Loooong cycle to Feltham to see a lovely lady J and her very kind daughter K. Cycle made better for seeing this foal snoozing near her mum 🥲. Cycle made worse for loss of water bottle as my wheels tackled the worst of Ealing’s potholed roads. I shall have to launch a litter-pick to recover said bottle…

Arrived. Panting. The robin’s home and the importance of not blocking the entrance were pointed out to me - he must be able to feed his young 🐥

Many different kinds of refreshment were offered. Politely declined the beer (thanks though K!) 🍺

Thomas Harry’s Far from the Madding Crowd rattled away on my earphones as I tugged at weeds and brambles in the flowerbeds and lawn.

I may have had to take a photo of a plant and send it to my mum for her to confirm it was indeed a weed (gone-over bluebell) and could be plucked.

Otherwise, all passed without a hitch. Filled a big brown wheelie bin of garden waste ☑️

Oh! And the lovely K donated me an unused water bottle for the cycle home 🙏

There have been many skills and new words that GoodGym has taught us over the years - how to properly prune epicormic shoots, creating mulch, and where to plant perennials in a rockery. Last night was no exception as we were treated to a tutorial on how exactly to build a hibernacula - if you're wondering, an underground chamber that amphibians and reptiles use throughout the winter to protect themselves from the cold.

Our evening kicked off as always at the Town Hall, where we were happy to welcome Roberto to his very first group run!

We then set off for Cavendish School, where over the past months we have been helping transform an unused area into a learning space for the kids. Slowly but surely we have been clearing away undergrowth, creating pathways and digging the soil. It's been great to see the progress that is being made, and there's plenty more to do! We will be back soon to help lay woodchip on the paths and put in some aquatic plants.

Last night's job was in conjunction with Jo from Wild Chiswick who talked us through the hibernacula building, and before long a huge hole was being dug ready for bricks and logs as well as some pipes so that reptiles can safely make their way in. Meanwhile other jobs included clearing the pond of leaves and other grime so that the water could be treated and pulling up the knotty blackthorn which if left to grow would take over the place.Phew!

We had big plans for fitness post session but a combination of different routes and time quickly running out meant we had just a few minutes left to play a quick game which saw forfeits in the shape of frogs, power squats and jumping jacks. Next week we will make sure we have time for a double session! Before that we will be heading to Strand on the Green school - I hope you can join us!