The Energy Garden team asked if we could lend a hand checking up on the planters on the South Woodford tube platform.

So this evening the gang welcomed the lovely Pauline for her first group run and made our way from our little base down to the station, where Sharon was waiting with cuttings to add to the planters.

James joined Pauline & Sharon in looking after the planters and finding space for the new cuttings, while Linda was filling watering cans which got expertly emptied by Jenny and her two charming assistants.

Many hands make light work, let alone when there is Goodgym energy involved, so soon enough all the planters were watered and all the cuttings planted - time to make our way back to base after a job well done!

Val and James got there by bike, and managed to go along the same route, a nice ride along. Jenny who lives close by came a bit later and Sharon came a little after that.

We met with the Energy Garden people, and made sure we were aware if any future developments with being added to their whatsapp group.

We finally got to work, the jobs were watering, trimming, and seed planting. We all got some work to do, and it turns out it was quite a quick job, done in 35 minutes.

Sharon and Jenny took the seed plants home with them, hopefully future plants that can grow and thrive.

Three intrepid Goodgymmers braved the heat and made their way to South Woodford tube station to help Energy Garden by watering the platform garden GG Redbridge members helped build last summer.

Instructions were simple, ask the station staff to open the door & grab watering cans & hi-vis, tap right there.

However, no matter how simple the instructions, if there is no staff to be found to open the door, then what can we do? Both platforms were explored, no staff found, no lights on in the staff area that we could see...

Also, no direct number for the local branch of Energy Garden, so there was no other option than to call it a day. A little chat with the lovely Adrian and the always smiling Linda and off we went, wondering how we can fix this asap.

We will be back!

Notwithstanding the heat, today some of GG Redbridge finest joined a group of locals and a team from Energy Garden UK this morning to set to work on decorating the eastbound platform of South Woodford tube station with some planters... and ofcourse plants!

Our friends from FRP made the panels for the planters from reclaimed scaffolding planks and dropped them off, so after a welcome from Rhys of the Energy team, our first job was putting them together - one big planter and two smaller ones. Then some pond liner was fixed to the inside, to protect the wood from the damp soil. Note - there might be some powertools visible in pictures, but all were handled by professionals, honestly! With Linda & John sorting our the second planter with some liner, Ed (Linda's husband - possible new recruit as mission specialist??), Ali (Energy team) & myself started filling up the big planter now on the platform, first with some gravelly stuff for drainage, followed by topsoil for planting, wheelbarrow load after wheelbarrow load - total of 2.5ton was shifted today by all involved, with Ed probably taking the biggest amount. Not unexpectedly there were a few energetic young feet about happy to be jumping up & down in the planters to compact the soil before planting & watering them... although the planting got their full attention, so Linda & Cat (from the Energy team) took care of the last stamping session.

Planting done, a quick sweep up and tidy away the tools & bits followed before it was time to head home, hot & tired but happy at a job well done!

Lots of thanks to Rhys, Cat & Ali from the Energy Garden team to organise everything, see you again at another project perhaps?