It was a first time for us at the Good Shepherd church in Feltham, where eight goodgymmers from Hounslow, Slough and Ealing got together to give a hand with the garden.

The vicar David welcomed us with water, biscuits and brand new tools, and we divided ourselves into three teams to battle the three main fronts: a tree being suffocated by ivy, another ivy that was taking over a fence, and Hounslow's favourite: brambles.

The garden had been neglected for longer than David had been in the church, and some of the things we uncovered came quite as a surprise for him. Besides cups and shoes, the brambles were hiding five garden beds, which made us wonder if some parishioner had the brilliant idea to use them to "grow blackberries". Also, while clearing the ivy we realised that it was wrapping itself around not one but two trees. it was very difficult to know whether we were cutting the ivy, the tree #1 or the tree #2.

I am not joking. It was so confusing that I narrowly left the place with a single arm after Charlotte went on a saw rampage. Or was that a movie I watch in the afternoon? Anyway, we are planning to go back there with all our arms and tools hoping to uncover more surprising stuff.