It was a beautiful evening for a good-sized group of GoodGymers to join Margaret and Ash on the Hollybush Estate last night.

We were once again working in Rocky Park, on the continuation of the overhaul of the community growing site.

(Only recently the Rocky Park Urban Growers were winners of the Tower Hamlets in Bloom award - see trophy in group pic).

Marvelling at how much Margaret and Ash have achieved in the short time since our last visit, we were soon dispatched to four sites across the small area to shovel soil before depositing into newly constructed planters.

Working in small groups of 2 and 3, it was an active, productive and very sociable hour.

After posing for the final picture complete with trophy, we gathered to celebrate Ilana’s birthday with John's phenomenal cake, and Lucinda's mysterious candles, before heading to the pub to continue the celebrations.

We return to Hollybush at the start of June for a Friday night special!

A good-sized group of GoodGymers braved the prospect of a (second) downpour last night to head to our task in Limehouse.

This was our first time with lovely lighter evenings at the home of Ocean Youth Connexions and Tower Hamlets Community Transport in Limehouse.

Arriving one by one, GoodGymers caught up with the latest news as task owner Kamal prepared equipment and allocated members to tasks.

We were divided into various teams to tackle tonight’s list of jobs, which included:

• Tidying and pruning at the front of the building

• Relocating ballast and cement bags against the church wall (the heavy lifting task)

• Litter-picking around the yard; removing weeds from along the walls.

• Removing ivy from behind the buses.

It was an industrious time, with one task finishing and another starting continuously over the hour.

This has been a rewarding project to be a part of over the last nine months or so. With Ocean Youth Connexions needing to find a new home last summer and Tower Hamlets Community Transport welcoming a revival of their premises, the transformation of the yard, meetings rooms and downstairs workroom seems to have taken shape in no time.

After clearing the yard and making those last couple of trips to the bins, we posed for the all-important final pic.

Big shout-outs to Lucinda for another perfect pun and to Najwa who joined for her first GoodGym session!

Have a great week everyone – look forward to seeing you next week at Hollybush Gardens.

The gorgeous Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park covers 27 acres and is home to a wide range of wildlife and plants.

Volunteers offer support to Park Manager Ken and his team to help manage the site, including the maintenance of its many pathways.

16 GoodGymers gathered this evening to help remove cow parsley from one of the pathways.

We welcomed Jasand Carina to their first Monday night task before Ken greeted us with a short briefing, tonight's pun and some good guidance on the task ahead...

Why cow parsley?

Cow parsley can spread rapidly and dominate open spaces, overshadowing smaller plants. Managing its spread helps keep a balanced and varied landscape.

The team spent a productive hour in the overgrowth, performing many squats to carefully uproot the stems, and taking it in turns to wheel loads around the corner to the green waste pile, before hurling armfuls of greenery onto this great big green mountain.

By the end of the evening, pathway clearings were more visible (see Emma’s before and after pics) showing immediate results of tonight’s effort.

It was gone 8 when we gathered gloves, forks and wheelbarrows and headed to the nearest bench for our final group pic! Ambling back through the park, we concluded it was something of a relief to enjoy a task in the daylight, complete with warm sun.

Until next time.

On a bright April Monday evening, a group of 15 GoodGymers gathered at the Rocky Park community garden nestled in the heart of Hollybush Gardens.

Led by Margaret and Ash—and enthusiastically supported by canine companions, Basil and Wicked—the team rolled up their sleeves for a productive session of digging, lifting, and laughing.

The garden is currently undergoing a transformation, with particular focus on the planters and borders – GoodGymers have been attending regularly to help progress the project.

We were divided into three teams to tackle different tasks: One group focused on turning and depositing soil into the compost bays (better than leg day, in my opinion). Another team tackled a sizeable planter, digging and turning the earth in preparation for new planting. Meanwhile, a third team worked with precision and care (I think), relocating dozens of newly potted donated trees and shrubs.

The pace was brisk, the company sublime and the tasks certainly gave some participants a solid Monday workout.

As we approached 8pm, tools were collected, wheelbarrows stacked, and the ideal group shot spot identified.

After perfecting the pic and making a quick final fuss of the dogs, Best Task Owner in the World, Margaret, presented the team with Easter eggs, accompanied by Lobo’s Milky Ways, ensuring the team’s glycogen stores were fully replenished for the journey home.

A splendid start to Easter!

Until next time.

The NATS RSM team gathered in Bethnal Green in the heart of East London today to help out on the Hollybush Estate for their first GoodGym session.

Gathering in pretty Rocky Park, we started the morning with a great intro from Margaret from the Teesdale and Hollybush TRA, who gave us some background on the garden project.

With outdoor space often limited and housing densely packed, shared gardens offer more than just greenery, offering residents a chance to feel connected to where they live.

Margaret and Ash from the estate’s gardening team have been working steadily to transform Rocky Park and the surrounding areas into a space that does just that, turning overlooked corners into bright, usable areas filled with trees, shrubs and garden features.

Many of the trees and plants potted on site today will also be shared with local community groups across the borough.

And so to the task

We initially split into three teams tackling different jobs across the area.

One group worked behind the rear fence, turning tough soil and then preparing an adjacent space for a new log garden. Another team took on the task of potting trees, carefully placing young specimens into pots, ready for delivery to local groups.

At the back of the site, a third team emptied the large compost bays, wheeling barrows of sticks and garden waste to the other side of the park.

Margaret and Ash coordinated the activities and kept spirits high with top refreshments including apples, fruit chews, Creme Eggs, tea, coffee, and juice…

There was nearly a fourth task - digging the ground for a new pond - but the soil turned out to be rock-solid, and the job was reluctantly left for another day.

Finishing with fitness

Having started the session with a warm-up stretch, we ended with a longer cool down, focusing on the muscles most affected by digging, lifting, and wheeling, including lats, pecs, shoulders, and legs.

It was a fantastic morning, summed up by a message from Margaret later in the day exclaiming, “The team were superstars!”
Agreed.

Until next time.