A short, sharp workout

No fewer than 9 GoodGymers joined for tonight’s short workout outside the Soanes Centre!

Welcoming first time GoodGymer Georgina, we popped bags to one side in order to get cracking on tonight’s short workout.

We started with a few dynamic stretches before moving to the obligatory single-leg squats; a seated abdominal exercise and a couple of lunge variations, before finishing with a handful of stretches.

We then made our way over to the toolshed to see Ken, the Park Manager of the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, and our task owner for tonight.

After a short intro, we piled wheelbarrows with gloves and bags, and headed over to tonight’s location, a little way into the park.

The best briefing in the world

Ken then gave his usual brilliant briefing, covering all aspects of health and safety as well as a speedy masterclass in goose grass and cow parsley removal.

Starting work on both sides of the park path, GoodGymers wasted no time in filling many barrows with these common weeds.

It was a productive evening, made all the more enjoyable by the daylight (and even a glimpse of sun).

At just gone quarter to eight, we wheeled the last barrow around to the weed pile and slowly made our way back to base via a most scenic route.

We said our final cheerios to Ken, delighted to be returning next month, to lend a hand helping to maintain this much-loved, beautiful park.

Next week, we’re back to the Columbia Road gardens!

Until then.

Once again we gathered at the Yurt café, even though it had closed two hours earlier. But we were here for a good deed, not a good feed. I arrived quite close to the start time and wondered if anyone else was going to appear. But GoodGymers are known for their precise timing (except Sree and Emma, of course), and nearly all appeared within seconds of the start time, notably Martin who times his pre-task runs to perfection.

Welcome especially to Beth, doing her first ever good deed, and who we hope to see a few more times before she relocates to meet the equally lovely folk at GoodGym Islington.

It was great to be good-deeding in daylight, and to discover there’s a short cut to the Yurt from Limehouse station, until dusk. Some people were still delighting in Fulham’s win against some team from Stratford as we selected gloves: relatively mud-free, and neatly divided into four different sizes.

We were tasked with raking gravel, to be wheelbarrowed away to another spot. One barrow was earmarked for pure gravel, while another was reserved for gravel-mixed-with-earth, which must have got a better name than that. The difficulty came when shovelling up what looked like unadulterated gravel, as we sometimes inadvertently also dug up the earth concealed below, which risked messing up the whole system.

Despite fifteen people wielding spades and shovels (once again trying to ascertain the difference between the two), and long sharp rakes, and pushing wheelbarrows in a confined space, not a single GoodGymer was injured!

Task Force regular Emma​ demonstrated her worth as a photo snapper extraordinaire, then demonstrated how to use a wheelbarrow as a sofa. As Ilana watched the sun set over some indistinguishable writing on a nearby tower block, we gathered for a few final photos. I headed for Limehouse station with Fiona and Alisa, as we looked forward to returning for one or more of the following:

On Saturday lunchtime, join Maddie and Robert sorting food for foodbanks at the Felix Project https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/saturday-afternoon-session-at-the-felix-project-s-poplar-depot-6df11c33-e39a-4480-a244-6b041986663c. Or join the earlier session at 9:30: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/saturday-morning-session-at-the-felix-project-s-poplar-depot-7fd69d30-ee3a-47cb-8268-3c6b48d2ccd5

Next Monday evening we’re heading for the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park – always a fun task. https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-big-monday-night-task-gardening-at-the-tower-hamlets-cemetery-park-pre-task-workout-4fd663a8-d032-4189-8e78-e0c1adb73052

On Thursday 9th May, there’s a social at the Monument pub in Whitechapel. Myself, Lucinda and “Southern” Emma have already signed up: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/goodgym-social-in-the-city

On Sunday 2nd June, join us for a great day out on the stunning Seven Sisters walk: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/seven-sisters-walk

Despite a change of day from our regular Monday night, tonight's task still saw an impressive seven GoodGymers joining us at the Island House Community Centre on the Isle of Dogs.

Four of us enjoyed a bit of fitness in neighbouring St John's Park, thrilled to be GoodGyming in daylight once again.

We then made our way around to the Island House Community Centre to meet Amanda who was leading our task tonight.

With amazing preparation (tools were laid out, painting trays ready; aprons and gloves good to go...) awaiting us, Amanda walked the first group to the outside garden area to brief on the first part of our task. Here the team of three were clearing moss and weeds from paving stones, cutting back shrubs and hedges and collecting litter.

The second team arrived in the fabulous large hall and wasted no time grabbing rollers and satin paint, and proceeded to finish the two large cupboards from our last task, and complete another in the hallway.

The garden team then moved around to the front of the building, to tackle the small area by the entrance, accomplishing another vast amount in a very short space of time.

Assembling in the hall to clear away the final few bits and pose for that all-important final pic, we concluded it had been an awesome evening and a great start to April.