Bone biting winds swept across London, part of a lovely cold-snap we're in, seemingly undeterred were the other seven goodgymmers that rolled up last night.

The ones who met at base discussed their upcoming training goals; Landmarks Half Marathon for Rebecca, Ian committing to regular runs through weekly Wednesday goodness, Hils aiming for Manchester Marathon and lastly me, looking to run a fast(er) Parkrun with the buggy.

Catherine and Suze lined up a few jobs for us at The Up Garden, namely deconstructing/destroying rubbish and re-jigging the material heap area and bringing in fences. Karate kicks and hammer blows rained down on an unsuspecting pallet, it held its ground but only for so long, goodbye worthy foe. Shelves and chairs were pulled and ripped apart too, in an inadvertent course of midweek therapy.

Glucose levels were topped up by King Kev's offerings of cake, Crunchy/Mini Rolls/Soreen all there for us athletes to re-fuel on. A mighty seven years for Kevin, he's quietly helped transformed tens of projects with a relaxed competence, jovial spirit and a lethal consistency. We doff our caps - and say thank you.

Next week we head to Cody Dock to help with an event set-up, sign up here , let's keep the good momentum rolling people.

Till next week,

B

Brisk fresh air marking the middle of November, four of us met at The Printhouse, discussed the task ahead, the ongoings last week and this week's Random Weekly Question: "who's your most played artist?" Radiohead, Maria Callas, Taylor Swift, Jamiroquai and Stephen Isserlis (googled 'best cellist' and found him).

We strode down to The Up Garden, with one mad fan joining us along the way, discussing hospital visits with kids, the vocal range of welsh people, the new UCL building and more. New joiner Sybil heroically caught up with us, after just missing us leave. Kev and Dan further bolstered our output. A simple trough decanting session, we shoveled and dug, removing the soil, then tipped it over and finished the job. A few other small tasks to finish; shifting breeze blocks and moving a table. A somewhat low-key session for the Up Garden, but that's no bad thing.

Really great to have some new faces, hope Sybil and Rebecca enjoyed their shift. Next up we have a brand spanking new session at Park Village Oasis. Just getting the details to set it up, will share on the whatsapp group.

Have a good one peeps.

Till next week,

B

Good midweek vibes in Stratford supplemented by the fact it wasn't hammering it down. We discussed that burning question on everyone's mind "what conspiracy theory irks, baffles or makes you laugh most?". Some informative answers, namely the fifteen minute city conspiracy and the PM of Australia VANISHING in 1967 -need to look into this more, remarkable stuff. Plus some good solid conspiracy idiocy, like everything Russell Brand says, David Icke's lizard lunacy, Q-Anon's viral rise and Covid state-backed ideas. It's a confusing world, let's simplify it with barmy unfounded claims - it's alluring.

Anyway..back to topic, Up Garden side-project, led by the towering Dom. He's keen to grow food for the residents in a little plot gated off from the public-accessed Up Garden. We went to town on it, tearing and tugging out weed membrane. Managed to roll it off like sticky carpet, really satisfying stuff actually. We then spent the rest of the time violently attacking an unsuspecting stump. Expedited by onlooker Hilary, finding some pruning tool that sliced right through the roots. Some more jostling, digging, pulling ensued, but eventually we were stumped no more. Should allow for the project to continue towards the planting phase, bravo team.

Think next week is a certain Charlotte's last session before she dances towards foreign shores, come and give her another send-off, it might be the last time for a few weeks. And she's bringing a bloody good cake. Separately, I reshuffled the sessions, Plaistow Primary now in two weeks. Cody Dock exhibition hall demolition next week, should be a good one, sign up here

Have a gorgeous week and weekend, see you next week.

Till then,

B

Washout forecasts didn't deter some community action, socialising and jogging yesterday. In fact, statistically speaking, it seems to have encouraged it. You guys are nuts, and I for one love it.

The institution of the RWQ lives on, it went something like this: "there's a worldwide pasta shortage and hence a ration, you're allocated one pasta type forever, and a requisite sauce of your selection, what do you pick?" Endless pastabilities, eh? Rigatoni alla Norma, Arrabiata w/ mozzarella and bacon, Penne and Pesto and Rigationi Amatriciana were some good early answers. We also had some outside the box thinkers, who tried to cheat the system carefully in order to be fully prepared for this rather unlikely hypothetical scenario; "Fusili because it can be used in a salad", "lasagna so the sheets can be used to prepare other pastas". But my favourite: "Rigatoni, tuna AND chicken, so I can pick out one of the proteins to suit my appetite".

We jogged north through the rain, discussions ranged from rowing back on green policies, cycling into a headwind and travelling to the North East Coast. Perfect work for the weather awaited us, hard physical labour, to be more precise: shovelling stuff into bags. We had Team Soil and Team Sand. Both clearing tonne bags into smaller black bags. The time flew by, I'm not sure exactly how many bags we filled, but probably a cumulative forty plus, we definitely made a dent in those bags. Bravo squad.

I've just a received a message from Su, saying how super appreciative they are. I'd reiterate that, but especially for grafting through nonstop rain.

Next week we head to Rosie's place of work, Plaistow Primary. We're going to be back on the tools, digging around the edible garden and filling up beds. It's going to be glorious. Get stuck in, sign up here

Till then,

B

Finally, a day that resembled a thing called summer, celebrations came in the form of a trip to The Up Garden, and I got a new bike. Hils, Dan, Charlotte and I caught up at base, discussing the lows of a potent combo of E.coli and covid, the reason we have been without our sassiest one for too long. RWQ was "weirdest thing you've eaten?" we had snails, alternative meat buffet, floating sausauge in a broth and the final answer is redacted due to threats against my life. But I'll probably tell you if you buy me a pint, or two. Additionally, grasshoppers, hedgehogs and pig guts were a few answers we got at the task. I thought I knew you guys...

Speaking of the task, it was a delightful sunset hour where we weeded, finished off prepping a new bed with sand and soil...the time flew. I learned a bit about wildflowers, how to cook a hedgehog in clay, Dan's brother who's literally helping find a cure for cancer (you can't compete with that, Dan) and accidentally eavesdropping into some salacious details about Charlotte and Rosa's personal life. All in an evening's work.

Next week we've got a new session at a Church Garden. Cleanse yourself of sins before we set foot please, you know who you are. No, but seriously, it's a new one and I'm excited, as is a lady called Sybil, who really needs some younger energy to get stuff done. That's us, btw. Sign up here

Right, have a lovely week and weekend peeps.

Till next week,

B

Hils, Rosie and I jogged down to The Up Garden together, to intercept the other three. Not before discussing our "favourite animated film of all time?" Hils picked a french film about Tour De France, Rosie picked something i've forgotten, I bumbled and literally couldn't think of anything. We'll do bettter on the question front next week!

After some hot and humid running and putting the world to rights we arrived. Luckily Matt, Dimple and Paul beat us to it, already turning the soil as requested and getting a head start. A local group called Sustainably Muslim are doing a butterfly and moth workshop next month, so we were there to prep the beds for some insect friendly flora. We all agreed the soil was lush, as we chomped down on a few of east london's finest cherries, almost a pleasure to turn it up, unless you are of the 'no-dig' persuasion, of course. Felt quite content after getting that done, but mostly just wanted to get off the midges menu, they were ravenous! Obviously we finished off with transporting tens of breeze blocks across the yard, the six of us slicing through it in quick time, uncovering a huntsman-tarantula-scorpion cross on the underside of the bottom blocks, lovely.

Next week we have a BRAND NEW TASK, going to list it in a mo and get it online. Hoping we get some solid numbers.

Have a cracking week all,

B