We had a really enjoyable Sunday morning teaming up with the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Wood.

During the session, we set about clearing a large area of bracken to let the heather thrive. Thankfully, the recent rain made the task easier, as it helped loosen the roots and made removal more effective.

While working, we also had the opportunity to learn more about the woodland and the history of the heath, which made the experience even more interesting and rewarding.

It was great to be part of a group effort contributing to the care and preservation of the environment.

We were very lucky with the weather, which made the morning even more pleasant and allowed us to make good progress with the work.

We'll be back again to help with more woodland conservation on the first Sunday in July. Tasks vary from month to month, so why not join us for a lovely dose of fresh air and active volunteering in beautiful surroundings. Oh, and the coffee from Chestnuts Kiosk is an added treat to round things off!

Mo and I volunteered with the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods, helping with litter picking to keep the area clean and welcoming for visitors.

While there, I also took part in geo-caching around the park - fun teamwork as we explored the area.

This monthly litter pick is a rewarding way to get a dose of fresh air and a notch up a good step count, with a bunch of friendly locals. Why not join us at the next one?

Helping nature on a sunny Sunday morning 🌿☀️.

We love supporting the many fantastic groups making a difference right on our doorstep.

Today we were with the Friends of Lesnes Abbey helping with woodland conservation.

Marc met us and the other volunteers with a wheelbarrow of tools ready to go. We headed up to The Heath - and it definitely was up - taking turns to push the barrow through the woods, and collecting litter as we went.

Once at the top, and after Marc's safety briefing, we got to work pulling up bracken and cutting back the holly, being careful not to tread on any new shoots of heather.

Keeping the invasive intruders at bay will allow heather to gradually reclaim the area, restoring The Heath to it's former glory.

After an hour or so we said goodbye to the others (who carried on working) and headed homeward, stopping to pose in from of the glorious azaleas as we went.

Tomorrow is a bank holiday, and we're off to do something completely different, sorting donations for a local baby bank.

Variety is the spice of GoodGym!

Three of us joined Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods for their monthly litter pick with a big turn out of volunteers.

We split into three groups, with some litter picking around the park, others up Knee Hill and the woods.

We collected the usual rubbish, plus hats and pants, along with many hair clips.

A local resident thanked us from her balcony for our work which was really nice.

The sun was shining as we gathered for a well earned drink before the session ended.

We'll be back again next month - we'd love to have you along for a lovely chatty morning in nature which really makes a difference.

The monthly conservation session with the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods is always a feel-good Sunday morning!

Coming from volunteering at junior parkrun just a stone's throw away, we grabbed a coffee from Chestnuts Kiosk before signing in with Paul, who was leading today’s session. Once the rest of the FOLAW volunteers arrived, we set off towards The Heath. Pushing a wheelbarrow full of tools uphill through the woods definitely got the heart rate going 💪. It was a lovely walk with swathes of bluebells lining the path on both sides. Stunning.

Once at the top, Paul gave us a quick refresher on tool safety - short and sweet since we were all regulars - and we got to work cutting back holly and brambles, and pulling up creeping ivy and honeysuckle. There wasn't any bracken to battle this time as it's a bit early in the season, but there was still plenty to keep us busy!

This is an ongoing project to clear more invasive plants so that native heather can thrive and give a more diverse habitat for wildlife.

Every so often we loaded up the wheelbarrow and transported the cuttings to a nearby pile where they’ll rot down naturally. GoodGym strength training in action!

No sign of the Easter Bunny, but we did spot a slow worm hiding under one of the shelters in the undergrowth. Now that was an Easter treat!

The sun was shining and there was some warmth in the air as five of us joined the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods for their monthly community litter pick.

After a friendly welcome from the group, we split into smaller teams and set off in different directions to hunt down discarded rubbish.

With no fixed route to follow, we wandered the paths and let curiosity lead the way, with swathes of bright yellow daffodils making us feel that perhaps spring has finally arrived.

Thankfully, the paths we walked in the park and woods were pretty tidy, but our litter-picking skills mostly came into play along the road just outside the boundary, which was in need of some TLC.

After an hour of fresh air, gentle wandering, and plenty of nice chat we returned to the starting point with our bags of collected litter, ready for the council to whisk them away.

It was fantastic to welcome Alican and Karina to their very first GoodGym task! We hope you had a great time and we’re looking forward to seeing you at many more sessions!