5 of us heading to Limehouse to finish off last week's painting job at Oceans Youth Connexions. After last week's mammoth attendance, we were smaller in number but still made a very effective team of painters.

Overalls on, we split off into different corners of the main room - some of us up ladders, others not. Up and down, left and right, we went, refilling our trays with bright, white paint. Lobo took care of the shutters - the soothing sounds of the rollers against metal being the soundtrack of the session. Anna and Ilana whizzed around the lower levels, painting any unpainted patches they could find. Myself and Rohan were mainly perched atop ladders rolling white paint onto the walls. We worked away quietly, so absorbed were we in the task at hand. The hour flew by and before we knew it was time to head back out into the chilly night.

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!