The life of a roadie is a tough one. No job security, moving equipment and lots of chatting while waiting around for something exciting to happen. That's how GoodGym's first setup session for the Hanwell Hootie felt like for Bryon, Harvey and Sevan too. Sandy Park had a stage, some portaloos and barriers, with most other things still to arrive.

First up was to move some industrial sized bins around the park, so that the Hootie-ers could recycle or dispose of their rubbish. Then, a pause, before setting out tables and chairs in front of the stage. Then, some waiting around again, talking about life, children and Newcastle United's successful season.

Finally, the excitement came. A trip to the Busking Boat to carry out a task so daring that it would not be mentioned to the Health & Safety Officer... putting up bunting by climbing ladders on a boat! Ladders on a boat! As it turned out, it was perfectly safe. The canal was calm, the boat was well moored and the step ladders were stable. The bunting was efficiently threaded around the roof beams, transforming the barge and making it ready to rock 🤘

The trio headed back to Sandy Park for the second part of Hootie setup, which would be po-tent-tially a lot busier ⛺.

To ask why we do good is to ask why the brambles grow - it is in their nature. Brambles and nettles swallow old paths, woodchip gets washed out by rain and trampled by walkers, and mud comes back to obscure trails. And so GoodGymers and Greenwayers come back to keep the paths alive.

Speaking of great comebacks, Bryon and Christos both found time for some GoodGymming today between the joys of being dads. The award for the most unexpected return goes to Jules, who signed up while the other GoodGymmers were sipping their pre-task coffee at Oscars and still made it to the café herself. Well done Jules - that's the sort of surprise we like the most!

The team walked from Pitshanger to Brent Viaduct to meet Ealing Greenwayers: Richard, Sam and Jim. The objective was similar to those at many previous sessions at the banks of Brent River: make the riverwalk safe and enjoyable to all visitors. Were the activities repetitive then? By no means!

We were up to a lot of diverse jobs:

• Security - Jules and Richard cut through the wilderness to open the sides of the path and remove all the potential dodginess,
• Diving - Richard, Jim, Kash and Christos went skip diving to rescue a few paving slabs,
• Jigsaw puzzles - Steph Ducat, Sevan and a few others laid out additional slabs on the path to prevent people and dogs from walking on the mud,
• Bottomless barrow - Bryon and Sam kept topping up our wheelbarrows and buckets with fresh woodchip like there was no tomorrow!

There was, of course, wheelbarrowing and raking like at any other woodchip-focussed task. If you've done woodchipping in the past, you know the drill. If you haven't - maybe it's time to give it a try? Why not lend us a hand at the nearest opportunity in May?

In 90 minutes our 9-people team has completed revitalising the path - such a rewarding feeling to see it rejuvenated (and improved) at the whole length! We also got some shoutouts from the park visitors!

Next month we are up for another adventure in Pear Tree Park - bramble and nettle bash by the river. Sign up now!