On behalf of the Friends of Biggin Wood, and the many people I have spoken to who I regularly meet and chat to when I go for a walk there, please can we say a huge ‘thank you’ to the Great North Wood team for the all the hard work they are doing there. It is amazing - helping to bring the wood to life once more after years of neglect.

The new path is already being used, as it makes it so much easier and safer for people, especially those with young children or buggies, to get down into the south side of the wood. It's just brilliant and was exactly what was needed.

Please may we also send special thanks to project officers Sam Bentley-Toon and Edwin Malins, who certainly went the extra mile when they helped clear a blocked drain at the south entrance of the wood. There is a small stream that runs along the edge of the wood here, under the main path, and the drainpipe had been blocked for as long as I can remember with the excess water forced to run over the path further down, causing the surface to wear away and become very slippery in bad weather.

Sam and Edwin had to step into the very murky stream bed and clear the drain for us all. Lots of litter and other rubbish had accumulated there – it was not a pleasant job. After much hard work, the drain was successfully cleared, and no more water flows over the path. It's a great result, which has probably meant that the path will last for a lot longer now. It also makes the entrance to the wood much more attractive and inviting, which is what we want.

With so much new development going on in this part of South London; houses being converted into multiple flats and yet more houses being squashed into back gardens, there is less and less open green space for families to enjoy. Biggin Wood is becoming an essential and very important open space for local people to visit so they can reconnect with nature and relax.

Everyone who walks through Biggin Wood has a smile on their face. If you have not visited this lovely wood, please do so soon. You will love it.

For more information on the work of the Friends of Biggin Wood group see www.friendsofbigginwood.org