Wednesday 3rd May 2023
Report written by Anastasia Hancock (she/her)
Last night we had twice the fun in Hounslow with a choice of two tasks across the borough!
After a quick warm up, we discussed how we were going to split the group. With Lucy offering to lead the run to Chiswick Allotments with Chris, James and Alan, the rest of us opted for Cultivate London, in the opposite direction.
Team Allotment set off to meet Jo, who had a big job waiting for them. With a lot of Wild Chiswick's volunteers unable to do some of the tasks which involve a bit of heavy duty activity, it was down to GoodGym to help dig a pathway at the space they are transforming. They began with the digging, which looked like no easy task, and then moved on to lining and filling to produce a beautiful woodchip pathway - fit for kings and queens! Check out the pictures to see a truly impressive before and after.
Meanwhile the Cultivate team had a slighter muckier task up at the plant nursery. Cultivate finally have their moving date so it was all hands on deck getting everything clear. Cue one massive weight lifting mission! Our job was to move the bags of soil and to save the good sacks for reuse. Easier said than done! We battled with flies, mud and some extremely heavy bags, but after 45 minutes of back breaking work the place was looking much better. We'll be back again soon to help them with hopefully some more fragrant but no less important tasks ahead of the move!
Next week we're back to the river to help with a big plastic pick along with some of the tenants by Kew Bridge - you can sign up here.
So many dates for your diary! This weekend we have a lovely community mission helping build a giant train set for children with additional needs which should be fun as well as making a big difference.
If you'd like to get involved with The Big Help Out on Monday 8th, there are several fun opportunities. Chiswick House and Gardens are looking for volunteers, and you can even get a sneak peek inside the house for free! Or, if you're looking slightly further afield, why not join me in a giant litter pick in collaboration with Beautify Balham where after all your hard work you'll be rewarded with a free drink courtesy of a local wine shop!
Hounslow
Get out in your local community to litter pick/ plog and help to keep the streets and green spaces tidy and free of litter.