It was chicken on the menu for lunch today - or vegetarian alternative - with potato salad and coleslaw. Chef Vinka prepared a delicious meal which was much appreciated by the guests. Also on offer was a barber, foot care, life skills class, clothing distribution and food parcels. It was a busy session. I was again in the dining area serving meals and we had a lot of satisfied clients. It’s a lovely - and lively- atmosphere at the Soup Kitchen on Fridays and a privilege to be part of it.

Early start and joined Southall Park run volunteers as they were short of volunteers. I agreed to be Event Day course check and marshal too. On arrival, Bik said that a 2 year old was messing around with some of the cones, so I started going around the course and when i reached the magical round about, I noticed that the cones were out of control, so put them back to their spot. No child was in view, so carried on around the course. Noe of the other cones misbehaved, but some of the park visitors did leave litter for us to clear of the course. We cleared the rubbish in no time. I was then assigned as marshal at position 1 which is at the end of the straight line after the start. I was to turn the sign around once all have gone past it. But then asked if I could start and double up with another lady at point 2 as several individuals around there drinking. My task was to be there with her and once the runners have passed and the individuals have moved to go to point 1 and change the sign with the arrows to turn instead of going straight. So I held 3 positions today. We had 2 quick runners under 18 minutes!!!Total of 101 runners/walkers and 21 wonderful volunteers

Sunny Saturday afternoon and visiting my 2nd coach Mr T. I was approaching his flat when I noticed him outside walking back to his flat with his crutches. I joined him and we started chatting on the slow walk back to his block of flats. As walking with crutches ,we went slowly for the few meters to go. We went to his flat and carried on chatting. Glad that he is going out for small walks and not stuck in his flat. The weather was nice for him and not too hot.

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!

I was back on lunch duties at the Soup Kitchen today - serving the clients lunch which is one of my favourite roles. It didn’t seem too busy in the main room but that all changed once the dining room doors opened! A constant flow of guests enjoyed chef Andrew’s sausage casserole (beef or vegetarian) followed by a tasty dessert. We were so busy I only managed a couple of photos at the end. Another rewarding session for this Goodgym member.

I visited Mrs A of Perivale on my way back home from two group sessions at Horsenden Hill. I entered the property using a key from the lockbox and said "Hello" loudly a few times. From the faint sound of commotion, I guessed Mrs A was upstairs.

The lady, in her late eighties, partially blind and with mobility issues, was worried about descending to the ground floor in her chair lift, which had broken at least three times in the recent weeks. She was also unsure which tools she had for the gardening job I was about to start and whether I would be able to accomplish anything at all on the day.

While I reassured Mrs A that she didn't have to go downstairs if she didn't feel well enough, I convinced her I'd find the tools and inspect the garden if she told me where the garage keys were. Mrs A decided to travel to the ground floor in the dreaded chair lift, which turned out to be working just fine. I easily found the keys to the garage and, inside it, I located a rake, a pair of shears and a fork. Wandering around the garden, I found some hand tools I could use for weeding.

The garden itself didn't look too bad. Someone must have been maintaining it until recently. I noticed the roses and fruit trees had been pruned, and that the brambles encroaching from the neighbouring garden weren't as long as they could be. One thing I smelled before I saw it was the fact that the garden served the local cats (and foxes) as a giant litter tray. I decided to tread carefully.

Since Mrs A couldn't see or easily access the garden, I used my previous gardening experience to assess the situation and decide on the best course of action. First, I chose to give mowing a miss. With only a few longer grass blades sticking out of the otherwise short lawn, setting up the lawnmower would have been a waste of time. I turned my gaze towards the brambles and slightly overgrown trees and cut those back.

Afterwards, fighting with the stench of the huge "litter tray", I collected rotten, fallen apples and weeded the flower beds. Having done that part, I swept fallen leaves and took out the hydrangea flowers that had already wilted. With some space still available in the green waste bin, I cut back some of the ivy opposite the garage - but that's when Mrs A decided it was time to stop.

Although she couldn't see the result of my work well, Mrs A was pleased and grateful for keeping the garden in good shape. Funnily enough, Mrs A was convinced I'd do a top job from the moment I opened two gates she found tricky in the back garden and brought in the green bin.

"You did it quicker and better than the men. Actually, I'm very happy I had a lady helping me today as I live on my own." - Mrs A.

Well, I was glad to hear that for a change, after being misjudged by beneficiaries many times when I turned up for missions without a male GoodGymer companion. Perhaps, alongside the foxes and cats, there was a dark horse in Mrs A's garden too.