Birthday Celebrations

I don't think anyone needs telling now that this week marks ten glorious years of GoodGym. It's an amazing movement that has spread out from humble beginnings in Tower Hamlets to a vast and successful network spanning much of the UK. GoodGym would not exist without the fantastic volunteers who join in Group, Coach and Mission Runs to have fun, improve our fitness, bring smiles to people faces and make the world a better place to be. Happy birthday GoodGym, hear's to the next ten years.

The task in hand

So on to last night's task. We were Chingford bound, so we faced a pretty long run. There was a tantalising reward waiting for us at the end of the run as long term GGWF member Nerys arrived with a home-baked birthday cake to mark the occasion. With this tasty offering waiting for us back at Mirth, we didn't hang around for long before striking out for South Chingford Memorial Ground.

With our birthday flag in tow, we made an obligatory stop at one of the borough's most famous landmarks, The Greyhound Stadium, for a quick photo opportunity.

On arrival, we were greeted warmly by the dedicated team from Love South Chingford who as every had all the necessary kit laid out and ready for us to get stuck into the task. Along with bags and litter, pickers were the much-loved hoops that keep our bags open and make the job of litter picking much more straightforward.

With the nights drawing in, I have been using this great website to look at sunset times. Until yesterday, I was unsure how dark civil, nautical and astronomical twilight are. I now know that Civil is pretty much night, Nautical there is no remnant of the day left, and Astronomical is darker than Darth Vadar's cape. I say this because after arriving at the park when it was bathed in the lovely golden hue of an autumn sunset, it wasn't long until the only litter we would have been able to find would have been a disguarded hi-viz vest.

Luckily our crew were fast workers with eagle eyes, so we collected plenty of stuff before heading back to enjoy Nerys's delicious cake.

What's coming up?

Next week we start a 3-week project to build some planters for a community gardening group. This will be an excellent task with a real sense of achievement at the end. If you have DIY skills and you know how to use a drill, that would be particularly helpful but definitely not essential. Sign-up here

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Following the day's deluge, I feared a depleted turnout for our long run from Walthamstow to Chingford last night. Fortunately, after over a year of running with this redoubtable crew, I should have known better. "Rain, what rain?", was the thought that occurred to me when I joined nine eager beavers at Mirth, Marvel and Maud. Our mission? To rid South Chingford Memorial park of single-use plastics, cigarette butts, aluminium cans and various other unmentionables. I love these guys.

I'll get to the nitty-gritty of the run in a mo., but first, here is the news:

As mentioned in my last weekly email, we have been invited to take over all the volunteer duties at Leyton Junior Parkrun on Sunday 16th June. It is sure to be a fun event and we can go for a few laps of the lovely Jubilee Park afterwards. Details and sign-up here

Well done to Libby and Patrick who completed a wonderful gardening mission in Waltham Forest last weekend. You can read about their experiences here

Tonight the monthly social is over in Southwark. Needless to say, anything organised by GoodGym GoodEgg Pritesh Mistry will be a right laugh. I recommend you to get down there and chew the fat with fellow runners

Over 100 GoodGymers will be heading to Sofia this weekend for the festival of running. If you are one of them, good luck and tell us all about it when you get back.

Okay so back to last night's Pluvial Plogging. In the end, we were pretty damn lucky with the rain as it seems the clouds had wrung themselves dry throughout the day. With everyone arriving in a timely fashion, we headed off at a decent clip covering the 4 km run in quick time. We arrived in leafy South Chingford by 19.20, where our contact Janet and her fellow Love South Chingford gardener equipped us with all the necessary gear. We particularly love the hoops they have that keep the litter bags open.

Fanning out and sweeping the park we covered several acres of the parkland like a crack commando unit. With our task completed and the park shining like a newly polished Rolls Royce, we headed back out on the streets and back to base for a drink and a debrief.

Well done everyone, you are all awesome people.

Next week we are visiting Walthamstow Toy Library to help them prepare for their annual May Fair. It's close by so not a taxing run at all and we will head to Lloyd Park for some drills afterwards. Don't miss this fun event, sign up today.

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I was planning on dispensing entirely with a report on GGWF's venture to South Chingford last night in favour of a blow-by-blow account of my recent holiday, complete with snaps of me in various filtered poses by the sea. Unfortunately, judging by the groans and eye rolling that began to appear after I spent the first half an hour of last night's run telling everyone about my break, I have reluctantly concluded that no one wishes to hear anymore about it.

Therefore, on with the run report. Well it was lovely to be back after a three-week hiatus and what a fine destination and crew to join with to get me back into the GoodGym swing. All veterans of previous campaigns and fine, friendly folks they were too. It was particularly nice to see Eminé, returning after a long break and now newly married. Congratulations again Eminé:)

Seven of us set out on the run to the Memorial Park where we met with the wonderful Friends of South Chingford who kitted us out with bags, hoops, gloves and litter pickers. From here we fanned out into the park collecting the usual detritus that gathers in these urban spaces, as well as some more outlandish specimens. But I am sure you don't want me to go into the brace of used nappies and other minging materials that were lurking in the bushes.

Half way through the litter pick, I received a call from the Redoutable Ramon, who wished to join us but had headed to the wrong destination. Not to be deterred by this oversight he hit the pavement and managed to join in for the run back to base. And at almost 4k each way it was no walk in the park.

As for the litter pick itself, we made a big impact in short time, collecting enough empty beer cans to build a, errm large structure of some kind out of beer cans. The run back took us past Walthy Dog track for the obligatory photo then back to base for stretching, talk of my holiday, drinks, talk of my holiday, food, talk of my holiday and goodnights.

Next week we will be restoring graves but not in a sinister Burke and Hare way so do join.

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Memorial Park Chingford is a little gem of a park, tucked away from the main road, you would hardly know it is there unless you happened to notice the lovely iron gates leading up a little stone path to the memorial and then the park opens up to an expansive patch of ground with a wide variety of trees, a sizable children's playground, tennis courts and a pond. I recommend a visit if you are ever in the area.

The park is obviously much loved by locals as about 100+ people were using it on Wednesday night when six volunteers arrived after a brisk 4 km run to give the park a bit of much needed TLC. Some military fitness session was going down with families taking part to a booming soundtrack which made for a lively time as the GG crew grabbed their litter pickers, bags, gloves and amazing homemade hoops - all plogging tasks should include these simple but effective accessories!

As we fanned out to rid the park of fag buts, beer cans, carrier bags, plastics and cans, we were warmly thanked but many of the folks who were taking their ease on this balmy July evening. As much as anything it made me realise that being seen completing these tasks if as good as actually doing them as the selfless kindness of our dedicated volunteers helps to restore peoples faith in humanity.

We welcomed Walthamstow homeboy, Ruthiran to the crew last night. Great to see you Ruthiran, hoping you can join us again when you are back from San Diago. All the volunteers filled their bags, and as I surveyed the park, I could almost hear the wind on the willow tree whispering a big thank you to our hard-working crew.

After a brief photo call - thanks to Kirsty for the Olympic Rings idea, we hit the road for the return journey retaking the scenic route to bring our total distance to a whopping 8km altogether.

Well done to everyone who came along.

Peace,

An intrepid group of GoodGymers headed out on a cool spring evening to give a bit of TLC to the secluded and tranquil Chingford Memorial Park.

Teamwork started at the base as we had a quick huddle to decide on the best route to leave the district of Walthamstow and head out to neighbouring Chingford. Some great running and street knowledge on show from the team and the trip through the smart Lloyd Park was a highlight.

After completing our first 3.5 km, we arrived at our destination, and the team wasted no time in getting stuck in filling up bag after bag with the unsightly detritus that was blotting the otherwise picturesque landscape in the park.

With no time to lose after the task, the heroes of Chingford Memorial Park downed tools and headed off into the sunset for another 3.5 km run back to base and a rapid cooldown routine to cap off a fine evening of running, plogging and generally being fantastic.

Thank you to everyone who came along, you guys rock!