A (Holyport Football) Club Sandwich with Chips

It was a chilly but dry evening as we met outside Homebase for our group run to help the Holyport Football Club - a volunteer-run club, which provides football coaching and games and is a real social hub for the local community. It was great to welcome Steve, who joined us for his first GoodGym session. Three cheers for Steve!

We kicked off the evening with the team in a 3-3-1 formation: 3 runners (Juli, Steve and myself), 3 walkers (Hannah, Kanika and Sara) and 1 GoodGym member turned task owner waiting to welcome us at the task location with cookies, lights and tools (thank you Richard!)

The journey to the Club was a run/walk of two halves...the first half we thought we were nearly there and the second half we realised we needed a bit of extra time. So it may have been a teeny bit further than originally advertised (sorry team - thanks for not sending me off!) but at least that meant we arrived nice and warm and with plenty of appetite for the cookies.

Our goal for the evening was spreading woodchip in an area that is prone to getting muddy. We didn't have long, but we were on the ball and ready to tackle anything. We soon got into a rhythm, chipping away with the spades, passing the wheelbarrows back and forth, and taking turns to be 'sweeper' with the rakes. It was a great workout! As I blew my imaginary whistle for time we didn't really want to stop, but we were still pleased with the result. We estimate we got through about a third of the woodchip pile, and covered a mud-prone stretch about the size of the penalty area.

Meanwhile, Richard was in a league of his own, working with fellow Club member and first team coach Mark to put up advertising hoardings. These included one which they are doing free of charge for charity Cocaine Anonymous, which helps people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

Now you think its all over...well it isn't yet...we waved goodbye to Richard and Mark and then headed off on the final part of our Holyport Football Club sandwich - the journey back. Juli, Kanika and Steve peeled off along the way, while Sara, Hannah and I power-walked and chatted our way back to Homebase.

Well played everyone!