A good-sized group of us met in the park this evening to run through a short workout.

Thanks to the addition of planters and park benches, we were able to complete a total body workout. The team were amazing, whizzing through side planks, tricep dips and incline push-ups, along with a full repertoire of lower body exercises including the Bulgarian split squat and The Perfect Lunge.

At 7pm, we made our way over to the tool shed to meet Larry, our task owner for the night, who's heading up the Priory Park Project. Larry talked us through tonight's task, a large bramble-clearing, in the far side of the park.

Wheeling tools and carrying gardening bags and lights, we headed over to the end of the park, and divided into small teams, tackling small areas, densely populated with brambles, weeds and leaves.

An hour passed quickly, and even after 20 minutes, the ground was looking clearer. As the brambles and other greenery were cleared away, the magnificent churchyard tombs became visible. Larry gave us a little background on the position of these tombs and their history, in this picturesque churchyard park.

It was quite the Monday night workout, with both upper and lower body being used to tackle stubborn bramble roots; step counts boosted as we navigated our way around the area, and carried heavy bags back to the exit.

At shortly before 8, Fiona took our 'after' pics (having brilliantly thought of taking our 'before' ones), and we gathered with one last bag of brambles for tonight's final pic.

Big shout-outs tonight:

• To Áine, for being a brilliant lighting technician and for tonight's fab pun.

• To Fiona, for fab before and after pics.

• To Tom and Jessica, whose first GoodGym session it was!

• To Gualtiero, whose first Tower Hamlets task this was!

• And to our Joel, who's heading South of the river for a while, but who we hope to see very, very soon.

Well done to the whole team in general, for a brilliant, fun, very productive night up in Bromley-By-Bow. (We'll be back with Larry next month).

Until next time.

8, (yes 8), runners showed up on this eventually-dry October evening for tonight's last minute change of plan.

Change of plan?

Yep, due to a late task cancellation, our Monday plan changed at the eleventh hour, and 8 GoodGymers found themselves standing in one of the most tranquil spots in East London, at the edge of Meath Gardens, warming up for an impromptu fitness session.

The team made one another feel very welcome, showing teammates the best makeshift bike racks, welcoming one another to the fitness circle (an incidental shape formed as late additions joined the session).

A tough little routine...

We warmed up with some, well, warm-up moves before moving on to a bit of Pilates/core know-how, before whizzing through some tough body weight moves, with an added resistance challenge, and just as our hardworking abs were about to give out, we moved on to some of the gentler, lighter mobility and stretching exercises to end our session.

Impromptu it may have been, but it was a well-spent, sociable alternative to tonight's original plan, and a good chance to tick some often-neglected fitness boxes.

And so to next Monday...

Next Monday, our big Monday night get-together sees us heading to the heart of Spitalfields for some community gardening in the gorgeous Middlesex Street community roof garden. If shifting compost under the Gherkin sounds like an excellent alternative Monday workout, do sign up here.

Until then.

A small group met at the end of Harley Grove this evening for a short warm-up before tonight's task. Balancing on the wall, we performed Bulgarian split squats, tricep dips and incline push ups before we headed into charity GET OUT's Food Forest a little further up the road.

(What is GET OUT?

Charity GET OUT uses ‘environmental education to strengthen the connection between Tower Hamlets' young people and the natural world via a programme of outdoor education, surfing and food growing projects').

One by one, GoodGymers joined us and in no time at all we were a sturdy team of 10.

Kieran, our task owner, spent some time telling members a little about the project and the charity, including its relationship to the local school, the recent open day and all the different types of vegetables and herbs in the garden.

With an amazing list of tasks arranged on his 'phone, Kieran proceeded to divide the team into five teams of two. Tasks were very varied, and task selection before description was obligatory! The teams were soon dispatched to all areas of the garden as follows:

• Joel and Grace on tree felling.

• Rosie and Leo on watering.

• Benoît and Sree on polytunnel picking.

• John and Rohan on bed-turning.

• Shrey and Rahul on pond-repair.

It's been a while since we've enjoyed such a variety of tasks, and it was quite something to wander around the garden and see continual activity: problem-solving at its finest, whether tackling the last stubborn cells of a tree trunk or negotiating tape in a toad-infested pond.

As usual it was all go, and the team stuck loyally to all their tasks. No reinforcements for tree-sawing required; no rotation out of plant watering for something new; the joy expressed from pulling up Padrón peppers...The GoodGymers seemed happy.

And then, of course, it was after 8 and we were posing for a final pic with Kieran by the surprisingly well-stocked tool shed. Another fabulous night. Well done team.

Until next time.

A small group of four jogged companionably through the streets of Bethnal Green this evening, to meet the rest of the team at our task at Oxford House.

It was a gorgeously warm evening; the streets were bustling as usual, and although busy, was nonetheless a delightful little warm-up for this evening's activity.

Slowly the team grew, until we formed two decent-sized squads: one team headed outside to clear weeds and litter from paving stones, while another headed indoors to clean glasses and glass ready for a big event.

Why were we doing this?

Oxford House's mission is to 'provide a community-led, inspiring, diverse, and sustainable multipurpose arts space.' With more and more events returning to the centre combined with fewer volunteers over the last couple of years, GoodGymers have been delighted to return to this task over the last couple of weeks, to help with painting, taping, furniture-moving and gardening.

The time flew by this evening, with many areas of moss, weeds and litter being swept up, while the inside glass-cleaning crew finished in no time, and were soon dispatched to a new glass-cleaning task.

Fun, fast and very productive, it seemed like no time at all that we were lining up on the ramp for a final group shot, promising to return soon.

The big shout-outs tonight go to the outdoor team, particularly Sian, Joel and Emma, who helped come up with tonight's pun and to our Ivy, who tonight reached her 100th good deed! (Ivy's a member of Task Force, and often leading tasks and attending socials, Parkruns, and generally out-and-about on the GoodGym circuit, contributing bundles).

A brilliant night all-round, everyone, and we look forward to returning soon.

Next week our big weekday task is taking place on Wednesday instead of Monday, and you can sign-up here.

Until then.

We were delighted to be meeting back at Bethnal Green's gorgeous Town Hall Hotel this week, a splendid, welcoming base to meet for this evening's Group Run.

After a quick warm-up, we headed out into Bethnal Green's busy, bustling streets, taking in Middleton Green, scene of many a fitness session over the last couple of years.

On arrival at Oxford House, we were joined by other members, who'd made their way on foot and cycle, ready to start this evening's task at 7-prompt.

It was an absolute joy to see Deborah again, who we haven't seen for a while, as we were briefed on this evening's tasks.

Why were we here?

We haven't visited Oxford House for nearly three years! And as there are a number of jobs that the venue are happy to have a hand with, we were delighted to return to this lively community venue.

Forming two teams, we gathered in the basement toilets and the gallery. Team Toilet wasted no time preparing the space for the big task of the night: painting the whole toilet area! They quickly got to work tackling one wall at a time, in a small, rather warm space.

Meanwhile the team who'd headed over to the theatre area were busy taping up areas not to be painted as the theatre is soon to get a new look. Skirting boards, door handles...all were carefully sealed with tape.

When the taping team had finished, they proceeded to empty the theatre of furniture, stacking piles of chairs and moving the heavy piano. As usual, they finished the task early.

As they stacked the last chair and tidied away the last bits of tape, the painting team were busy finishing up in the tidiest way possible. (With a little more painting remaining, it's a good job we're back next week).

Paint brushes were washed, rollers soaked, the floor scrubbed... Finally we were able to gather for one last pic.

Shout-outs tonight to Rahul for this evening's pun, and to George, for his first GoodGym event!

Next week, we return to see Deborah for Painting Part II, theatre clearance, and a few other active jobs.

Until then.