When I was a child I think I was middle-aged.

Other children liked Pokemon - or Power Rangers - or other popular past times like playing.

Not for me - I knew what I liked - and what I liked was the 8pm-9pm slot on Monday nights on BBC One: Ground Force and Changing Rooms.

And last night - thanks to the frost-beating efforts of this wonderful group - I felt like my childhood friends (Alan Titchmarsh and Carol Smillie) were present in shaping our very own garden makeover at Cecil Sharp House!

Seven of us - Alex, Gosia, Jackie, John, Rose, and Steve (and me) - met in the King's Cross buzz and we became the only group (of adults) in London to be outside playing Simon Says whilst icicles formed.

Taking our smiles (like Carol Smillie) with us, we started our journey up and through Camden, meeting Emilie early en route!

Arriving at Cecil Sharp House, we met Natalia and Yumei, both of whom were on their first day of GoodGym good-deeding - a huge welcome, both!!

And then our makeover started. I am not certain how it happened. All I do know is that I turned round to find my gardening gloves and a million scattered leaves had already been placed into a neat pile.

It genuinely was miraculous - the lawn and paths were a sea of fallen leaves... and then they were grass and paving again - it could even have been a spring night :)

Thank you, everyone, for your work, time, and fun - it was great to see you!

Here's to next time!

It'll take half an hour...

40 minutes tops...

Through Regent's Park - over St John's Wood - we'll be there before you know it!

It really isn't far!!

These were all things I said. Last night as we started. I can see the faces of our wonderful group - Happy! Not tired! Full of energy!!

I regret it all now, of course. I can barely write this report. As I remember how our 'longer' run took us through the sunset... and well into the night 😳

And yet... our brilliant group - Emilie, Emily (on their first good deed - welcome!!), Jackie, John, Steph, and Steve - shared stories, caught up, and got to know one another - they brought an enviable energy to Camden's streets yesterday, and they arrived still ready to make a difference at West Hampstead's Sherriff Centre!

Settled in a quite magnificent church, the Sherriff Centre is a hub for the community. Nursery - post office - cafe - live music - community gatherings. It is a special use of space, and we were there to make their pathways more accessible and inviting.

Grabbing pickers and torches, we filled 3 refuse sacks in 20 minutes, bagging bottles, cans, wrappers, and more. With 7 folks working happily together, it's amazing what you can achieve.

Thanks so much, everyone - for your work - and for humoring my optimistic running routes!

See you next time!

(P.S. We talked a lot about geese last night... and they appear in one of our photos!!)

I left our evening on Wednesday feeling happy, until my mind and memory kicked in, and I realised... I hadn't taken any photos!

Too wrapped up in seeing our wonderful group of Emilie, Jackie, John, Sarah, and Steve, I neglected my duties as chief photographer and documenter.

I promise, as an oath and with my hand held above GoodGym's charitable constitution, that... this good-deeding really did happen!

Across nearly an hour, this awesome group scoured the streets just to the east of Kentish Town Station, spreading the word for GoodGym and Camden FoodCycle, which organises a very special community meal every Tuesday in Somers Town.

Caught in a descending sun and a late August warmth, our steady hour of posting, chatting, and walking was a mid-week touch of bliss.

Thanks, everyone, and see you soon!