Tonight's task started at the earlier time of 5pm, due to park closing times and the need to maximise daylight.

One by one a committed group of GoodGymers arrived by Victoria Park's Hub area to be briefed by Lizzy as to this evening's task.

What were we doing in Victoria Park?

Tonight we were helping to distribute the remaining 4 tonnes of (original 20 tonnes) of sand around the playground area. This is no ordinary sand: this fine, treated, soft sand used to keep a soft, safe surface throughout the playground.

Although the park have been hard at work distributing the huge mound, there was still a decent-sized pile left for us to tackle.

Working in pairs, we shovelled sand into wheelbarrows, wheeled it to areas which needed filling in and....repeated! It's a tough task, particularly for those on wheeling (ever tried wheeling sand through sand?).

We made a nice dent in the pile however, stopping only to receive direction from young, local park residents keen to join in.

It was a beautiful evening to enjoy one another's company, and a workout-with-a-purpose.

At shortly after 6:30, the team opted to pose for a final pic on the wobbly bridge, before cycling, walking and running home in different directions.

A big pat on the back to the whole team, who got stuck in on a huge scale to this very physical task, and who left work stations at an early hour to accommodate this evening's task. And a big shout-out to Fiona, who took all this evening's lovely pics!

Until next time.

I attended the lunchtime session where preparations weee being made for the festival.

There’s lots of activities for the community to enjoy and it will be a really fun evening, particularly for families and children after school finishes.

On a sunny Saturday morning GoodGym members came out for a group run with a difference.

Tower Hamlets member Simon and area activator Laura had arranged a meet up and collaboration with the London branch of Frontrunners – Europe's largest LGBT+ sports club – at their weekly multi-ability run in Victoria Park. We started with an introduction to both organisations and why they are important to their members.

GoodGym Tower Hamlets are an enthusiastic bunch of about 30 regulars who are interested in keeping fit while getting involved in local community projects and meeting like-minded people in their local area. It's an inclusive and friendly club where members run, cycle or walk to meet up at weekly or daily tasks where we garden, tidy, clean or just chat with someone who needs our help.

London Frontrunners are a mixed ability, running club for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-binary, and Queer people, and their allies, and are part of a world-wide club that started in San Francisco in 1974. The club meets all over London and provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ people to be part of a sport environment without fear of exclusion or discrimination based on their sexuality and gender.

At 10:15, 5 GoodGymmers and 12 Frontrunners set off on two routes – a 5k loop of Victoria Park and a 10k run around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Everyone regrouped at the Pavilion Café for coffee, breakfast and chats to catch their breath.

Laura and Simon then led the whole group on to one of our regular Victoria Park activities – donning protective gloves and armed with grabbers and rubbish bags - picking up litter around the play areas, woods and fields where bottles, cigarette ends, cans and all sorts of trash had escaped the bins.

Forty-five minutes later and some people were so engrossed (competitive!) with picking litter, but the group slowly came back together to show off our collections. Photos, thank yous and goodbyes done and everyone headed off their own ways.

Next meeting is already set up for 11 June ([see details|https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/goodgym-tower-hamlets-x-london-frontrunners-saturday-morning-run-social]).

Everyone is invited for this fun and friendly run – join us!

Sunny, warm and picturesque: that's how we like our tasks in Tower Hamlets.

And so it was a group of 9 came to meet Marcelo from the Parks team this balmy Monday evening.

Some of us met at the Town Hall Hotel steps, glad to be free of makeshift home work stations for the day, armed with the perfect excuse to head out. Others met us at the task, at the north east corner of huge, bustling, beautiful Victoria Park, on bike and foot.

Trash treasure

There Marcelo met us, complete with gloves galore; sturdy bin bags and bin bag hoops, the ultimate volunteering accessory (the bin bag hoop enables you to bag your trash treasure with infinitely more ease, much-appreciated when tackling dubious-looking damp items, and weighty vodka bottles).

We were dispatched all over this hidden woodland area, close to the Park's yard, which Marcelo explained didn't get a lot of visitors. We discussed the future of this area, which, although a bit of a litter hotspot, is also a sanctuary to much wildlife, with bundles of potential.

As always it was a companionable, active way to start the week. After navigating uneven, rocky, dense terrain for nearly an hour, we grabbed our litter bags and accompanied Marcelo to the commercial bin.

Piling the trash high, we posed for our final pics, promising to return soon for Woodland TLC Part II.

Next week,

...we're back at the Cemetery Park, to continue clearing those woodland paths.

Until then.

GoodGym members signed up for a group run and litter pick in our first task with Tower Hamlets Green Party.

• Nitrous oxide (NOx) canisters can cause problems for cyclists, scooters and pedestrians when scattered on roads and pavements.
• The canisters can also pose a threat to wildlife, once they start rusting.
• Local hotspots include the area around Mile End Park, particularly by road junctions where they are discarded from passing cars.
• Canisters are made of steel so cannot be recycled in your normal waste, they have to be taken to a scrap metal dealer!

We were joined by Natalie Bienfait of the local Green Party, who, as an experienced local litter-picker, and kicked off our task to show us where the nitrous oxide canister hot spots can be found.

UPDATE: We collected a whopping 8kg of cannisters!

Task leader Simon is part of GoodGym's Environmental Task Force, looking for ways to help us do more tasks and activities that help the environment and this was the first collaboration our Borough have done with the Green Party.

Of course we then went to a local pub for drinks and chats, and the usual Monday night laughter.

Aine, John, Emma and Bablu joined some other Trapped in Zone One volunteers to prep the wall that will soon become a beautiful community mural.

The task was simple and just the right level of toughness for a cool and dry Monday afternoon as we tackled the long stretch of wall in the tennis court with our white roller brushes. Aine and John went with the broad strokes approach (where more than we might have liked ended up on the court) and Emma tackled the edges and groves for maximum coverage.