I woke up this Sunday feeling extra-Palestinian. That feeling brought to mind a story my father once shared with me: when he was young in Tiberias, Palestine, Friday mornings were a community ritual. Families and neighbors would gather outside, sweep the streets, chat with one another, and together keep their neighborhood clean.

Inspired by that memory, I reached out to the Friends of Palmeira and Adelaide and discovered they had a gardening volunteering session scheduled. I joined them, broom in hand, and began sweeping up fallen leaves. By the end, I had collected a full bag of leaves for composting.

After thanking the friendly people there and saying my goodbyes, I returned home with a lighter heart—feeling better, grounded, and even more Brightonian and Palestinian.

I attended a workshop by Active Ageing Alliance Learning representing Goodgym.A lot of important information have been shared on how to make activity more accessible for older people. It was a great opportunity for networking and socialising

London's community half marathon went red this year! 🔥

A huge congratulations to the oodles of GoodGym folk who caught well-earned happy mornings under a hot-hot-hot late summer sun ☺️

It was the biggest joy seeing you all!

Please send me your photos (!) and I will pop them up here (alexmurtough@goodgym.org) ❤️

On Sunday 31st August, Brighton Sanctuary Runners came together for a very special initiative in support of Palestine. The idea was simple but powerful: to run the length of Gaza – 40km – as a team relay along the Brighton seafront.

We gathered at the Brighton Table Tennis Club from 10am, with runners setting off at 10:30am. To cover the distance, we split into two groups. Each runner took on a 2km stretch along the seafront, passing the baton before the next group sets off. Some participants even went back and forth for more than 2km without showing any signs of tiredness – running joyfully and determinedly, all for Palestine. Together, we completed the full symbolic 40km by midday. With flags flying and voices raised, the atmosphere was full of solidarity, energy and hope.

We were also delighted that Diego from GoodGym joined us on the run, adding even more spirit to the team effort.

The activity ended with a shared meal back at the Table Tennis Club. Liz prepared a beautiful rummaniya – a traditional Gazan dish – and Mailinda made a delicious rice dish that everyone enjoyed together. While I felt deeply grateful for the kindness and generosity of this feast, I could not help but think of the people in Gaza who are being starved at this very moment.

I cannot describe how emotional it was for me to see everyone carrying Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine.” I wish I could thank each and every one of you personally. I always tell my friends, family, and the people I know in Gaza and the West Bank about how much of the British public are really trying their best to end the genocide and see a free Palestine. Shukran from the bottom of my heart for the food, solidarity and bravery.

It was a moving morning of running, community, and unity – a reminder of how powerful small acts of solidarity can be when carried out together.

This Saturday I headed out to Queen’s Park for a GoodGym community mission. The task was simple: delivering envelopes through residents’ mail slots to make sure everyone in the area received important local information.

It might not sound like much, but I quickly realised how valuable this little job was. Each envelope was a way of keeping the community connected and informed, and even on my own, I knew it mattered. Plus, it gave me the chance to get some fresh air, stretch my legs, and explore more of the Queen’s Park neighborhood.

Door by door, envelope by envelope, I felt the quiet satisfaction of completing something purposeful.

Even though I was solo this time, it was a reminder that sometimes all it takes is one person to keep things moving forward. And who knows? Next time, maybe more GoodGymers will join in.

We had a great turnout of runners, with 10 of us meeting at the Peace Statue and running to the task. Two others cycled to the site, and three more met us directly there, making a fantastic group of 14 ready to get to work. We welcomed new member Susie, and Charli returning for her second session, to the team.

We were helping out at St Thomas Fund, a residential rehabilitation service in Brighton & Hove run by the charity Change Grow Live. They offer a safe space for adults on their journey to becoming free of drugs and alcohol. Sean, who welcomed us, gave a fantastic introduction to the organisation, the site and their mission, explaining that our task was to transform a bindweed-covered area into a usable space for yoga and meditation.

The area was completely carpeted in weeds. We even found a rake that the tenacious bindweed had tried to consume! We had a laugh wondering how long you'd have to sunbathe before it took you over, too. But the team, including Sean, with tools and gloves provided by St Thomas Fund, made short work of it.

Nicola and Sarah did a particularly fantastic job of rescuing a fig tree from the grip of the bindweed. By the end of the session, the whole area looked transformed. You could see the soil in the beds again, and we filled somewhere between 10 and 20 bags with weeds and rubbish.

Sean seemed to be really happy with what we achieved, emphasizing how the collective effort of so many volunteers can make a huge difference in a short amount of time. It was a great feeling to see the space ready for residents to use for peaceful activities. A big thank you to Sean and St Thomas Fund for having us.