Last night we were in a spooky Cator Park helping to tidy up some of the bushes and paths ahead of the friends group's dog show this weekend.

After a quick dog vs cats chat in the pub, we jogged down to meet Millie in the park.

We were equipped with hoes, secateurs, shears and a wheelbarrow and worked on a couple of the big hedge sections to neaten them up and clear weeds and pine needles from the path.

It didn't take long for it to look much more presentable, and mean the paths were wider.

Nice one, gang! ✂️

Some stellar clearing of a couple of beds in Crystal Palace Park tonight, right next to our regular Water Tower Base haunt, and a similar task in a way.

Invisible Palace look after a bunch of flower beds around the park and are taking on one that is particularly overgrown. Their volunteers had made a great start and we were continuing to clear out grass, weeds, brambles, bindweed and a huge buddleia.

We got a good workout in and made a really big difference to the space.

Nice one team 💥

We had a NEW TASK tonight helping Mary and Rachel from Barnmead Road Allotments clear a big patch of brambles so that the area can be turned into a community garden. Many hands and some decent tools made light work and we managed to clear a good chunk of the area in just 45 minutes (see photos). After working up a sweat, we were treated to some delicious fruit (and spare strawberry plants!) by our lovely hosts while Catherine made friends with an allotment cat .

Great work team!

A small but mighty gang of two James', two Cats and a Hannah met at St John's Church tonight to help Karen and the Thursday Lunch Club volunteers spruce up the grounds as a thanks to the church for letting the club use its hall. Armed with loppers, rakes and wheelbarrows, the volunteers made great progress clearing back brambles and ivy to make the path to the hall more accessible and the area generally more presentable. Special shout out to newcomer James who got stuck straight in with the chopping and had to be prised from his loppers when it was time to leave!

Great work tonight gang!

You can find out more about the Thursday Lunch Club here. It's a great initiative so please do reach out to Karen if you can help with your time or donations.

The weather was HOT tonight as we made our way to Cator Park to give the (no longer so tiny) saplings in the Tiny Forest some much needed mulch and water.James, Clare, Kelsey and I were on wheelbarrow duty, getting a good upper body workout shovelling and transporting mulch across the park. Meanwhile Tony, Catherine and Kat took care of our young trees, spreading the mulch and getting rid of pesky weeds.

Thanks to all who came and great to see how much the Tiny Forest has come on!