A terrific twelve sorted, cleaned, steamed and tagged to make a real difference to Crystal Palace St Christopher's charity shop.

Thankfully the weather was kinder to us this evening so we headed to the park, safe in the knowledge that the branches should stay attached to their trees. We did our winter stress pig warm-up, with the cold evidently affecting the groups imagination, with multiple star jumps and lunges completed before we democratically decided to run through the centre of the park, to avoid the stonking hill. Thanks to Ian for back-marking.

Mark joined us at the shop, where we were greeted by manager Teresa. She had plenty of jobs for us to tackle, so we split off into groups to clean the shoe shelves (with a pair of boxer shorts!), sort bags of donations and hunt for clothes with J1 labels as their time in the shop had come to an end. We learnt that they would be sent to another shop, as would the donated clothes deemed to be poorer quality. There were some lovely items in the shop, along with plenty of striking footwear.

We soon had piles of clothes ready for the rails, which we hung (rose gold hangers for the women, wooden for the men, fact fans) and tagged, after a quick lesson on the tagging gun from Teresa. Check out the looks of concentration on Bradley's face for evidence that it wasn't quite as easy as first thought..

Fiona armed herself with the steamer and set to work steaming the clothes ready to be returned to the rails. It was a very satisfying job and we almost had to prise the steamer from her hands when time was up. A few us were tempted to smuggle it out of the shop and bin our irons at home!

It was soon time to go and Teresa was mightily grateful for our help, having made her Wednesday morning far easier. She had kindly bought drinks, Jaffa Cakes and Maltesers for us, which tempted some of us, energy for the run back to base. It was thankfully downhill on the way back, but I had craftily planned some hills runs for the fitness session. We were slightly scuppered by the lack of light and a wet surface, but we managed three before carefully making our way back through the park to stretch.

Next week takes us back to Upper Norwood Methodist Church to continue clearing the outside space, sign up here. I will bring lights but please bring a head torch if you have one, and gardening gloves. Here's hoping the weather will be kind to us..

Ten tree-mendous runners made fir-ly tree-sy work of clearing the streets of discarded Christmas trees.

A big welcome to Nick who was joining the Bromley group for the first time, and welcome back to Raven.

Our planned task was postponed so the Christmas tree hunt was brought forward a week. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I recall the trees being rather spiky last year, having had a little longer to dry out before being whisked away by our marvelous runners for chipping.

We headed to the park for a warm-up using the trusty stress pig to throw around the group, with the recipient choosing the warm-up exercise. After a round of star jumps, squats, high knees and leg swings, we switched our tree radars on and headed out on our hunt. Sam had spotted a tree on the way into the park, which was the first of many trees gathered.

My initial concerns about finding enough trees were unfounded as shouts of 'tree!' came thick and fast and we were soon laden down. We certainly raised a few eyebrows as our chain of trees made their way over the bridge at Penge East station. The next tree to be collected had tinsel and a bauble still on it, the owner evidently not doing a very thorough job when taking their decorations down! Our ingenious runners had decided to form a chain to carry as many trees as possible, with no fewer than 6 runners and 5 trees forming one long line along the pavement at one point. By the time we had reached the drop-off point at Mayow Park, we had gathered an impressive 9 trees, with some rather sizeable specimens amongst them. The gates to the park were locked so we heaved them over the railings, before splitting into small groups and heading off to search the roads around the park. Each of the groups returned with more trees, with special mention going to Reece and Ian who managed to find not one, not two but FIVE more trees, taking the groups final count to 19, a tree-rific effort.

As the task had worked our upper bodies so hard, I thought it only right to balance things out and give our legs a work-out. After a run back towards our start-point, we diverted to a local park where the speaker came out of my bag, prompting groans from those who knew what it meant.. Moby's 'Bring Sally Up', aka the squat song. I promise not to be so mean next week.

Talking of next week, we can hopefully reschedule our visit to Forest Hill, keep an eye on the task page here for an update and to sign up.

I made a pun about the wind. But it blows.

It was a wild one for GoodGym Lambeth this evening with diversions, a snoop around Brixton Windmill and many, many tasks.

We started off giving a big Lambeth welcome to Laura and Becky! Woop woop! And we mentioned that our friends/rivals across the border in GoodGym Wandsworth are going to Clapham Common Parkrun on Saturday. GG Lambeth represent and look out for the red tees.

With the wind in our sails we had a quick warm up and headed up the hill with Jim, Nicky and George taking a long and windy route around the houses and myself and Beth heading straight there (apart from missing a turning... but hill training is really good for you!). Freyja and Lucy walked and still beat the rest of us...

When we arrived, we got cracking on a multitude of different tasks inside and outside the Windmill:

• Planting shrubs 🌴
• Trimming branches ✂️
• Weeding in the play area 🌾
• Dusting surfaces in the windmill 🌫
• Removing grass from the pavement gaps 🌱
• Litter picking 🗑
• Getting rid of cobwebs 🕸

When we were done, Jean gave us the lowdown on the Windmill, how the council is building a new visitor centre there and about some of the events they've got coming up. Not least the BEER AND BREAD festival. i.e. two of the best things in the world. Lambeth social? I think so.

On our way back to PAPA's we were thinking about FAB:

F for FORWARDS - Thinking, looking, moving FORWARDS. i.e. no side to side motion.

A for ARMS - Moving the arms back to propel oneself FORWARDS.

B for BALLOON - Imagining a helium balloon attached to our heads, keeping us upright - not leaning down or backwards.

And because of that (and the fact that the entire route was downhill...) we shot back to PAPAs at lightning speed and finished off with a quick stretch.

NEXT WEEK is our monthly social so come along for some well deserved beverages after our run to the Portico Gallery Sign up, show up, eat up, drink up.

Cheers GG LAMBETH 🍻

Last night was my last ever run as leader of the mighty GoodGym Lambeth. It was also a very fun evening full of excellent people - much like every other run I have led over the last three years. What a privilege!

It was just lovely to see runners from all over coming along for the ride - we headed off to help the Remakery, a brilliant space that saves unwanted materials from landfill and also trains people in how to remake / upcycle / create new things from them. They needed help moving loads of bits of wood that are unable to be reused to the back so they can get taken away. Then we moved other things from the front making area to the back storage area. It's always a fun space to visit and we look forward to being back soon!

On arrival back at base, it was time for a party and so off we went to a mystery location, which turned out to be the Effra Social. Everyone ordered food but there were so many of us that they closed the kitchen for 20 minutes but we didn't need to fear as David had got his pastry chef to make us the most delicious chocolate brownie that was basically an arm workout just to cut it! It was DELICIOUS!

Thank you pastry chef!

After that, John H and Steve ran a really excellent quiz, which was mainly about me so of course I enjoyed it! There were some excellent facts and even a round about people wearing red wellies. It was also noted that I use a lot of exclamation marks in my weekly emails!!!!!!!!!!!

They'd also put together a film with lots of people saying Goodbye, which was just great and I think you can watch that here. THEN I got some lovely gifts - and they really are great. A red Welly! A card painted by Tim the artist! Some tiny baby grows with GG on them! Some tiny red New Balance trainers! A whole box full of Shit Prize of the Month 'goodies'! Plus the lovely Frances knitted a wee jumper as well, with wings on the back!

It was all amazing!

What lovely things and how lucky I am. Thanks everyone. It was now time to make it through some kind of speech and I did some rambling but I hope it made sense. Here's some things that I hope I said and if I didn't here they are again:

I started running with GoodGym in January 2014 and have been on a run at least once a month since then. That's a long time and probably the most committed I have ever been to anything (Realisation hit at this point that my best friend and husband were both in the room!) Living in London you have lots of things thrown at you all the time and it's such a freeing thing to have something that you commit to. That you can just turn up week in, week out and say no to everything else. That no matter how you're feeling you can just come along, see some good people, get some exercise in and do something that makes a small contribution to the area that you live. That's what GoodGym has been for me and I feel very lucky and grateful to have found it.

I went to the second ever Lambeth run and Alex and James KB were there too. I married one of them in the end and the other is now a great pal! Beth started coming, then John H and Tom B and Nelly. George Bright joined and Steve and Jay and it just kept rolling on. The more people that joined and stuck around, the bigger and more welcoming Lambeth became. Drunkenly at GoodGym's 5th Birthday Party, Alex told us about this race in Wales where you go up against an old steam train. We committed to going the next year - everything is a great idea when you're drunk! But go we did. 40 of us from all over London plus a healthy Bristol contingent took on that steam train in a weekend in August 2015 - and so the first GoodGym away trip was born.

When former trainer and all round excellent lady Rebecca Cox finished in 2016, she said she thought I should take over as trainer. It was the support of this brilliant group of friends, who gave their backing to that idea, that meant I had the courage to do it. I would never have thought this would be something I could do and it's testament to GoodGym that they allow members of the community to develop in this way. Since then, I've led so many runs and had so many adventures. The best is when runners start who have never really put on trainers before and then they dip their toes into races and before you know it, they're signed up to a marathon and running loads. I love that and I love that GoodGym will back you regardless of your time, your background, your situation. It's just running and if you want to give it a go, then we've got you!

I have to extend the most enormous and heartfelt thank yous to everyone who has been a member of my taskforce and all the run leaders who have kept me going and put up with my weekly waffle. Milly, Sarah KB, Steve, John H, Tom H, Alice, Sarah, David, Issy, George C, George B, Nicky, Vix, Jim, Freyja, Lucy, James KB, Tom B, Beth - I hope that's everyone and if not then I mean you too! You all help every week for free, because you're awesome and I appreciate you and think you are great.

And finally to Mark G - who will be a creative and excellent leader and will be just fine because you will all look after him! Good luck and you will have a blast because you are surrounded by excellence all the time!

LAST thanks to all the community groups that we run to every week. Who do fantastic things with such small resources and genuinely make a difference to Lambeth residents all the time. Often in ways we are not aware of or do not understand. What an honour to be able to help you out from time to time with our legs and our arms and our muscles - sometimes even our brains but mainly the other bits.

To Mona - who I ran to for nearly four years and who didn't quite manage to see me run London but who nevertheless helped me get there.

I can't wait to join you all on runs again in a few months when I shall be A CIVILIAN! Keep being brilliant Lambeth. I love you. Katie ***

Lambeth News

• Fancy a long run this Sunday? We're running 15km from Brixton station this Sunday, finishing with yummy food of course! Find out more and sign up here.

• Back by popular demand! Sunday afternoon, come along to a GoodGym track session - an hour of running bits n bobs based around improving your technique. 'I've heard it's fun!' - Ruth. Find out more and sign up here.

• Next week Katie is back, it's Shit Prize of The Month and you're off to either Crisis (8km total) or Brixton Youth Centre (3.5km total). Sign on the line here.

That's enough of the business

Last night 32 of us gathered at a very lively Papa's Park for two excellent tasks: 8km roundtrip up the hill to the Portico or 3km round trip to The Remakery.

The Remakery splinter group were 17 strong and headed out after a warm up on the basketball court and a very swift cough moment dithering with padlocks. And off we went!

Saw-ry seems to be the hardest wood

On arrival we were met by Manuel and team who took us through to the back quietly as there was an event on... at least we tried to be quiet but the Incredible Edible Lambeth team spotted us and shouted 'Wahay GoodGym!' And we walked through the room to loud applause. What an entrance! Once there we split into four groups: breaking down pallets (with minimal tools, very ingenius), taking nails out of planks of wood, bagging up wood and sawing wood.

It was a more-than palletable experience

After half an hour we had loads of bags filled with wood (see photo), many pallets deconstructed and the task owners were thrilled.

A few words from team Portico

Fifteen of us ran the 4km up Brixton Hill to the old favourite Portico Gallery. John and Methuselah (the Portico cat) were waiting to greet the gang and tell us about our tasks for the evening, but only once we had learned about methuselah’s biblical namesake (the grandfather of Noah).

Big warm hello and welcome to Jen, Laura, Emanuele and Rachel who joined us for the first time last night!

We split into two teams, with one sorting gazebo sides into ‘clean’, ‘dirty’, and the suitably intriguing ‘dirty dirty’. The other team helped to move buckets of pottery glazes so that John could work on replacing the shelves next week. In no time at all we were done, and set off again to enjoy the run downhill back to base, finishing with a good warm-down stretch against the railings.

Smashing work all around team.

See you soon!

Lucy J

Another winter run, another sudden burst of water from the sky right when we were about to start running. SIGH. Never mind as it tailed off quickly and we were ready to get on with our task of helping the good people of Age UK, who have got a new 'Food 2 You' programme. This volunteer-led programme will help older people to do their weekly shop across Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. A great idea and very aligned with GoodGym's mission. We were helping to spread the word about this new service by putting up posters in local libraries and shops.

We split into four teams, one walking, one covering 3km, one 4km and one 5km. Each team also had some nice fitness challenges to carry out along the way. After an extended warm up we were off, spreading the word around Brixton, Clapham High Street and Stockwell. After some nice stretches on return, we finished off and went home happy.

Last night we had a round 50 superstar runners to help Lambeth celebrate FIVE YEARS of running to community groups and supporting isolated older people across the borough. We've had a cracking time of it and achieved so much, so a massive THANK YOU to every single person who has been part of our half decade!

John H led a lovely warm up, including the DANGER GAME where 50 people run at random around a dark space then say Hello to new people. It's quite the health and safety risk but surely worth if for all the nice new people we meet along the way.

We had options coming out of our ears this evening - some people chose to walk 1km to the Remakery led by Tom Benson; others chose to run that distance with Katie; some ran as far as Loughborough Farm with Steve, where they did a solid job of spreading woodchip across all the paths; yet more still went on a 4.5km long way round run to the Remakery led by George. Something for everyone, I think you would agree!

Massive thanks to GoodGym for record time scattering woodchip at Loughborough Farm! Said Karen

On arrival at the Remakery, Miguel had lots of moving and sorting for us to do. This fantastic space rescues stuff that would otherwise go to landfill and provides tools and training for people to make wonderful new bits of furniture and other useful things. We've been helping them for a few months as they have a bit of a spring clean and this evening was no different. The woodwork room got a big sweep and hoover, lots of big bits of furniture got taken out of the way and we moved the tool cupboard from A to B and filled it up with tools again. What a great job!

Back at the farm, Steve was leading a crack team of woodchip spreaders, who were also taking the time to pose for a Birthday Shoot on the woodchip pile - we think you'll agree Andy and David look wonderful.

And with that we were all back to base for a bit of fitness and some stretches then the main event: CAKE! Nicky and Phil are fundraising for their London marathon efforts and they had baked a lot of delicious things, as had Beth. We gave our pennies and our pounds and stocked up on delicious stuff. Everyone was a winner and it was a truly celebratory way to finish the evening. You too can sponsor the running duo by visiting their fundraising pages. Sponsor Nicky and Phil as a birthday present to Lambeth!

Here's to the next 5 years!