We returned to the lovely Town Hall Hotel last night for a short run to our task on Columbia Road.

It was a gorgeous evening to sit on the steps and catch up on the weekend news: all the latest from Shindig, and what we would be doing this evening.

At 6:45 we ran through a couple of warm-up exercises on the steps before heading out on tonight's run.

Ivo and John led the route this evening, taking us down Old Bethnal Green road, a quieter route, perfect for a leisurely run. As we turned the corner of Gosset Street into Columbia Road, we found Ed waiting patiently for us with a large bag of woodchip.

Our task for tonight

Tonight we were joining Ed and Ed (not a typo) from Columbia Tenants and Residents Association to help distribute the new woodchip around the borders for the new trees and plants in the Orchard area. (Woodchip can help soil retain moisture, deter weeds and acts as a boundary between plant and mower).

Having been introduced to the two types of woodchip this evening, we moved to the Orchard area to meet the other Ed who was busy distributing cardboard around the plants to be woodchipped.

Having received great instructions on the plan, we divided into three teams: one shovelling woodchip into barrows; one wheeling the barrows around to the orchard and the third distributing the woodchip around the young trees and plants.

There was quite the variety of bushes and trees with edible produce here, from strawberries to gooseberries; pears and blackcurrants.

As the first woodchip pile was finished, a small team was then assigned to planting, while a new watering team proceeded to wet all the newly-laid woodchip and plants.

At shortly after 8, we started the task of wrapping up, culminating in a group shot inside the woodchip bag (not a typo).

Going our various ways, we said our goodbyes, thanking Ed and Ed for a lovely evening in Columbia Road orchard.

Heading slowly back towards the Hotel, the running group chatted and ran at leisurely pace, stopping at the lights for a final stroll.

Shout outs A shout-out to the whole team tonight for some brilliant work, but especially to Ivo and John for leading tonight's run.

Next week

...we return to the Parkview Estate on the edge of Victoria Park, to see Catherine, Liam and Seb, who will be guiding us through a big tree-watering task.

Until then.

A gorgeous night for it.

16 GoodGymers gathered together at The Soanes Centre this evening, ready for an active, useful task in the beautiful Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.

What we were doing?

We met with the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park team first, to collect wheelbarrows and gloves – and instructions. Park Manager Ken whizzed through the park’s fascinating facts, covering everything from wildlife to top cow parsley-plucking tips.

We then made our way through the centre of the park, to the area near The Big Green Pile (as it sounds) where we covered the basics of tonight’s task: pulling out cow parsley.

Why were we doing it?

Cow parsley can be invasive, taking up light and space. Without any control, the plant and its seeds spread quickly. Removing the flowering stem in late Spring helps manage this plant in this huge, much loved, historic cemetery and nature reserve.

How we got on

The team worked - you guessed it – tirelessly as usual. Getting to grips very quickly with these tough stems, the area started to look transformed very quickly. Working in groups on both sides of the park path, GoodGymers filled barrow after barrow with armfuls of the cow parsley.

With all that squatting, plucking and wheeling, it proved to be quite the Monday night workout. The time sped by, and before we knew it, it was well after 8 and we were wheeling the final barrow back to The Big Green Pile, to pose for one last picture.

We strolled back to base, grateful to Richard from the FOTHCP team for taking barrows and gloves off our hands.

Another fantastic night - well done everyone.

The big shout-outs

…To Giorgio, Yelda, and Alex who joined us for the very first time. You did such a great job, and we hope to see you again very soon.

To Emma who worked hard at Cow Parsley pun research.

To our Task Force (John, Chris, Fiona, Aine and Emma) who project manage-d tonight; helped plan the next few weeks, and who generally do loads behind the scenes.

…And to the whole team tonight, for such a fabulous start to the week.

Until next time.

A good sized group of GoodGymers gathered in the main hospital reception at the Royal London this evening.

We were joining the Barts Volunteers Team for our monthly activity, headed up by Nancy, Tom and Richard.

In previous visits, we have been making up activity packs for the Patient and Family Contact Centre, as well delivering London evening newspapers to the wards, and completing Friends and Family Test (FFT) surveys on the wards.

This evening, GoodGymers who arrived early accompanied Tom to a busy A&E department, to offer patients a newspaper.

Meanwhile Nancy and Richard welcomed other GoodGymers as they arrived, completing sign-up and briefing on tonight’s task.

At around 7:15, the team were ready to go...

One team accompanied Richard to the Paediatric Ward to complete the FFT surveys. (This is the third time GoodGymers have participated in this task on this ward, chatting to young patients and their families, gathering essential feedback for the Trust).

The second team headed to two wards with Tom and Nancy: first to the Elderly Care Wards, and then to the Trauma Ward. Again, it was good to be given the opportunity to connect with patients, and help out with these these important conversations for the hospital.

At shortly after 8, we met up again in the light, airy reception area to chat about how we’d got on; feedback to Nancy, and enjoy some well deserved chocolate (courtesy not only of the Barts Volunteers team, but also of Raleigh!).

After saying our farewells, we headed out in different directions: some walking, some cycling, some pub-ing…

Until next time.

It was a lovely evening to gather in the bright, spacious atrium of the RLH this evening for our monthly visit to the hospital with the Barts Volunteers team.

Background to our task

We've been coming to the Hospital to join Nancy and the brilliant Barts Volunteers team for a while now.

For 2023, we have set up monthly visits to the hospital, in which our tasks have focused on two areas: making up activity packs and menu cards for the Patient and Family Contact Centre, and visiting the wards to gather essential feedback from patients and families.

Tonight’s teams were divided into three: one remained in the Atrium, under the careful eye of Nancy, to make up activity packs, while a further two teams headed upstairs with Richard and Tom to visit the wards, gathering vital feedback and distributing newspapers to patients.

The activity pack team worked at a fantastic pace, buoyed on by Nancy’s film quiz (“guess the artist and film to this song”) and a few tasty Lindt.

The ward teams also worked at a fast pace, engaging in many useful and meaningful conversations with patients of all ages.

Essential survey feedback was gathered, which helps the Trust in delivering effective, current, care and treatment while copies of evening London newspapers were distributed to patients, always a much-appreciated, well received bit of reading by all accounts .

Finishing at varying times gave us an opportunity to enjoy a catch-up with one another, and with the Barts Volunteers team, finding out more about what we will be involved with in the months ahead.

At just gone 8:15, we were deciding where and how to pose for this week’s group shot, headed up by Ritchie!

A huge team effort tonight! Special shout-outs to:

• Abie, whose first GoodGym event it was. Great to see you Abie, and hope to see you again soon!

• Abie and Alice who came up with tonight's pun.

• And Olivia, who reached her 100th good deed at tonight’s task (Olivia reached her 50th good deed at this same task at the end of October!). Congratulations Olivia!

Another brilliant Monday evening with the team!

Next week, we head to a brand new task in Columbia Road, to join some great gardening activity!

Until then.