On a frosty Hackney Dows we joined one of our favourite local groups, Tree Musketeers for a spot of tree planting and general tree maintenance 🌳

An absolutely huge 23 first-timers joined us for a taste of GoodGym. If they can get out the house for 10AM on a cold Sunday morning then I think we have some pretty tough new additions to the crew! 💪

After a starter session led by Hackney boss-in-chief Joel we were set to work by the Musketeers.

Sent to the farthest reaches of the Downs, in small groups we helped plant four new trees and tended to a number of existing trees - weeding around them and giving them a halo of mulch around their trunk.

Shout out to Lasma for managing to untie (then carry) one large tree, Ru for her enthusiam even with very cold feet, Will and Tom for some epic barrowing - plus Philippine, Josh, Olivia, Elle, Florence, Alice, Anna, Giovanna, Izzy, Julie, Rachel, Chloe, Helena, Aude, Fernanda, Elena, Monia, Toby and Nagis for joining us, many for their first time! Plus many of our Hackney GG regulars. (Sorry if I've missed anyone - you did a great job too!)

We'll have our regular group run on Tuesday evening: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/hackney-group-run-2020-01-21

And we have further weekend sessions helping Tree Musketeers on Sat 25th Jan (https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/care-for-hackney-s-trees-at-the-tree-musketeers-nursery) and Sat 1st Feb (https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/planting-trees-on-hackney-marshes-ba8d5c9f-10b0-4fd6-929e-a93ea9b7e644).

Do join us for one of them!