Press Release - London Marathon - 12/29/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

          London Marathon supports GoodGym to get runners helping
                     their communities during 2016
 
As the year of the 35th race draws to a close, the London Marathon 
announced today that the organisation will fund the expansion of running 
community GoodGym to three new locations in London to make it easier than 
ever to combine getting fit and doing good.  
 
The grant of £50,000 from London Marathon Events Ltd will enable GoodGym to 
expand operations across London and support up to 5,000 runners to do good 
with their training over the next year. GoodGym runners run to provide 
support to isolated older people or to do manual labour for a wide range of 
community projects.
 
The funding enables GoodGym to launch new locations in Southwark, Lambeth 
and Greenwich. Sessions are open to all and GoodGym will organise special 
group runs for new runners throughout the month of January. All runs are 
free for participants and no registration is required.
 
Ivo Gormley, founder of GoodGym said: "This is going to be huge. The London 
Marathon is an extraordinary, mammoth event and it's brilliant that we have 
the support of the organisers to take GoodGym to the next level.    
 
"GoodGym is a really easy way to integrate doing something for your 
community into your exercise.  If you're already running then it might only 
take 15 minutes to change your route slightly and drop in to visit an
isolated older person. 
 
"Everyone wants to do a bit more exercise and everyone wants to get 
involved in the communities they live in. GoodGym means you can do both at 
the same time. If you've never really considered running before, or lack 
motivation, then the community that GoodGym provides and the different 
reason to run can be a really easy route in."
 
Hugh Brasher, Event Director for London Marathon Events, said: "We are very 
proud that our events have enabled participants to raise incredible amounts 
of money for a huge range of charities over the years but GoodGym is 
something different and probably the most innovative running club in the 
world. It's a different reason to lace up your shoes and one that benefits 
others as much as yourself."
 
Visit www.GoodGym.org to find out more.
 
About GoodGym
 
GoodGym is a fast-growing community of runners. Founded in 2009, its 
members combine good deeds such as manual labour for community 
organisations and visits to support isolated older people with their runs. 
 
GoodGym is recognised by leading thinktanks and the government as an 
important innovation. 
 
Now numbering more than 1300 members, it has expanded rapidly from its 
roots in Tower Hamlets to other London boroughs and beyond. It aims to 
launch in a further 20 cities in the UK in 2016.
 
GoodGym's team includes some of the best running coaches in the UK. 
 
GoodGym's administration team is a non-profit company and is registered 
with the charities commission.
 
Twitter: @GoodGym
Facebook: GoodGym
www.GoodGym.org 

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