It was a bright day in May, and the clock was striking 15:48. Yes, it was the first ever GoodGym bell-ringing social! The secret, according to task owner Lady Andrea (she’s really a Lady!), is to pull down sharply and just hold steady. Which various GoodGymers succeeded in doing, and all of them (well, apart from Kate) even stayed on the ground! The bells peeled out and the local populace probably emerged from their homes expecting a church service, some kind of jubilee, or just the surprisingly early arrival of four o’clock

Earlier, we did fulfil our usual “big-Monday night task”, albeit in the afternoon this time, with our efforts endorsed by the good Lady, who gave us "many thanks to all who attended". Emma J was trying to unearth a stubborn root, while litter duties were undertaken by Ilana, Fiona (all the way from Highams Park) and Jackie (all the way from Camden Town). Meanwhile Jack (all the way from Redbridge), Chloe (all the way from the next block but one) and Kevin beavered away at the growing plot, oblivious to some mayhem going on nearby

Four GoodGymers struggled for some time to separate a large bush from the earth beneath, then Lucinda arrived from nowhere (Tooting), applied her well-practiced carpet-rolling technique, and the roots just surrendered. Emma R was doing excellent work manoevering the dug-up weeds, dead leaves and large picked-up branches into small bags, while Emma J was pulling furiously, in a valiant attempt to unearth the stubborn root

Zak appeared for his first GoodGym and threw himself into the task and the conversation. Louise didn’t sign up until the clock was striking two, but that was nothing to do with us, this time

Nia, fresh from doing her first ever half-marathon - faster than she ever expected - introduced us to a first-timer, Alex. In contrast, Kate is a veteran, having undertaken her debut task all of three years ago before disappearing to the far North. Meanwhile Emma J was making a sterling effort, trying very hard to unearth that stubborn root

Sam had just about recovered from his amazing efforts in the London marathon, where he somehow evaded the gaze of every mile-24 GoodGym cheerer. Rue kept everyone informed with a stream of fascinating facts, before we moved on to our bell-ringing duties - all apart from Emma J, determined to unearth a stubborn root…

On a bright and sunny afternoon, a small crew of GoodGymers gathered at Whitechapel Station for the second instalment of our borough-wide leafleting mission, this time taking on the streets of Whitechapel.

With a route mapped out and flyers in hand, we set off on foot, weaving through a maze of backstreets that many of us had never explored before. Each turn seemed to reveal a different side of the area, from quiet residential corners to bustling community hubs, reminding us just how much there is to discover right on our doorstep.

The leafleting itself was a bit of a mixed bag. Some spots were unfortunately closed, while others turned into mini treasure hunts as we searched, sometimes in vain, for elusive letterboxes. Still, persistence paid off and we managed to get the word out in plenty of places along the way.

Pet spotting was notably down on the previous outing but the sunshine and good company more than made up for it. And, as ever, where leaflets could not be delivered, notes were taken for follow up.

We wrapped things up back near Whitechapel with a well earned pub cooldown, celebrating a job well done.

Join us next time around Stepney and Limehouse.

5 Goodgymers descended upon Andrews Street on a sunny Saturday morning: Chloe walked along the canal, arriving first on the scene, Chris cycled, John,Hilary and Lucinda jogged together after completing Mile End parkrun at varying speeds.

We were greeted by task owner Geraldine, fellow gardener Keith, and chickens (!). Huge excitement at there being chickens. We gradually met the rest of the friendly gardening crew as they arrived one by one. Greening Brownfield community garden sits on old tennis courts and is a green, wildlife oasis in the middle of Poplar. Geraldine pointed out a large urn which is home to great tits, who return year after year. Wrens also nest somewhere in the garden. Magical.

Some of the raised beds had become structurally comprised owing to flimsy bases. The task, therefore, was to shovel the soil out of these beds, saw the legs off, and shovel the soil back in. Bags, spades and forks were helpfully provided to aid us in our mission.

Chris wins the shovelling innovation award for sweeping soil backwards with a spade through a gap in one of the beds, direct into a bag.

Sawing experience was gained by all. The chickens clucked away in approval. There were surprise potatoes (no-one knew who had planted them). This task really had it all.

Having spent his afternoon typing our bumper pack email of Goodgym news, Ivo strode out to lead the GG TH weekly run, from the Town Hall Hotel. There he scooped up a trio of gentle joggers. Praise is due to Lucinda and Fiona who got their trainers on in time to join Dan, making a group of three eager runners, which saw our pre-task running club double in size! Will you be there to join the next Monday run? It is the the fittest and funnest way to arrive at task...

With the rest of the GG TH crew arriving separately at Columbia Road Gardens (much less fit, much less fun), it was over to Ed to kick-off with an introduction to the evening's community mission activity: weeding. As a local resident and leading gardener of the Columbia Road Tenants and Residents Association, Ed has the nous and the kit to ensure we weed well. And weed well we really weedly did 😀.

Divided into two, half the team set to weeding the "race-track" area, so called because of the twisting path that weaves through it, rather than any high-speed racing from the cars parked nearby. The energy was much more shuffle and stoop than the typical Formula One race, thankfully. Time to slow down, even stop, perhaps, and weed your way to better wellbeing.

The team firstly discussed what plant-life classified as a weed in this setting. The term can be a confusing and troubling one, as it is such an amorphous category, determined by both personal interpretation and the specific context. Much like most things then, really.

So, with the evening's weed category formally classified, hand-held trowels and forks were passed around and some grass was pulled up, as were some nettles. Kevin's sharp horticultural eye spotted some clove and wild garlic in the undergrowth, finds that brought on Kat's growing hunger, stimulated by such a fine choice of edible leaves in each and every direction.

Hunger games aside, Kat was most committed to the task when protecting the delicate ladybirds seen roundabout. A common favourite from the insect family, despite urban myth stating quite clearly how red and black can be a mark of some sort of nature danger? And besides, a brave and bold colour pattern combo for even the most frightfully well-dressed of ladies, or birds.

The unearthed weeds soon began to pile up in semi-ordered clumps, ready for collection (proudly displayed in a big, yellow bucket by Emma), with Kareem responsible for lots of the lugging required to get the contents added to the compost heap tucked inside the orchard, where the other GG team had been weeding.

Before delving into the detail of their endeavours, a brief pause for some broader, more philosophical reflection on the topic of weeds. Thank you, Asad, for making the interesting point that the word weed, often used to ridicule somebody's lack of strength, belies the stark truth of the matter: the roots of the weeds encounterd here, just like weed roots we have all known and loved, were resolute in their resistance to any tug or pull, buried deeply and firmly beneath the surface of the soil.

Thus, to be called a weed really signals quite a belligerent force to be reckoned with, does it not?

So, into the weedy orchard arena stepped the remaining GG TH gardener volunteers. Flicking away a few spots of rain, the team braced themselves for a weedly tough challenge: removing the unwanted plant-life creeping around the fruit tree trunks.

Chloe was quick to track down and prize out unwanted dandelions and Anna ensured that little strawberry plants remained firmly set in the soil, should any have been mistakenly taken out, perhaps. Once patted and pressed back into place, high hopes remain for those soft red treats, the perfect complement to a slurp of cream, savoured whilst sat snuggly on a (well-weeded) garden lawn, come the height of Summer.

Jack lifted our minds up from simple weeding work through contemplation of plant providence and the journeys plant species have made to their current home, over the course of time. Did you know: the potato, celebrated carbohydrate of many European countries, was only discovered through the Spanish invasion of Colombia and was first used as cattle feed when it was brought back in about 1600? Not quite a weed, but not the staple food and culinary joy we proclaim now with our chips, mash and baked spuds. A helpful historical reminder, from our GG TH mathematician, how a plant's place in a garden can change according to context and point of view. Orchard anthropology indeed.

Back in east London, Dan was reassured to see how Tom struggled as much as he had, cracking through the dry, hardened ground with the strained prongs of a large fork, trying to release the deep roots of several tall dock plants.

A much smoother ride for the wheelbarrow deliveries of mulch shuttled across by Lobo, and then also by Tom, Chloe, Jack and Dan, delivering a replenishment of bark mulch to secure the reclaimed space now preserved for the trees and not to be taken up by the weeds. For long.

Ed had explained during mission briefing, how high plants and grasses could impinge on air and light for the tree, whilst also risk losing the clear sight lines much needed by overzealous lawnmowers.

Fiona combined her friendly paparazzi role, with gentle encouragement for everybody to wind up their last weeding activity, wheel away the final loads of organic weed waste, and simply wish each other a weedy wonderful week and weedy wonderful long weekend ahead.

The session concluded thus. Ed's tools were all collected in and stowed safely in a garden store along the way towards Shoreditch. Thank you, Ed, for the calm and careful way you guided our weeding ways, for the clearer space and air it shared with every plant and Goodgym volunteer lucky enough to have been there.

And, finally, can you see the rainbow shard, best in show at this week's alternative Columbia Road Flower display (check out lucky picture 13 of the photo reel)? Well, of course you do, and others will now, too, because there's not a weed to be seen on their patch of Tower Hamlets orchard.

No "weeds" to stop their growth, nor block an admirer's view. Stunning, strong and glossy, deep red stalks, with their flourish of curly leaves of dark green. Mighty flashy & fine ♥️ .

A return visit to the always chatty Mr J, this time to build an office chair for him so that he can sit comfortably at the table that I'd built for him a fortnight ago. Fortunately the instructions were easy to follow, and the pieces all present and correct, so it was very much chatter while you work. It wasn't long before the chair was complete - and I was allowed to give it a quick test drive to ensure it rose, fell, and reclined as expected.

Mr J then asked if I'd mind hanging the picture of Jeff Beck that I'd framed for him on my last visit, and with tape measure and spirit level in hand, he (Mr Beck, not Mr J...) was successfully added to the Wall of Fame, next to Jimi Hendrix.

On a sunny (but pollen-packed) Tuesday evening, a GoodGym duo gathered at Leonard’s Priory to take on the spreading invasion of Green Alkanet - a very pretty but persistent weed. With just me, Chandrima and Larry (now working with volunteers over at Regent’s Park but providing direction on this evening), we got stuck straight in.

The site had become pretty overgrown since our last visit, so Larry fired up the lawnmower while Chandrima and I started on the alkanet, which had taken hold almost everywhere. Larry kept a watchful eye to make sure we weren’t pulling up anything important - not always easy in a historic burial ground! We made solid progress, even uncovering a few hidden gravestones along the way.

As we worked, Larry explained to us that this would be an archaeologist’s dream and told us about a planned exhibition at Bow Church showcasing his finds from the Priory in the coming months. After about an hour and with hayfever well and truly winning the battle for myself and Chandrima, we called it a night.

A great effort from a small team. We made a real dent in the alkanet, and a strong case for returning soon with an army of GoodGymers to finish the job properly.