A month after another mission across London to fit a new roller blind, Kash and Sevan found themselves in an identical situation a lot closer to home. It wasn't only fitting a new blind that matched the previous mission. They were in the kitchen again and they were kneeling on the worktop in front of the kitchen window, which was (again) agony for their shins. Mrs A had a solution for this... cushions and they did an amazing job ☁️!

When it came to fitting the new blind, Kash and Sevan had been told that no tools would be needed, which confused them a bit. Were they supposed to magic the screws into the wooden batten above the windows? 🧙🧙🏻‍♂️ Not even their skills stretched to that. Mrs A claimed she'd said that no drill was needed, which didn't line up with the unopened instructions either. In any case, Mrs A didn't have a drill or screwdrivers that could be used. Luckily, Sevan had raided his tool bag in the morning and came prepared with 2 of his own screwdrivers which allowed the GoodGymers to complete the task.

"This feels like déjà vu" - Kash
"You mean déjà screw" - Sevan

The biggest problem putting up the new blind was getting everything level. With a bit of trial and error and a lot of force to get the blind attached to the wall, it worked perfectly first time. Kash and Sevan had progressed slowly to get it right first time, possibly helped by Mrs A's prayers nearby for more light to enter her kitchen.

Feeling quite pleased with themselves, Mrs A then told Kash and Sevan that she also wanted a curtain rail to be put up in her bedroom. That was unexpected and they only had 30 minutes left ⏳.

Mrs A gave the GoodGymers choices. She had 2 curtain poles available, so Kash and Sevan chose the easiest one to fit to try and wrap up on time. It was easier than the blind to position and measure, so they sped through getting the fixings into the wall, again missing some key tools. With the rail in place, it took a few attempts to get the curtain to sit well and they were done, pretty much on time.

"If I ever need to put up my own blinds, after all these missions I'll know exactly what to do." - Sevan

As soon as I could finish work, I was off on a 17 km there-and-back run to Hounslow, to dispose of Mr T’s neatly sorted recycling and a bag of rubbish, and - perhaps more importantly - to give some peace to a mind anguished by a day of working alone at a screen.

A rubbish mission? By no means.

Last night, GoodGym Hounslow returned to Baron’s Ponds, turning an overgrown tangle into a future beautiful bluebell glade. A warm GoodGym welcome to Ealing member Scott, who joined us for his first session in Hounslow!

Baron’s Ponds sits in a historic corner of Gunnersbury, but, as nobody had been caring for it for some years, it risked becoming simply overgrown, derelict space. Thankfully, a passionate team of local volunteers stepped up to take over its care, aiming to increase biodiversity and sustainability.

We got straight to work pulling up and hauling away mounds of the invasive ivy. The volume of growth was immense, but we soon got stuck and started making a difference. A special shout-out has to go to Chris and Florian, who spent the evening fighting the good fight against a truly colossal, knotted ball of ivy. It was a real wrestling match — check out the photos for the unbelievable scenes and ultimate victory.

While we worked, Mark (the head of the volunteer team) filled us in on a bit of local drama. It turns out the pond is currently being plagued by a lone terrapin. This rogue reptile has been terrorising the local ecosystem, eating up all the frogs and other tiny pond creatures. Apparently he’s quite intrepid and frequently commutes between here and the main ponds at Gunnersbury Park. The ultimate plan is to safely catch and rehome him - unless he makes a speedy getaway first. 

With the ivy cleared, the area is one step closer to being turned into a blue vision come spring. Next week, we are teaming up with Wild Chiswick for more green-fingered tasks that deliver a real environmental impact. You can find the details here.

Do you remember the times when we used to leaflet for the Reduce and Recycle Hub in Acton? Well, in September 2026, we had a chance to spread the word about its spiritual successor, organised by Action West London. On 26th September, Acton Market was going to host a sustainability-themed community day where residents could book free repairs of household electrical appliances or learn how to mend items with Ealing Repair Cafe. The event would also be an opportunity to understand what happens to what we put in the recycling bins and pick up practical tips on how to reduce waste and save money.

Five Ealing GoodGymers: Maria, Scott, Sevan, Steph Ducat and Kash welcomed a GoodGym tourist from Greenwich, JC, who took the opportunity to join our group run as the work brought him to the heart of Ealing. The running team met with the others at the site of Acton Market, overlooked by St Mary's Church and Pokopia Garden - both past or present GoodGym task locations.

The gang worked on their step count, walking through the streets north of Churchfield Road. Leaflets have been dropped into the letterboxes on Derwentwater Rd, Newburgh Rd, Spencer Rd, Cumberland Rd and Maldon Rd. The six GoodGymers enjoyed a small tour exploring several Acton mural locations and saying hi to the local cats. Despite the first properly rainy day since June this year, the evening brightened with blue skies and golden sunshine cheering the team up. No GoodGymers or leaflets got soaked that night, and all the flyers ended up in letter boxes, carefully avoiding the "No junk mail" signs.

Next week we are going to do some walking again, but we'll be changing the theme and the scenery - the Tuesday group task will take us on the route of the Ealing Half Marathon to help put up signs on the lampposts ahead of this year's race. Sign up now!