A ground-breaking initiative that allows runners to get fit by doing physical tasks that benefit the community is being launched by GoodGym in Newham on Wednesday 1 October.
The scheme, which combines running and charitable deeds in the local community, will launch in partnership with Get Living London, the residential owner and rental management company behind the private rental accommodation at East Village and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Runners looking to participate should meet at the London Aquatics Centre on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, at 6.30pm on Wednesday 1 October. The run is open to everyone, of all ages and abilities and will take in the iconic venues of London 2012. GoodGym aims to bring people and communities together through sport, just as the Olympic and Paralympic Games did in 2012.
GoodGym channels the energy gained from exercise into social good by tasking runners to run in a pack to work on community projects or target isolation amongst older members of the community.
This is done by creating running routes which include a stop to visit people who may otherwise spend the day alone, or to participate in a community project. By replacing the treadmill with the great outdoors, runners are integrated into a volunteering program which allows them to maintain their fitness levels while bringing some joy into the lives of local community members. The first runners on 1 October will be heading to ViewTube to undertake some gardening, with future runs to include activity in East Village.
Get Living London is supporting GoodGym and offers a range of one to four bedroom homes to rent in East Village, the former London 2012 Athletes’ Village. Having recently welcomed its 1000th resident, the company aims to make renting in London a better experience and to meet the city’s growing demand for high quality rental accommodation. Catering to young professionals, couples and larger families, Get Living homes offer long-term tenancies and no agents or middlemen.
GoodGym was founded by Ivo Gormley in 2009 after he started to combine his weekly run with a visit to a housebound friend of the family and formed a special bond. It has already launched in a number of London Boroughs, Liverpool and Bristol and continues to expand to compete against the success of the typical gym.
Ivo Gormley, founder of GoodGym, commented, “Bringing GoodGym to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and wider Newham was an obvious step for us. We can bring our unique brand of fitness to the developing neighbourhood at East Village and have the joy of running past the iconic Olympic venues.”
Emma Frost, head of communities and business at London Legacy Development Corporation said: “I am very proud that we have supported the growth of GoodGym since the beginning as it brings people together to do good, connecting them with their local communities. This is what exactly what we’re aiming to do on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. I’ve been on GoodGym runs myself, they really are great fun and I’d encourage everyone to come down!”
Derek Gorman, chief executive of Get Living London, commented “We are delighted to be able to support this initiative which enables our residents, and the wider East Village community, to make the most of our unparalleled access to fitness facilities and simultaneously give something back to the community.”
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Further images of GoodGym runners in action are available on request
For media enquires please contact Charlie Smith, The Communication Group plc, +44 20 7630 1411 / [email protected]
About Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
London’s newest visitor destination, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, is a place unlike any other. Visitors to the Park are able to enjoy beautiful parklands and waterways, world-famous sporting venues, arts and events and spectacular views from the ArcelorMittal Orbit. As a new heart for east London, the Park will also provide new homes, jobs and a cultural and education quarter.
The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For more information visit QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk, follow us on Twitter @noordinarypark and like us on Facebookfacebook.com/QueenElizabethOlympicPark
Get Living London is a new residential owner and rental management company recently announced as Property Newcomer of the Year at the 2014 RESI awards. Get Living London is helping to create East Village – London’s newest neighbourhood which was recently announced as ‘Best New Place to Live’ at the London Planning Awards and recipient of the Mayor’s Award for Planning Excellence.
Prices start from £340 per week for a 1 bedroom apartment, £395 per week for a 2 bedroom apartment, £485 per week for a 3 bedroom apartment, and £590 per week for a 4 bedroom townhouse. Get Living London’s approach to not charging fees or hidden costs (which can cost renters up to £350) offers a good chance to make savings and all homes come with a range of other benefits including:
For more information, see homes currently available to rent in East Village.
