Instead of relaxing with a cuppa and catching up with Netflix, we spent last Sunday morning volunteering with Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods (FGVW) - and we LOVED every minute!

The FGVW volunteers were instantly welcoming, and very knowledgeable about the area. Did you know that bramble growth massively declined in the Victorian era, due to the high levels of pollution?

Any opportunity to make a positive impact in the local countryside (followed by homemade cake and refreshments) is a winner in our books. Who knew bramble cutting could be so rewarding? Definitely worth sacrificing our Sunday morning lie-in!

About Gledhow Valley Woods & FGVW

Gledhow Valley Woods is a ribbon of grassland running about 1.5 km through a suburban area of north Leeds. FGVW was set up in 1996, to protect and enhance the natural beauty of the woods, increase public awareness, support other local groups, and liaise with all appropriate organisations to achieve objectives.

Missed out? No worries - we'll be joining FGVW's next Action Day, on the 3rd April. Please contact our President, Georgina Freeman, for more details.

If you're interested in learning more about Gledhow Valley Woods, visit FGVW's official website: http://www.fgvw.co.uk/

(Left: JCI Leeds President, Georgina Freeman, rocking the hi-vis jacket and shears.)