one of the 6 water and aid stations.

All volunteers that help in 2025 are offered a free place in any of our running events in 2026 (Hackney Half, London 10K, Oxford Half).

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/hackney-half-aid-station-and-marshal-volunteering

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Friends of Canonbury Square- Volunteer Morning (May)

Saturday 17th May, 10am - midday, Canonbury Square Gardens

The Friends of Canonbury Square Gardens host an open community gardening session on the 3rd Saturday morning of every month.

Usual tasks would include bulb planting, trimming, laying compost, maintaining flower beds and litter picking.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/goodgym-islington-friends-of-canonbury-square-volunteer-morning-may

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Mack on Track 02: marshals and pacers wanted!

Thursday 22nd May, 6.30pm, London Marathon Community Track, Stratford

Mack on Track is a super inclusive 5000m track running event, with a twist. The objective is to help as many runner as possible get (or come close to) their personal beats for 5km by providing trusted pacers to do so.

The team are looking for helps to assist with registration of participants, alerting runners about when each pace group starts and cheering on the athletes!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/mack-on-track-03-marshals-and-pacers-wanted

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Penn Road Gardens - April Volunteer Day

Sunday 27th May, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens

Every last Sunday of the month, the residents of Penn Road invite keen volunteers to help with maintaining this lovely community spot just off Holloway Road. https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/wwf-x-goodgym-islington-penn-road-gardens-open-morning-may

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London 10km with Saucony- Water Station Volunteers!

Sunday 13th July, 7.30am onwards, Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y 5AH

An incredible event that offers runners to opportunity to race through traffic free streets in the Capital!

Motiv Sports (who also operate the Hackney Half and Oxford Half marathons) have requested Goodgym assistance to help at their 2nd aid station on the day.

Food and water provided, and a free entry for any 2026 event on the Motiv Sports roster will be offered to all volunteers!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-10km-with-saucony-water-station-volunteers-7fc3f823-de75-4b32-9ada-ec2e94c7a51a

Welcome Maria who has recently moved to Hackney from Ealing!

It was a small team led by Eslam this morning but we got a lot done.

Sooz and Maria started by heaving all the finished compost into a barrow, ready to be sieved and then used to replenish the beds ready for planting.

Then, whilst Eslam emptied coffee chafs into the compost heaps - and also maintained a constant flow of fresh compost into the wheelbarrow, Sooz and Maria set to work on the sieving. The group almost filled the entire container, and still had time to do some watering. With all the dry weather, the compost heaps needed a bit of help breaking down the mulch and grass cuttings into useable compost.

A rewarding session. See you next month?

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/the-funday-sunday-task-composting-at-hoxton-trust-in-june

This compost heap continues to outmaneuver us! Thanks to 4 Goodgymmers and Eslam for some hard shovelling.