With our main contact Janet sadly unwell, we wondered whether we’d ever be returning to one of our longest-established tasks, at Cranbrook Community Centre. With a strong focus on inclusion and affordability, the centre provides everything from music and parties to fitness classes and prayer groups, but they do need our help to keep the entrance garden tidy

We were summoned back to the centre by Abdul and Linda, who are looking after things while Janet recuperates at home - it was good to hear she’s out of hospital. And our old friend Eileen was still there to hand out rakes and cutting tools, and to give instructions. There was plenty to do, with a mess of leaves and twigs to be raked up, overhanging bushes to be cut back and rubbish to be collected, and the heat had dissipated – for now. We even used our botany skills (and Google Lens) to identify a rather nice white-flowering plant, who’s name I’ve already forgotten. But it was an attractive plant anyway…

A special welcome to Adam, doing his first ever good deed! I trust we made you feel welcome, and hope to see you again soon. Welcome back Grove Road Emma, who’s been busy wrecking her flat, and it was also good to see Bonner Street Emma, who wasn’t feeling good, but visited briefly just to say hello. Get well soon, BS Emma

Eventually we very gradually dissipated, progressively splitting into ever smaller groups, but we’ll be back together at the Cemetery Park next Monday

The award-winning community garden at the Canal Club brings residents together, supports biodiversity and provides a shared green space opening onto the Regent’s Canal. A notification by our former Area Activator and chief motivator Laura, that she’d be hosting a weekly palates session there reminded us that we hadn’t visited the centre for some time - and we hadn’t caught up with Laura for a while either

On arrival, she bounded out to greet us, as fresh and full of energy as ever. But we had work to do – those pesky weeds had pushed their way up between the paving stones, making the front of the centre look rather untidy

Several of our number arrived fresh from the shindig weekend, enthused by meeting GoodGymers from around the country, then finding they couldn’t wait more than 24 hours for more GoodGym, Before we got going, Darren wanted to know which ice cream everyone prefers, which can only mean he’s planning to treat us all with our favourite selection at next week’s task. We also congratulated Tom on his 50th Good Deed!

Meanwhile, using a variety of tools, we each found our own way to liberate the weeds from their trap between the stones, laying them cosily in a wheelbarrow and transporting them to a nice new home, reunited with their friends in a compost pile next to the canal

An hour later, there wasn’t a weed to be seen. And the nice plant we’d been told to leave alone, was left untouched, safe behind its nicely-drawn chalk line. After catching up with Laura, who made GoodGym Tower Hamlets what it is today, we sampled task-owner Sally’s lemon drizzle, and were expertly served tea and coffee by our Louise, before some of us headed for the pub to complete our evening

The Canal Club, however, is currently proposed as a site for development. It was built for residents of the Wellington Estate and its activities include toddler storytelling, baby dance classes, Tai Chi, knitting and sewing, outdoor pizza making, breakdancing, line dancing, karaoke social evenings, a science homework club, singing, refugee activities, a food bank, arts and crafts, and Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. There is a ball park and a children’s playground

This is not an empty site! Call on the council to remove the site from its accelerated housing scheme by signing the petition at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/save-our-space-e2-save-the-canal-club

Today's 5km Shindig run took Katie, Ilana, Maxime and Sevan on a run through Donisthorpe Canalside Park, taking in lots of different road surfaces. Dirt, tarmac, gravel and rocky roads gave everyone a lot of variety. There was a surprise too running along the Ashby Canal, when they discovered the base camp of the American Civil War reenactment group on the way.

There were quite a few hills, some of them Cheeky, which were conquered and everyone enjoyed the scenic route that ended up being 5.8km in total.