Good Deeds At The Good Gym

Local runners keep fit while helping out in their community

A group of runners have discovered a winning combination of how to keep fit and give back to their local community

The group, members of a network called GoodGym keep fit by jogging to local organisations and elderly people to help out with all sorts of tasks.

One of its leaders, Anastasia says "We're a group of runners that meet every Wednesday at Chiswick Town Hall. We then run to local organisations to do jobs. For example, we've gone to places such as Ealing Rd Church to help sort donations for their food bank, local schools such as Strand on the Green and Hogarth School to do tasks such as painting and cleaning, Watermans to weed their outside areas and Abundance London to pick surplus fruit. We are happy to do any jobs that benefit the local community."

GoodGym was born out of a frustration with normal gyms being a waste of energy and human potential, and there being a real problem with loneliness and a need to support local communities.

They also do one-off 'missions' to older people who need a hand with jobs such as changing lightbulbs, moving furniture, or sorting gardens. There is a befriending service where runners can choose to be paired up with an older person who they run to visit regularly. The volunteers are put in touch with the elderly residents through community organisations. After the tasks are completed they do a fitness session, before heading back to the Town Hall by 20:30.

Chiswick now has a core group of 10-20 runners weekly and they have managed to do 464 good deeds. And they say they welcome new members all the time.

The GoodGym group in Hounslow borough started in late 2016, and the Council sponsors its first year of operation and after that they rely on donations.

February 8, 2018