GoodGym descended on the Crouch End Open Space once more to help CREOS on their monthly working party.

Oh what a morning. Under the brilliant winter sun 12 GoodGym-ers from boroughs near and far met Glenys and the CREOS crew and, together with John and the other volunteers from TCV, spent a lovely few hours working around the Crouch End Open Space.

Our mission today was threefold:
1. Create a dead hedge around an oak tree (to help it de-stress and have a bit of personal space)
2. Create holes so CREOS can plant hazel saplings in future (by pickaxing through a buried concrete tennis court no less)
3. Shift woodchip from piles at opposite ends of the park onto the newly diverted paths around the aforementioned oak (using the classic wheelbarrow technique)

There was a lot going on and some tough work out there, but everyone rose to the occasion and helped make a huge difference: pickaxing, lopping branches, sawing branches, sharpening stakes, digging holes, hammering stakes into holes, weaving branches, shovelling woodchip, transporting woodchip, and of course distributing woodchip. We did a lot of things. Many dogs stopped to investigate what was going on.

Then we had a picnic. CREOS is a special community mission for many reasons. One of those is the post-working party picnic, which today featured delicious warming pumpkin soup, cider, baguette, cheese, chutney, crisps, cherry tomatoes and grapes. What a feast. We also made time for a very civilised tea and biscuit break midway through our work.

Great work everybody - the CREOS team was absolutely chuffed with what we got done today and very thankful for your efforts.