The gorgeous Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park covers 27 acres and is home to a wide range of wildlife and plants.

Volunteers offer support to Park Manager Ken and his team to help manage the site, including the maintenance of its many pathways.

16 GoodGymers gathered this evening to help remove cow parsley from one of the pathways.

We welcomed Jasand Carina to their first Monday night task before Ken greeted us with a short briefing, tonight's pun and some good guidance on the task ahead...

Why cow parsley?

Cow parsley can spread rapidly and dominate open spaces, overshadowing smaller plants. Managing its spread helps keep a balanced and varied landscape.

The team spent a productive hour in the overgrowth, performing many squats to carefully uproot the stems, and taking it in turns to wheel loads around the corner to the green waste pile, before hurling armfuls of greenery onto this great big green mountain.

By the end of the evening, pathway clearings were more visible (see Emma’s before and after pics) showing immediate results of tonight’s effort.

It was gone 8 when we gathered gloves, forks and wheelbarrows and headed to the nearest bench for our final group pic! Ambling back through the park, we concluded it was something of a relief to enjoy a task in the daylight, complete with warm sun.

Until next time.

It was another chilly Monday evening for 26 willing GoodGymers gathered at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.

But spirits remained high as we set out to tackle two key gardening activities: clearing brambles and removing ivy from headstones where the new park’s path is set to go.

About the park

• Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, one of London’s Magnificent Seven cemeteries, serves as a burial ground for over 350,000 people.

• Today, it also functions as popular local nature reserve. Managed by The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, the park is home to a diverse range of plants, birds, and insects, making it a valuable ecological site.

• Volunteers play a key support in the park’s efforts to maintain a balance between history and biodiversity.

After the usual brilliant briefing from Ken, we set out to tonight’s spot, wheelbarrows filled with tools.

Brambles and ivy, while valuable to wildlife, can quickly become problematic. Brambles spread rapidly, creating dense growth that obscures headstones and restricts access. Ivy is often seen as an attractive feature, but it can cause damage to both stone surfaces and other plant life.

It was a busy 45 minutes: bramble patches thinned, ivy removed, and many trips made to the waste pile.

The group did well, making a difference in the short space of time they were there.

At shortly after 8, we made our final few wheelbarrow trips, collected tools and headed back to the toolshed for one final pic.

Another great winter night in the borough – well done, everyone.

And a special shout-out to our Rue, who led tonight’s run from the Town Hall Hotel!

Next week we return to Rocky Park, to help Ash and Margaret with The Big Planter Overhaul.

Until then.

It was our first visit of 2025 to the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park this evening!

Ken, the Park’s manager of over 22 years, greeted us, and it was great for new and regular members to have a catch-up with him before we headed out for our task.

Welcoming the group one by one, we slowly made our way over to the tool shed to grab loppers, rakes and wheelbarrows.

As Ken loaded the wheelbarrows, GoodGymers took the opportunity to stash bags in the office, before meandering across the North West side of the park our task location for the evening.

Tonight we were clearing ivy from headstones and chopping back brambles in an area that needs a bit of preparation for a new footpath that’s being established.

Ken divided us into two teams to head back into the park, away from the headstones.

Barrows were filled quickly, and a dent made in the area in no time.

GoodGymers emerged time and again from the undergrowth with armfuls of ivy and brambles, pausing only to pose patiently for a photo, which seem to take an increasing amount of time, thanks to an ageing phone.

At two minutes to eight, we wheeled the last barrow around to the vegetation heap and gathered the tools.

We made our way back through the park and headed to the tool shed, and then to the front of the fence, for our final last photo.

It was a great start to the week. After a chilly few days, it was still a real treat to get together and lend a hand in one of our borough’s prettiest places.

And the shout-outs tonight to:

• Ruby, who joined us for her first task! Great to see you, Ruby and hope to see you again soon.

• Lobo, who brought doughnuts for the whole team, as part of his post-task, January Challenge pep talk.

• And to our brilliant task owner, Ken, who gave us another fun Monday night and a splendid pun.

Until next time.

After a three-week Christmas break, it was great to be reunited with the team this evening.

In a last-minute change of plan, we were Limehouse-bound this evening, heading to the Tower Hamlets Community Transport building, to see Kamal from Ocean Youth Connexions.

The charity relocated to the Transport hub back in the summer, when they needed a new premises for admin and training.

The site is great – large, bright and well located - with a committed team at both organisations.

In order for the hub to be utilised to its fullest potential, the building and grounds need continual upkeep including cleaning, clearing, and decorating.

On arrival, equipment was meticulously laid out and a list of tasks prepared.

As GoodGymers arrived one by one, teams were formed and tasks allocated.

Several teams headed outside (no mean feat in last night’s temperatures) to prune trees, bag and bin branches; clear litter and leaves from the bus area.

Meanwhile another team of three were tasked with scraping and sanding the upstairs railings, in preparation for painting at another task later in the month.

A few pics and bundles of activity later, we heard the 8pm chime of the St Anne’s clock, prompting us to start the clean-up effort.

Sweeping up the last leaf and paint fleck and returning mops, brushes and rakes to their homes, we gathered in the depot for our group picture.

What a night!

Some big shout-outs tonight:

• To Kamal, our task owner, who saved the day on our first Monday night task of the year.

• To Michael, who joined us for his first GoodGym – brilliant effort, Michael! We hope to see you again soon.

• And to our Lobo, who reached his 100th good deed this evening! Congratulations, Lobo! Well done for the huge amount you contribute across the borough. You're a big part of GoodGym Tower Hamlets.

Next week, we return to the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park for our first visit of 2025!

Until then.