If your new year’s resolution is to keep fit or volunteer to help others, then there is a website you could use to get inspired to do either of those things – or both.
You might find what you are looking for on Bubble, the council’s website for community-led projects, funding opportunities and volunteering. See how you can maintain your fitness motivation and help your community at the same time.
NEW RUN IN THE PARK
Starting on Sunday, 2 April, a new 2km junior ‘Parkrun’ for children will take place in Acton Park. The free, timed run is open to all children aged between four and 14 years old – from complete beginners to regular runners. The aim is to have fun and be sociable. Parents and guardians can also run with their children.
It will become one of four Parkruns around the borough, which already include a junior run at Pitshanger Park and two adult 5km runs that take place on Saturdays at Northala Fields and Gunnersbury Park. Both adult events regularly attract more than 300 runners.
Clare Walker, a keen runner, and her sister Andrea, both local residents for more than
20 years, organise the Acton junior event. Clare said: “After a run, we will meet in the park coffee shop to share stories and make friends. Parkruns are organised by volunteers and we are keen to build up a network. There is a variety of roles, from marshals to time keepers, funnel manager to barcode scanners and many more.”
DOING GOOD WITH GOODGYM
GoodGym is a community of runners that combine exercise with helping local communities. As part of their group runs, members support isolated older people and undertake manual tasks. They run there, fix a problem, and run back again.
Since starting in August last year, Ealing ‘goodgymmers’ have visited a variety of venues as part of their weekly runs, including painting inside sheltered housing accommodation, moving steelpan drums at a parish church and creating artwork in Hanwell Community Centre.
Ealing Goodgym member, Lisa Rattray, said: “Goodgym is all about doing good while getting fit and also having fun. It is amazing seeing how fast a group of us can help out a community organisation, be it by painting a room, mulching a chicken coop or helping at an edible garden. It is a great feeling knowing that we are helping out vulnerable people and making whatever small difference we can to the local community. Everyone is welcome, so get involved.”
