Following our inaugural Mile End Park litter-pick in March, we returned with Tower Hamlets Green Party members and new local Councillor Nathalie Bienfait to join the monthly Friends of Mile End Park litter-picking event.

Thirteen keen pickers met for introductions and a briefing with John from Friends of Mile End Park. Armed with grabbers and bags, the group spread out, heading North through the park and woodlands collecting discarded bottles, caps, cans, cigarette butts and everything else that was making the environment less pleasant for people to visit.

At 12:00, with full sacks and rumbling bellies, we reconvened to admire our hard work and take photos of the bagged litter mountain. Fortunately, John provided us with drinks and cakes a-plenty from the nearby Coffee Room.

What a great way to start a Sunday!

GoodGym Tower Hamlets will be back at Mile End Park on 10 July for next month's litter pick in Mile End Park. Sign up now!.

Five Goodgymers gathered at a BRAND NEW task at Globe Town Community Garden in Bethnal Green.

The group met at the Camel pub (home to previous TH Socials) where John and Aine rushed in a few minutes late after post parkrun breakfast. Task Leader George was there to meet us with Rob who’s a good gym member but also actively involved in the garden and was the link between our groups. Roshan and Asad were also waiting patiently for their tardy task force to arrive.

We walked over to the garden where we were met by Lubna and got started with a lovely cup of mint team to warm up while George talked us through the history of the garden and also the planned tasks for the day. The group split roughly in two: - Asad and Roshan tackled the carpentry work in fixing up some of the plant beds under the direction of George - John, Aine and Rob worked through ploughing, fertilising and planting in the existing beds.

We all worked happily in the sun for several hours planting potatoes (shocking to no-one that the Irish gal volunteered for that role!), carrots, rocket, coriander and pruning the green beans. The carpenters worked hard and fixed up beds for even more planting in the future.

Aine even stabbed a go at fixing the strimmer after a few failed attempts from the rest of the group.

After another quick coffee break and cracking open the hob non biscuits we parted ways with the promise we would return in the future.

A special welcome to Roshan - hopefully its the first of many good gym tasks for you!