Back at our One Strawberry Lane base for the second time and it still felt like a bit of a novelty! If you haven’t seen it yet, we are back in a few weeks time- remember our group sessions are now two on and two off at OSL, the others back at Stepney Bank Stables.

I don’t consider myself a feeder but I arrived loaded up (down?) with some slabs of carrot cake I’d made an enormous batch of at the weekend, and they were truly a carrot to dangle for tonight’s session. It’s been years since we have helped at any of the brilliant Changing Lives sites and it felt really special to be back tonight to begin a series of gardening jobs at Cumberland House at the bottom of Westgate Road. Cumberland House is home to vulnerable women in our city, where Changing Lives does an incredible job of getting them back on their feet safely. I was shocked to see we hadn't visited since the end of 2018!

We’d been left a lovely note tonight with some jobs to complete but were without a couple of tools and directions we needed so instead we got on with clearing, weeding and cutting back the back garden that was certainly in need of some GLC (GoodGym Loving Care, obv) and with eight of us on the job tonight we truly gave it the transformation treatment. Weeds were pulled, rubbish was tidied and the grass was cut. One of the big novelties of the night was the chance to use a lawn mower - this is honestly such a highlight - and Lucy did a splendid job as you can see from the photos. I can’t wait to hear what the task owner thinks when she arrives back at work tomorrow.

No task on Westgate Road is complete without a visit to Summerhill Park for a fitness session and after a body part number game to warm up (kudos to Catriona for a handstand!) a fun game of Water, Wind, Fire hit the spot and unleashed loads of laughter and connection to end the night.

We are back next Monday doing good stuff with Ouseburn Trust. Remember to meet back at Stepney Bank Stables for that one! Hope to see you then.

PS Thanks to Louise for the PunSpiration, I mashed up our ideas in the end!

I was bowled over ;) tonight to get three big bags of donations from a small and perfectly formed bank holiday group, and also left tonight somehow convinced lawn bowls may be my new sport… that’s another story.

We did a donation drive for our friends at East End Women foodbank tonight (these will be dropped off later in the week, thank you) and combined that with a 4k run or walk around the quayside on a beautiful bank holiday night. The quayside was bustling and motivation was high, and we finished up at The Ship Inn for a social to end the bank holiday weekend. Despite the time pressure of mine and Tanya’s need to be back for Love Is Blind Reunion episode at 9pm, we had a lovely bonding catch up and the time flew!

If anyone is interested in organising future socials like tonight let me know and I’ll show you how to list them on the website, we really should make more of having such lovely places on our doorstep.