We had a great group of 16 runners gathering at Hollybush tonight, braving a very chilly (but thankfully dry!) evening to take on a truly mulch-needed mission, shifting a massive new delivery of mulch and transforming the space in record time 🌿❄️

It was lovely to see a mix of familiar faces alongside some new ones, including Justin, who joined us for his very first GoodGym task, a huge welcome to you!

Meeting on site, we quickly broke out the tools and got straight to work. Our task was to spread the fresh mulch across James Middleton Community Garden, giving the beds a smart new layer to protect the soil and prep everything for future planting. At the same time, some of the previously laid mulch had broken down beautifully and was ready to be dug up and reused in the planting areas, a great example of garden recycling in action 🌱♻️

With Margaret and Michael expertly leading the charge, we soon formed a slick production line, shovelling, barrowing, spreading, and smoothing. Despite the cold, everyone kept moving as the mulch piles steadily disappeared and the garden visibly transformed before our eyes.

In just 45 minutes, what had looked like a huge job was completely turned around. The beds were freshly covered, the planting areas prepped, and the whole garden space was looking smarter, tidier, and ready for the next stage of growing.

We wrapped up with our new group photo method: everyone forming a circle, bending over and facing the camera on the ground while someone captured it in .5 mode, (Thank you to Emma for the idea) resulting in a wonderfully ridiculous (and very GoodGym) moment to end the session on

All in all, a brilliant evening of teamwork, community support, and a seriously mulchtastic transformation, huge thanks to everyone who came along and made such a difference despite the chilly temperatures!

5 of us headed to Rocky Park (4 by bike and 1 on foot), greeted by the lovely Margaret, Ash, Rose, Basil (canine) and Wicket (canine). The task was to move a small mountain of mulch that had been dropped off earlier in the week. We settled into two teams - one shovelling mulch into wheelbarrows and the other emptying these onto the ground by the planting beds. The mulch pile was steaming hot - not because of the powerful sunshine rays hitting it nor the friction of speedy shovels but due to heat generated by microbes breaking down organic matter. We were all fascinated by this (some more than others). Science truly is magic. Logs/big twigs were separated out and salvaged for use elsewhere. Within 50 earth minutes, the pile had disappeared. This was a satisfying, enjoyable task. Margaret returned from walking the dogs with some sweet treats to reward us for our efforts - completely unnecessary but very gratefully received!

Pun credit: Rue Most wheelbarrows carried at once (2): Emma R

We were back at Hollybush Estate on Monday night, joining Margaret and Ash to shift the mulch we laid down several months ago, now rotted and ready to nourish a fresh round of bedding plants.

We were also joined by Michael from the Hollybush team, who came armed with a surprise for later in the evening. And a big welcome to @Dan Baker, newly arrived from Liverpool but already well at home with GoodGym thanks to his TaskForce experience. Thanks for the extra pair of hands, Dan! We also had a furry visitor, Missy the Beagle brought by Emma, perfect for the role of GoodGym mascot I must say!

With so many willing volunteers, the mulch was swiftly cleared and replaced with fresh material, leaving us plenty of time for the real highlight of the night: celebrating Margaret’s 70th birthday. Sparklers were lit and a caterpillar cake (expertly sourced by Lucinda) presented.

Margaret has been a constant, warm presence at Hollybush Estate for years. Anyone who’s volunteered here will know her trademark “How are you, darling?” and her tireless commitment to the gardens and community. GoodGym Tower Hamlets and Hollybush itself wouldn’t be the same without her.

“We’ll give it a go, and we’ll get a lot done, but we won’t clear all of it” was my opinion. The task was to dig out a deep, wide load of soil from a planter - which got firmer and firmer, the deeper we got - and shovel it into large bags and wheelbarrows

Others were more optimistic, and I should have dug deep into my memory to remember the many times we’d achieved such an objective in the past. And it was the whole team who dug deep into our physical resources to complete the task – including demolishing and disposing of the planter - with fully ten minutes to spare!

Star of the task was Tom, who’s speedy shovelling of huge amounts of soil had to be seen to be believed. But everyone was on top digging form – and a similar exercise was going on the other side of Rocky Park

The good news is that friends-of-GoodGym Margaret and Ash have somehow raised enough money to build the last of their new community garden beds, with improved accessibility. So we’ll be back in December to help them with that!

Meanwhile, join us on Sunday at 10:30 to help our old friends Catherine and Liam, at the allotments just off Roman Road: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/improving-allotments-near-roman-road-2c26b74e-d164-411a-946b-406aeb52aebd

And next Monday night we’re back at the Parkview Estate: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-big-monday-night-task-painting-and-gardening-on-the-parkview-estate-be901ab4-f1c1-495c-9758-1ba4ddd819cd

There was a really good turn out and all amazing people....

The weather was good and I think it's fair to say everyone put in an awesome amount of effort and had a really good day.

There is an amazing feeling of well-being when such a great bunch of people come together for a good cause.

Kevin

Bright and breezy lots of fun... Was the agenda for everyone!

Rocky Park's a smashing place, just tucked away from the beaten track. I would never know it was there if not for today.

They are so well organized and it really goes to show how well things can be when people get together in such a positive way.

I enjoyed my time at this mission today and it was great to meet other GoodGym runners.

Looking forward to tomorrow guys.

Kevin.