On a day that started with a rainbow and ended with a golden sunset, a very lucky thirteen GoodGym volunteers made their way through Ladywell Fields towards the wonder that is the Wildcat Wilderness. Covering a total of 7km and completing a medal winning wheelbarrow relay to fill a skip with waste.

Thank you to Caireen for the fantastic pun(plum?)tastic title this week!

We were eager to leave Glass Mill promptly tonight, wanting to get to our task early and really make the most of the time we had there. A brisk head-count, a quick high-knee, heel-flicking, arm-driving kind of warm-up and it was definitely time to go. This evening we did things slightly differently, with Taskforce members Caireen and Roni taking the lead, while I took on the back-marker role, so I could have a chat with some other people for a change. It's a very different view from the back, watching a sea of red t-shirts laid out ahead of you (great to see Kim sporting her red t-shirt for the first time tonight!).

We did, of course, talk about the amazing Olympic Games, contemplating how hockey will be seeing a resurgence of interest and how we would all train very, very hard of it meant we could wear those fabulous light-up shoes seen at the closing ceremony, maybe Tokyo, if we work really hard in the next four years...

The scenic route

Making sure we stayed together, our leaders for tonight regrouped at various crossings, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath on what turned out to be a very warm evening. We were very soon meandered our way through the scenic route of Ladywell Fields (nice detour!) and passing the Catford tourist hotspots of Wickes car park and the South Circular. All this urban grit made the Wildcat Wilderness seem all the more inviting.

We were met at the gate by Maria, who stood next to a big empty skip. Our task for the evening? To grab wheelbarrows, fill them with the waste that is gradually uncovered in the area and wheel (and squeak?) along the path to pour the contents into the skip. A relay system was soon established, with people taking it in turns to lift and tip, grab and fill and wheel and run. Another group went further into the space, retrieving two battered shopping trolleys that had been revealed in the brambles, rusting and decaying into the background. Some might was needed to lift them out and then to transport them the 150m or so to the entrance.

A first-time coach run

Maria was telling us that each time it rains and soil is washed away, little shards of glass appear on the surface of the ground and, as many of the visitors are not much taller than the fox that we saw wandering around, these pieces need to be carefully – very carefully – picked out and discarded. As this was done, we noticed the trees, laden with ripe plums and pears and also the brambles that wound around us, heavy with deep purple blackberries. We listened as Emilie told us about her first coach run this week. She had felt challenged running up the very steep hill between her and her coach, wondering if there might be an easier route next time, but smiled when she said that, after spending some time chatting to this lady, the hills really didn't matter any more.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the wilderness, the skip was gradually filling, a real wildcat was spotted and a delightfully furry caterpillar was carefully relocated away from the action. Rolls of muddy, dusty carpet were slung into barrows ('There's not a body rolled up in there is there?!' No, there wasn't), rusted dustbins were meticulously separated from towering nettles, sacks were skilfully raised over the skip edge and uneven paths were negotiated at speed with a heavy load.

Excellent work, everyone!

As we had run hard and arrived a little earlier, we had just the right amount of time to do a fantastic job. With Maria needing to sweep herself away to Eden (Project), we swiftly wheeled the barrows back to the shed, bundled gloves into pairs and gathered together to cover the skip in tarpaulin. Oh and we all enjoyed the fruits (plums) of our labour before heading back onto the streets (at this point Dave made everyone a little jealous when he told us his plum had added protein, sorry! Eek!).

There are lots of events happening at the Wildcat Wilderness, with some workshops for adults this week and a volunteers' day this coming weekend. Have a look here to find out more.

Maria thanked everyone for doing such a great job and wondered if it would be a nice gentle stroll back. Ahem, a nice run up a hill if you don't mind! Well done to those who took on that little return-leg challenge and well done to everyone for battling on in the heat, it wasn't easy running this week!

As we stretched, we talked about next week's task which, as I'm away, will be led by Jo from Southwark (some of you might have met Jo if you came to our launch run back in January). The task will be at Crofton Park Bookshop, moving shelves to make space to lay the new flooring. I'll be with you again on September 5th, when we will have a little social (to celebrate my 50th good deed!) after our run, with a drink and maybe some post-run food.