A Coventry running group that combines fitness and community service has helped out Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire by transforming our garden.

GoodGym Coventry is a running project with a difference. Every week, volunteers from GoodGym put on their jogging gear to get fit and help others, running a few kilometres and completing a short task to benefit the community before running home again.

Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire provides a home and meaningful work for 18 people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion. Some stay for a while as they gain confidence and skills before they are ready to move on to independent living; others are in need of longer-term support and are able to stay for as long as they need to.

On Tuesday 4 June a group of nine volunteers ran more than 4km from Coventry city centre to our Emmaus accommodation in Binley. They then transformed large flowerbeds at the front of the property, clearing overgrown weeds and planting wildflower seeds, before running back to their starting point.

Speaking about the experience, Liz Pharoah from GoodGym Coventry said:
“We’re always on the lookout for local community projects to lend a hand to and so were pleased to find a way to help our local homelessness charity. When we first set out the heavens opened, but we ran on and were rewarded with sunshine on our arrival at Emmaus.

“The team gave us a warm welcome and it felt good to help improve the grounds of this accommodation for formerly homeless people.”

We really appreciate the work that the GoodGym volunteers did in such a short space of time. It means a lot that local people care enough to volunteer their time for our charity. The people who call Emmaus home have been homeless or at risk of homelessness, so the newly transformed garden area will be a nice welcome, especially when the colourful wildflowers start to appear.

To find out more about volunteering for Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire contact us on 02476 651094 or [email protected]

For more information about GoodGym visit www.goodgym.org/areas/coventry