Plog and Pizza with Goodgym Islington
5 Goodgymers helped their local community in Islington
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Monday 20th January
Credits
Simon Fitzmaurice
SESSION ORGANISER
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Report written by Simon Fitzmaurice
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Plogging is a term invented by Erik Ahlström referring to the act of picking up trash and litter while jogging. It is a portmanteau of the Swedish term plocka upp, which means "to pick up," and jogging.
Area Activator Simon met with a smashing Goodgym Islington crew for a lovely relaxed "plogging" session around the Islington and Haringey borough. Anne and Paul ran with Simon from the Arsenal Community Hub, and Dan and Matt caught up with us at the Islington Ecology Centre near Gillespie Road (looking for potential tasks with these guys in the future!).
Our objective was to collect as much litter as possible along the Gillespie Nature Reserve Walk, before dropping the waste off in Finsbury Park. We aimed to pick up awkward dropped packaging and wrappers along the hedgerows- typically hard for council workers to pick up and potentially harmful for local wildlife.
By the end of the nature reserve walk (headtorches were will utilised!), we had almost filled a black bin bag each before heading to Finsbury Park. Together, we finished off the evening by collecting more rubbish in wind block bushes in the park, and stopping just before the Parkland Walk. Top job everyone!
To celebrate another successful session in January, we enjoyed some refreshments and pizzas at the excellent Someday Canteen in Finsbury Park.
GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS
SESSIONS IN JANUARY / FEBRUARY
Community Mission- Thornhill Square Gardens 7.15pm, Thornhill Square Gardens Monday 27th January
Group Run- Hornsey Rise Kickabout Playground 6.45pm, Arsenal Community Hub Monday 3rd February
Community Mission- Rose Bowl Youth Club 7.15pm, Rose Bowl Youth Club Monday 10th February
Community Mission- Caxton House Community Centre 7.15pm, Caxton House Monday 24th February
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Achilles International VI Guide Running Sessions
Every Thursday, 6pm, Various London locations
On Thursday evenings, the all abilities sports charity Achilles International holds a group run session at a London location.
Here is a list of our upcoming events and sign up pages. Runners, supporters and guides of all abilities and experiences welcome!
Emirates Stadium Thursday 23rd January https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-4ed31405-80ce-454b-9765-45aed49cde03
Paddington Rec Track Thursday 30th January https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-db3e1e87-d1e9-4d55-8f34-fd86e1b9101a
Stratford Olympic Park Thursday 6th February https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-olympic-park-stratford-route-7cdb905f-ec50-40f7-9932-ca8debf0354c
Paddington Rec Track Thursday 13th February https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-paddington-rec-track-3f25f419-3aa6-4d75-b192-a9c3d2d4ec2f
JENKI Matcha with ON Running Spitalfields Group (February)
Saturday 8th February, 8.45am, ON Running Spitalfields
Every 1st Saturday morning of the month, ON Running Spitalfields and JENKI Matcha Café on Brushfield Street will be hosting a 5km social paced group run through East London and by St Katherine's Dock. Meeting at ON Running Spitalfields store at 8.45am (Bag drop, community shoe try ones, run register, chat and catch up!) Matcha and hot drinks on offer at special run club discount!
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Track and Towpath Social Running Sessions
Every Wednesday (fortnightly), 7.30am, Mile End Athletics Track
If you are looking for accessible training sessions that can be included in your schedule, then come and join Area Activator Simon for his fortnightly runs.
Track training is always more fun with others, and these are designed to be sociable and open to all!
Structured training sessions, followed by refreshments at The Yurt Café, Limehouse!
Wednesday 22nd January
Wednesday 5th February
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/track-towpath-morning-social-track-session-mile-end-3
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Elizabeth House Food Hub- Lunchtime Sweep Up Task!
Tuesday 21st January, 12.45 - 1.15pm, Elizabeth House
On Tuesday afternoons, during term time, the team at Elizabeth House Food Hub have requested for an extra pair of hands to help with cleaning and tidying up their donation centre.
Expect some satisfying sweeping and surface cleaning to assist this busy team!
Thursday 21st January
Thursday 28th January
Compton Terrace Gardens- Volunteer Session
Saturday 8th February, 10am - 1pm, Union Chapel, Islington
A smashing community mission for those partaking in Highbury Fields or Finsbury parkrun on a Saturday morning!
A friendly gardening group started to look after the park about 10 years ago. We are always looking for more help - with planting, mulching, pruning, and all the other things a garden needs.
Everyone welcome, no special skills needed! Lots of fresh air and a nice chance to meet local people. We meet once a month on a Saturday morning near the shed in the middle of the Gardens.
Crouch End Open Space (CREOS) Volunteering Day - EXTRA SESSION!
Sunday 26th January, 11am - 1pm, Hanley Tennis Club Car Park, Greenways
An additional trip to CREOS this year for a woodland regeneration- loads of smashing forest path building has been planned! Lots of lifting and shifting- a classic Goodgym task!
https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/crouch-end-open-space-creos-new-path-making-project
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Penn Road Gardens - January Volunteer Day
Sunday 26th January, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens
Every last Sunday of the month, the residents of Penn Road invite keen volunteers to help with maintaining this lovely community spot just off Holloway Road.
Green Guardians Spring Sessions
The Garden Classroom, Newington Green
Wednesday 22nd January
Wednesday 29th January
Wednesday 5th February
Wednesday 12th February
Saturday 22nd February
Wednesday 26th February
Next session:
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Market Road Gardens
Tuesday 4th February
Tuesday 11th February
Tuesday 25th February
Next Session:
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Saint John's Garden: Building a Dead Hedge and Garden Maintenance
Saturday 22nd February, 11am - midday, St John's Garden
Friends of St John's Garden community group would LOVE Goodgym's help to build and maintain their dead hedges and as an optional lighter task help sweep the garden paths.
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Met League Cross Country Series- Goodgym Race Team
Various locations, October 2024 - February 2025
Met League Cross Country is a set of five 7-8km races organised by London race clubs. They are held in parks and forests around London with the routes including a mixture of grass, gravel and a fair bit of mud (it is XC after all!)
Sign up to the Goodgym Race Team for £15, and enter ALL 5 RACES for the bargain price of £20!
Newbies encouraged and welcomed- the most fun you can have running over the Winter months!
Fixtures
8th February Trent Park https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-met-league-cross-country-trent-park
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Islington
Gardening and clear up near Sunnyside Community Gardens
