Last night, 11 Goodgym folk from all across the Islington, Camden and Hackney boroughs braved the rain to come and help at Market Road Gardens near Caledonian Park. Area Activator Simon was on hand with keys to this Heyward Adventure Playground doors and access to the gorgeous former milkfloat, converted into a makeshift tool shed for Octopus Community Network!

This current project is part of a 4 week plan to create a hugel garden bed at the back of the playground (a composting site that utilising the dropped leaves, plants and leaves from the gardens, to produce fresh fertilizer for later in the year). Half of our team picked up brooms and shovels to gather up as much green waste as possible from the entrance and vehicular access points to contribute to the composting pile. Two of our crew also took on litter picking duty to root our all of the scrap that had blown into the lovely wild garden.

The rest of our group picked up the rest of the shovels, forks and a wheel barrow in order to clear out an old compost bay (the last bit of one of our previous GG tasks here). After warming up with some upper body exercise, the next task was to then start moving a large mound of donated woodchip into the compost bay, and off the path typically used for school buses and minibuses (school groups frequently visit the adventure playground, which is wonderful to hear this is starting again!).

Considering we had only just started this mini-task project, our Goodgym crew had made great progress over the course of an hour. Super satisfying to see a plan come together. Well done all!

We had a great crew of runners come and join us at Highbury Quadrant Gardens on a super sunny Saturday morning (including first time participants Emily and Margherita- welcome!). This well-established gardening and green renovation project has been progressing in leaps and bounds since our last visit earlier this year!

Frannie, the main volunteer coordinator for Octopus Community Network, met us by "The Meadow", a beautiful permaculture garden featuring raised beds and a tool storage shed, and put us to work with moving large bags of compost over to an allotment space. This was dubbed our "warm up" before the main task!

Our next challenge was to move some very heavy donated railway sleepers from the main access point for deliveries, over to a connecting wild garden (this was the one full of playful foxes in winter!). The sleepers would then be used to create more planting beds for more community nurseries. Team work and careful, safe planning was required to make this happen! Frannie gave us all a clear explanation about the more efficient and risk-free way to move these heavy and awkward beams in groups of 3. Firstly, the beam would be placed on top of a wheelbarrow. Next, one goodgymmer would lift the barrow, while the other two helpers would make sure that the beam was stable and unlikely to fall off. This technique helps to distribute the loading weight carefully, without adding stress on each other's backs, arms and knees.

The team from Octopus Community Network were thrilled that we were able to shift these 12 large sleepers (a huge endeavour for 2 volunteers, made easier with many hands!). Most of our crew then enjoyed a social coffee break in Clissold Park for the rest of the morning.

More Opportunities at Highbury Quadrant Gardens

Big news for Octopus Community Network and Elizabeth House Community Centre (another regular GG Islington task owner). The re-development project for Highbury Quadrant Estate has been given a grant from the Mayor of London’s Greener City Fund, and be using part of this to fund more bio-diversity and gardening workshops.

Topics include:

• Construction of Food Growing Beds
• Horticulture & Plant Care
• Construction of Composting Facilities
• Introduction to Native Pollinator Conservation

And many more!

If you would be interested in partaking in one or more of these workshops, find out more by following this link: https://elizabeth-house.org.uk/adult-activities-whats-on/greening-highbury-quadrant/

GG Islington's "Park & Pizza" Social

Come and join us for a catch up with the Goodgym Islington team (new members and long time runners!). We will be meeting up in Highbury Fields from 6.30pm onwards on Monday 14th June.

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/gg-islington-s-park-pizza-social