A relay, relay relay great way to reach 2000!

16 Goodgymers helped their local community in Newcastle
Anji Andrews
Paul Andrews
Debbie English
Louise Belsom
Kate Aspray
Emma Davies
Michael Wisely
Andrew Robson
Darren Tate
Rachael Matilda
Fai
Dan Laws
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Newcastle

Monday 26th August 2019

Credits
Anji Andrews
Anji Andrews

REPORT WRITER

PHOTOGRAPHER

Paul Andrews
Paul Andrews

SESSION ORGANISER

Debbie English
Debbie English

PHOTOGRAPHER

Southwark runner

PHOTOGRAPHER

WALK LEADER

Rachael Matilda
Rachael Matilda

BACK MARKER

Dan Laws
Dan Laws

PHOTOGRAPHER

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Report written by Anji Andrews (she/her)

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This month, GoodGym is partnering with I Am Team GB to encourage more people to get involved in community sport

Tonight's GoodGym session was brought to us in partnership with I am Team GB, an annual campaign, created by Team GB to get more people physically active. Check out our snazzy badges and banner!

DRUMROLL PLEASE........

We did it!

In just 16 months, we reached a whopping 2,000 good deeds at GoodGym Newcastle tonight.

How amazing is that?!

I have to start by thanking every single person who has been involved in the making of the 2000 (and 1!) great things we have done in our local community. By giving your walking or running purpose, even once, you've made Newcastle a better place and made a real difference. It was brilliant to also have a 50th Good Deed celebration tonight with Emma reaching the big 5-0.. go and give that woman a massive cheer! What Emma brings to GoodGym in smiley loveliness is equaled only by her amazing competitive streak (mainly seen when playing musical chairs). We never got round to hearing Emma's top 3 best GoodGym runs, so please add them to the comments of this report, Emma!

Weekend news shared and a quick look back at one of our biggest ever Community Missions which took place last Thursday at The Star and Shadow Cinema where we really made a difference. Then it was on with the task! Miranda led the walking group while Paul led the runners and we headed off to the Cruddas Park area of town.

We were helping out Moving on Tyne and Wear which is a great local charity that helps people who are unemployed due to physical and mental health issues to get closer to work. It was a leaflet drop tonight which is always great as we can run, walk, work together and get a massive area covered depending on how far folks want to run or walk! Moving on Tyne and Wear has just secured three more years of funding to deliver their services, and the special part of this task is that the task owner is our very own Darren!

With three teams on the job we managed to get a whopping 400 leaflets delivered to four different streets in a little over 15 minutes, meeting back at Elswick Park where I was ready and waiting with a sports day related fitness session.. with this week's partnership it absolutely had to be!

After warming up with a game of cops and robbers, it was on to the real competition. Katie, Rachael and Andrew captained three legendary teams to take on three rounds of ridiculous and challenging relay games:

  • Sprint relay

  • Wheelbarrow relay (there are some particularly great photos of this)

  • Backwards running relay

Competition was fierce and Dan and Andrew even sacrificed a few layers of skin from their knees in pursuit of the mystery prize. It came down to a tense tie break in which Rachael's team had to swap Michael for Louise ready for the great challenge of Frog Jumps. It was a close finish, but Rachael's team were victorious winning not just the glory but a packet of Fizzers each for their pain and effort.

It's further than it looks when you're jumping!

We'd love you to get involved in our parkrun takeover this weekend at Newcastle's new parkrun: Leazes parkrun. You can get involved by volunteering: all the information for our Community Mission takeover can be found here or rock up and run in your red tshirt. Either way, it would be ace to see you there to spread the word of our brilliant #GGNCL community. We will see you at 8:45am by the bandstand for a big group photo, so make sure you're in your GoodGym tee!

You can make it a double by heading straight to the Monthly Mission at Nunsmoor or make it a treble by helping out at Elswick Park for Newcastle Parks on Sunday

We'll see you back next week with a trip to The Bike Garden where again there is a walking option if that takes your fancy! Happy running and walking,

Anji x


This task supported

Helping people who are unemployed due to physical and mental health issues to get closer to work

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Discuss this report
Emma Davies

Tue 27th Aug 2019 at 9:49am

I think I've narrowed it down to either painting at Newcastle School for Boys or the Christmassy leaflet drop in Byker! ... I'm surprised both my favourite tasks were in the depths of the North East winter!! Thanks for brightening our Mondays Anji Xxxx

Anji Andrews
Anji Andrews (she/her)

Tue 27th Aug 2019 at 11:26am

I forgot about the Christmas one!! Michael wore a full Santa suit!! My pleasure, having people like you in my life that I would have never met make it all worth it xx

Join us on our next session

Newcastle

Lend a hand at Mowbray Park junior parkrun
🗓Sunday 22nd September 8:45am

This event loves new volunteers!

Richard BorrowdaleTanya JohnsonDebbie English
3 GoodGymers are going