Three GoodGymers, Steph, Sevan and Kash, after a morning of volunteering, decided to attend an ancient wellness ritual taking its roots from the Himalayas. The therapeutic qualities of "balsam bashing" were known to Sevan and Kash. Steph had yet to experience them in his soul and - little had he known - on his skin too!

The trio met Fiona from Ealing Wildlife Group at the North bank of the River Brent in Pear Tree Park. Fiona gave them a brief for the task and rushed back to see her family for a Sunday meal. Minutes later, seasoned Balsam Bashers Rachel and Robert strengthened the team with their expertise and long sleeves and bottoms. GoodGymers (at least some of them) had read the task description and brought some protection for their bare arms and legs. Everyone quickly found out that no one's outfit was impenetrable to the stinging nettles. Nettles were enormous and as ubiquitous - if not more - as the Himalayan balsam, which was the main target for the group. The balsam bash quickly transformed into a nettle & balsam bash!

The team members went in different directions, each on their own way to find nirvana. Seeking the ultimate liberation from suffering, the GoodGymers initially suffered plenty of nettle stings, yet later on, their journey transformed into a transcendental experience. When removing the balsam by pulling it right near the ground, exposing the shallow roots, and breaking and trampling the stems that made the cracking watery sounds, all three felt a connection to something greater than themselves. While destroying the Himalayan plants, they were restoring the balance of nature that had not intended to have balsam spreading in England.

Despite the nettle stings, Steph, Sevan and Kash went into a meditative state, pulling one balsam plant after another. They could do that with no end - but they stuck with the two-and-a-half-hour task slot. Can you imagine such a long GoodGym session to remove invasive plants? Now, you have an idea about how satisfying a balsam bash could be!

After achieving so much for themselves and the biodiversity of the River Brent banks, the GoodGymers were ready to end their spiritual journey with a jog home. But Rachel had one secret to reveal: the Himalayan balsam worked well as a soothing balm for nettle stings - just like aloe vera! Enriched with that piece of transformative knowledge, everyone rubbed broken balsam stalks on their nettle-stung skin and felt immediate relief and a sense of relaxation. What a way to finish the day of Sunday missions!

Five GoodGymers met four Ealing Greenwayers near the Perivale Park Athletics Track for their last summer event this season. It was not a race or a competition. Two teams worked together against the ivy that had swallowed the fence between the track and the car park in Pear Tree Park. To make the job safe, the Greenwayers marked four parking spaces as out of order with a stretch of barricade tape and a few cones. That setup, together with Richard's Walpole Park Volunteer hi-viz, must have made us look like a legitimate force to be reckoned with.

A thick coating of ivy was covering everything: the fence, the soil, and even more layers of ivy - can you imagine that? We didn't even know where to start, but with a team of nine, we could begin in several places at once! Shears, loppers, forks, spades and saws were in action. Thanks to the team's relentless effort and Richard's mastery of ad-hoc tool-sourcing, an incredible amount of ivy was removed and wheelbarrowed into a hidden ivy graveyard behind a hedge.

"A totally superb Goodgym onslaught today, thanks so much. It will now be possible for Greener Ealing staff to tidy up and lay woodchip. We've made their job so much easier." - Richard.

We are taking a strategic break from the sessions with the Greenwayers for the remaining two summer months - but worry not! We may do an odd session to support Pear Tree Park by the River Brent - as we did later today, bashing the Himalayan balsam. We are also looking forward to reuniting with the Greenwayers in September, during Ealing Climate Week - sign up for the occasion now!