A cold February evening, softened by the silvery whole moon up high, turned into a very successful, and highly commended, burst of litter-picking activity. In short, half a dozen volunteers filled two large rubbish bags half-full of litter, in just half an hour... and that doesn't cover half of it! Buckle up for the full story...

This mission had been arranged by John as a garden-clearing challenge at the Cranbrook Community Centre and Food Garden. However, by 7pm, with our group of eight Goodgym volunteers (mostly) assembled, Eileen informed us of the sad news that Janet was poorly. Thus, the evening's activity could not proceed as expected.

We all wish Janet a strong and speedy recovery back to better health.

Back at the site, and with untapped garden-clearing energy on ice, our initial team of six considered the alternative outlets to pour forth the bucketfuls of positivity that come from any Goodgym gathering.

The mutinous thought of an early return home to enjoy a hot bath, tempting though it may have been, had not even started to cross our dedicated Goodgym minds. Well, perhaps there was a quickly murmured suggestion, but such ideas stalled and shrunk into silence, when, all of a sudden...

Dan seemed to pull off a miraculous conjuring trick, presenting a complete set of litter-picking equipment, Mary Poppins style, out of a modest-sized rucksack. With credit and thanks to Dan's GG Liverpool friends, his neat collection of picker, two bags and a hoop somehow near-perfectly provided for our team, keen to spread some clearing-up love around about the Cranbrook surroundings.

Rohan, whose kudos earnings were already high for cycling to the mission, set out to begin a careful and thorough picking operation, teaming up with trusty John and an unstoppably dynamic pair of Emmas.

John's responsible commitment to health and safety ensured everybody had gloves and knew why - apparently not just for keeping warm and dry, and preserving nail polish. No, gloves guard you from the not-immediately-identifiable and possibly sharp, possibly spiky items lurking in the undergrowth. So, hear this rubbish hunters, wherever you are picking: gloves on!

Fresh from birthday celebrations, Emma J. strode off, aglow with her usual vitality, such that most litter she encountered simply tidied itself into a nearby bin of its own accord. Completing that quartet, and undeterred by a recent nasty collision with a reckless cyclist, (Southern) Emma whirled her way around the area, taking excellent photos of all the best litter-picking action.

The remaining pair of pickers, Chris and Dan, stepped out at a purposeful pace, in strong agreement about the transformational improvement of litter-free flower beds, pavements and benches.

Also noted were the virtues of that finest of everyday walk accessories, the litter-picker: for Chris it was the comfortable reach it offers and for Dan it was the wonder of its dexterity, picking litter of all shapes and sizes. As per the gloves reminder above: OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!

Oh! And, as per the photo evidence, whilst all off busy delivering our revised Monday night activity, there appears to have been a fly-by drop-in litter-pick moment from Lobo and Anna... They came and, like the eye of the (full) moon flashing open and closed between passing clouds, they slipped away into the fresh dark of the approaching night.

Rejoining up as a nearly fully unified team from respective adventures, we enjoyed, even indulged, that warm sense of satisfaction, some might say smugness: in the space of a half-hour or so's rubbish hunt we had collected enough litter to present the aforementioned pair of half-full rubbish bags.

The prize for top find was awarded to Emma J., who retrieved a completed school report card (see photo), which gifted the opportunity to generously self-assess our evening's efforts with a resounding "full marks". The inspiration for this report's self-congratulatory headline, too!

One final time, team scores on the doors: "Full marks, GG team!" That said, whilst some clearing up was necessary and noticeable, all agreed that this neighbourhood's hygiene rating was impressive. The local area appeared well-kempt with just a scattering of litter dropped here and there. To Tower Hamlets folk it is fair and right to share our praise and recognition: "(Nearly) full marks, TH!"

GoodGymers arrived from all parts of Bethnal Green and Mile End. And not just from there. Nia came all the way from India, partly to do the task, but also because she was greatly missing our lovely January weather. Mile-End-Emma arrived from Australia, quite recently, and new-boy Gabe (welcome Gabe) claims to live outside Tower Hamlets altogether, over there in The City. Even though nobody lives in The City. And we all arrived bang on time - except for the usual tardy suspects, of course...

Nia, Lobo, Gabe and Bethnal-Green-Emma, were using their artistic talent to paint chairs (Bethnal) green, as well as varnishing a table and chair. Lucinda and Mile-End-Emma were filling gaps in a brick wall, doing a great job (according to Mile-End-Emma). Several miles away, at the other end of the estate, Ilana, Ciarán and Bethnal-Green-Emma were restoring a graffiti-covered wall. Closer to home, Rohan and I practised for our future potential careers as dentists pulling teeth, as we yanked nails from planks of wood, using the back ends of hammers

All this vigorous work was our best bulwark against the cold. But January isn’t over yet - there’s still a special Tuesday task at Ocean Youth tonight, then Saturday lunchtime at Rocky Park, and the usual Felix Project tasks the same day. Be there or be somewhere else!

It was a bitterly cold evening, with frost clinging to the ground, but that didn’t dissuade 13 Tower Hamlets diehards, wrapped in many layers, gathering for our first group task of 2026. Breath hung in the air as we pulled on gloves and got to work, determined not to let the temperature dampen our spirits. The Cranbrook garden was still carpeted with wet, fallen leaves, somehow unhardened by the icy conditions

Despite numb fingers and stiff muscles, the group worked steadily, gathering leaves into large piles, bagging them, and Chris even repeating his Cranbrook party trick of jumping into the wheelie bin, to stamp the debris down and create more space for the seemingly never-ending flow of leaf piles. Periodic bursts of laughter and much conversation helped to break through the chill, and the physical effort brought a degree of warmth

By 19:45, the thick carpet of leaves had disappeared, just a few clinging on between blades of grass, and the lucky 13 felt proud, rosy-cheeked, and energised. There only remained the logistically difficult problem of getting everyone in a selfie, and the difficult negotiation of the frozen pavements outside