A merry bunch of 8 GGers met up on a sunny morning on the Ham Lands, and everyone had a lovely time.

We couldn’t believe the extent to which the ground cover had grown since our last visit only a few weeks ago. Where previously we were uprooting isolated brambles and taking up brushwood, now the whole area was awash with verdant growth.

With team leader Sharon joining us later in the task, deputy Bill did the briefing while those of us in shorts got acquainted with the nettles hiding in the long grass. Bill asked four people to clear overhanging branches from a pathway while those remaining were set to the task of cutting back brambles and collecting them up into a big white sack.

The four on branch duty quickly finished the area they had been assigned and went walkabout looking for new offending branches. They had a lovely time.

The three (and then four) left behind on bramble duty made steady progress and together with some of the FOHL volunteers managed to fill the large white sack. They had a lovely time.

Eventually Team Branches came back and we posed for a group photo, before resuming work on the brambles for a final push. Then we were off to the Swiss Bakery which was open again after a staff shortage due to Covid last month - meaning the famous sandwich toastie could finally be appreciated again (along with flammenkuchen, sausage sandwiches and delicious yet tiny coffees). And everyone had a lovely time.