"...it is quicker, easier, more seductive" - Yoda

GoodGymers congregated on HANGOT's secret, non-descript base along the Grand Union Canal this morning, to find out what today's task was. They were handed freshly sharpened tools of torture - plant torture, that is - and led onto the canal.

Ahead of the coming destruction, the GoodGymers along with members of HANGOT had an enjoyable walk westward along the sunny canal towpath, carrying their tools for the day. Scythes, slashers and shears were all transported over a lock to the far side of the canal to the chillingly named Blackberry Corner 😱

Once there, tasks were distributed with Kash, Penny and Kane taking shears to clear nettles and grass from under the trees and Sevan raking. The cuttings were being scooped around a large tree's trunk, with care being taken not to drop cut nettles onto bare legs.

The HANGOT members took control of finely honed scythes as they had training, which allowed them to clear large open areas of weeds and grass quickly. While the scythes looked cool, they weren't strong enough to cut through low branches. That was left to Steph, who took control of a large slasher, a tool that he's become quite expert with over recent tasks at other locations and used to make mince meat out of dead plants.

Between the 10 volunteers' slashing, chopping and scything, most of BlackBerry Corner was cleared in 90 minutes, giving the young fruit trees less competition for rain water over the autumn and winter. Dangerous tools were returned and GoodGymers headed back onto the canal to enjoy the unexpected sun and warmth. That's good morning's work! 👏

See how we come to Horsenden Farm? Very demure, very mindful. We don't show off, carrying 30 kg wooden logs in front of our new joiners.

Today's first-timers, Kat and Kane, showed our GoodGym divas it's time for a reality check! They were very modest, not flashing their red t-shirts yet, but working equally hard, if not harder, as our most celebrated GoodGym heroes.

Sevan, who has reached 750 good deeds, didn't put his celebratory vest on until the pizza party time. Very demure. Or maybe Kash has forgotten about the milestone vest in her bag again this week?

While Alaa, Kat, Michelle, Sevan and Kash mindfully transported the chicken manure to the compost piles, Kane, Luis and Steph Ducat, together with a new Horsenden volunteer Tom, moved the heavy wood and bed frames out of a former chicken coop. They rested all the bulky things against the shed on a slippery slope. How all that stuff we had piled by the shed throughout the year hadn't slid down yet - we don't know. Very mindful.

Elsa suggested a third task in case we'd finished with either of the two jobs: razing a wild hedge to the ground. We don't come to work to cut green trees. We don't bring big saws and axes. That would be way over the top. Today, we cut the whole hedge at Horsenden with a few pairs of humble loppers.

When it was time to see the animals, Elsa showed Alaa, Kat and Kash how to jump the fence demurely so as not to disturb the pig residents. See how the goats were very well-behaved today - let's not forget to be demure, divas!

Stay demure and join us for another day of volunteering 🫶 + animals 🐮 + pizza 🍕 + craft beer 🍺 in October!