"Ashdown Crescent, you say?"

"That's right, Ashdown Crescent"

"Ashdown Crescent, neighbour to Queen's Crescent?"

"Oh yes that's the one, Ashdown Crescent right by Queen's Crescent"

"Mmmmm I think I have indeed passed that crescent, the Ashdown Crescent, the one by the Queen's Crescent!"

"Oh yes I should think you have! We all know Ashdown Crescent, the crescent next to the Queen's Crescent"

Which, fellow friends, has been the dialogue in my brain ever since 'Ashdown Crescent' entered my ears. Was this really a real place? Had my life finally become irreparably conjoined with Jane Austen's? Was I actually featuring in an episode of Downton Abbey?

RIGHT - ENOUGH OF THIS SILLINESS - I HAVE AN EVENING OF GOOD DEEDING TO TELL YOU ABOUT!

Nine of us - nine of us without (unless appropriate evidence is forthcoming) regal connections - battled the evening's business to make our ways to this special sheltered housing complex just to the West of Kentish Town. Home to 35 local residents, Ashdown supports independent living and community in a hidden pocket of green just off the main thoroughfare.

Our wonderful group of Alex, Caitlin, Dan, Emilie, Emre, Giulia (on their first good deed - you're very welcome!), Sarah, and Steve mirrored a crack team of altruistic gardening experts. Having been warmly welcomed by Frezghi and Paul, this group needed little more than a blink to divide themselves into productivity.

Alex and Giulia got straight to pruning and weeding an overlooked section of walled garden - Caitlin, Dan, and Emre honed in on the middle bank of the garden, pulling weeds and re-composting - Emilie and Sarah started an evening-long battle with two compost drums in need of emptying and refreshing - and Steve got to work with the largest broom I have ever seen on a GoodGym task.

Over 45 minutes, this group made a material and visible difference, and I know the residents at Ashdown will be grateful! We'll certainly be back this summer to do even more :)

Thank you, all, for your work and energy - it was a joy to see you all!!

Camden experienced summer yesterday evening. The weather forecast told me it'd be hot and dry, and even bright with minimal clouds, too.

I held my breath, I crossed my fingers.

And.

It held out!

Which meant for a bright and warm run through Camden to start our evening yesterday. Alison, Steve, and I worked our way through evening-tide streets, and we shared stories and chatter as we did.

Arriving at the special St Cuthbert's communal garden, we were met by fellow GoodGymer, Sarah, who had taken a canal-side cycle to make their way over.

Over 45 minutes, we collectively dug up a bush, filled multiple bags of compost, sawed through an old chain, and cut planks of old timber for disposal.

With 4 willing pairs of hands, we made a big difference in a short span. Thanks, everyone, it was great to see you all!!!

Here's to next time :)

Our wonderful, friendly, and green-fingered group of Liz, Sarah, and Steve chose GoodGym over semi-finals on Wednesday, as we made our way over to Kentish Town and a very special garden.

The Caversham Group Practice was our home for the evening, and we were welcomed by the lovely Jo and Sarah, who took us into their lush and peaceful Listening Space Garden.

Set within the Pratice's grounds, it's a gem of quiet and green, and we felt lucky to offer our Wednesday evening energies!!

Over 45 minutes we worked along the garden's pathways, stripping them of summer weeds and overgrowth, and we shared stories and caught up as we did.

It was a joy to meet Jo and Sarah, and we look forward to coming back soon!!

It was Election Eve and all was well.

Camden was aflutter with the sounds of sharpening pencils, ballot-snipping scissors, and huge printers used just once every half-decade to print the 'POLLING STATION' font.

And amidst these sounds of democracy, a group in red was making its gentle way up through Camden and towards Tufnell Park.

Our wonderful regular group of Jackie, John, and Steve had welcomed the equally wonderful Emilie, and we were sharing stories of work, life, and politics as we cut our way through the evening hubbub.

Arriving at the special communal garden areas at Ingestre Community Centre, we were met by the brilliant Emily, Pete, and Sarah, and (under Pete's expert tutelage) we quickly split into Team Cutting-All-Weeds-Completely-Back, Team Water-Dry-Ground-Until-It-FINALLY-Accepts-The-Water, and Team Litter-Pick-Pick.

It was wonderful seeing how much work we can do in 40 minutes when we do it together, and our tasks simply slipped away to being completed.

Thank you, everyone, for a lovely evening, and I really appreciate your work!!

See you soon!

Some things have great names.

Like Cadbury's Marvellous Creations Jelly Popping Chocolate Candy Bar... and Bruce Bogtrotter's Favourite Fudgey Chocolate Cake... and Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland, Bartholomew Cubbins, and... (breathe out)

...and, of course, Camden's very own Story Garden - the magical space of green and colour sat to the side of the British Library!!

Our merry group of sun seekers met in the cool of the Francis Crick Institute's shadows, and we welcomed newcomers Deniz and Sharon (welcome, both!) before warming up with a hotly contested game of 'count to 25'!

Our task this week reflected community in action - the Story Garden have been supporting a local social housing block to bring some sustainable nature into their midst - and they're in the process of planting 18 rooftop planters to establish a skyline forest for the residents to enjoy - it's a special project and we're so pleased to help.

Arriving at the Story Garden, we were met by the warmth and ebullience of Linda, our Story Garden Community Maker Extraordinaire, and the took us to a carefully prepared table of dips and fresh bites - thank you, Linda, for making us feel so welcome and appreciated!

We were shifting this week. Shifting a mini mountain of bags of soil and materials, ready for the planting to begin. So we loaded our trailer, filled our wheelbarrows, and started our caravan of garden moving through a sun speckled Camden. Arriving at the site, we navigated (commandeered...) the lift and dropped our load onto the terrace that will soon become a forest.

And... rinse and repeat for round 2 of our shifting!

Which led us to nearly 8pm and our evening ending - thank you, everyone, for your wonderful company and work - we will be back to help Linda and the team soon!!