"Is this the oak and hazel sausage?"

As the Stereophonics said, 'It only takes one tree, to make a thousand matches...' ...but it only takes one Goodgym Windsor and Maidenhead to plant a thousand trees!

Today was our 8th tree planting session of the season, helping RBWM and Groundwork South with a big project to connect pockets of ancient woodland at Ockwells Park. A few weeks ago we set ourselves a s-tree-tching target to get to 1000 trees planted this Winter, and oh my GoodGymness, wood you be-leaf we've actually done it!?

Today was more than just A-Oak-ay. Not only because of the numbers, but also for lots of other reasons. Hazel(l) of them:

• It was tree-mendous to welcome newcomers Anne Laure, Rachael, Sarah, Sabrina and Sue. Really hope to see you all again soon.

• Today our focus was planting oak and hazel in clusters. These saplings had bigger root balls than the little whips we have previously slot planted, meaning we had to dig bigger holes. Daunting at first perhaps, but it meant we got a better workout, we got to practice the 'balance on the spade and wiggle about' manouvre more energetically, and we had the opportunity to admire each other's holes....basically we got into a great root-ine and had a hole lotta fun!

• There is something incredibly satisfying about bashing a stake into the ground with a mallet.

• The weather was tree-rific. In fact it was so warm in the sunshine that lots of us whip(ped) off our jackets and sea of GoodGym red t-shirts emerged. Always a beautiful sight!

• The Windsor and Maidenhead Conservation volunteers and Wild Maidenhead were also out working today and it was lovely to meet some of that group.

• About midway through the session a volunteer from the other group came over, gestured at the area where we were planting and asked, 'Is this the oak and hazel sausage?' Why, yes it was! This really made me chuckle.

• After today Kevin will get a new spade.....OK, let's call a spade a spade. Kevin bent his wife's spade and this was not a good thing. He says she's put a death warrant on him. Kevin, we hope you can dig yourself out of that one!

Well done to everyone who con-tree-buted to the 132 trees planted today and the circa 1050 so far this season. Great work! If you're hungry for more, then come and plant some more trees with us on Tuesday 8th of Feb. Find out more and sign up by clicking here. You can also find loads of other upcoming sessions by browsing our listings.