In the beautiful winter sun, five if us returned to Danesmead Wood to barrow and rake woodchip to improve the paths through the wood.

Despite only being a small group, we were able to shift the whole pile within the hour, giving us enough time to eat the delicious chocolate and coffee traybake Jude had made.

A beautiful morning in Danesmead Wood saw a bumper turnout of GoodGymmers to clear another area of nettle roots and turn the soil in preparation for planting some wild seeds. We did this task last year for an area next to where we were working and the flowers have established themselves really well.

With so many volunteers we cleared a much bigger area than initially planned and also fitted in some woodchip barrowing.

Post task, Jude has made us some amazing chocolate squares which were definitely earned.

We joined the Friends of Danesmead Woods session to help them dig the nettle roots out of an area ready for planting cornflowers. First we had to remove the mossy turf layer on top which Claire discovered rolled up surprisingly easily. The nettle rots were also satisfying to pull out. We discovered lots of unexpected slabs of rock just under the surface too as well as some rubbish. Leanne started the beginning of a rock border but it wasn't quite what they had in mind so instead she helped them shift the wheelbarrow of rocks. At the end we enjoyed some carrot cake and white chocolate blondies and hot drinks.

The groud was too frozen to undertake the digging part of the task so instead we got going on cutting and clearing long bramble and other branches from an area and building a dead hedge along one side. Luckily David had dead hedge building experience so he built whilst the rest of us cut and cleared. At the end everyone appreciated the cake and hot drinks provided by the Friends of Danesmead Woods and we arranged to come back to do the digging in February.

Six of us returned to Danesmead Wood for some woodchip barrowing in the autumn sun.

With woodchip mounds at either end of the path we split into two teams. Team one was made up of the people who arrived on time and team two those of us who either couldn't find the meeting or misjudged the Wednesday night traffic. Jude from the friends of the wood was marshalling our work to ensure the woodchip lasted long enough for the whole path.

We made light work of the task, finishing just over the planned hour. New member Douglas was barrowing like a pro by the end of the task.

Sadly Jude had not had chance to make the usual traybake but she did provide us with some excellent rocky road from the local M&S so no one went away disappointed.

Two wheelbarrows, two shovels, a rake, a fork and a huge pile of wood chip - a perfect Sunday morning task.

With the promise of tray bake at the end, we made quick work barrowing the wood chip with Cara and Laura shovelling, Paul raking and me and Leanne running up and down with the wheelbarrows. Good work done and bellies full of chocolate we headed to the pub for a well earned lunch.