Kevin and I ran to the Adventure Playground via the Olympic Park.

Tim had walked from Stratford via the River Lea

Hilary was leading the running from the Print House.

Ange met us at the gate,she had a very busy day with over 100 children having spent time enjoying all the playground has to offer.The have a trip on a canal barge coming up which sounds like great fun.

Tonights task was to restack a pile of wood as it had been left with nails sticking out and quite precarious.

Some of the small pieces will be uses for the fire pit and pizza oven.

Wood restacked we went to have a look at the tadpoles in the newly built pond. The pond is part of a project to have a pathway of small ponds along the Lea Valley to increase amphibians.

We said our goodbyes and headed home.

Next week we are heading to see Sybil at Emmanuel Church

Last night, GoodGym Newham took on another epic task—this time at Hackney Marshes Adventure Playground, where we helped dig out soil to create an access area for some new planters (at least, we think so… it was a bit dark to be sure!).

Most of us enjoyed a scenic run up the River Lea, while Martin met us there, ready to get stuck in. As we shoveled away, we were treated to some Whitney Houston belters, which naturally led to a chat about our favourite karaoke songs.

Among the classics mentioned*:

• I Wanna Dance With Somebody
• I Believe in a Thing Called Love
• Daydream Believer
• Smooth Operator
• Wannabe
• And the intriguing choice of "Anything Instrumental"...

A huge well done to everyone who took part! Next week, we’re back at Care4Calais—see you there for another feel-good mission! 💪🔥

*With apologies if I (very likely) mis-remembered any of these - more than happy to edit in the interests of accuracy!

Another chilly Monday night and another great-sized group of GoodGymers over in Limehouse!

Tonight we were back to the Community Transport base, where Ocean Youth Connexions lead Kamal is heading up the building makeover project.

A new base for the charity, the team are keen to open up facilities for workshops and room hire, and expand the options for community transport, to enable more opportunities for groups to get out and about.

We were greeted with another well planned list of activities. It was a delight to see the group grow one by one - and great to welcome the running group who'd made their way from the Town Hall Hotel, expertly led by Jacob!

As usual, teams spread out all over the site: one large team headed out to the car park area to begin the huge task of removing the last of the leaves and an enormous amount of soil; another to the container, to sugar-soup and then paint ready for the Spring. There was a team at the front of the building doing a cracking job of pruning a tall and wide overgrown bush, and preparing the railings for paint. The team at the top of the building made a start on the balcony railings, finishing the paint-prep scraping before grabbing the gloss and aiming for at least one coat.

It was all go.

As one task finished, another started. The team were unperturbed by the chilly temperature and a flat wheelbarrow tyre - on they went, until St Anne's chimed 8, and we started to think about calling it a night.

We started to wrap up at 8:10, and were back inside posing for our report pic at just after 8:15.

A few of us headed outside for a chatter, another pic, and a quick can of Athletic Brewing, before heading home, satisfied with another productive night.

Well done, everyone. Another lovely start to the week.

Until next time.

One by one the GoodGymers arrived at Rocky Park this evening, ready for a big lifting task.

We've been enjoying regular sessions with Margaret and Ash this year, on this particular project which has seen old planters demolished, new ones built and filled with new soil.

Margaret and Ash, on behalf of the Estate's TRA, support the Estate gardens, which, over the years has seen multiple sites transformed into allotments, orchards and play areas.

We've enjoyed sessions right through from the summer, with Task Force leading many weekend sessions, and throughout the Autumn too, which has seen us shovelling and wheeling in some pretty rainy conditions.

Tonight we were continuing with the emptying and relocating of tonne bags of soil in Rocky Park.

With a short briefing from Margaret, the team soon dispersed throughout the garden emptying large bags at a great pace. It was heavy work, but rewarding to see the bags speedily empty with a good bit of teamwork.

It was fun, it was fast- and it was fab to see some familiar faces. And as usual, the time flew.

As we approached 8pm, Margaret indicated which bags we were to finish up with, and then the team gathered shovels, rakes and brooms to load into wheelbarrows, ready to be packed away.

It seemed like no sooner had we arrived were we gathering for the final pic, before leaving several members in the capable hands of Chris and the Central team for some final GoodGym pics and soundbites.

A great evening's work, and particular shout-outs to Team Pun, headed up as usual by the legendary Lucinda and Ilana.

Next week, it's another big leaf clearance over at Cranbrook.

You snooze, you lose…

Until then.