The January conservation day at Grove Farm started with blue skies and bird song above the volunteers' heads - a setting that felt like a perfect day to start an adventure with GoodGym!

Maria took advantage of such a beautiful morning to come to her first session at Greenford's nature reserve for an environment-friendly workout with GoodGymers Sevan, Kash and Liuba.

Mike, who was leading one of the Grove Farm teams today, took the GoodGym four to the lower part of the area where wood anemones bloom in the Spring. The white flowers come out only if the space is cleared of brambles that otherwise block the sunlight for other plants. You might have guessed by now what our task was: a bramble bash! Mike gave us instructions and listed the safety risks (including slippery ground and Kash swinging her hedge trimmer), then left for a short time to fetch two new Grove Farm volunteers.

Liuba and Maria were meticulously cutting the brambles with loppers while Kash harnessed the power of Mike's power tool to clear big expanses of invasive plants. Sevan was the only person with the rake and it was his job to move all the trimmings away from the path and build a dead hedge. In case you are curious, a dead hedge is a fence-like construction made of cut logs, branches, sticks, stems, etc. that slowly decomposes and makes a fantastic habitat for insects and small mammals - it becomes a hub for biodiversity!

By the time Mike came back with reinforcements, the GoodGym team made great progress. After two extra volunteers joined with loppers and a rake, the slope above the lower woodland path was rapidly cleared. The team took a break to savour tea and biscuits Anna brought for everyone, then Maria and Liuba stayed for an extended session with the Friends of Grove Farm and Sevan and Kash ran off to be on time for their next sessions.

If bramble bash in ancient woodland plus tea and biscuits sounds like your thing, why not join next month's session? Sign up now!