I remember watching 60 Minute Makeover.

I remember thinking why does Mum take weeks to redecorate.

I remember saying Mum, we could do this in an hour.

I was wrong, folks, and these thoughts circled as we arrived at the Brady for our fourth visit. We'd previously unscrewed brackets, popped out loose rawlplugs, heaved sticky rawlplugs, collectively learnt how to use Polyfilla, worked out the difference between a primer and a normal paint, and applied a primer coat.

Today, our wonderful group of AJ, Suzanna (on her first good deed - congratulations!!), Steve, and Tom were painting our main coat. Choosing our brush or roller of choice, we shared stories and conversation as we turned this community space a warm shade of cream. Two hours disappeared along with the paint, and we made a big dent in the work we need to do to finish the space.

Thanks, everyone, for your work, time, and company this morning - we made a big difference today - and I really appreciate it!!

Do we really know what we're doing?

Someone asked.

Know where we can find a book on painting?

Was how our happy group of 8 started at Belsize Community Library on Wednesday evening.

We'd already braved and toppled a sun drenched Haverstock Hill, and we busily combined our rehydrating efforts with pouring paint into trays.

The office and corridor walls had previously been painted by a local group of children. Who'd done a brilliant job, but just on parts of the wall. We were there to fill the gaps and apply a new coat.

Which we got to speedily and whilst catching up with one another.

It's a joy to be in special community spaces, in spring long evenings, and whilst the usual hubbub has passed. We enjoyed the space and we made a difference across a fast 45 minutes.

Thank you, all, for your work, time, and joy - it was lovely to see you!

It's a 2 mile run tonight, folks!

We'll stay completely together, too!

What a gorgeous evening for a run, hey!

Isn't the last road a big hill?

Well...

It's called Haverstock Hill, right?

Ummm...

That sounds like a hill, Alex

Look! A bird!

Which was how our happy evening started.

Our wonderful group of Akshay, Faye, Jackie, John, Steve, and I met by an evening King's Cross, and we took a sun peppered run through Camden, past Chalk Farm, and over to Belsize Park.

Arriving at the special Belsize Community Library, we were met by the brilliant Emily, who'd cycled on down.

It's a special site, this community library, nestled by an allotment and within an innocuous North London street. It's become the de-facto meeting space for the local community, and we arrived to the evening's final readers and a local council residents surgery.

Fay and Jackie got to one task swiftly, heading out to paint one of the bike racks a fresh shade in weather resistant paint; whilst Akshay, Emily, John, and Steve took to the inside, picking strewn litter under the bay window seating, vacuuming the cleared area, and giving the top shelves a well needed dust :)

I, on the other hand, browsed the books. It was great. Consumed, I was! A little noise from some folks in red 'doing good', but all in all, the perfect reading environment!!

Thanks, everyone, for your time, work, and lovely company - here's to next time!!

This was our second visit in a week to the wonderful Brady Arts and Community Centre, where we're amidst the throws of redecoration, helping fix up the volunteer room for the wonderful charity, Social Action for Health.

Geraldine, JC, John, Steve, and I shared a happy, Britpop-fuelled morning sanding walls and applying the undercoat. It was fun, story-filled, and laughter-full work, and we got a huge amount finished together.

Thank you, all, for your work and time - I had such a lovely few hours - and you made a big difference :)

Here's to the next few sessions, where we'll be getting things looking sharp and fresh in this space!!

Polling night in London, and cameras and journalists were stationed outside the lovely Brady Arts and Community Centre.

This special public space was home to votes that day, yet our group of Dan, Lucy, Jackie, John, Steve, and I were there for another social purpose.

Sneaking past the publicly spirited voters and microphones, we clanked up the stairs carrying our tools and smiles.

Our second time visiting, we were there to remove sturdy and reluctant rawlplugs (which Dan did seamlessly!), fill holes and plaster cracks (which Jackie took to wonderfully), and sand walls (courtesy of Lucy, John, and Steve) ready for painting on the weekend!!

Over 45 minutes, we saw the sun set and made a huge difference to this space - thank you, everyone, it was just great to spend this evening working and laughing with you all!!