Over to Hackney Adventure Playground, been a while since I said that. A huge hearty welcome to Alice for her first session in Newham, slotting seamlessly into the task, hope you enjoyed it. Our old pal Chris is back in Stratford too, after a few years away it was great to have the man back. We broached the topic of guilt once more, this time in a musical sense. Whilst some of you claimed to have no guilt re music, you understood the assignment nonetheless; Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, S-Club 7, Lil Wayne, Peter Andre and Dolly Parton all providing us some auditory pleasure, but at what social cost?!

Rambling over we jooged through the QEOP and down the canal towards the playground and a well overdue reunion with Ange. She explained how Sport England money is supposed to be paying for a new ground, ten years in the making. Our job was to clear some materials Ange had hoarded for future use (makes you rethink how bad it is keeping that sentimental mug ). Namely these huge wooden poles and fire doors, these things had serious mass, we needed the full GoodGym gun-show yesterday to make it happen. There's no doubt you've made a very useful difference to a marvelous local service, for that I salute you.

Next week we head to Park Village Oasis, sign up here. We're going to finish blitzing a tiny green area to prepare it for some fruit trees.

Till then,

B

Penultimate session of the widely loathed month of January, I'm personally not month-ist, but I get it. Those folks need a bit of a GG, eh? Last night's session a lovely midweek tonic as per norm.

With the return of Eujene and Dan's celebratory news, spirits were high. Due to a dearth of options (none) provided by me, we opened question ideas to the group, luckily we didn't discuss "best arondissement in Paris?", but " favourite French thing?" instead. Boulangerie, TGV, fomage, Call My Agent, baked camembert, cycle infrastructure and this week's winner: people saying DONK.

Short hop over to Get Out, upon arrival we realised we had no idea what to do, after some frantic messages with Kieran, we came to a loose understanding of what to weed-out and what to shovel-in. Stephen told me a solid joke about bins, he'll entertain you too if you ask, I suggest you do. As sessions go, it was a light-weight on the running and also the actual work on-site. However the chat was of a high-quality and the post run snacks were classy french nibbles, so there's that.

Next week we're at Emanuel Church, making sandwiches and clearing a room out. Sign up here.

Till then,

B

Bone biting winds swept across London, part of a lovely cold-snap we're in, seemingly undeterred were the other seven goodgymmers that rolled up last night.

The ones who met at base discussed their upcoming training goals; Landmarks Half Marathon for Rebecca, Ian committing to regular runs through weekly Wednesday goodness, Hils aiming for Manchester Marathon and lastly me, looking to run a fast(er) Parkrun with the buggy.

Catherine and Suze lined up a few jobs for us at The Up Garden, namely deconstructing/destroying rubbish and re-jigging the material heap area and bringing in fences. Karate kicks and hammer blows rained down on an unsuspecting pallet, it held its ground but only for so long, goodbye worthy foe. Shelves and chairs were pulled and ripped apart too, in an inadvertent course of midweek therapy.

Glucose levels were topped up by King Kev's offerings of cake, Crunchy/Mini Rolls/Soreen all there for us athletes to re-fuel on. A mighty seven years for Kevin, he's quietly helped transformed tens of projects with a relaxed competence, jovial spirit and a lethal consistency. We doff our caps - and say thank you.

Next week we head to Cody Dock to help with an event set-up, sign up here , let's keep the good momentum rolling people.

Till next week,

B

Brisk fresh air marking the middle of November, four of us met at The Printhouse, discussed the task ahead, the ongoings last week and this week's Random Weekly Question: "who's your most played artist?" Radiohead, Maria Callas, Taylor Swift, Jamiroquai and Stephen Isserlis (googled 'best cellist' and found him).

We strode down to The Up Garden, with one mad fan joining us along the way, discussing hospital visits with kids, the vocal range of welsh people, the new UCL building and more. New joiner Sybil heroically caught up with us, after just missing us leave. Kev and Dan further bolstered our output. A simple trough decanting session, we shoveled and dug, removing the soil, then tipped it over and finished the job. A few other small tasks to finish; shifting breeze blocks and moving a table. A somewhat low-key session for the Up Garden, but that's no bad thing.

Really great to have some new faces, hope Sybil and Rebecca enjoyed their shift. Next up we have a brand spanking new session at Park Village Oasis. Just getting the details to set it up, will share on the whatsapp group.

Have a good one peeps.

Till next week,

B

Double digits out to help Plaistow Primary, and celebrate Stephen's birthday. "Contradictions you regularly make" was our weekly discussion; and we roughly stuck to the brief: Two flat-mates, one an XR trooper, the other a Government Energy Department employee - keen to hear that one unfold. Eating things you know aren't healthy, or specifically munching a family bag of choccies and washing it down with a diet coke. Having a deep concern for the environment but blazing the heating, leaving the lights on and the fridge door open, who in hell is this buffoon? Desperate to delegate tasks but hate relinquishing control, because, let's be honest, you do it best. Fuscia is your favourite colour but in practice you have wear/own nothing in said hue. Wanting to go on a pub crawl of all the grimy and uninviting looking local boozers. Being a teacher, and basically everything you say. Oh, and saying "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.....NO".

With a nascent Storm Agnes wafting sewer plant aromas along The Greenway, we shuffled on and chewed the weekly fat. Extra firepower, in the form of Dan and Rosa, met us at the school. Rosie gave us the instructions, a simple dig-out and dig-in job for the edible garden. The moon beamed magnificently above between blowing cloaks of cloud...and the team, well, they got the job done. With some folks opting to stand imperiously on the bed, others went more conventional. I knicked Brads fork, and his spade. Connie got a decent herb haul for her dehydrator (need to google this). Apple cake was devoured post task, at the school, a rather fitting and refined ending to a great sesh. With the wind in our sails and a tonne of glucose in our veins we shot back to base. Thanks one and all.

Next week it's oddly enough another school, our old regular, Manorfield Primary School. Sign up here for the old times! It's another lovely canal run - you shan't be disappointed.

There's a load of great community missions happening this weekend, including a Sat Parkrun too. Check the listings, or ask in the whatsapp group, but lot's of options this weekend peeps. Have a good one, whatever you do.

Till next week,

B

Washout forecasts didn't deter some community action, socialising and jogging yesterday. In fact, statistically speaking, it seems to have encouraged it. You guys are nuts, and I for one love it.

The institution of the RWQ lives on, it went something like this: "there's a worldwide pasta shortage and hence a ration, you're allocated one pasta type forever, and a requisite sauce of your selection, what do you pick?" Endless pastabilities, eh? Rigatoni alla Norma, Arrabiata w/ mozzarella and bacon, Penne and Pesto and Rigationi Amatriciana were some good early answers. We also had some outside the box thinkers, who tried to cheat the system carefully in order to be fully prepared for this rather unlikely hypothetical scenario; "Fusili because it can be used in a salad", "lasagna so the sheets can be used to prepare other pastas". But my favourite: "Rigatoni, tuna AND chicken, so I can pick out one of the proteins to suit my appetite".

We jogged north through the rain, discussions ranged from rowing back on green policies, cycling into a headwind and travelling to the North East Coast. Perfect work for the weather awaited us, hard physical labour, to be more precise: shovelling stuff into bags. We had Team Soil and Team Sand. Both clearing tonne bags into smaller black bags. The time flew by, I'm not sure exactly how many bags we filled, but probably a cumulative forty plus, we definitely made a dent in those bags. Bravo squad.

I've just a received a message from Su, saying how super appreciative they are. I'd reiterate that, but especially for grafting through nonstop rain.

Next week we head to Rosie's place of work, Plaistow Primary. We're going to be back on the tools, digging around the edible garden and filling up beds. It's going to be glorious. Get stuck in, sign up here

Till then,

B