Tuesday 17th December 2019
Report written by Nicky Woodall (she/her)
32 brilliant GoodGymmers arrived for our final GoodGym Lambeth group run of the decade!
We started by welcoming some lovely new runners - Lois, Katy, Jack, Sukhi and Ash.
We heard about what's coming up in the world of GoodGym (and beyond):
Lots of community missions, including the chance to win a GoodGym jumper and a virtual badge (ooooh!).
Dulwich parkrun and breakfast on Saturday 18th January 2020, as part of our monthly GoodGym Lambeth parkrun socials.
Cross-country on Saturday 11th January 2020 at Wormwood Scrubs. Always fun, sometimes (aka mostly) muddy.
Christmas and New Year parkruns - Many areas have extra parkruns on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Just make sure you check the start time for your area.
After a quick warm-up led by George, we split into two groups:
George and Alfie led a group to Jubilee Primary School to help them with a project to connect the children with nature. Here's what leader George had to say:
"Well, we moved quite a few bags of garden waste from the garden to the car park, and a significant quantity of stone from the car park into a wooded glade (and build the worst dry stone wall). There was lots of wheelbarrow action, and a fair amount of standing around contemplating how to move a massive boulder."
GOOD WORK TEAM.
The rest of us went to Charleston House, a supported accommodation complex in Clapham. We'd been warned that a lot of the residents had gone out for the evening but fortunately, there were still four lovely gentlemen there who were very up for board games and chat. We split again so that half the group did some (actually quite intense, sorry/not sorry everyone...) festive fitness (aka The 12 squats of Christmas) while the other half chatted to the residents. Popular subjects included favourite types of champagne and what's on TV. And then we swapped so everyone got some good and some gym.
Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the base for some final stretches and then to the pub for the GoodGym Lambeth Christmas Social. We enjoyed an epic quiz courtesy of Steve and George, complete with a tad of controversy (what actually is the most common tree in London?!). We were then graced with a poem by our gracious leader Mark, with an added impersonation by Steve that was just sadly missing the hat.
No GG Lambeth Christmas Party would be complete without SPOTY (S*** Prize of the Year). This year, four excellent GoodGymmers were rewarded for their efforts to both the good and the gym:
SUPERB STUFF TEAM LAMBETH. What a year it's been - from being crowned GoodGym Olympic champions to welcoming a new trainer and many new additions to task force and GoodGym Lambeth to the huge amount of good we all do across Lambeth every week. I'll leave you with Mark's poem to summarise, and to say
See you next decade. Oh, and Merry Christmas!!!
As we come to the end of 2019,
Feel the bond we've shared as a unified team,
So many new faces and people of old,
Coming together within a shared goal.
From Liverpool and racing some bloody big horses,
To Katie departing and tasty kebab courses,
For every deed done and Olympics won,
Lambeth, I love you. Merry Christmas, have fun.
(Gilyead, 2019)
Christmas party for elderly residents at the extra care setting.
See moreLambeth
Clothes will go to refugees, rough sleepers and vulnerable families