Alan from Bishopthorpe White Rose Junior Football Club was ready and waiting for us equipped with various tools and a large, empty wheelie bin.

Once we'd wheeled the wheelie bin down to the furthest corner of the site (and climbing over a small fence) we got started on removing the old, plastic tree guards. This was made more difficult in places where there were a lot of brambles and the trees themselves were covered in spikes. We also removed a lot of larger, green, mesh-type tree guards by cutting the cable ties holding them together. Leanne discovered they made excellent carriers for the smaller tree guards and easier transportation over to the big bin.

After an hour the big wheelie bin was full (despite Nick squashing down the contents and almost getting stuck) so we retired to the clubhouse where we were rewarded with hot drinks, bacon butties and chocolate! There are more jobs to be done so we'll be back soon no doubt.

It's amazing what a GoodGymer can be persuaded to do on a Saturday morning with the promise of a bacon butty!

9 GG folk gathered at White Rose Girls FC after smashing out a York parkrun to removal brittle tree guards form the Hawthorn hedges around the football pitches

Team 1 tackled the top hedge near the highway while Team A went for the boggy land near the cycle path.

A task that would have taken the club volunteers months was boshed out in an hour filling masses of black bags and whole refuse bin with the brittle plastic guards ready for recycling.

Leanne got very excited organising the plastic inside the dumper bin - just look how pleased she is in the photos - and the club were chuffed with what we'd achieved in such a short time.

Then it was into the clubhouse for coffee, bacon butties and choccy bars before we headed off.