Saturday 30th November
Find out about GoodGym TaskForce
Report written by Kash
"I didn't take my tools with me today" - Sevan on the way to one of the furniture assembly missions.
GoodGymers Sevan and Kash are waiting in front of the gate leading to Ms M's building. The intercom is silent, and so is Ms M's phone until the calls go to voicemail. They are concerned about Ms M. Finally, they decide to tail an Uber Eats bike rider to get to the next stage of the mission.
Ms M's flat is not accessible from ground level, Sevan and Kash encounter an additional door with another intercom that gives them no answer. A young man with a pharmacy carrier bag enters the scene and tries to buzz on the same number as the GoodGymers. The two parties make contact, and the pharmacy Delivery Man, who also came to see Ms M, calls his boss, who happens to have another phone number for Ms M. The manager confirms that the lady is out. Ms M's neighbour appears and does not know where Ms M could be. The trio decides to tail him into the warm building. There is one more door to go through.
When the GoodGymers and the Delivery Man chat on the staircase, an older lady with a walking stick and small shopping bags emerges from the gate. Sevan opens the door for her, and Kash offers to carry her groceries upstairs. It is a struggle for Ms M to get to the second floor. The lady explains she had work done in her kitchen since early morning and had to go out just before noon because she was running out of food. It must be a stressful situation for Ms M, but she manages to deal with the pharmacy delivery and arrange the payment. Then she offers GoodGymers coffee or water and makes a cup for herself. Kash says to Ms M she can sit down and relax while she and Sevan will have a look at the furniture.
It is already 30 minutes after the mission start time. Ms M decides that the bed move is not needed at the moment and would like her new drawers assembled instead. Sevan and Kash open one of the boxes and discover that various screwdrivers and a hammer, not included in the set, will be needed. While Sevan unpacks the panels, with an old Western film on the TV in the background, Ms M and Kash look for a bag with tools - to no avail. Kash returns to Sevan, who is halfway through emptying the flatpack furniture box and tells him about the change of plans. All the drawer panels need to go back to the box. They are going to build a small storage coffee table.
The job is very easy as the coffee table has only six panels and a few screws. A hammer is the only tool needed, which Ms M finds in her drawer. Finally, something gets completed for the benefit of Ms M. The item turns out larger than Ms M anticipated, but she finds a good space for it.
After talking to Ms M about broken things she no longer needs, on the way out, the GoodGymers take one of four TV sets for disposal. Yet another small victory after a rocky start to the mission!
Westminster
Support young people getting active