11 runners gathered together in the pretty St Leonard's Priory Park this evening, ready for a good Monday night workout.

After a short workout consisting of the obligatory balancing exercises and some planter push-ups, we were briefed by task owner Larry as to what we would be doing this evening.

A little bit about the park

St Leonard's Priory Park is 'a community led project with Bow Church in Bromley-by-Bow. Boasting a 1000 years of history, this area is being revitalised by local people for local people.' With weekly gardening sessions, picnics and coffee mornings, the idea is to create a beautiful, useful, well-used little park in this corner of East London, that will appeal to local residents and visitors of all ages.

In preparation for the community gardening session on Saturday, space needed making for the new beds. As we wandered around to the back of the garden, we were surprised to see how much the weeds had grown since our last visit. A larger team proceeded to get stuck into trimming and digging high nettles and grass, ready to be bagged.

Meanwhile another team helped Larry carry railway sleepers around to the pallets, stacking as they went, leaving them ready for Saturday's work.

They then came on board the weeding task, while a small team of two proceeded to tackle the lawn.

It was a good workout for both upper and lower body, but the time still flew.

After gathering for one final picture, sharing the last of the celebratory Raleigh launch chocolates, Larry took runners over to the vegetable beds, offering spinach, herbs and other green goodies to take home.

What a haul!

Great work team. (And a big shout-out to Fiona​ who came up with tonight's terrific pun).

Next week we're heading to the heart of Bethnal Green to Hollybush Gardens, where Margaret will be leading another great gardening task.

Until then.

A fantastic team of 14 met in Devons Road this evening, with Ken and Terry from the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.

Why were we here?

Ken explained that this planting project undertaken by the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is helping to create a green corridor through this area of East London.

What does that mean?

Well, by populating the Lea Valley Green Route (the area from Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, out to Bow Docks and on to the Lea Valley), with bulbs, plants and trees, we’re essentially making more nature available to more residents.

It will allow more wildlife to move between the Lee Valley, and the Lee Valley Park, into the Borough.

Creating ‘stepping stones’ in this way, between green space and urban street spaces, benefits everyone: green spaces that are inhabited by wildlife, trees and plants, not only mean more areas for all residents to enjoy, they can also help to reduce the effects of pollution, often an issue in large cities.

What we were planting

Terry talked us through the mix of trees we were settling into the ground, which included:

Purging Buckthorn (Google that one)

Grey Willow

Wayfaring

Spindle

Oak

Beech

Hornbeam

Dogwood

Wild Privet

Various factors were involved in the choice of the trees, including:

• Comfort (avoiding too many thorns, so litter-picking isn’t too much of a mission).

• Butterfly appeal (the Brimstone butterfly seeks out buckthorn on which to lay its eggs).

• Green-ness (beech and hornbeam tend to hang onto their leaves).

• …And a general ambition that plenty of berries and flowers will come out at different times with this mix, and attract insects.

Speedy work

Our large team set about this big planting mission, all around the park, following careful, precise instructions from Ken.

Tree after tree was produced for the GoodGymers to expertly settle into their new home.

No sooner had the obligatory pictures been taken, and the final few poorly-lit areas been populated with trees, than Ken called it a wrap.

200 trees in less than an hour! Way. To. Go.

We collected tools, loaded the wheelbarrows, posed for one last group shot, before saying our cheerios for the night.

Shout-outs

The big cheers this week go to:

• Clare, whose first GoodGym event it was! Well done Clare, hope to see you again very soon.

• Johnny, for saving the location day, and speedily dropping the all-important pin.

• Kevin, our brilliant head torch technician…

And most of all, to Ken and Terry for three, fabulous Monday nights out in Tower Hamlets.

Next week

...we’re back to Devons Road, for another big gardening task with St Leonard’s Priory Park!

Until then.