Vicky J

Following up on the first visit last week to Canonbury Station by GoodGymmers I met Kyle, task host from Energy Garden, outside the station. Kyle gave me the rundown of the task, showing me where to access the watering cans and hi-viz, and where the planters are located on the platforms.

On my way to the task the heavens opened, so the plants definitely got their fill! After last week's heat I'm sure as much as water as possible is welcome.

This is a quick, straightforward task and it was great to hear about Energy Garden's work with Overground stations around London.

Two super local runners (or walkers in this instance) assembled at Ms M's house to help dismantle and remove a bed to make space for a hospital bed. We both assumed it would be a slat IKEA bed but we were very wrong. It was a very steardy ottoman with black leather head board and was going to require more DIY skills than anticipated. Thankfully a builder was also in the house doing up the bathroom and he had a big box of tools for us to use as we worked together to take apart the lifting inner metal frame and then the outer wooden box. With an audience of pigeons, kittens and a cat we worked up a sweat trying to loosen screws and wiggle and bend the frames into pieces we could take outside. At one point it was looking more like a nightmare, but some extra elbow grease from GoodGym newbie Vicky meant we stunned ourselves into being completely done in an hour. Thankfully after that arm work out neither of us had far to go home. Ms M's daughters were very grateful and now Ms M will be able to safely come out of hospital.

9 plucky Goodgym folks joined us for a busy evening of gardening in Thornhill Square last night (including new starter Vicky- welcome!). Local resident Anna had lots of tasks for us to undertake in different areas of this lovely green space.

Sam, Vicky, John and Jackie picked up a trio of wheelbarrows and set about laying new compost, mulch and topsoil for various flower beds in the park. Mali and Steve took on the tough task of removing old stubborn rosemary bush roots from the dry dusty ground (Mali snipped the tendrils, whilst Steve used a mattock to lever the roots out of place). Very satisfying work! Marie-Laure and Vicki assisted Anna with cleaning up the park, keeping the foliage tidy and collecting up big bags of green waste left by the gardeners. We were also asked to move some compost bins to a new location, due to a sad case of vandalism leaving them in disrepair.

Within an hour of hard graft, we made a real difference to the space- completing loads of outstanding jobs for the local gardening residents. All being well, I expect we will be returning soon!