It was the Gang of Four who pitched up at the Hackney adventure playground this evening to see what Ange had in store for us. Early arrivers Paul and I were delighted to see that the remaining tree trunks that we had shifted during our last visit had now all been moved, so we thought it was unlikely we were going to be in for another session of heavy lifting…and so it proved, as Ange pointed to yet another large mountain of bark and wood chipping by the entrance and said she’d like it moved to the far corner under one of the A frames to provide a soft landing for any young aspiring circus acrobats.

With each of us armed with wheelbarrow and shovel, we got to work loading, walking, emptying into mounds, and retracing our steps for more of the same, but helpfully accompanied by an eclectic playlist of tunes blasting out from the speaker near the shed, which definitely kept us moving. Whoever was in control of this evening's playlist is definitely missing a trick as a part time DJ at the weekend...or as the next Joe Wicks.

With darkness now fully set in, Team Leader Graham gave us a call of “5 minutes more” (or two more wheelbarrow trips), and once done we parked the ‘barrows, tidied up the spades, leaving just a small pile of woodchip still to be distributed, and bade Ange farewell. A short group run back to the Olympic Park, and another highly satisfying and productive evening at the playground was complete for another week.

A very delayed report due to technical issues.......computer said no and then on a tech free holiday

Another wonderful visit to see Ang at Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground and a classic GG task for the night.

A very large pile of mulch to be shifted.

Lots of shoveling,walking and spreading and we had the area under the zip line full of mulch ready for the children the following morning. We even had time to put a good layer under the large swing area.

We will return to see Ang again in October.

We made out way to see Ange at Hackney Marshes after double checking she would be there after missing her last time.

They had a delivery of some very long poles which had a mixture of letters on or had been left blank.

Ange told us about the up coming building projects to replace so of the well loved equipment.

With clear instructions of where each pole need to go Adam Paul Nick and Kevin got to work on moving the poles.

I had an extended catch up with Ange who took me to see the project the older children are building with a local group,they have designed and are now helping to build a climbing tunnel and jump platform.....sadly not as high a s the children wanted it to be but Ange has to follow H&S law.

The guys did an amazing job and meant lots of poles ready for the children to paint.

Next week its a visit to Emmanuel Church and this time we will actually get started on the flower bed

We arrived at a slightly damp, but locked up Adventure Playground.

The playground has been gearing up for their Summer scheme and having some building work, we had unfortunately been forgotten!

Apologies were passed in and new date to be confirmed for a visit in August.

We do love a visit to see Ange at Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground.

We welcomed Priscila to her first GG Newham group run.

Ange had a couple of tasks planned for tonight, a GoodGym classic moving wood chip and digging and hole ready for a wooden installation next to the pond.

Kevin and Priscila took on the task of digging a meter deep hole which was made more difficult due to the amount of rubble that is buried on the site, the joy of the playground be built on an old blitz dump.

Hilary and I took on the task of re-wood chipping one of the swing areas within the playground.

We finished the evening tadpole spotting in the playgrounds pond.

On a balmy Tuesday evening, a squad of eight set off from the Aquatics Centre for a classic GoodGym combo: run, task, teamwork, impact.

This week’s destination? The ever-welcoming Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground, where we were met by the indomitable Ange — beaming with good news. The playground dates back to the 1970s, when a degree of risk taking and challenge was all part of the design philosophy. Lots of the structures at the playground that support this philosophy are in need of replacement and Ange has recently secured some funding that will support long-overdue redevelopment work.

Those who’ve been on previous tasks here may remember shifting a hefty stack of wooden piles to free up one area for works. This time, the redevelopment zone had moved to the entrance where we'd moved them, so naturally, it was time to move them again! (strategic rotation?)

Armed with gloves, grit, and GoodGym spirit, we made short work of not only the infamous wooden piles but a few other bits of timber, too. Classic GoodGym efficiency — in and out, job done.

Special shout-out to our trio of first-time GoodGymers: Bianca, Lise and Mark — great to have you along and hope this is the first of many! And a warm Newham welcome to Richard, joining us for the first time in the borough — strong debut energy all round.

This task is always a favourite. Ange’s commitment to the playground and her legendary organisation mean it’s a joy to return each time — even if the wood just keeps moving in circles. Thanks to everyone who came along and made light work of a weighty task. Until the next pile shift... ply on! 🪵

Next week, we’re making a long-awaited return to the brilliant UP Garden — an award-winning community hub that’s been transformed from a disused laundry yard into a urban oasis for local residents. It’s always a pleasure to visit, and our host Suze will no doubt have a good list of tasks! 💪