This time, we had a plan. A five-point plan! Complete with a treasure map!

Point 1:* Clear bindweed from the flower bed*. Once Ilana had found out what bindweed is, she joined Emma (new Emma), Jo and Lucinda in untangling said weed from the greenery

Point 2 : Litter collection. There wasn’t any litter. So we didn’t bother with that one

Point 3:Lawn maintenance: Identify and fill in any holes in the lawn and make the ground level and safe to walk on. Sam and "tree-hugger" Darren made themselves useful, identifying so many holes that they hadn’t got enough earth to fill them. But the ones they did fill, did indeed make the ground very safe to walk on. No-one was tripping over holes at all

Point 4: Path Clearing: sweep the paths. We let Dan use the big broom, to celebrate his 50th good deed. He also used a trowel to de-weed the edgings. This was something we were working on last week, after which the Bishop of Stepney, no less, remarked on how tidy the gardens looked!

Point 5: Woodchip removal: clear loose wood-chippings off the lawn surface. This was as a result of a tree which had been chopped down after becoming hollow inside. I undertook this task, along with enthusiastic young Ivo, who’s looking for new outlets for his enthusiasm and is planning to take the necessary training to join GoodGym Tower Hamlets Task Force!

Because one of our number (a Task Force member!!) arrived late, I had to keep everyone behind for an extra ten minutes’ detention at the end.Or more truthfully, they were so engrossed in their tasks, it was hard to get anyone to finish. But we eventually got people together for a photo, taken by a random passer-by who enthusiastically took a GoodGym promotional flyer away with him. So maybe he’ll be around for his first good deed, when Dan moves on to his 51st!

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening for our latest session in Princes Park, with the temperature thankfully dropping from the highs earlier in the afternoon. The park was buzzing with people enjoying the warm evening sun as our group gathered. Liam and Chris ran from the Suitcases, and we had a great turnout, especially from those in the group doing their second task of the day!

Our mission was to make sure the park's youngest resident trees stayed hydrated in the warm weather. This meant filling up a giant water tank from the lake to water the newly planted baby trees. Because the tank was so large, the team set up a brilliant, fast-paced relay operation using watering cans and buckets to bridge the gap between the lake and the tank, which would have worked brilliantly if one of the buckets hadn't been full of holes!

Once the giant tank was full, the team walked it over to the lakeside, making sure all the young trees got the deep drink they needed to thrive in the summer heat.

While the watering crew was busy by the lake, another hard-working group tackled the lakeside path. They focused on clearing away weeds and litter from the sides of the paths, which has made the whole area look much tidier and far more accessible for everyone visiting the park.

It was a beautiful, productive evening that showed just what can be achieved with a bit of coordination and a lot of team spirit. A massive thank you to everyone who came along, especially those who doubled up on tasks today—your energy and effort are hugely appreciated! See you all at the next run!