A small but mighty group of GoodGymers gathered to tackle the remaining woodchip at the Tiny Forest. Part of the group even gathered at a new start point and then met Linda at the Tiny Forest with all the tools.

The main task for the evening was to make the area around the benches look more inviting. We pulled up the weeds that we could and cut back the grass and any other weeds then covered them in a big layer of mulch to hopefully stop the weeds coming back through.

Hopefully the space will be more inviting for people walking through Ladywell Fields so they can sit and admire the growing saplings!

On Monday, we're heading to Catford to continue flyering for Coco Collective Community Garden.

Another week, another double task group run! This week we were heading up and over the hills to Seniors (I'll be having words with whoever planned that around my tired marathon legs...) and we had a team dropped off at the Tiny to complete the mulching.

The team at Seniors had the wholesome task of weeding and raised bed and then planting broad beans, making sure the roots were fully encased in compost and giving them a good water.

Next up we had to dig the potato bed, removing the weeds so that a new crop of potatoes can be planted. We had a good go at clearing the bed in the time we had left but didn't quite get round to digging the trenches.

It was then time for the journey back to Glass Mill and I had to admit there was no chance I would make it back. The team tackled those hills and regrouped with the mulching group in Ladywell Fields.

With all the mulching done, it was an evening of two tasks well done!

Thanks to an amazing multi-generational chain gang of woodchip diggers and bucket swingers, the entire floor of Ladywell’s Tiny Forest is now well protected with a thick layer of nourishing mulch. I felt happy being part of this cheerful resourceful team of green warriors, youngest member three years old – proud owner of a miniature wheelbarrow! – eldest an energetic grandad. Our two hour session was tiring but satisfying work, with the feel-good of knowing that now there will be much less evaporation from the soil surface around the saplings, helping them to thrive during the dry months ahead.

This group run was a 2 task week and we had 12 wonderful GG-ers ready to tackle the litter at The Albany and the mulch at the Tiny Forest

We gathered outside Glass Mill and as I approached it was great to see a group forming after last week's bank holiday lowering our group run numbers. We split into groups and one group headed to the Tiny Forest guided by Steve and photographer for the evening Julian and the other group to The Albany with me.

The Tiny Forest team were joined by Linda and a couple of Tree Keepers and most importantly joined by Suki - our favourite Tiny Forest dog! There was lots of mulch to be moving to the main Tiny Forest (we covered the extension last week) and involved filling buckets and pouring those over the fence.

Meanwhile at The Albany....there was barely any litter!! That's never happened in the history of group runs at The Albany, usually its a satisfying clean up of all the cans and chicken shop wrappers that have blown in from the streets.

We did still fill 3 GIANT bin bags, when I say fill I mean to about 50% as they were so big I could fit in them and they got heavy quite quickly, with the litter, not with me in them! The litter we did find was described as level 10 litter i.e. nappies etc not pleasant - bring back the cans and chicken shop wrappers (although no litter at all would be encouraged)!

At both tasks it started to rain slightly then it started to pour down!! We made the decision to pack up our litter picking at the same time as the Tiny Forest text to say the rain was too much and they were heading back to Glass Mill.

We regrouped at Glass Mill and headed off for our social at the local, Guardian recommended Turkish restaurant. After some confusion over the booking which Marta handled, we were all seated and ready for a catch up and refuel.

We selectively cut the weeds that grow tall and shade the saplings. Minimal digging so as not to disturb the roots. The small area was cleared of the major weeds by the ten or so volunteers.

Phil and Linda joined a cheerful team of volunteers to do battle with tall-growing weeds at the Ladywell Tiny Forest. What at first looked like a giant task quickly became easy thanks to our systematic attack armed with shears, secateurs and gardening forks – some weeds even surrendered to a mere tug by hand because the ground was so soft from recent rain.

By the end of the session, all the saplings of the one-year-old forest were basking in sunlight, free from competition from weeds and ready for their springtime growth spurt.

Next, the ground between them will be covered with a generous layer of mulch to hold in moisture, stop weeds re-growing and add nutrients to the soil – this will be a job for GoodGym Lewisham on their Easter Monday group run.