Another double-digit turnout meant we could divide into three groups to tackle a variety of tasks towards the top of Petersham Common Woods. It's been a regular spot for GoodGym Richmond with our work including maintaining the famous "Turner's View", planting hundreds of new trees and coppicing others to create a denser middle layer in the woods for nesting songbirds.

Today's challenges were slot-planting new thorn trees above the path by the Star and Garter flats. Green-fingered Anita oversaw Victoria, Beth, Sam and newcomer Christina at this, under Ken's instruction to bury them just on the point that the roots end to ensure each young sapling's survival. The guys took to it dilligently with their focus broken only on occasion by a mighty crack from below, where Chris♂ in full lumberjack mode was clearing an area that needed cutting back.

Around the corner Hounslow tearaway Pippa, plus Monika and Maena continued with the coppicing that we started a couple of weeks ago, while task leader Ken supplied Lindor chocolates and coffee, a deserved treat.

A chilly Saturday morning saw 9 cheery GoodGymers out on Petersham Common planting trees, as part of an overall effort to plant 2,500 trees this winter and 25,000 trees over the past 5 years - all with the help of many volunteers including plenty of support from GoodGym.

Our task was to plant blackthorn and cherry trees - native varieties - towards the bottom end of the Common. Ken explained that the woods is lacking in medium height trees that many birds need to set up a nest in, and showed us how we could use "slot planting" for those with smaller roots. Once they've grown the cherries and blackthorns will be coppiced so they grow back thicker, making for a more immersive woodland for visitors and better habitats for songbirds - an ideal activity for the RSPB's Big Birdwatch weekend!

Despite the chilly air we did our job happily, chatting away in our small groups as we searched for spots to fit a tree, avoiding the bluebells and underground roots. We got through all the trees Ken had brought along and felt happy and satisfied as we headed off to begin our weekends.