Better Safe Than Shiver

Guess who led today's group run to help one of our favourite charities - the William Hobbayne Charity? No one else than Harvey, who could walk to the Hobbayne Centre in a few minutes from his house, but instead came to Ealing Broadway to be our run leader today! Harvey took Steph Ducat, Sevan and Kash to Hanwell through an unusual route through Dickens Yard that felt way too posh for us but was a nice and quiet alternative to Uxbridge Road.

We reached the Hobbayne Centre task early, then found out that Madhan had arrived even earlier than us. The next one to show up was the task owner, June.

You arrived late. It's already December - Madhan

Christos ran to the task on his own today and Emmanuella cycled. While we waited for a pilates group occupying the centre to wrap up, there was an important announcement to be made:

Harvey, as the first Ealing GoodGymer ever, hit the fabulous 600 good deeds! 🎉 Congratulations!!!

Having all the team in place, June explained the tasks for today:

• For those who don't fear lifting: moving heavy appliances, office cabinets and a fireproof safe. No one had the key to the latter but apparently, it contained documents dating back to the 1400s! Fireproof or not, we were up for a challenge to prove the safe is not GoodGym-proof!

• For those who don't fear cold: weeding at the side of the centre. June was reluctant to give us an outdoor task but Emmanuella and Steph stepped in to endure the coldness, one wearing shorts and a t-shirt 🥶, the other - a parka.

Before starting the task, we witnessed a Hobbayne volunteer receiving one of the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service badges that June kept last year to give to the most distinguished volunteers of the charity.

While oblivious to the December chilly aura, Steph and Emmanuella collected a whole bag of weeds outside, the rest of the team wrestled indoors with a fridge, a freezer, an office cabinet and finally, the safe. The latter was the biggest challenge, requiring more than two people and a trolley to move. With the combination of great GoodGym teamwork, navigation skills, strength and determination, we were successful in relocating all the bulky items.

Finally, the Shakers & Movers reunited with the Weed Busters for the group photo, then made their way to the local pub to celebrate Harvey's milestone and listen to famous song covers by the local ukulele band.