The monthly conservation session with the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods is always a feel-good Sunday morning!

Coming from volunteering at junior parkrun just a stone's throw away, we grabbed a coffee from Chestnuts Kiosk before signing in with Paul, who was leading today’s session. Once the rest of the FOLAW volunteers arrived, we set off towards The Heath. Pushing a wheelbarrow full of tools uphill through the woods definitely got the heart rate going 💪. It was a lovely walk with swathes of bluebells lining the path on both sides. Stunning.

Once at the top, Paul gave us a quick refresher on tool safety - short and sweet since we were all regulars - and we got to work cutting back holly and brambles, and pulling up creeping ivy and honeysuckle. There wasn't any bracken to battle this time as it's a bit early in the season, but there was still plenty to keep us busy!

This is an ongoing project to clear more invasive plants so that native heather can thrive and give a more diverse habitat for wildlife.

Every so often we loaded up the wheelbarrow and transported the cuttings to a nearby pile where they’ll rot down naturally. GoodGym strength training in action!

No sign of the Easter Bunny, but we did spot a slow worm hiding under one of the shelters in the undergrowth. Now that was an Easter treat!

This morning we hopped along to marshal and scan barcodes at Lesnes Abbey Woods junior parkrun.

The kids were eggs-cited to get their high-fives and the parents got their eggs-ercise running round the three laps with them.

And as always there was a happy vibe with the other hi-viz volunteers.

Afterwards, an eggs-cellent coffee from the Chestnuts Kiosk!

See you next week when there will be no more Easter puns, we promise.

Presenting this year's Easter Parade - Good-gym style!

12 GoodGym-ers met on a changeable Easter Saturday morning, some travelling from Park run to Bark run, for our Community Mission today at the lovely Maryon Park Community Garden.

We were met by Tim & Edna, as well as a veritable mountain of freshly delivered woodchip, which our task today was built around. The woodchip had to be moved uphill from the entrance to the Forest School area beyond the food growing plots.

Cue lots of teamwork and with shovels at the ready we were soon loading up wheelbarrows and relaying them up the hill to where more of the team were waiting with rakes to smooth over the woodchip in the Forest School.

After half an hour we'd already made a huge dent in the pile, getting it down to a definite hill, at which point resident beetle Ringo decided to make his objections known. Regrettably, Ringo did have to be re-housed, but is hopefully settling nicely in his new woodland home.

Soon the hill became a few scraps & it was time to sweep up the last few flakes, down tools and partake in a much appreciated cuppa ☕️

A very warm welcome to Mayuri on your first task.

Thanks all & see you soon 😊