Tuesday 7th November 2023
Report written by Kash
Five Ealing GoodGymers couldn't get enough woodchip last week and signed up for another Tuesday session with a similar task. This time, the location was a breath of fresh air: Blondin Park! Apparently, GoodGym has visited the site before, but no one today, except Sevan, remembered those ancient times.
After Christos, Steph Ducat, Sevan and Kash ran through three Ealing parks(!) - Walpole, Lammas and Blondin - to reach the Community Pavillion, they spotted four wheelbarrows, four shovels and a rake outside the building. Inside, they found Madhan, who walked to the task, and the task owner Linda from Blondin Consortium.
Linda had asked us for help with moving the woodchip pile delivered to Blondin Park and distributing the chips across two locations: the memorial tree planted by the pavilion and the bedding right in front of the woodchip pile. She also promised hot chocolate! โ
We got straight to work and rotated between shovelling and driving wheelbarrows to the drop-off location. Shovelling turned out to be a proper full-body workout!
It didn't know I had those muscles! - Christos
Steph chose a significantly oversized shovel. We asked him a few times whether he wanted to swap tasks with others and drive a wheelbarrow a couple of times. Steph was adamant that he would continue the tough shovelling job.
No pain, no gain! - Steph
Madhan volunteered to do all the raking of the bedding by the woodchip pile. He also became the manager of the goods-in department, directing the wheelbarrow drivers to the strategic woodchip drop-off points.
After 50 minutes of hard work, the woodchip pile was less than half its original size. We reported back to Linda and were invited inside the pavilion to use the amenities and treat ourselves to some well-deserved hot chocolate - warm, thick and sweet! ๐ When chilling out after the task, we heard loud music coming from next door - a bunch of ladies were attending a zumba class in the centre. Hopefully, no one told them that our woodchipping session was the coolest one that night! ๐
Next week we are off to Acton to take a break from woodchipping. We will be demolishing another batch of Cultivate's property: two cages! The less destructive task would be sweeping leaves from a schoolyard. Sign up now!
The Blondin Consortium formed in 2018 and started raising funds to build the Blondin Park Community Pavilion. With the help of so many people we have been able to see our dream come to fruition and were able to open for business in September 2021. Run by volunteers this is an exciting community success story with all profits reinvested back into Blondin Park.
See moreWed 8th Nov 2023 at 8:59am
King of Spades๐and lovely hot chocolate at the end โ
Ealing
Help run drop-in service on a Friday where homeless can get free clothes and wellbeing services