Among the many New Year resolutions you might make, here’s an important one for the list. It will tick all those boxes: healthy exercise, meeting new people, making a difference.

Now’s your chance to join the volunteer teams who are helping to keep our local squares looking good for everyone. Come along as often as you can and join in. No expertise required and informal training is given. Bring your own gloves if you can. There’s always litter picking from the beds and tidying to do if you don’t want to garden as such.

Brunswick Square already has an established group which meets on the first Saturday of every month, 10 am to 12 noon, led by a professional gardener. Meet them in the square by the Foundling Museum gate or contact bloomsburysquares@talktalk.net

Russell Square has a new team starting. Over the last few years Russell Square has shown the results of austerity and needs the community to come together to make a difference.  A gardening group would bring the sparkle back into the largest open square in Bloomsbury.  This spring the aim is to totally renew the six central flower beds with several hundred herbaceous plants.  We are calling for volunteers to register an interest in being part of a dedicated force in the blooming of Russell Square; please contact David on marchant543@btinternet.com

Camden will be providing new plants and volunteers will be needed to plant these beds to re-establish the area around the fountains.  This we hope will be the start of making Russell Square an essential green oasis with trees and plants that absorb pollution and offset the negative effects of dwelling in an inner-city urban environment.

‘Why not be a Bloomsbury Bloomer’ and help Russell Square to rise again?