We gathered in dribs and drabs, some delayed by work and others having joined a group run from the Town Hall Hotel. It wasn’t our last Monday task before Christmas, but there was much talk of exciting festive trips to warmer places as distant as Australia and India, before we instead spread out to various parts of the Parkview estate

There were chairs to be sanded and painted; Anna, Rohan and Jo displaying their artistic talents in adding shades of brown or a kind of light green (not really lime – we were wondering what whimsical description a paint shop would give it)

Mile-End-Emma waved to us from the other side of the street, then decided she might as well cross the road and join in - after all, it was her 75th Good Deed! She bundled tree branches into a wheelbarrow and over to the bin, branches which myself, Ilana and Nia had cut back so people might perhaps be able to notice what’s on the notice board

The three of them then went to pull nails out of some old wood, so it could be recycled for carpentry and shelves in the glasshouse. Meanwhile, Bethnal-Green-Emma seemed to be graffitiing a perforated fence, but closer inspection revealed she was actually doing a great job of removing an unsightly tag from the barrier

Somehow we all re-convened for the group picture - deciding this time it might be a better idea this time to take the photo in a lit-up area...

We were back at Hollybush Estate on Monday night, joining Margaret and Ash to shift the mulch we laid down several months ago, now rotted and ready to nourish a fresh round of bedding plants.

We were also joined by Michael from the Hollybush team, who came armed with a surprise for later in the evening. And a big welcome to @Dan Baker, newly arrived from Liverpool but already well at home with GoodGym thanks to his TaskForce experience. Thanks for the extra pair of hands, Dan! We also had a furry visitor, Missy the Beagle brought by Emma, perfect for the role of GoodGym mascot I must say!

With so many willing volunteers, the mulch was swiftly cleared and replaced with fresh material, leaving us plenty of time for the real highlight of the night: celebrating Margaret’s 70th birthday. Sparklers were lit and a caterpillar cake (expertly sourced by Lucinda) presented.

Margaret has been a constant, warm presence at Hollybush Estate for years. Anyone who’s volunteered here will know her trademark “How are you, darling?” and her tireless commitment to the gardens and community. GoodGym Tower Hamlets and Hollybush itself wouldn’t be the same without her.

If darkness hadn't quite fallen by the time we arrived at Sivill House, it was certainly teetering over the edge. There was some illumination from the estate lights, and people brought head torches, but our main concern was the effect of the gloomy conditions on those all-important task photos!

Task owner and GoodGymer Ed directed us to a very large pile of woodchip which had been donated to Columbia TRA. It was happily sitting in the car park, but it really needed to be in the gardens, the other side of the estate. It didn’t look too large a pile, until we realised how far back it went…

Still, we had five wheelbarrows, plenty of shovels and bags, and most importantly a 17-strong squad of GoodGymers. It felt like a real workout as we persuaded the reluctant woodchip to separate from the security of its pile, to a new life – mulching! This technique suppresses weeds, conserves soil moisture, insulates plant roots and improves soil health and fertility. Yes, we’ve enabled all those things!

A special welcome to newcomers Angelique and Ryan, who really threw themselves into the task. Hope to see you back soon! And thanks to Fiona who took some good photos after all!

Despite the darkness, the night was still young as we headed off, with a suggestion that one of the task owners had invited us to the pub. We didn’t know where we were supposed to go, so after wandering around for a bit, four of us headed for the Royal Oak to congratulate ourselves on all our good work