Tonights run was the first of few Brahma free runs for the team as he takes some time of following the birth of his son......Congratulations to Brahma and Dev

Hilary had a plan for a new route....taking us through the Olympic Park.

Rosa,Louise,Miriam who joined us for her first session for a couple of years,it was great to have her back and Sarah met us at the gardens where we were all greeted by Jim.

We split into two groups

They are in the process of installing a sauna and plunge pool so need wood chip moving to make the walk way more user friendly was the job for group one. Were we moved over 100 wheelbarrows of wood chip.

Group two had the task of adding steps to one of the earth mounds.

The Lighthouse Garden

Some kind of tipping point occurred yesterday, as we shot up from two sign ups to a very respectable eight, in seemingly minutes. Folks certainly weren't coming out for the weather, no top-up tanning up for grabs, a dark sky spat out constant drizzle and the mercury was low...and there were tube strikes.

Hils, Kev and I ran over, we had doubled numbers on arrival as Gualti, Cat and Georgie joined us from the rear (no laughing at the back). Charlotte and Sarah joining us at Abbey Gardens for the full complement. We buzzed Alice and she gave us instructions; spread the massive pile of woodchip between the new beds. Simple, classic GoodGym graft - get a sweat on and make on a difference.

We alternated shovelling and barrowing, with three transporting the goods and the other five launching smoky wood vaguely near them. A random chap got stuck in, clearly a natural at shovelling in the dark - potentially a first for us at GGN. The pile was seen to before 8pm came along, which let's be honest doesn't always happen. So let's acknowledge that hustle.

I'm off for a couple weeks now peeps, but I look forward to catching up in BST - don't know about you, but I'm ready for Spring.

Sign up for next week here at Nomadic Gardens.

Be glorious,

B

More of a compact group this week, as we took on a new task over at Hartley Primary School. We discussed: " what's your oldest and most reliable piece of clothing or kit?". Long-lived synthetic down jackets, one of a kind base-layers, versatile t-shirts, comfortable lounge trousers, ancient trail shoes and unlucky replica football kits.

The task at the school was rather straightforward, clear the plant beds in the playground to make space for a new batch of freshly sown plants and flowers. Armed with trowels and gloves we set about weeding and clearing the beds. Some employed a more direct and precise method of weed removal, others a more scorched earth policy, but the cumulative outcome was great.

In fact, I've just received a very grateful message from the task referrer, Tara: " Good morning Brahma! The plant beds look fantastic! Really cannot thank you enough. I hope it all went well. We would love to collaborate on more projects in the future too if possible. Have a lovely day,".

These little jobs can go a long way - thanks for making it happen, team. Next week we head to Cody Dock, after an unusually long hiatus, we'll be flyering for their upcoming spring festival.

Sign up here

Have a cracking week logging some salubrious miles,

Till next week,

B

Team Newham met up in in a lovely mild nearly light evening , With Brahma away enjoying the sights of the Cairngorms i was entrusted with leading the team to Abbey road gardens ,

After a quick random question "whats the most impressive thing you have seen in the sky" after the shenanigans happening lately from the president trump balloon to Rocket launches to the ISS to a plastic bag floating past a flat window (during covid)

after a quick run along the greenway the team assembled ready to help Steven the gardens carpenter, the team split up some moving a planter and stapling in place a new liner , whilst the other members assembled a new planter , after the teams finished lining the new planter we helped steven clear away all the equipment and headed back along the greenway another task completed

great work team Abbey Gardens really appreciate the asistance

The weeks are clipping by as we push out of the deep winter, spring is but a few sessions away, and with it we can remember the light that once poured over our evening slots. Not long to go now, squad.

A fantastic turnout yesterday, including some nice surprises as a few forgot to sign up. We dropped off bags, including Simon's home made half-century cake, then danced off into the Stratford night.

The back group turned into the front group at some unknown point, as the leaders got a little tangled in Forest Gate suburbs. A bit of standing about later and we got into the task; preparing a wheelchair accessible planter and loading it up with nourishing soil. This entailed a waterproof lower liner and a weed membrane lining up to the top. All carefully and precisely stapled in by Team Planter. Team Barrow, had a more muscular job, involving hoisting up and filling wheel barrows, then raising them back up and over the various obstacles to cart off to Team Planter. It worked, it was organic and it became efficient as everyone gradually found their role.

Next week we have what I had initially planned for this week, at Abbey Gardens, potentially building some beds. Sign up here if you like the community and getting fit.

B

A fantastic team of 14 met in Devons Road this evening, with Ken and Terry from the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.

Why were we here?

Ken explained that this planting project undertaken by the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is helping to create a green corridor through this area of East London.

What does that mean?

Well, by populating the Lea Valley Green Route (the area from Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, out to Bow Docks and on to the Lea Valley), with bulbs, plants and trees, we’re essentially making more nature available to more residents.

It will allow more wildlife to move between the Lee Valley, and the Lee Valley Park, into the Borough.

Creating ‘stepping stones’ in this way, between green space and urban street spaces, benefits everyone: green spaces that are inhabited by wildlife, trees and plants, not only mean more areas for all residents to enjoy, they can also help to reduce the effects of pollution, often an issue in large cities.

What we were planting

Terry talked us through the mix of trees we were settling into the ground, which included:

Purging Buckthorn (Google that one)

Grey Willow

Wayfaring

Spindle

Oak

Beech

Hornbeam

Dogwood

Wild Privet

Various factors were involved in the choice of the trees, including:

• Comfort (avoiding too many thorns, so litter-picking isn’t too much of a mission).

• Butterfly appeal (the Brimstone butterfly seeks out buckthorn on which to lay its eggs).

• Green-ness (beech and hornbeam tend to hang onto their leaves).

• …And a general ambition that plenty of berries and flowers will come out at different times with this mix, and attract insects.

Speedy work

Our large team set about this big planting mission, all around the park, following careful, precise instructions from Ken.

Tree after tree was produced for the GoodGymers to expertly settle into their new home.

No sooner had the obligatory pictures been taken, and the final few poorly-lit areas been populated with trees, than Ken called it a wrap.

200 trees in less than an hour! Way. To. Go.

We collected tools, loaded the wheelbarrows, posed for one last group shot, before saying our cheerios for the night.

Shout-outs

The big cheers this week go to:

• Clare, whose first GoodGym event it was! Well done Clare, hope to see you again very soon.

• Johnny, for saving the location day, and speedily dropping the all-important pin.

• Kevin, our brilliant head torch technician…

And most of all, to Ken and Terry for three, fabulous Monday nights out in Tower Hamlets.

Next week

...we’re back to Devons Road, for another big gardening task with St Leonard’s Priory Park!

Until then.