A group of 10 GoodGymers, including first timer Kate, descended to Lammas Orchard tonight by piloting their intergalactic wheelbarrows through the atmosphere, steered by rakes and shovels. When they arrived, they found piles of small organic pieces (woodchip) and larger organic chunks (aka chopped logs) in the grounds. Looking at the different forms of matter and their tools, the group wondered if they could be used to improve the planet they'd landed on.

Moving into the garden, the group found that the paths were part woodchipped and a strange wooden log circle was placed in the middle of it. Out of the bushes emerged a being holding something called Strongbow. Much of what he said didn't make sense until their translators managed to interpret:

"Each of these logs was a person. This one here with a hole in it was John" - Strange being

Clearly this was a local burial ground and the beings were somehow transformed into inanimate objects. What a strange place this was. The group's thoughts went back to the pile of logs at the entrance and how those ex-beings must have been unceremoniously placed on top of each other. What about the chips of wood. Were they mini beings?! The GoodGymers decided that they all deserved better than laying around in mounds.

The group split into two, with one part focused on honouring those big beings who'd been woodened. They set out to create a memorial circle like the one that honoured John's memory. The wooden beings were carefully transported to the newly created shrine.

The second group focused on what they thought must be the little beings. Their destination was less orderly. They meandered through the garden like a river, curving and threading themselves between the trees. The path was never taking the direct route from point to point. How curious.

After an hour, the mothership called. It was time to report back on what the GoodGymers had found on the planet. They grouped in the wooden circle they'd created and waited to be sucked back into orbit where they'd tell stories of the unusual culture that they had encountered and update their guide to the galaxy to include this planet, Earth.

It took us a weekend task and a group run to rip the paving slabs off the surface of Jerome Allotments, a place sentenced to become yet another bunch of tower blocks in Acton. GoodGymers are the virtuosos of destruction, aren't they? What about construction? We had proven to Romina from Cultivate London that we can build stuff too, so she trusted that we can lay the slabs we had salvaged in a different location. How did it go?

Today's team had a nice balance of runners and cyclists. Annabel and guests from our neighbouring GoodGyms, Divya and Michelle, came to the task on their bikes, while runners Christos, Kash and Sevan enjoyed looping on a path around Ealing Common before making it to Popesfield Allotments.

The evening was bright, and Romina was enthusiastic about seeing the GoodGym engineering in action. The objective was to lay one row of paving slabs under the gate to Cultivate's plant nursery at the allotment. Sounds easy?

Here's the GoodGym Ealing slab-laying technique:

1. Measure the width of the gate
   
2. Measure the slabs (60x60 cm and 60x90 cm options)
   
3. Start digging the ground under the gate
   
4. Conclude that 6 people digging is too many
   
5. Let two team members fill bags with gravel for later
   
6. Keep digging
   
7. Measure the hole for the slabs
   
8. Make the hole wider
   
9. Throw some gravel into the hole
   
10. Level it
    
11. Throw some sand into the hole
    
12. Level it
    
13. Try out a slab and conclude it's not level
    
14. (ok, this one is important: if you are going to do it right, don't miss this - even if you feel you messed up the previous steps, just do this one) Get Michelle to do the Irish stepdance on the sand
15. Try out the slab again and marvel at the precision
    
16. Repeat steps 9-16 for other slabs

In a perfect world, the process would end there. But we don't live there. We live in a fun world! And there is always more fun to break the routine.

1. Switch on the floodlight
   
2. Let Romina notice that the slabs had been laid the other way around
   
3. Flip the slabs

In those 20 easy steps, we laid a row of slabs - and the most of them were even even! Romina appreciated our work ethic and drive to get the job done.

Thanks a lot for your help guys, you work always very hard and do always your best, we are lucky to have you working with us 🤗 - Romina

Next week we will be turning into interior (or shall I say - exterior?) designers to furnish the Transition Garden in Lammas Enclosure. Come and join us!

Walpole Park on Tuesday nights can get surprisingly busy. Tonight, the enthusiasts of a stroll in the park after dark were startled by the sight of bikes approaching them - only to find out that the cyclists were actually runners with powerful head torches!

One group of GoodGymers ran two loops around the park while the second, smaller one, decided on a slower, single round. Everyone eventually met near the Rickyard, where Ranger Jon had left a few shovels for the volunteers. He also gave them a task in the walled garden.

The walled garden was originally an ornamental kitchen garden to the 18th century Pitzhanger Manor House, the home of architect Sir John Soane. The practice of growing food and flowers in that part of Walpole Park continues today, and the GoodGymers were about to become a part of that tradition.

A newly built raised bed was waiting to be filled with compost delivered last week in four massive bags spread around the bed. Jon carefully positioned the bags for GoodGymers to make their work the most efficient. Did they stand up to the task?

The team picked up a range of tools they thought were worth trying in a small space they had. Annabel, who just came back to running and GoodGymming, following a recovery, picked up a good, old shovel. So did Miriam and Steph. Sevan opted for the fourth, last shovel. His movements had far more impetus, so he practically had a bag for himself as no one would dare come closer to his deadly, sweeping shovel. Helene was left with a spade which she used to fill a big bucket. Chris and Kash found using smaller buckets the most effective for their bag which was further down from the bed. When the two compost bags which were closest to the bed were empty, the third bag was moved nearer to the destination. Steph and Kash attacked the furthest source of compost with shovels and a wheelbarrow.

The GoodGymers had so much fun that they were surprised to see how quickly they filled the raised bed to the required level. They packed up the three now empty bags and tools to return them to the storage at the Rickyard. Hopefully, Ranger Jon will be happy to see the compost getting comfy in its new bed tomorrow!

Our next task for Ealing Parks is next week - at Elthorne Park. Sign up now!

Four Knights met at Bodyline Castle and mounted their coconut warhorses to set out on a quest to find Wizard Steve. As dusk was approaching, Annabel, Steph Ducat, Sevan and Kash went around the dim forests of Walpole and Lammas fast to escape the monsters lurking in the darkness.

They arrived at St Mary's Church, known for its secrets and a tower with a long Round Staircase. Wizard Steve welcomed them to his fortress and introduced them to his adept wizards, Mike, Shan and Rohan who also appeared at the church, looking for an adventure.

Steve told the knights and wizards about a terrifying drigeon terrorising Ealing and recently breaking into the church through a gap in netting and a fragile window. The monster resided for some time in the Round Chamber and fouled the holy place. The traces of its outrageous presence in the church had to be removed. Annabel, Sevan and Rohan volunteered to exorcise the corruption left by the winged demon with water, buckets, clothes and latex gloves. They climbed the stairs to reach the Round Chamber and have been trapped in it.

In the meantime, the rest of the Knights were asked to remove the Cursed Scaffolding from another secret chamber. Steve had brought the scaffolding inside the church as a treasure but over time it had become a liability. It was taking space and attracting monsters like the drigeon. The Knights started moving the treasure down the Round Staircase, fighting the weight of the scaffolding parts and vertigo. Luckily, the reinforcements arrived: Claire on her coconut steed and Divya on a mechanical mount.

When the treasure that had looked like gold inside the church was moved outside, it turned into a stack of metal poles and wooden planks. Steve directed the Knights to the back of the church where they were going to bury the treasure in a den, hopefully not occupied by any demons. When they thought their path was clear, a shadow emerged from the church walls and blocked their way. In the darkness, the Knights thought that the shadow was a homeless person squatting at the back of the church. But he was the Denkeeper. And he had questions.

Who would cross the Path of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.

The Knights were not up for mental games and let Wizard Steve deal with the puzzle. They didn't hear the answers but Steve managed to get the Denkeeper out of the way.

After all the Cursed Scaffolding was left in the den, Steve and the Knights climbed back up the stairs to rescue others from the Round Chamber. St Mary's has been cleansed of evil, dust and drigeon waste. Wizard Steve was amazed by the Knights' bravery and efficiency. He awarded each of them with the title of the Knight of the Round Staircase and with exclusive access to the top of the tower. Of course, to get there, they had to climb the Round Staircase which seemed to have no end. At the roof awaited a stunning panorama of the nighttime Ealing and its surroundings.

The vista was magnificent but the Knights were longing to get closer to the ground level and find a cosy inn. They descended from the tower and found themselves in front of The Rose & Crown pub. There was another obstacle on the way! No monsters, no challenging questions, and no proving one's strength this time. The Rose & Crown only accepted royalty as its patrons and refused the Knights to go inside. Someone had to wear the crown for the team. It was decided it would be Kash who had accomplished the most Feats of Glory in the crowd, five hundred. She disguised herself as a queen and the other knights as her lords and ladies. The innkeepers let the merry men and women in and everyone had fun and a piece of Round Cake at a Round Table.

It's officially September! As we found out tonight, it's probably the time to start bringing head torches to the group runs. Despite being caught by darkness by the end of the task, we can say it was a night of many highlights!

• Sevan was celebrating his 400th good deed 💯💯💯💯🔥 - what an achievement, so close to 500 now!
• We completed a task for a new community organisation: St Andrew's Church and Community Centre, thanks to Claire who recommended them
• Annabel made her comeback after recovering from an injury - we missed her a lot!

As usual, we set off from Bodyline, with Madhan, Milly and Annabel walking to the task, and Sevan, Steph Ducat and Kash setting off for a short hill running session. Divya cycled all the way from Hammersmith to meet us at St Andrew's. Together with Mike and Claire he appeared with perfect timing!

The task owners - John and John - were excited about our arrival and confident about our destruction skills. You've read that right: destruction 💥 The task involved a serious cutback of naughty shrubs and small trees that were inviting anti-social behaviour. In other words:

I want you to decimate that shrubbery - John

After the briefing, John and John offered us cold water as the day was hot and gave us a choice of sharp objects: saws, loppers, shears and secateurs. Our eyes lit up immediately, and we were ready for action. In less than an hour, despite meeting a couple of cute pups that were a lovely distraction, we've accomplished our work of destruction.

GROAD - Get Rid Of And Destroy! - Madhan

We picked up the litter excavated in the cutting process, chopped the big branches into pieces, then swept smaller trimmings and piled them against the wall. The area of dodgy activities turned into an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty! And no, that is not an overstatement for the stretch of leafless shrubs and tree stumps. We believe that the place looks much tidier now. Minister Sue from the church, who was out with her dog for a walk, stopped by and admired the transformation. John was very grateful for our work and hoped to see us again for another task.

Some of us headed to Haven Green where we treated ourselves to a Tabata-style fitness session and some stretching, while others went to treat themselves to well-deserved drinks. Eventually, we all ended up in the pub to raise our glasses to Sevan's 400 and nibble on some sweet and savoury snacks.

Next week we are involved in once-in-a-year task - helping Ealing Half Marathon put up signs ahead of the race! Don't miss it and sign up here!