The cycle of reuse in Ealing in January often involves Xmas trees. They go from being individually decorated in a warm home to huddling together in cold parks, discarded. They decay, they get chipped, then they find themselves a new purpose as a fir-shy aromatic path covering.

Today, GoodGym Ealing paired up with Paul Carter of Ealing Parks Foundation, who they know well from tasks at Western Road Community Garden to improve the paths of South Ealing Cemetery. Huge piles of Xmas tree sourced wood chip had been left on the main road through the cemetery as well as being left in slightly smaller piles on the side paths leading between the graves. There was thankfully a large group of volunteers to help distribute it around the cemetery.

Liuba spent an arm achingly long 2 hours forking wood chip from the giant piles on the path to ton bags. The bags were dragged by other volunteers onto paths and spread to create a soft, absorbent, non-slip surface.

The other GoodGymers, Steph, Harvey and Sevan were working on paths that had already had a delivery of wood chip, with mini-mountains placed at irregular intervals along their length. Strangely, this seemed to make the job of spreading the wood chip harder as it wasn't placed where it was needed. Also, there was high quality wood chip that looked like, well, wood chip and Xmas tree wood chip that looked like mouldy leaves and giant chunks of trunk, which would be quite uncomfortable to walk over. The volunteers working those paths tried to remove the chunkier and spikier pieces when their rakes caught them.

Half way through the task the local MP, Dierdre Costigan, arrived to survey the progress and learn more about the cemetery. Some of the GoodGymers were nearby and learned about the Victorian clock mechanism that was being restored and the mortuary-turned-tool-shed in the chapel building. After a group photo, it was back to work.

The paths were levelled out as far as possible. They were still quite lumpy where the original wood chip mounds had started off, so Paul assured the team that a digger would come along soon to smooth them. The whole group of volunteers managed to complete 3 paths and were well on the way to a fourth by the time the GoodGymers left.

In the heart of Ealing Common, GoodGym Ealing squadron stood before the ancient forest of London, its towering trees forming a dense canopy that blocked out the sun.

The forest was said to hide powerful secrets. Determined to uncover them, Jon the Ranger ordered his volunteers to lift the canopy, a feat attempted twice in August, but never fully accomplished. Armed with loppers and saws, the GoodGymers chopped down the overhanging branches until the rays of the setting sun poured into the dark forest.

They found a hidden grove filled with magic conkers that seemed to breathe. The GoodGymers heard the voice of wisdom emanating from the conkers:

"You have lifted the canopy, but the true power lies in doing good, not in conquest."

The volunteers realised the wisdom in those ancient words and looked around them. The light now filtered through, cast a golden glow on the woodland floor. Rather than conquering the expanses of the Common, the GoodGymers directed their gaze onto the path where thick branches obstructed the way for the runners. Seeking harmony, they cut down the obstacles, clearing the running route for others to enjoy.

Christos, Kash, Paul, Penny and Sevan left the conker grove, carrying not only loppers but a new understanding of the balance between man and nature. The tree canopy, once lifted, had gifted them with more than they had ever imagined.

Following a social run and volunteering at Acton junior parkrun with Run Ealing members, a few of the Ealing GoodGymers were ready for yet another escapade that Sunday - and it was before 11 am!

While Sevan and Steph paused to socialise with GoodGym Hounslow and Ealing members in a coffee shop, Kash embarked on a secret mission to smuggle the Walpole Park tools to Ealing Common. While borrowing the equipment was with the ranger's blessing, one wouldn't walk or run around Ealing streets with loppers and a saw, would they? Kash's covert plan had the blades hidden in a canvas bag and additionally obscured by a hi-viz.

The darkest place is under the candlestick

Undisturbed by anyone, Kash delivered the tools to the Common and met Steph and Sevan there. The mission's objective was to clear more overhanging branches along the path next to The Common road, hopefully covering another quarter of the green space's west border. The GoodGymers had made a lot of progress last week, but the scale of the task should not be underestimated.

Being mindful of runners on the path, people relaxing on the benches or enjoying the shade on their yoga mats, the GoodGymers had to skip one tree with a yogini practising meditation and keep their eyes open for trail running enthusiasts when attacking the branches over the path.

The visual result of today's exploits somewhat resembled an idyllic scene from a genre art painting, with stretches of grassland and blue sky visible behind a nicely lifted tree canopy. Even the towers of North Acton, although maybe not the most picturesque, became part of the background.

Ealing Common is a vast space, so another follow-up visit is coming up! Sign up for the next group run to shape the view of Ealing Common with us!

On Sunday morning Steph, Sevan, Kash and Alan met at Ealing Common to cut the overhanging branches of chestnut and lime trees obstructing the view of the green space from the road and the path alongside it. Surprisingly, everyone showed up in black t-shirts ahead of the time, with Alan having already volunteered at Acton junior parkrun as the sole timekeeper and Steph and Kash visiting Walpole Park to secure the ranger's tools.

The GoodGymers followed the rule of thumb and used the saw for the branches thicker than a thumb - a very thick thumb! The rest of the growth was easily surrendering to the pressure of loppers. The team got a shout-out from a local resident for their stellar work and an offer to volunteer at his garden. They had to give that a miss as the scale of the Common task was larger than anyone had anticipated.

The four GoodGymers divided all the chopped chestnut branches with conkers and the sticky lime tree branches into smaller piles and left them away from the path for collection. Today's trimming exercise made the expanses of the Common more visible to the passers-by who will hopefully find it safer and more inviting to.