Brent River Park celebrates 50 years, so 4 Goodgymers got up early and ran to Hanwell to help setup in order for the celebrations to go ahead smoothly. If it was a Park run day, we would have been too early!! We meet Tom from We run Ealing who was leading a running session to start the celebrations. On arrival, we noticed that the toilets were in place and that some white markings were already on the grass surely for the spots for each gazebo/tents or stalls...but we would have needed a helicopter to see them better from the sky. Katie and Ben were a bit puzzled as some of the gazebos laid out were not supposed to be there : where do they go and where are the others as different sizes for different stalls?! The team were told to start erecting some of the gazebos at specific locations(white marks on the grass), but some needed to be moved slightly around...musical gazebos. Then Freya, Kash, Sevan and myself Steph Ducat were given a specific mission. Hey dont look here or peep...we need privy-see!! We had a tent to put up as it was going to be the tent for some of the performers to get changed. It look like an IKEA tent and needed to either follow instructions in the bag or just get on with it and set it up. Small problem as we had 3 side panels and missing the 4th one so no keeping the eyes out! We then were given a side panel from one of the other gazebos. We then found a solution to keep it ducked away with some Gorilla tape. Then come a couple of quotes from Ben and Katie :

That's beautifully.put up guys. That's a wonderful erection - Ben The worst case is that the [makeshift door] flaps around while the women are naked inside - Katie

At a later stage, the privacy tent had to be moved across the park, behind the white van and the small bushes : no nude awakening anymore. Freya and Sevan were putting up some giant easels and Sevan helped with the folding picnic benches. In the meantime, Kash and Steph Ducat decided it was time for another musical gazebo - moved it all the way down to the maze area...so down the hill, through narrow paths with nettles, below cables for the play ground swing and some low trees. We also moved tables, setup some massive metal signs for posters. moved chairs and put some weights down to keep the tents/gazebos in place. We will be back later today to undo all this.

It was very busy. Jacquie spent the whole time in the kitchen. Helped Arul with a stir fry - beef or tofu as a vegetarian option. It went down a storm! Lots of empty plates and seconds. Freya was serving hungry guests.

On a mild summer evening, five GoodGymers ran 2 miles from Ealing Broadway to South Acton for a wildflower-themed scavenger hunt in an industrial area. Ayesha, Freya, Sevan, Steph and Kash had to crack a few puzzles to support Cultivate London charity in maintaining planters that had been established in collaboration with the Acton Business Improvement District. Acton BID is a not-for-profit company with a vision to make the area cleaner, safer, and more welcoming for visitors while supporting local businesses.

The BID planters, although dubbed "the Wildflower Trail", were getting a bit too wild in the summer, and Romina from Cultivate suggested they could do with a little tidy-up. The recent hot days, despite a brief rainfall last night, were not easy on the thirsty young trees, so that was another subject to tackle.

Tonight's challenge included:

1) Locating trowels cleverly hidden somewhere in Acton
2) Locating the cutest mini-shed ever

"It doesn't look like a tool shed... it looks like a birdhouse!" - Freya.
"It looks like a grandfather clock!" - Sevan.

3) Cracking a lockbox code
4) Opening a tricky padlock

(if that sounds like your recent Airbnb holiday, read on - it's a different kind of game!)

5) Distributing water from a tank fairly among trees on the wildflower trail
6) Finding pieces of litter scattered around the planters and catching them all
7) Judging what's a weed to pull out and what's a wildflower worth keeping (Romina has provided us with clues on this one)
8) Throwing two green waste bags over a fence

We've completed all the puzzles, leaving the Wildflower Trail colourful (as we spared a lot of pretty flowering plants) and tidy.

"Such a great result, thanks so much! You are brilliant guys! Well done. I am sure your help will go a long way" - Romina.

Friday Hub - hot hot hot!!! Jacquie was in the kitchen first thing then helped pack food parcels. Freya was on the tea station. Angela thought she would be short of volunteers but then remembered a group had booked to come today so there were lots of hands - making light work! Freya stayed on to help serve lunch until 3pm. As it was hot today there was a snow cone stand : seems it was appreciated by all including the volunteers - see Jacquie smile while enjoying hers.