Our final Big Monday Night Task of the year saw us heading back to Limehouse to help Kamal with the hub makeover.

Why were we here?

Tower Hamlets Community Transport hub is based in Limehouse. A small charity set up to provide transport to voluntary and community groups in Tower Hamlets, this venue is now also home to Ocean Youth Connexions, a local charity providing a range of youth and community activities since 2002.

Tonight we were here to help Kamal of Ocean Youth Connexions continue the makeover of the community hub, to help get it ready for a wide range of activities in the coming months.

Our task list was a well-prepared range of outdoor gardening activities including: pruning trees, curbing ivy, clearing (a lot of) leaves - and bagging and moving the lot.

Divided into multiple teams with a big variety of tools, the back yard was soon a hive of activity with Kamal regularly appearing to rotate teams out of one task and into another and offer instructions on best locations for depositing the debris.

At just after 8, as St Anne’s clock chimed 8, we started the wrap-up effort: hauling the final bags over to the circular paving ready for collection; gathering the last of the secateurs, agonising over the pun (thanks to the brilliant Pun Posse Lucinda, Ilana and Kitty as usual for tonight’s fab offering) and then finally posing for that all-important group pic.

And Kamal was in touch a short while ago to say,

“A big thank you to GoodGym: their work was brilliant last night. We’re slowly getting there in achieving a good clean.”*

What a great end to the year.

Until next time.

5 Goodgymers made their way to the gardens of St Margaret's House on a clear November evening. Emily (Operations Manager) and John (Head Gardener) helpfully directed us to the tasks that needed doing, primarily giving the ivy bushes a haircut and loose leaf gathering.

Shout out to Jo who was the the first goodgymer on the scene and promptly got to shearing the ivy after a consultation and shampoo (or so I can only assume - I wasn't there).

John arrived stealthily and joined Jo on the job, which was at the very least a two-hander given that it had been a while since the ivy's last trip to the salon.

Soon enough, the darkness drew in (thanks to daylight saving) but it wasn't all doom and gloom - Ilana and Kareem arrived and happily got involved in the ivy/leaf sweeping business.

By the end of the session, the ivy bush was looking very sharp indeed, just in time for the weekend.

In the backdrop of the majestic mulberry tree (which keeps the leaf sweeping trade booming by raining leaves every time the wind sighs) we finished the task by taking a customary group photo.

Before leaving the premises we popped into the chapel which was holding a dazzling exhibition of film noir-inspired block prints, painted ceramic tiles and pots.

Aga, Michelle, and Kareem had a fantastic time helping the Felix Project, a charity dedicated to rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste. The Goodgymers gathered with other volunteers to fill the pallets with trays and boxes of various nutritious food products, from fresh fruits and vegetables to baked goods, ready to be redistributed to local charities and community organisations. The task was not only fun but surprisingly easy to complete—everyone worked together seamlessly, and it was heartwarming to see so many people dedicated to helping out. Knowing that our efforts contribute to supporting those in need in our community made the experience even more rewarding.

Writes Emma,

"On a rather muggy Monday evening, a determined group of GoodGymers gathered at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park ready to tackle a task that was nothing short of monumental: raking the cut grass from the meadow site near the Soanes Centre.

Ken from the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (an independent charity) kicked things off with a quick intro, sharing the park's vital role as an urban sanctuary for both nature lovers and local residents.

But this wasn’t just your average raking session. We were on a mission to create the ideal conditions for a wildflower meadow to thrive - working like ‘a swarm of locusts’ to clear the cut grass (as enthusiastic and methodical, but with better vibes).

Armed with rakes, wheelbarrows and a can-do attitude, we set to work. It was a lively, albeit dark, scene - grass flying, barrows wheeling and everyone chipping in to create a landscape where wildflowers can flourish.

Each sweep of the rake felt like an effective addition to a workout.

By the end of the hour, we were tired but satisfied by the HUGE mound of raked grass we had created. I would say that the meadow looked fantastic, but to be honest, we couldn’t really see it. We’ll take Ken’s word for it.

The night wrapped up with a big thank you from Ken, and a reminder of our celebration on Thursday for our work with Larry at the Yurt Cafe for the Foundation of St Katherine.

A huge thank you to the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park for leading the charge. And to the fantastic GoodGymers, as always.

Here’s to more meadow missions and green adventures in the autumn months ahead."