🌩️ Thunder, Tasks & Trivia Triumphs! 🌿🧠

A distant rumble of thunder kept us guessing as we gathered for this week’s GoodGym session, but it takes more than a bit of potential drama to throw us off course. Despite a power outage on the tube delaying our task owner, we were well-prepped with a list of garden jobs sent over in advance – and as always, we were ready to dig in.

Before setting off, we limbered up with a quick warm-up and this week's question was pub quiz themed: How many pubs are there in London? Guesses ranged wildly, but Jordan was closest to the correct answer – a a whopping 3,500 pubs! That’s a lot of potential quiz venues…

🌱 Once we arrived at the garden, we got straight to work. There was no shortage of tasks to keep us busy:

• Shifting lemon trees into position
• Plenty of watering to revive thirsty plants
• Weeding pathways and beds
• Sweeping away debris
• Turning compost and moving it around the garden

The garden was soon buzzing with activity and teamwork and the time flew by.

💪 With a few minutes to spare after finishing the tasks, we squeezed in a post-task fitness session featuring:

• A 3-minute mountain legs challenge
• A 3-minute arm burner, in honour of International Chest Day at the gym – we're very on-brand! The result? Some burning muscles and a sense of achievement!

🏆 Then it was quiz time - the team headed off to the pub. With the muscles having been given a serious workout it was time for the brains to get a turn in the hotseat. I'm happy to report the team absolutely smashed it, scooping gold. Huge congrats to all our GG geniuses!

📍 Next week, we’re heading to Paradise Cooperative to lend a hand. If you enjoyed working in the garden this week, don’t forget we have a weekly community mission to help out at the Doddington Community Garden Kids Club – check it out and sign up here.

Have a great week everybody!

"We’ll be running through Camden Town" – I said – "the sidewalks may be heaving" – I warned...

...but little did I know that Camden is trialling pedestrianisation!

And so our wonderful group sped through quiet (and) wide (and) spacious roads on our way to Belsize Community Library!

This lovely group – of Alex, Alison, John, Steve, and Will – got quickly to our evening tasks.

Alex, Alison, John, and Steve grabbed window cleaning spray, cloths, and (the magically named) squeegees – and they brought transparency to windows that were opaque with grime and dust.

At the same time, Will and Alex M hunted for litter and dust behind the sofas and on the shelves, removing everything with the help of every cleaner’s friend: the Henry Hoover

Thank you, everyone! You made a lovely difference! And you turned a normal evening into one filled with community!

This special group of eight GoodGym folk caught the best of the morning sunshine today, and as they did they also gifted flowers and blooms to the community at Ingestre Road Estate.

Across 90 active and happy minutes, nine recycled planters (from a fancy complex in Battersea) were filled with gravel, lining, compost, and perennials :)

Thank you, everyone, for your time and energy this morning! It was just great to see you!

On Wednesday, we went to Alberta Estate to help out. But firstly, we had to get there, which was a challenge in itself!

We met at Old Spike, Rosalind was first to arrive. Daryl brought his friend, newbie, Ryan (welcome!). And Benjamin, Gemma David, Sam, Cecilia and Mansur came for the run also. After a quick warm up, we started the almost 5k run towards Walworth Road. Due to the power of technology, Isaac met us en-route. Then we found Will, Rosemary, Jessie and Andrada when we arrived at Alberta Estate.

With our team now assembled, our task was to move some soil from two compost heaps, into a plot around the corner. With 15 of us, it was hard to know how to get started! But in usual Goodgym fashion, we quickly organised ourselves into smaller groups, one group at the compost heap, another group at the end location, and a few groups shuttling soil in between.

After 30 minutes we had moved over half of the soil - enough to make space on the heap for some new compost that was coming fresh from the barrel. And before we knew it, we were tidying up, taking the group photo, and saying goodbye before our run back.

We ran back as the sun was setting. Unfortunately Ben's injured knee flared up and so he hopped onto a Lime bike, beating us back by 10 minutes. After a cool-down and some community led stretches, it was time for pizza and pub. Great work team!