Given the weather forecast in other parts of the country we were rather anxious that Worthing parkrun might have to be called off but luckily the worst of the wind and rain managed to leave us alone. Eight of us turned out to volunteer and several of us ran.We volunteer as Goodgym at Worthing parkrun a few times during the year and Ricky had suggested this task as a way of marking his ten years to date as a "Worthingite". Goodgym and parkrun have played a significant part in his activities during that time so it was a good way to celebrate! At his first ever parkrun Belinda and John were the first two people he met and spoke to and little did he know he would meet them again just two days later at his first Goodgym task!

Ricky got up extra early to do the course check, Belinda was Run Director, Barbara and Daisy were marshals, John, Ryan and Sarah helped with set up and/or close-down and Gill was a parkwalker. When it came to running, there were around 500 participants and Ricky achieved his fastest time this year since his recovery from injury. After parkrun we wll went off for coffee and results processing.

With a visit from the Bishop imminent the GoodGym faithful gathered under the Bells of St Botolph’s to assist Rik and Val in ensuring she could see church grounds looking their best.

Dressed to impress

After achieving 50 Good Deeds status last week, Ryan arrived excitedly in his new shirt. Check out the photos to see how good he looks in black! Imagination required, perhaps!

All welcome here, except….

Except Iris! We’ve done our best over the years to give Iris a clear “not welcome ‘ere message”. It’s fallen on deaf ears. Today Ricky got stuck in to battling with that Stinking Iris, discarding every clump encountered. We will not be defeated!

Oh, Ivy isn’t welcome either….

Most of the team got stuck into the eviction of that constantly creeping ivy. Tendrils clinging to branch, trunk and wall were no match for the determined band. All welcome, unless you’re not, was the battle cry of the evening.

Taking it to the edge

John looked for the easy job - Sarah arrived late, so it wasn’t already taken! With brush in hand, and definitely no hoedown the edge of the bed was rediscovered. Nap time anyone….

Cleared that up then

A final flurry of clearing left the area suitably presentable for any visiting dignitaries to see what a well cared for church St Botolph’s is.

A lively crew gathered this evening at the house supported by Turning Tides Homelessness charity for a front-and-back-garden spruce-up—and two big celebrations!

🎉 Ryan’s Fantastic 50! Ryan marked his 50th good deed in classic style, confidently wielding a power tool to give the shrubs a stylish trim. Ricky followed close behind with rake in hand, sweeping up every last bit of debris.

🎂 Happy Birthday, John! Birthday boy John spent the evening on his knees weeding the front beds—joined for a cheerful catch-up by Sarah and a quick hello from Tamsin.

🌱 Welcome Back Team! After a busy summer away, Mel and Paul returned with energy . Mel tackled the clearing, while Paul focused on precision pruning, transforming the front garden’s look in no time.

🚴‍♀️ Barbara’s Back from Kenya! Fresh from an epic cycle trek in Kenya 🇰🇪, Barbara rejoined the group, sharing a teaser of her adventures (we can’t wait to hear more!).

💪 Resident Power! House resident Adrian grabbed the strimmer and made quick, efficient work of the back garden—what a star!

To round off the evening, we headed to the pub to raise a well-earned glass to John’s birthday and present Ryan with his 50-task memory frame. Cheers to community, milestones, and gardens that look as good as we all felt! 🌿🍻

With Littlehampton 10k enticing many of the regular volunteers away to run, John and Belinda headed to the leisure centre to help. Belinda directed proceedings, and John made his usual token gesture.

** Final Push in the Community Garden**

After months of battling the weeds and weeks of returning to transform the space, tonight we reached a huge milestone in the church-run community garden.

Our mission has been twofold: to reclaim the beds from the relentless weeds and to create a central path lined with bricks to give the garden structure and accessibility. Bit by bit, week by week, the path has grown longer and the beds have become clearer — and tonight the team came together for one last big push to get it finished.

Armed with gloves, tools, and buckets of energy, the group cracked on straight away. Bricks were carefully laid in, weeds pulled out by the roots, and soil turned over ready for planting. Everyone mucked in, swapping jobs, sharing tools, and keeping the momentum high. By the end of the session, we stood back and admired a fully laid path right down the middle of the garden, with flower beds either side weed-free and ready for the next stage of planting.

Huge thanks to the brilliant team tonight: Paul,Roxy , John, Gillybean, Sarah, Ryan,Belinda , Megan, El and Ricky. Your teamwork and determination have completely transformed the space.

And of course, a very Happy Birthday to El — thank you for bringing delicious cake to keep us fuelled and make the evening extra special.

A big well done, everyone — what a fantastic way to celebrate all the hard work that’s gone into this project!