No Elf and Safety

Five GoodGymers felt like Christmas had come early when we ran to Westbury Park Church (with a slight detour to another regular task location, St Alban's Church - all in the name of fitness) to help them set up for their Christmas Fair this weekend.

Sue and Mary soon had us set to work, Tetris-ing many more chairs than you would think could fit into a small cupboard space. While Paul and Lisa made beautiful tidy piles, Laura went for the random piling tactic - with the combination of the two, we overcame all logical space expectations and fit almost all of them in with a clear walkway for the emergency exit.

Meanwhile, Lisa was selected as the tallest and therefore most eligible member for putting up the fairy lights round the hall. There was only one problem, the lights were very tangled from being put away, so Lisa began untangling.

The rest of us went about moving furniture to clear space for Santa's Grotto and the Santa Photo Booth - very important jobs. Sadly, we found out that Sue had forgotten her elf suit and was flying to America the next day! Santa will have to get another suit ready for the weekend.

While we set up tables, took away tables and set up some more tables, Lisa continued untangling.

Paul showed us his impressive cutting skills to cover the tables and Darren and Laura put me to shame in their perfect hospital corner-style table-cover folding.

Meanwhile, Lisa was slowly progressing with her lights-untangling.

With all of the tables covered, chairs moved and some of the stalls beginning to be set up for the weekend, it was time for us to leave. However, Lisa was still untangling, and now had a mass team of untanglers on the biggest knot-job Westbury Park has every seen. While the rest of us watched in awe, the final knot came out and the lights were laid out ready to light up Saturday's fair.

Top work all round and good very-premature Christmas cheer! Watch out for the next Community Mission to Westbury Park church where I am hoping I am not the only person putting up a huge tree in time for advent.