Had prohibition hit the Hobbayne Centre's Burns' Night? Like previous years, set up involved preparing bamboo cutlery and napkins and pouring drinks to prepare for the Address to the Haggis.

With the cutlery completed and placed on the tables for the guests, the GoodGymers saw 3 partially empty whisky bottles to pour 90 shot glasses from. Hmm, there didn't look like there'd be enough.

As the first 2 bottles were emptied, 40 glasses had been filled. It was time to open the last bottle and the cork crumbled. A bottle opener was tried and made a hole through the middle of the cork. What to do? Find a strainer and a measuring jug to remove the "bits" from the liquid, of course. Necessity is the mother of invention and keeping everyone whiskied up was also a motivator.

Fifty glasses were filled and then the team had to wait for the next bootleggers to make it through police lines with a new bottle to finish pouring...

As the ceilidh got into full swing (pun intended), Steph Ducat and Iram teamed up with the kitchen crew to clean, dry and clear the dishes, while Kash commandeered a second sink in another room to tackle even more washing-up with help from Sevan.

Once the dancing shoes came off and the party began to wind down, the GoodGymers shifted swiftly into full action mode:

• Folding, wiping and stacking tables
• Stacking chairs as efficiently as possible
• Gently corralling party-goers away from said tables and chairs
• Collecting and packing away the wonderful Burns Night decorations
• Politely distributing leftover sweets (GoodGymers cannot stand food waste!)

Early nerves about running low on whisky were quickly settled when a record-breaking four-litre bottle made a heroic appearance. As the Address to a Haggis got underway, shots of whisky were speedily distributed so that everyone (except the children!) could properly toast the haggis. The performance was poetic, dramatic, and just a little bit violent... exactly as tradition demands.

Then it was full service mode. The team worked swiftly to ensure everyone received their haggis, neeps and tatties with gravy (or a vegetarian alternative). Maria, crowned the Gravy Queen, made sure every table was well supplied, while Steph patiently whipped up an impressively large bowl of cream in preparation for dessert.

Dessert was a mathematical challenge: dividing 80 portions of cranachan so that everyone got a fair share of fruit, cream, oats, and sauce. We did our best and, with only minor spillages along the way, the cranachan crew (Maria, Steph, Sevan, Iram and Kash) got the job done.

After plates were cleared (with thanks to Kash, the GoodGym muscle came into play again as centre tables were swiftly moved to make space for a Cèilidh dance. Little did we know we’d also be called upon to demonstrate the moves. It was a different kind of workout to what we're used to... and let's just say there was mixed success!

Tuesday evening group run : Freya, Richard and Steph Ducat set off from Bodyline studio to the Willaim Hobbayne Centre on a 3km run to meet Angela and then Jules. June welcomed everyone and we got the tools and cracked on in the courtyard. We normally attacked the weed in the main courtyard area, but this time it was decided we go from the far end towards the courtyard as never have enough light and time to do that section. The team tackled weed, brambles, moss and dead leaves. June was so impressed at the speed we tackled the whole area : aie aie speedy Gonzalez and his friends were present at Hobbayne tonight. We filled 6 bags and even had time to get 6 boxes of old brochures to the bin plus load June's car with 2 boxes and a bag of toys that would be given away tomorrow. Were the Goodgymers in need for speed tonight? Well done to Richard for running 3km as he has just recently started to run.

It's been a season of shears, loppers and secateurs in action, particularly at our Tuesday sessions supporting the William Hobbayne charity in Hanwell. Only a week ago, we had cleared a footpath at Half Acre Woods, and now we were back at the Community Gardens to finish off the job we started a month ago - clearing an overgrown area to make room for a new community space.

To reach the Community Gardens, Sevan, Freya, and Harvey ran 3 km from Ealing Broadway. Nishy, Jamie, and Jamie tried to find their way to the task, coming from the canal and getting stuck (thanks, Google Maps!), but were fortunately discovered by Kash and Harvey before they lost hope. Chris, a regular at Hobbayne's sessions, had more luck (or experience) finding the entrance, where Anna, today's task owner, awaited with the tools.

It was the first Ealing group session for Jamie, who was glad he didn't have to work in extreme heat, unlike at his first-ever GoodGym task. GoodGym Ealing not only booked a nice breeze for today but also perfectly dodged the evening rain. We are really good at ensuring top working conditions! Welcome, Jamie - we hope you enjoyed the weather, the task and our company! We're looking forward to seeing you again on another occasion.

The brambles we had removed in June from the overgrown area hadn't started properly growing back yet, so it was an excellent opportunity to clear the other half of the future community space. There was serious hype built up after our previous task in the gardens as we had found a canoe paddle, a tennis ball and a shed hidden in the brambles. This week's findings seemed less exciting.

Kash: "What did you find in the brambles? Anything interesting?"
Freya: "More brambles."

Sevan found particularly long bramble stems that made quite an impression on our newest team members. Little did they know, they'd be pulling equally intimidating blackberry plants themselves if they stuck to us. One of the Jamies already upped his GoodGym game, trying out a new tool: a small slasher to cut through the jungle. He'd love the larger slashers we used for chopping nettles and brambles near Pear Tree Park!

West London brambles are particularly nasty with their oversized, sharp thorns. They were a cause of many ouches today. We all have been bramblestruck! To alleviate the pain from the scratches, Nishy thoughtfully brought us a snack to enjoy at the end of the session: popcorn. Thank you, Nishy! While the real reward was seeing the whole garden space finally cleared of overgrowth, we enjoyed the gift from Anna: freshly harvested radishes from the allotment.

Next week, we are heading towards a different part of the borough. Sign up now to join us for a leaf sweeping and collection task at a school in Acton.

The second Tuesday of July saw four GoodGymers assembling at Bodyline Fitness in Ealing Broadway for a run to Hanwell, led by Steph Ducat. Today's run leader was joined not only by the regulars: Freya, Harvey and Sevan, but also by a special guest, Bassam Mahfouz. While not everyone might know that Bassam is a keen runner and a volunteer, many residents recognise him as a Member of the London Assembly for Ealing and Hillingdon, currently focusing on matters such as environment and transport. When the five ran through Ealing, every time they stopped, someone said hello to Bassam.

The team arrived at Wharncliffe Viaduct to meet the task owner Dee from the William Hobbayne Charity, who looked after the Half Acre Woods. Kash, who walked to the task, was already there. Dee, concerned about the mosquitos lurking in the woods, offered the GoodGymers an unassuming lotion in spray, reportedly used by the Forest School people to repel insects. We think the mysterious mist has worked as by the end of the task, we've earned only plant-based stings from nettles.

Today's job was the summer classic task - something we had done almost exactly a year ago - cutting back the overgrowth on the path along the viaduct. Harvey and Steph tackled the brambles and nettles encroaching on the entrance to the woods from the Station Approach road, and Bassam, Freya, Sevan and Kash dealt with the growth on the River Brent side. Dee swapped shears for a litter picker and collected cans, bottles and even dog poo bags revealed by the chopping squad.

While we worked to widen the path, passers-by genuinely appreciated what we've done. Walkers, runners, parents with a pushchair, and an exceptionally grateful cyclist enjoyed using the path, no longer worrying about being caught by a rogue bramble. Even without all the thank-yous we heard, we could tell that in just one hour we were making a visible difference in the local community.

Next week, we will be back in Hanwell, again helping the William Hobbayne Charity with cutting back undesirable plants. Don't worry, the brambles and nettles in the woods won't grow back that fast. We will be tackling the area we started clearing last month in the Hobbayne Community Gardens. Join us next week!