GYMTOPIA SERIES
RUNNING FOR A REASON Ray Algar reports on the GoodGym initiative, in which running is given a social purpose G
oodGym is a simply great concept powered by an insight that asks: ‘How do we make the act of running more
purposeful and socially useful?’ Instead of running in circles around a
park, a GoodGym runner embarks on a mission to do some good in their local community, either alone or as part of a group. Rather than run straight past that nursing home, why not stop and spend time with someone who’s craving companionship? Now the act of running is no longer a self-centred act but a generous and compassionate one. GoodGym runners can harness
their energy for all manner of social- and community-minded projects, helping them to “get fit by doing good”.
How the project started Back in 2008, Ivo Gormley, an enthusiastic amateur runner, was
Gymtopia – a place where clubs do social good Gymtopia was conceived by founder and chief engagement officer Ray Algar, who believes the global health and fitness industry has enormous influence and potential to do good in the world, beyond its immediate customers. The idea of Gymtopia is simple: to curate and spread remarkable stories in which the fitness industry uses its influence to reach out and support an external community in need. It was created with the generous support of five organisations: Companhia Athletica, Gantner Technologies, Les Mills, Retention Management and The Gym Group. Read more stories and submit your own:
www.Gymtopia.org
thinking about how to encourage more people to volunteer a small fraction of their time to help an elderly or vulnerable member of a local community. He wondered how volunteering could be made easier to integrate into someone’s already busy life. So he posed the question: ‘How
can the physical activity a person is already doing be channelled into doing social good?’ It flipped the idea of running to serve ourselves into running to serve others.
Making a run more purposeful The simple idea was to connect a person’s run with a visit to an elderly member of the community, offering companionship as well as bringing them a small gift (£1 or less), such as a newspaper or a treat from the local bakery. The home visit is not long, ranging from 10 minutes to an hour. Duration is not the important
measure here – it’s the personal connection that helps break the long periods many elderly members of our communities spend alone and isolated. It sends a powerful message that the community cares about all its residents, not just the active and visible ones.
Becoming a GoodGym member Runners of all abilities register on the GoodGym website and select one of three cities where the project currently operates as at June 2014 – London, Bristol and Liverpool. Members need to be aged over 18 and go through a criminal record check due to contact with vulnerable adults. GoodGym works with the NHS,
Time for a cuppa: GoodGymmers can break the loneliness of a pensioner’s day 56 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
charities and local community centres to match runners to a housebound elderly person who would like a
July 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
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