What a gorgeous Monday morning for getting out on the hillside and working with the conservation volunteers. Matt from BCN Wildlife Trust brought cake and thanked the crew for their ongoing efforts and contribution to the Wilder Futures project. Today we had the additional excitement of a two person contractor team with their chipper machine, and they worked steadily at sawing wood and scrub and feeding the machine with the cuttings. So next time at this site you will see a liberal application of woodchip along the pathways. Sam from Luton Borough Council Parks and myself were detailed to tidy up the stumps that were too chunky for the chipper as well as clearing a large quantity of bramble from clearing work at the corner of Fairford Avenue and Bushmead Road. A very satisfying task and a great start to a Goodgym week.

It was a windy morning, and seemed so appropriate to be on a task with the Wildlife Trust on Blows Down. Despite there only being one volunteer signed up, I made my way to team up with the volunteers from the Wildlife Trust who have now got used to seeing one or two red shirts swelling their ranks.

As we got to the site of the task we were joined by two groups of young ladies - they might be new recruits for GoodGym. But I think these beautiful cows were either inquisitive to find out what we were doing, or were hopeful that we might be going to feed them.

We soon started with the task of clearing the scrub. I got busy with loppers and saw, and was thrilled when after raking up large piles of scrub and brambles I was given a pitch fork! Lifting the piles aloft and taking them to the bonfire I felt like an extra from the original Shrek movie. Raking was a bit of a challenge, as the wind was determined to blow the piles of dry clippings in the opposite direction, but it least it meant I got some steps in as well as the upper body workout.

The only problem being on a solo mission is that I am useless at taking selfies, but I managed to get a couple of snaps to show that I was there.

Tigger walked to the task on a cold cloudy morning to assist the Luton and Dunstable conservation volunteers team at Bradgers Hill. Arriving at the site we found a ready made pile of dry wood, thanks to the Goodgym group run effort on the previous Wednesday evening. A roaring fire soon got everyone motivated and happy in their work. This kind of outdoor active task is great for keeping warm, and another opportunity to work with the conservation volunteers this week will be on Friday at Kidney Wood. Kidney Wood Conservation - Looking after Luton's green spaces https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/kidney-wood-conservation-b26fdebf-cd22-46fa-b5fb-61ace9bb6a7e

we had an excellent turnout for the first Group Run of 2024, with 12 people in total including newbie Elaine and Hayley who has done a few Community Missions but this was her first Group Run. Both of them did really well so send them your cheers!

Our run took us out along Old Bedford Road to Bradgers Hill, where a lot of work has taken place over the last two years to restore this nature reserve and ancient archaeological site to something more like it would have been. It's been gradually transformed from overgrown scrubland to open lightly wooded grassland, including plenty of help from GoodGym along the way!

Our task this time was to drag out and relocate a load of logs and branches which had been dumped by the entrance to the hillside. Duncan took the lead dragging bits out of the pile and the rest of the team formed a torch lit parade from the dumping site to the burning site a fair walk around the hill.

Thanks to Gill and Dani for taking turns being back markers and ensuring that the walkers didn't get left behind!

The conservation volunteer team worked at a spot known as Warden Hill meadow, beside a bridleway known as 'The Slipe'. The location was familiar to Lizzy, as she remembered a previous task here on a snowy day in the depth of winter. On that occasion the icy temperature and bitter winter wind put to the test her commitment to Goodgym. Here she was again today with the sun shining in a blue sky although it was still somewhat chilly to start with. Tigger and she worked tirelessly on the thick thorns and scrub. Overgrown bushes and brambles were cut to the ground and the yellow flags mark the stumps, and by lunchtime the flags were running low, a phenomenal work rate from an enthusiastic and friendly team. There were baked potatoes from the bonfire with butter and cheese, followed by mince pies and a slice of conservation cake with our hot drinks.

Two GoodGymers teamed up with The Wildlife Trust BCN and conservation volunteers to clear some scrubland. We chopped trees, cut overgrowth, and made a new spot for bonfires. We also helped reinstate a path that had been lost over time to the undergrowth.