We split into two groups at Rocky Park tonight: Team Roots and Team Big-Pile-of-Earth.

Team Roots consisted of Kareem, sleeping-bag Anna, Ruby, Sam, Kat (welcome back Kat!), and Ilana (still denying she's banned from the George & Vulture). They were concerned with digging out roots from a planting area. Our hosts Ash and Margaret had already removed some of the more complicated roots from the planting area, but there was much still to be done.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the space, a large mound of earth had been compacted by rain into the ground. It needed loosening with forks, and all worms rescued, before being shovelled into large bags, handily held open with string. This team was Maddie, me, Rohan and new-boy Gareth, doing his first ever Good Deed. Welcome Gareth, who was working so vigorously the picture was blurred! And while the other team were digging out roots, Maddie was revealing her roots (Scottish).

We'll be back there next week; sign up here: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-big-monday-night-task-february-fitness-gardening-on-the-hollybush-estate

And if you can make it, don't forget to sign up for the Kent Coast Walk on 15th March. Join the GoodGym train at St Pancras or Stratford: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-kent-coast-walk

It was another chilly Monday evening for 26 willing GoodGymers gathered at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.

But spirits remained high as we set out to tackle two key gardening activities: clearing brambles and removing ivy from headstones where the new park’s path is set to go.

About the park

• Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, one of London’s Magnificent Seven cemeteries, serves as a burial ground for over 350,000 people.

• Today, it also functions as popular local nature reserve. Managed by The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, the park is home to a diverse range of plants, birds, and insects, making it a valuable ecological site.

• Volunteers play a key support in the park’s efforts to maintain a balance between history and biodiversity.

After the usual brilliant briefing from Ken, we set out to tonight’s spot, wheelbarrows filled with tools.

Brambles and ivy, while valuable to wildlife, can quickly become problematic. Brambles spread rapidly, creating dense growth that obscures headstones and restricts access. Ivy is often seen as an attractive feature, but it can cause damage to both stone surfaces and other plant life.

It was a busy 45 minutes: bramble patches thinned, ivy removed, and many trips made to the waste pile.

The group did well, making a difference in the short space of time they were there.

At shortly after 8, we made our final few wheelbarrow trips, collected tools and headed back to the toolshed for one final pic.

Another great winter night in the borough – well done, everyone.

And a special shout-out to our Rue, who led tonight’s run from the Town Hall Hotel!

Next week we return to Rocky Park, to help Ash and Margaret with The Big Planter Overhaul.

Until then.

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.

Five intrepid GoodGym folk lit their head torches and donned gardening gloves in this satisfying Thursday-night task at the new Ocean Youth Connexions hub.

Our mission? To clear 7 mounds of earth (which Saturday’s team had so expertly created) and cart everything round the corner ready to be composted.

We shovelled, we lifted and we hauled at least 16 large woven refuse sacks (in a past-its-prime wheelbarrow) which equates to over 750kg of earth. 🧑‍🌾

That’s 150kg per person 💪

⭐️ Brilliant team effort! We continued working together to help fix Ilana’s jacket problem. Most importantly, we finished the job! Super effort, Everyone! Well done!!! ⭐️

It was a pretty wild and windy evening in Bethnal Green tonight, but that didn't deter 19 GoodGymers descending on Rocky Park to do battle with a particularly stubborn border garden.

Led by the brilliant Margaret and Ash of the Teesdale and Hollybush TRA, this task forms part of an ongoing project to transform gardens, planters and allotments across the estate.

Our job tonight was to remove some unwanted shrubs, load them into wheelbarrows, and transport them across the park. Working mainly in the border garden, in a large group, trying to ignore the rain, teamwork was the order of the night. Wheelbarrows were loaded and soil and shrubs shuttled across to the other side of the park. Even when the heavens opened, the GoodGymers didn't stop.

By 7:50, the job was nearly done - and the team pretty drenched.

Having wheeled the last few barrows of soil and gathered equipment, we posed for the final couple of pictures.

And then came the reward: Lobo’s doughnuts and Margaret’s Cadbury’s Twirls. Glycogen replenished, we sloshed our way to the pub for well-earned drinks and a lovely birthday celebration.

Until next time.