Holyport by name, potholey by nature

Holyport by name, potholey by nature

Holyport FC is a volunteer-run football club, which provides football coaching and games and acts as a social hub for the local community. The access track to the club (which is now based in Maidenhead rather than Holyport) is prone to potholes, so GoodGym runner and Holyport FC committee member Richard called us in with the goal of filling those holes and keeping the track smooth and safe.

Pothole lotta fun...

The evening got off to an exciting start as Richard, Carole, and Claire helped a driver who's car was stuck in the mud before the official task had even kicked off. They then met the rest of the team - Amy, Gareth and Sophie, and Richard got us set up for the main event. He equipped us with wheelbarrows, spades, a rake and some some snazzy lights, and lead us into the dark to find the potholes and a big pile of shingley, dirty, stoney stuff - sorry I can't remember the technical term! There was something quite special about working in the crisp fresh air and darkness, especially with the atmospheric lighting.

All the shingle ladies, all the shingle ladies! (Plus Gareth and Richard)

We then got to work shovelling the shingle into the wheelbarrows, tipping it into the holes, and using the rake and our feet to spread it out and stamp it down. Whilst vaguely reminiscent of a burial scene in a horror film, the rhythmic scrape and thump of the spades was also very satisfying to hear, and it was great to see the holes disappearing. Every now and again a group of cars would come past, lighting up our handiwork, testing it for smoothness, and doing a bit of road-rolling for us.

After about an hour we realised we were on barrow-ed time (thanks Gareth!) so we headed back up the track. On our way Sophie spotted some litter along the road-side and she litter-ally couldn't resist picking it up. Before long she had filled a wheelbarrow.

Before we finished we gave the Holyport vets a quick cheer in their game vs Goring vets, and then we ran off. Sophie and Amy stopped by on their way home to deliver some vinyl Poppies that Sophie's mum has been making to raise money for the British legion - yet another good deed in the bank!

We hope to return for another fixture soon with this great local club.