9 GoodGymers made their way to the Parkview Estate on Old Ford Road for an evening of well-organised, hands-on estate gardening.

We were warmly welcomed by Des, a long-time resident who knows the area like the back of his hand.

Des had already mapped out a neat list of jobs, and after a quick intro, we split into teams and got cracking.

The first group headed to the front of the community centre, where pruning shears, loppers and wheelbarrows were quickly put to use.

Shrubs were trimmed, mulch distributed, and before long this small garden area looked more purposeful and less overgrown.

Meanwhile, a determined team of four made a beeline for the green bench in the play area (no ordinary bench - reportedly the pride of the garden). A fresh coat of paint went on smoothly in the evening sun, genuinely giving the bench a new lease of life.

The third team headed closer to the road, where buddleia had taken over and graffiti had accumulated on the community notice board. Trimming the plants back and slowly prising stubborn spray paint made an immediate difference – no dramatic transformation, but the kind that makes things a bit nicer.

As the pruning task wrapped up, John and Leanne shifted roles and headed around the corner, taking on some hoarding opposite Victoria Park. Armed with rollers and steady hands, they covered a surprisingly large section before we had to call time.

As we left Des was still going strong with a paintbrush in hand.

A very satisfying evening indeed: a nice example of those physical tasks with a visible result.

Well done to everyone who came – and thanks to Des for leading the way with thoughtful planning and good humour.

Next week it’s back to Limehouse to see Kamal at the Tower Hamlets Community Transport hub.

Until then.