We were back at Ocean Youth Connexions to support Kamal for another session, helping keep the site in tip-top shape.

First on arrival, John, Sam, Kareem and first timer, Ken were set straight to work litter picking in the yard and clearing leaves. Meanwhile, Darren and I tackled the front of the building, pruning what we identified as a milkflower cotoneaster shrub, as well as clearing leaves and picking up litter.

A little later,Emma, Arina and Louise joined us. Louise deserves special credit for navigating a heroic bus journey to get there! They headed upstairs to clean and soap the doors, with Emma declaring it was “the most I've ever enjoyed cleaning doors!”

As summer fades, we couldn't help notice the darkness creeping in earlier than usual.It won't be long before the head torches make their seasonal return.

A special mention goes to Sam, John and Darren, who all took part in the Big Half on Sunday and still turned out to volunteer.

Finally, a big welcome to Ken on his first GoodGym task. We hope to see you again soon!

Stress is prominent in our society, and now it’s affected the trees! The parched summer we’re suffering is no fun for our barked friends either, who are shedding their leaves before the schools have gone back. They know a thing or two about survival – one of the plane trees on the site is 280 years old – but the leaves are piling up and blocking the paths of St Matthew’s churchyard

So a squad of Goodgymers – some arriving earlier than others – converged on the premises to help Lady Andrea address the situation. A special welcome to new recruit Arina, who’s just joined her boyfriend in London, and was soon converted to GoodGym, after Mile End ParkRun on Saturday

We picked up, swept, gathered and bagged, all while catching up with news of padel and tennis, job hunts, shakshuka, pubs, poetry and property

Within an hour, we’d filled more large bags than I could count (but it was more than twenty-five). Just pity the man from Veolia who comes to empty the medium-sized rubbish bin and is confronted with our leaf-bag mountain. At least he’ll have a nice tidy church garden to look at…