A team of at least a dozen goodgymers (I lost count) came to help out the lovely Janet and Eileen at Cranbook Community Food Garden. Thanks to the clocks going forward we were treated to some actual daylight for the first time in ages. Shout-out to John for reminding me to take some photos to prove that we weren't slacking off in Laura's absence.

We split off into mini groups, each with a dedicated task. Some performed quality control checks on folding tables, keeping the good ones and retiring the rest. Others sorted out sheds at the back, clearing out any rubbish. Litter and leaves (oh the leaves) were were picked/raked/bagged up. Special mention goes to the new rake sourced by Janet which was red and white - a homage to our Goodgym colours perhaps? Or most probably, just a rake.

By the end of the task, the impact of a hard-working group of Goodgymers was clear with Eileen showing her appreciation by bestowing a bar of chocolate on us (thanks Eileen!)

We parted ways (without a stretch this time) having all enjoyed an evening in fine company.

Shout outs to:

• Vidur and Jason on their first Goodgym task. A very warm welcome to you both!
• Ilana on her 50th task. Congratulations!

Until next time...

A group of dedicated community GoodGymers gathered at the Cranbrook Community Centre this evening to help clear the borders of this well used garden of fallen leaves.

Our group of 10 slowly gathered inside and outside the centre, where we collected bin liners, gloves and rakes.

After saying hello to task owners Janet and Eileen, and welcoming first time GoodGymer, Liz, we divided into four teams, spread out over all four borders.

What’s with the leaves?

Good question, given the number of tasks that currently include leaves.

Fallen leaves may look attractive, but leaving too many on the ground can cause problems. Wet leaves can become slippery, and if left in too dense a layer, they can also block sunlight and air from reaching grass and plants beneath, affecting their growth. Decomposing leaves also create the perfect conditions for mould and unwanted pests.

By carefully clearing the borders and some of the grass areas, we’re helping to keep the garden both safe and healthy.

While the leaves were bagged up and carried away in multiple trips to the bin, the gathered sticks were put to good use. Rather than them meeting the same fate as the leaves, Ivo and Rohan set them aside in a quiet corner of the garden, where they’ll hopefully provide shelter for insects, and useful materials for birds building nests.

By the time the last bag of leaves, meanwhile, was taken to the bin, the evening chill appeared to have set in.

After our obligatory final pic, and a cheerio to Janet and Eileen, we rounded things off with a short stretching session, focusing on upper body stretches to help ease us into the week.

With the borders now looking a bit tidier, we headed home, pleased to have seen Janet and Eileen, cleared a bit of the garden and helped to support the wildlife that calls it home.

Next week, we’re back to the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, for another fun-filled evening with Ken.

Until then.

Another month, another leaf haul at Cranbrook Community Centre.

It seems like only yesterday we were at the Centre, tackling large piles of leaves in and around the hall to help clear the garden (and prevent leaves continually blowing in to this busy little community centre).

With a pretty punctual start, we were soon filling bin biners and bins with piles and piles of leaves.

With one rake down at just ten minutes in, it was obvious tonight was going to involve a lot of squats.

Meanwhile, a last minute breakaway task saw Louise and Fiona head to a couple of nearby blocks of flats to drop some posters promoting this Saturday’s Christmas party in the hall. A well-established tradition of the Centre, this is a true Christmassy affair complete with tree and food for all.

Team Leaflet then returned to help Team Leaf, who’d by now filled the large bin and were making their way through the roll of bin liners.

We called it a night shortly before 8, dropping a good sized stash of full bags around to the big bin area.

It was a productive evening, and although the leaves will no doubt reappear, this has still left the ground a lot clearer for now, leaving Janet and Eileen one less task to worry about as we head into the busy festive season.

We headed back into the hall to complete our evening with a top-to-toe stretch. Well done to the team for their input here!

Another lovely Monday evening in Tower Hamlets.

Until next time.

A still, crisp, Monday night saw a great-sized group of GoodGymers gathering at the Cranbrook Community Centre tonight to help clear a big build-up of leaves.

(Leaves collecting - and staying - on the ground isn’t great for the soil. The leaves also make their way into the centre continuously at this time of year, creating an endless sweeping task for the centre’s regular users).

With the annual AGM taking place tonight, it was a question of us gathering equipment, donning gloves, dividing bin bags and getting on with it.

With teams spread out over all four corners of the little garden, the GoodGymers wasted no time in raking, bagging and binning most of the leaves.

When the AGM finished, Janet headed out to inspect the garden, delighted at what she found.

With our task completed shortly before 8, we headed out to the Mace Street wall to finish with a little bit of flexibility work to get the week off to a splendid start.

As we strolled down the street, the team concluded that The Angel and Crown would be a good bet for this evening’s post-task pint. A cracking end to a lovely evening.

Until next time.

Writes John,

"Once you’ve been to Tower Hamlets GoodGym, you never really leave. Danya and Chris both reappeared after some time pursuing other interests, and even recently-unwell Fiona made an appearance, looking dazzling (or was it her reflective cycle jacket?).

Lucinda, Tom and Ilana, all newbies this year, soon became regular attenders, while stalwarts Martin and Rohan can always be depended on.

Meanwhile, Oliver forgot to mention that he recently completed FIFTY good deeds in little more than a year.

Well done Oliver!

The task at Cranbrook Community Centre, Bethnal Green, was a familiar one: removing leaves and dirt which had gathered between the big fence and the little fence. We split into several teams; some were equipped with cutters to trim back the leaves which were overshadowing public areas. I helped sweep up the resulting debris.

Laura had to dash off to one of her other numerous activities, and somehow we managed to wrap things up and take the final picture without her guidance.

And of course we’ll be back next week - and also on Thursday!.

Finally, look out for news of a November social. (It’ll be in November)".

A team of three headed from the Town Hall Hotel to the Cranbrook Community Centre this evening, running the leafier route of Sewardstone Road. On arrival at the Centre we became four as we spend the final few minutes before our task on a couple of body weight moves and plenty of stretches.

We started our task at 7-prompt.

It’s been a while since we visited Janet and Eileen at this well-used Centre and after a strong start to summer for both hedge growth and Community Centre parties, our little team were soon put to work.

Making our way along the pavement railings, we chopped hedges and shrubs back so that they no longer posted a health and safety issue, before heading around to the back garden to rescue discarded toys from over the fence. Add in a litter-pick and a bit of fencing TLC, and it was quite the varied task.

As 8pm approached the heavens opened.

With the finishing touches to the hedge makeover complete, the team scurried underneath the Centre roof, waiting patiently for me to miscount choppers and loppers.

A lovely evening’s task – well done everyone. And a great big GoodGym shout-out to Carol for her spectacular first Monday night task.

Next week, we head to the Royal London Hospital, to tackle many large weeds in front of A&E.

Until then.