Monday night brought out a magnificent twelve GoodGymers to ARC, with six running with Steph Ducat from Arsenal stadium, and all 12 rolling up their sleeves to get the towpath garden ready for planting out.

While some of us were still buzzing from Sunday's Arsenal Parade, others were visibly relieved that football had packed up for the season - and that this wasn't a week for litter picking!

Amy from ARC marshaled this particular Red Army into action across three fronts: one crew tackled the prickly job of cutting up and bagging thorny hawthorn branches; another set to work building raised beds along the garden border; and new member Devika and I got our hands well and truly dirty turning the compost heap.

The transformation of this little patch - small in size but brilliantly situated - since our last visit is genuinely impressive. A good night's work, a fresh set of raised beds, and all last night's rain should combine to even more progress and growth by our next visit. Bring it on.

On Monday night three committed GoodGymers (including newcomer Emma - welcome!) wrapped up the sweltering bank holiday with a not-so-light task at Olden Community Gardens.

We perhaps weren't quite the crew Charles might have imagined for the job (where were all the men!?) - but the three of us weren't about to let a little heavy lifting (or a heatwave) get in our way.

Together (with a little help from a wailing wheelbarrow), we managed to lug not one but four hefty sleepers* down the steep steps to the bottom of the garden, ready to form the stage at their annual music festival on Sunday 7th June.

You can now sign up to volunteer at the music festival here. :)

• Google tells me they're c. 90kg each!