Today’s mission took us to Crayford, where we joined the Thames21 team to help clear a stretch of the River Cray.

The task at hand was to tackle the overgrowth—cutting back encroaching sallow trees and clearing reeds that had begun to dominate parts of the river.

There were around 15 of us in total, but we split into smaller groups. Our team of five, freshly kitted out in waders, long gloves and armed with saws and loppers, set off in search of our designated patch. Before long, we were standing knee-deep in mud and river water, hard at work.

The job involved cutting back some impressively large branches—many well over 12 feet long—and stacking them neatly along the bank. It was physical work, no doubt, but incredibly satisfying.

Our team quickly found a rhythm, making great progress as we cleared fresh green shoots and heftier limbs that had sprung up along the river. Once the cutting was done, we turned our attention to tidying up. Several piles of branches had already been started along the bank, so we formed a human chain to consolidate everything into one large stack. Passing branches, some quite hefty, from one person to the next, we worked efficiently—and with plenty of good humour.

After a couple of hours, we paused for a well-earned coffee and a biscuit, which tasted all the better for the effort. Catching up with the other group, it was clear everyone was enjoying themselves and felt the work was both worthwhile and rewarding.

Refuelled, we got back to it for another hour and a half before wrapping up. We waded back out of the river, cleaned off our gear, and headed home—tired, muddy, but thoroughly satisfied.

It felt like a proper workout, and a genuinely productive one at that.