Monday 17th November
Report written by Anastasia Hancock (she/her)
We had one of our biggest challenges to date in Wandsworth last night, and what's more it was a time crunch situation!
The task: to move ten huge metal orange planters filled with wet clay and stones to their permanent new homes around the Doddington estate. Within 40 minutes. Using only one manual hydraulic lifter.
Did we manage it? Read on to find out more...
What was meant to be a quick Saturday morning task soon emerged as something a lot more complicated! We hadn't realised that the planters, which are bright, cheerful and massive would also be full! They were also a lot heavier and unwieldy then we had expected. We discovered it had taken a crane to get them there in the first place. On top of that, it turned out the dolly we had been given to use had two flat tyres! Things were not looking in our favour.
So, we drafted in the big guns. We shifted our scheduled task for the evening to another night, and arranged to come down with a bigger group last night. Elizabeth, who runs the hub, had also managed to get her hands on a bigger duty lifter from the council - so this time we had a fighting chance!
We divided up into groups and began the job - knowing we had a limited amount of time with the borrowed lifter. If they weren't put in the right place last night, it was never going to happen.
So with Ali taking the helm of the power lifter, half the team began the massive job of moving the smaller planters around the square. Meanwhile the rest got on with shoveling out the soil in what affectionately became known as 'the beast' - the biggest planter of them all.
Time was ticking on, and we decided to forego our usual fitness session in the hope of finishing the task. Besides which, the job was a pretty hardcore workout in itself!
With just minutes to spare the last planter was ceremoniously lowered into position, and I'm happy to report that all ten of them found beautiful new homes where they will cheer up the square and increase bodiversity - and all GG toes and fingers remained intact!
Fantastic job in tricky conditions - well done everybody.
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Wandsworth
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