Mr T had the snooker on when I arrived, so we had a good chat about the runners and riders and the fact that it was the more "experienced" players who seemed to be doing all the winning and the entertaining at the moment on the green baize. Again it felt strangely quiet downstairs today, so it proved a quick and largely painless trip to Tesco (for a loaf, but no own brand soup) and Lidl (for everything else bar the jar of Nescafe).

When I got back we quickly got to discussing trade unions, neighbours and the ins and out of how dangerous it was operating printing presses before the introduction of automation...yet another school day across so many different subjects!

There's a distinct odour to gardening in April...

...some people call it mulching...

...others call it preparing the soil...

...but that's not what it smells like...!!

This lovely group - of Andy, Helen, Steve, and Tom - got the full farmyard experience on Tuesday!

Working in the twilight-lit Listening Space Garden (which is gorgeous) in Kentish Town, this group worked with the lovely Jo and Sarah to give the flower and tree beds what they wanted...

..the heavy bags displayed words like mushroom mix and extra special mulch but they didn't smell like either of those things...

...as the bags were cut and poured, and as the 'mix' and 'mulch' was spread, a distinct aroma caught in the breeze...

...call it poop or muck or manure... it was unmistakably new for Camden!!

Thank you, everyone! Your work will give life and nourishment to this very special green space!!

Ten Lovely GoodGym Folk Made a Difference in Camden Town and We Celebrated Jack's Wonderful 50 Good Deeds!!

Truly hidden amidst the electric bustle of Camden Town is an apartment block...

...Camden passersby see the shops and notice the (beautiful) church, but most walk right by the alley that leads to Barnes House Estate...

...although that changed last night as 10 wonderful folk in red were welcomed in by the equally wonderful Dan and Anna!

Our special group - of Alex, Auriela, Emily, Imogen, Kathleen, Jack, John, Michael, and Steve - started by taking in the communal garden's quietness - outside Camden Town bustled, while inside things felt gentler 🧘

Across the next 45 minutes, these lovely people scraped weeds from paving slabs, pulled weeds from grassy patches, and swept weeds into tidy compost bags! The section that looked half-weed, ended looking fresh and cared for!

And last night was an extra special occasion: Jack works in GoodGym HQ and I've seen (and benefited from) his truly excellent work - his efforts make GoodGym what it is - thank you for that, Jack, and thank you for your 50 good deeds!!

Thank you, everyone, and here's to next time!!

Most of today's conversation with Mr T revolved around golf - a mutually favourite topic, and one that between us can cover a lot of eras and included Mr T's tales of meeting famous caddies of times long ago in various watering holes of Scotland...suffice to say both of us were pretty happy with the outcome of the the recent US Masters.

Of equally good news was that the Tesco opposite Lidl is now stocking Mr T's favourite beef burgers, so saving me a walk with trolley in tow down the length of Tottenham Court Road, and that it seemed eerily quiet for a Saturday afternoon in this part of town making this week's shop a brisk affair, so giving us more time to discuss the ins and outs of the challenges of pro golf...

This special group - Imogen, Jackie, John, Siobhan, and Steve - made a visible difference on this spring evening.

Hidden just south of Gospel Oak station, Lismore Circus Community Woods is a patch of wild green that's been cared for by local volunteers for nearly 30 years. Lush and unique, it's a spot of wild (and communal) sanctuary :)

Having been welcomed by Suza, our wonderful (community champion) host, we swiftly got going with our evening task.

A mature block of Pyracantha - which is often known as Firethorn - needed a gentle trim and tidy. Cue many secateurs trimming and chopping, amidst stories and laughter (and even friendly passersby complementing our good work!)

Thank you, everyone, for your time and energy - it was lovely to see you all - and you made a visible difference to this special community space :)

I had a lovely walk in the sunshine from Barbican to Bloomsbury and met the lovely Ms J who had a very detailed shopping list including a 6 pack of 1.5l bottles of water. While the rest of the shopping was fairly light carting the water back to her home and up 4 flights of stairs was exhausting (the lift wasn’t working). So by the time I got up to her flat I was definitely dropping. Me had a lovely chat about my rehearsals and concert that were bookending the task, and once I’d recovered a little I was in my way. Lovely task and hope to see her again some time.