“Roll it? It’s just that it appears to be rooted into the ground.”

And so we returned to Meath Gardens for Week 2 of The Big Tree Roll.

Background

For the last two weeks, we’ve been helping the fabulous Friends of Meath Gardens team move one-tonne tree trunks and logs to a newly-created woodland space to help safeguard the young tree saplings.

Tonight’s task was in two parts: rolling and relocating the log to the new woodland home, and litter-picking around all four corners of this popular urban oasis.

Exercise hors d'oeuvres

We started, however, with a tough 30-minute workout on the basketball court, where the crew did good with shuttle runs, seated abs, endless glute-med work ("Listen, these are really good for you." and every lunge variation known to man.

We welcomed first time GoodGymers Emma and Bella, thrilled they’d decided to include the fitness session in their first GoodGym outing.

And from there, we made our way to the changing room building to meet Jane, who was our task owner this week.

She talked us through the two tasks, and we made our way over to the fallen tree.

Stop and Stare

We stood and stared. We attempted to shift, with no luck. We took pics, we held lights, we reluctantly decided maybe it was just litter-picking on the menu for this evening, until Rob seized one of the stakes previously used to cage the log, and proceeded to prise it free of the ground.

And so it took its took its first turn, supported by TJ and a second stake on the opposite side. Team Tree (Rob, TJ, Becky, Stephanie and Sree) proceeded to roll the stubborn stump uphill and over to its new woodland home.

Meanwhile, Team Trash were busying themselves filling bags with beer cans, crisp packets and allsorts from every remote area of the park. It was industrious, it was enjoyable, it was energetic, and boy, was it cold.

But time flew as usual, and before we knew it we were saying our goodbyes and heading in various directions until next week.

Next week?

Why yes, next week. When we’ll be heading to Mile End Park to help brilliant John clear brambles and shift woodchip.

Until then.