Running to do good
Forget the treadmill - these people are using their energy to do good deeds instead and have turned volunteering into a workout
What if all the energy used at the gym was directed towards helping others, rather than lifting useless weights and running nowhere on a treadmill? That thought struck Ivo Gormley 10 years ago. So instead of running on a treadmill, he started running to see an elderly person twice a week. A few friends liked his idea, and the Good Gym was born.
Today, you can find the organisation in more than 50 areas across the UK. It combines fitness with volunteering. One of its activities involves younger members running to visit older people - both groups can be at risk of feeling lonely and isolated, particularly in big cities. People are also invited to work on community projects - a group runs to the job together, helps out, then runs back. It has been particularly successful at attracting women who tend to exercise less than men.
Reporter: Dina Newman
(Photo credit: Good Gym)
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Broadcasts
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 03:06GMT麻豆社 World Service Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 04:06GMT麻豆社 World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 06:06GMT麻豆社 World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & South Asia only
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 07:06GMT麻豆社 World Service East and Southern Africa & East Asia only
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 14:06GMT麻豆社 World Service Australasia
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 15:06GMT麻豆社 World Service except Australasia, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 20:06GMT麻豆社 World Service Australasia & Europe and the Middle East only
- Tue 21 Jan 2020 21:06GMT麻豆社 World Service News Internet & East Asia only
- Sun 26 Jan 2020 12:06GMT麻豆社 World Service East and Southern Africa, Americas and the Caribbean, News Internet & West and Central Africa only
- Mon 27 Jan 2020 00:06GMT麻豆社 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
People fixing the world on YouTube
Watch stories of people changing their world on the World Service English YouTube channel