On the last group run in March, and before the clocks changed to British Summer Time, Sevan took Liuba, Steph and Kash for a run around Walpole Park. The Walpole Park gates were closing around 7 pm, and the GoodGymers made it inside the park just before the cutoff time. They picked up the barrows and tools and headed towards Lammas Enclosure. Now, how would they get out? Maybe they would build a catapult, a mighty trebuchet, to hurl themselves out of the park? One of the GoodGymers, entrusted with a key, unlocked the gate, letting the GoodGymers and two other visitors stuck in the park out.

Trevor from Ealing Transition could not join the task at the Lammas Orchard but left Sevan the instructions. Firstly, the compacted soil in the beds at the back of the enclosure had to be turned, which was masterfully accomplished by Steph.

Secondly, there was woodchip to be spread, as usual. Or maybe not so usual? This time the chips had to be laid in a newly enclosed area - a new hedgehog habitat. It was a real future hedgehog city with urban planning involving lots of trees. Those trees had to be mulched with a thick layer of woodchip, but the hedgehog city was fenced with a thorny barrier! The humans were advised to keep out, so the only sensible way to get the chips inside was to make them fly! The GoodGymers used the shovels as catapults and threw confetti of woodchips into the dark sky.

Despite the darkness, at the end of the task, everyone could see that the mulch cover in the hedgehog city increased significantly and the woodchip pile outside the enclosure almost disappeared. Well done everyone!

Join us next week on the run to Acton to team up again with Ealing Repair Cafe to create crafts to be used by the community. Sign up now!

All great things come to an end and the Quiz night ends up with cleaning up nad putting everything away. Kitchen needed some cleaning and some of the pans needed more attention : dirty old pans!! The rice cooker was spotless, then the pan that had the chicken curry had a shiny spell, but the vegetarian pan needed a great old scrub and soak as very sticky. We also had the impression that drummers were here today : oh no its just Kash playing music with the lids. The crew then put away the tables and chairs in a jiffy. Rubbish put away and all looked as if nothing happened in the main hall or kitchen.

After setting up the hall and preparing for food service during an earlier task, team GoodGym were listening to the questions at When tonight's fundraising quiz at the Hobbayne Centre. When the quiz reached its half way point, the GoodGymers put aside their confusion at the quiz questions and strode into action, serving meals to the quizzers.

Curries, either chicken or chickpea, were plated up with rice by Steph and Cherian. Once the warm naan breads were added, they were ready to be delivered. Kash, Liuba and Sevan were calling table orders and taking plates to be served. "2 more chicken for my table", "3 veg for me please". All meals were on tables in record time, allowing the team to quickly eat their own curries before going back into the hall and clearing plates from tables.

The last things to do were to serve choc ices as dessert before they melted, then Kash and Steph boxed up the remaining rice and curries for people to take home. With the food service completed, it was time to chat and to wait until the start of the clean up task.

The William Hobbayne Charity looks after Hanwell folk for around 600 years. They raise money to support schools, help those who cannot afford to pay for accommodation, and assist the victims of domestic violence. While the work the charity does is serious, each season Hobbayne brings to the local community something fun and lighthearted. In the early Spring it's usually a fundraising quiz.

Cherian from GoodGym Barnet visited the William Hobbayne Centre for a second time to help Liuba, Sevan and Kash prepare the venue for the quiz and curry night. They started with setting up thr tables. This year's improvements involved new green tablecloths and new ambient lights which made the hall resemble an enchanted forest with glowing mushrooms!

With the first task completed, Sevan started wrapping naan breads in tin foil before heating them up in the oven, and the ladies began wrapping one hundred sets of knives and forks in napkins. Another improvement this year involved moving away from single-use cutlery (obtained by the Charity through donations) in favour of the steel option. Because the metal knives and forks had been most likely donated, almost all of them looked like they had come from a totally different set. That's called dine-versity!

The situation with the plates was quite different.

"You'd be glad to hear this year we have compostable plates" - June
"Did you say 'combustible'?" - Kash

Before taking a break ahead of the second task if the night, Liuba went to procure some ice for the drinks for the event, and Sevan did a shop run for snacks and drinks for toe GoodGymers, sponsored kindly by June from Hobbayne.