GoodGym Barnet: Digging In for a Charity with 500 Years of Local Care

Last night’s GoodGym Barnet run was all about celebrating the variety of good deeds we’ve done over the years — from scrubbing graffiti off cinema walls, helping local businesses learn about waste disposal, delivering community leaflets, to good old-fashioned graft that leaves you tired but satisfied, and with a deeper bond to the local community.

This week we turned our legs and hands to one of Barnet’s oldest community pillars: The Finchley Charities, which has been supporting local people in need for over 500 years. They run almshouses, allotments and vital welfare projects — and last night’s mission was at their community allotment, used for educational projects and to supply fresh produce to the Essential Food Bank.

As usual, we gathered at the Phoenix Cinema — our regular HQ — where we swapped favourite mission stories and congratulated Beattie on completing her 101st GoodGym good deed! With the sun blazing down on a warm summer evening, we set off for a gentle jog along the High Street to Fuel Lands, about 1.5 km away. Subham Basu back-marked the group safely as we paused by the locked gates, stretching and doing a few bus-stop squats, which must have amused the passing traffic.

Once Peps from The Finchley Charities arrived to let us in, we joined other local volunteers and got stuck in — clearing brambles, tidying up plots, and helping make the site productive and welcoming for the charity’s projects and future visitors.

It was hard work under the warm evening sky, but everyone agreed it felt great to contribute a small piece to a legacy that has helped underprivileged local residents for half a millennium.

Tools down, brambles conquered, we regrouped and jogged back to the Phoenix — another GoodGym Barnet evening done, and another bit of Barnet made better, together.

Huge thanks to everyone who came — and to The Finchley Charities for their tireless local support and for welcoming us onto their allotment. Here’s to the next 500 years!

Tiny Forest Citizen Science Run – Tuesday Night at Its Best!

We gathered at the Phoenix Cinema under perfect summer skies — ideal running weather that had us marvelling at how different it was from the storms and snowfalls we reminisced about. The infamous storm of ‘87 came up (the one the forecasters definitely didn’t see coming!), vividly remembered by Anthony as an eight-year-old, alongside other wild weather events we’ve seen over the years. But tonight? Glorious.

After a warm-up in the Phoenix foyer, we set off on a 2km run through the backstreets and then along the leafy paths by Mutton Brook. George was our trusty back-marker, making sure no one was left behind.

At the Tiny Forest near Henley’s Corner — the same one some of us helped plant three years ago — now joined by three more tiny forest recently. We split into small groups for some citizen science: Anthony and I tackled an insect survey, while another group explored the older forest looking for pollinators cue a spirited debate about whether a nest of ladybirds counted! For the record — ladybirds are great! They help control aphids and other garden pests, making them a natural friend to forests and gardeners alike.

After logging our findings for Earthwatch, we rounded off with a plank challenge — over a minute of solid core-strengthening effort from all involved. (Highly recommended if you fancy a full-body workout at home.)

Memory had to dash off to a meeting, but the rest of us jogged back to the Phoenix, soaking up the golden hour. Huge thanks to George for bringing along some delicious vegan biscuits — a well-earned treat!

Thanks to everyone for coming, for running, and for doing good. See you next week!

Operation Orchard: GoodGym Barnet in Cherry Tree Woods

GoodGym Barnet assembled once again at our usual HQ—the Phoenix Cinema—thankfully free of last week’s MI5-style bag checks and suited security guards (though a few of us might have missed the VIP treatment).

After a soggy day of drizzle and damp forecasts, the skies cleared just in time for our latest community mission. Clearly, even the weather knows not to mess with a GoodGym evening.

We were thrilled to welcome Memory on her very first outing—though judging by her confident use of a rake and her tales of family farming, you’d never have guessed she was new. Beattie and Rachel brought their usual cheerful energy, and Subham joined us on-site at Cherry Tree Woods, slipping in like a stealth volunteer just as we arrived.

Warming up with the usual blend of light jogging (along the glamorous side pavement of the cinema), we set off on our ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ short run to the park.

Waiting for us were the wonderful Friends of Cherry Tree Woods with a mission: ( thank you Andras and Roger) Operation Orchard. Our task was to weed around the orchard trees and give them a nourishing compost boost—because even trees deserve a bit of pampering.

Armed with rakes, shovels, and occasionally just our bare hands, we dug in—literally. There was something deeply satisfying about restoring a bit of order to the wild growth. In just half an hour, we’d circled the trees, cleared the undergrowth, and emptied a whole bag of compost like eco-minded superheroes.

With the trees now happily mulched, there was just enough time for a spontaneous frisbee session in the fading light. Turns out frisbee + running = a surprising aerobic workout and a lot of laughter.

Thanks to everyone who came out—especially Memory , for making such a strong start! Same time next week, minus (we assume) the secret service.

Last night’s GoodGym adventure started with an unexpected twist: we arrived at the Phoenix Cinema to find ourselves stepping into what looked suspiciously like a low-budget remake of Men in Black. Black suits, earpieces, security checks… we were only missing Will Smith! (but he could’ve been inside)

I paused at the door—slightly concerned that my bum bag (delicate territory) might be subjected to a full MI5-level inspection. Thankfully, Rachel arrived, and we decided to store our high-risk belongings in my car. Enter our two brave new recruits, Freya and Caitlin, just in time for the action. Caitlin needed a quick change, which meant navigating cinema security like a spy on a mission—successfully in and out without blowing our cover. (I was asked to move away on the basis that a car might mount the pavement towards me! ! bizarre! )

Feeling very protected (by men with clipboards and scanning devices), we did our warm-up next to the cinema, no doubt confusing the surveillance team further. We then boldly stepped into the unguarded wilderness of East Finchley, en route to Martin Primary School.

To pass the time, Rachel suggested some icebreakers. We each shared what we once wanted to be as kids (spoiler: none of us are astronauts now) and played “two truths and a lie” as we trotted along. It turns out runners are surprisingly good liars—or very bad detectives.

At the school, we met Scarlett and reintroduced ourselves, along with our crafted childhood aspirations and deception-based fun. Inside the school grounds, Jon welcomed us to the orchard, where the weeds had staged a full-blown coup. Brambles, bindweed and nettles were suffocating young trees like villains in a botanic thriller.

Armed with rakes and sharp tools (yes, we were trusted with these), we tackled the chaos. I warned the group about rake safety—especially after one of my nearest and dearest had an unfortunate rake-meets-face incident that ended in A&E and a lesson in cartoon physics. Fortunately, no repeats here.

After a heroic tree-rescue effort, we rounded off with a strength circuit: squats, triceps dips, sprints, and press-ups, with a side of motivational chat on the importance of strength training for runners. Gritty, glowy, and weedless, we jogged back to the Phoenix.

The security detail was still there—possibly baffled by our return or wondering if we were all part of some elaborate distraction. Either way, we cooled down before the cinema crowd poured out, said our goodbyes, and went home with that warm, weird feeling only a GoodGym mission can deliver.

Another one for the history books! giveCaitlin a shout out on her first GoodGym mission!

A few GoodGym members came together to do online yoga.

yoga talk

Yoga helps initiate nitric oxide (NO) release primarily through deep breathing, static holds, and gentle muscular engagement, which stimulate the endothelium (inner lining of blood vessels) and improve vascular function.