8 GoodGymers braved the full moon and fireworks to make a HUGE difference in Camden Town!

Our evening was a night for the senses — up above we were illuminated by the brightest and fullest moon ever seen over Camden — and everywhere we were surrounded by the bangs and pops of bonfire rockets!

Not that anything could dissuade this group from making a wonderful difference!

Jackie, John, Lydia, Sally (back to Camden again — it was great to see you!), Siobhan, Steve, and Victoria were quick to grab brooms and rakes and bags and gloves, and they got merrily (with much conversation in the air) to our task for the evening: ALL THE LEAVES.

In Cecil Sharp House's special garden there sits a magnificent tree. It is old and wise and probably has the best stories in town. But it does have one problem: ALL THE LEAVES.

And so this special group got to grips with this problem — THE ALL THE LEAVES PROBLEM — and we soon had ten then twenty then nearly thirty bags packed and ready for composting.

We'll be back in 3 weeks for our next run at the leaves!

Thank you, everyone!! It was great to see you!!

9 GoodGymers Lifted the Curfew in Camden!!

Every October GoodGym teams up with This Girl Can to back the wonderful #LetsLiftTheCurfew campaign.

As the evenings grow longer this campaign is all about creating safe spaces for everyone – and especially women – at night.

And this lovely group – of Emilie, Gary (who's recently joined our Camden crew – welcome!), Jackie, John, Kareem, Lydia, Siobhan, and Steve – created a brilliantly safe and inclusive space last night!

Amidst the evening bustle of Camden Town, we set up shop at Cecil Sharp House, where a bountiful haul of fallen leaves awaited us.

Following a lively group warm up – where we nearly counted to 30... – we grabbed brooms and gloves and rakes and bags, and we started clearing up this special communal garden :)

Within 60 minutes this group made a visibly brilliant difference – thank you so much, everyone!

Here's to next time!!

Daryl, Emma, Gemma, Isaac, Lydia, Paulin and Sam met up with Andrea shortly after 19:00 outside Zimbabwe House and Charing Cross Police Station.

They weren't there to be diplomatic or to be arrested...they came out to do good by helping unload the Get Rid Of And Donate (GROAD) van with items that the team helped pack up yesterday at St. Faith's Community centre. From jumpers to jackets and suitcases to shoes, everything that Andrea had been collecting for her rough sleepers project since the last time she did this (in May), they helped display it on the rails of the Charing Cross Police Station. It was a bit hectic with the rough sleepers grasping at anything that they wanted to seize their hands on. Yet, despite the odd rude person, most were respectful and grateful for receiving what the public had donated for them. It was a full circle moment for many of the GG Southwark members from recieving and sorting out donations on a Sunday to giving them out to those who need it the most on the last Tuesday of the month. ❤️

Within 45 minutes, everything was gone and what was left was left out as eventually someone would come along and take it for themselves. Nothing is wasted.

10 wonderful GoodGymers visited Camden Town's hidden communal garden!

Last night we were waiting for the rain. The weather forecast told us to bring umbrellas and wrap up warm. Yet we met in a warm and dry hour yesterday evening.

The first group to assemble – Alex, Jackie, John, and Marc (on their first good deed – welcome!) – met in Somers Town to begin the evening with a short run and we were joined by DaMarcus en route!

In a hop and a flash we arrived at Barnes House Estate in Camden Town. Sat between a supermarket, a church, and Camden Town's bustle, Barnes House is an estate with a very special communal garden.

We were soon joined by 5 other wonderful GoodGymers – Alison, Lydia, Paul, Siobhan, and Steve – as well as local residents Dan and Vicky, who always welcome us so warmly :)

Dan and Vicky soon got us on our way to 60 active minutes of weeding, pruning, leaf gathering, and more, and we left the space looking fresh for the winter months to come.

Thank you, everyone for your work and conversation – it was a lovely evening!!