Stockport’s GoodGym running to help the community

Now operating in 58 areas of the UK, the Stockport GoodGym is supported by AgeUK and Stockport Council

A group of people from Stockport’s GoodGym are combining taking care of their own health & wellbeing with helping out local residents in our community. 

The GoodGym is an alternative to a conventional gym set-up where the group of runners keep fit by running to help out people in the communities, carrying out a helpful act before running back home!

So what exactly does GoodGym do?
They are a group of runners who keep fit by doing good in the following ways:
– Community Missions – run, walk or cycle to help community projects with practical tasks;
– Group Runs – running in groups to carry out physical tasks for community organisations
– Mission Runs – helping older people with various one-off tasks such as gardening /  changing a light bulb
– Coach Runs – the runners make visits to isolated people who they call their ‘coaches’ because they motivate then to keep going!

From hanging curtains for Mr H because he can’t manage it on his own, to shovelling a tonne of compost for the Food Growers Group so they can grow vegetables – every GoodGym run is different.

Originally conceived and established in  September 2009 in the London area, in Autumn 2010 the not-for-profit company – GoodGym – was part of the first iteration of Bethnal Green Ventures.

Now operating in 58 areas of the UK, the Stockport GoodGym is supported by AgeUK and Stockport Council and run by Sian Dobson Hughes who is Stockport’s area activator.  Sian supports the growth of GoodGym in Stockport, is passionate about fitness and community and is here to enable us to do more in Stockport.

So far GoodGym Stockport has carried out 841 good deeds, 93 coach runs and 4 missions! 
For more information and to become part a Stockport runner, contact Sian – sian@goodgym.org
or visit the website – https://www.goodgym.org/areas/stockport

And the reason for setting up GoodGyms?

“We think that gyms are a waste of energy. There are many neglected tasks and people in our communities that need that energy. We want to bring these things together.

“Something we’ve been working on a lot is loneliness and isolation amongst older people: over 1 million people aged 65 and over admit to always or often feeling lonely, and 17% of those living alone see family and friends less than once a week.

“As one person describes it: “With aging you lose a lot of friends. It’s really sad, and it does affect your quality of life. Loneliness is difficult to cope with.” – Joan Boulter, 87

“GoodGym makes a contribution to improving quality of life for older people. You can read stories about our runners and coaches here.”

Interested in joining the team? Email Sian – sian@goodgym.org