A huge thank you to everyone who took part in our January Anytime Litter Picking Community Mission what a phenomenal turnout!

Across the month we saw loads of GoodGymers getting stuck in, whether walking, running, solo or paired up. From riversides and parks to pavements and problem fly-tipping spots, the impact was real and visible. Bags were filled, heavy items shifted, incidents logged with councils, and even the odd football rescued along the way

Special thanks to everyone who shared photos, stories and stats and to those who quietly got on with good deeds behind the scenes. Every single action counts, and it all feeds into our January Challenge national target, which makes this even sweeter

And yes… I can confirm that litter picking works extremely well with dog walking Gus is a big fan of missions with purpose

Why litter picking is surprisingly great fun: 1. Instant impact – you can see the difference you’ve made straight away. One path, park or riverbank transformed. 2. Low pressure, high reward do it anytime, anywhere, for 10 minutes or an hour. It all counts. 3. Good for the body and the soul fresh air, movement, and that quiet glow of doing something genuinely useful.

Thanks again to everyone who took part you’re absolute stars Let’s keep this momentum rolling into the next mission.

Ms C' husband opened the door when I rang the bell. After I introduced myself, he was under the impression that, the gardener arrived. (Did not indicate in any shape or form I am but clarified I am a volunteer) Such a compliment ☺️.

I was briefed about the task by the daughter and she quickly gathered the gardening tools and at the end the council ' waste bag was found and given to me and then the door was shut as they put the trust in me to work independently with no supervision.

I managed to clear 10 bag of garden waste.

15 GoodGym Barnet members took part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count (18 July–10 August), adding our sightings to the UK-wide citizen science survey. I managed three counts myself—numbers were low in my patches, so I’m keen to see the national results.

Butterflies are brilliant indicators of environmental health, helping scientists track the effects of climate change, habitat loss, and pollution. Early reports suggest a good year for gatekeepers, red admirals, and peacocks, plus a UK first—the southern small white fluttering in from southern Europe!

Citizen science is easy, fun, and open to all—you don’t need to be a runner or an expert. Next year, let’s get even more people involved: friends, family, neighbours… the more counts, the better the data.

Thanks to everyone who took part—your 15 minutes really can help protect our environment.

🦋 Count them, love them, protect them.