What can a small team of GoodGymmers achieve in a couple of hours? Quite a lot, as it turns out.

This Saturday, we headed over to Little Ilford Community Garden with a task: build some new planters to help this growing community space. Armed with enthusiasm, a few tools (thanks Peter!) and a healthy willingness to work things out as we went along.

With a couple of pallets, reclaimed timber and assorted bits and pieces that our host, Ray, had set aside, we had to channel our inner engineers... Thanks to a combination of innovation, initiative and teamwork, two "new" planters gradually emerged from what had previously looked like a pile of wood.

Once assembled, the planters were lined and filled with soil, leaving them ready for future food and flower-growing. Seeing them completed in such a short space of time was a great reminder of just how much impact a small team of GoodGymmers can have.

A huge welcome and thank you to first-timer Lekbira, whose project management skills quickly became apparent - no descending into organised chaos on her watch... Massive kudos also to fellow first-timer Ryan, who threw himself into trying something completely new, picking up a host of practical skills along the way.

Big thanks also our host Ray. It was inspiring to see everything he's already achieved with this little patch of land. What would otherwise be an overgrown and forgotten space is becoming a valuable community asset where local residents can grow food, connect with neighbours and enjoy a greener environment.

Well done to everyone who came along and contributed. The garden is making fantastic progress, and we're delighted to have played a small part in its journey. Something tells me we'll be back before too long.

A typical English summer(ish) morning... in other words, rain + sun + drizzle + more rain

Ofcourse that does not deter any Goodgymmer nor Parkrunner/walker

So a set of GG'ers descended on Valentines Park to help out and/or run in prep for more GG activities...

• Ed guarded & managed the main car park entrance in his usual enthusiastic style - must be approaching 250 times by now?
• Linda rode down and braved the rain to guide a VI walker round for a lap (hence dog pic)
• Sharon G joined the scanning crew
• James stepped in on short notice to Marshall the vital first corner / 1st 2nd lap split
• Peter juggled finish tokens and handed our 426 in total

And last but not least, GG Newham Queen Hillary (sorry Sharon P) joined for the run before taking charge of a lovely local community mission later in the morning - see report here (once posted and link edited)

P.S..... animal pics courtesy of Linda, showing off the lovely sides of Valentines Park