The sun well and truly had its hat on during this task day! 13 LCG volunteers grafted under the hot Lincolnshire sun to successfully complete all the tasks planned for this mammoth work day at Monks Wood, part of the Ashing Lane Nature Reserve. We joined members of the Nettleham Woodland Trust (who look after the site) and volunteers from Lincolnshire Co-operative, who were there to lend a hand as part of their community volunteering initiative.

All hands to the barrow, meant that the main task of the day, spreading mulch on the newly-planted oak trees in Cathedral Copse, was completed in record time. Volunteers soon spread out across the site weeding and mulching the nursery bed, pruning the willow tunnel, staining the tables and benches, pulling sprouting willow from the Cathedral Copse and removing old tree guards from the base of established trees.

A few of our hardy volunteers dedicated themselves to the other big projects: digging out a gulley at the threshold into the Co-op Wood and laying stone over this usually boggy bit of ground (thanks to Rex for wielding the mattock – I think he rather enjoyed it!) and spreading more mulch over a lengthy path connecting the bridge to the lane (no small job).

Thanks go to the Lincolnshire Co-operative for treating the group to a free pack-up and bottles of water – this went down very well, thank you!

​A thoroughly enjoyable return visit to this well-established site, with beautiful weather, collaborative working and a strong sense of achievement, knowing that all tasks made it off the ‘to-do’ list. Well done gang!
Sophie