Helping Out at Heene Cemetery

Tonight, the GoodGym team gathered for a special mission at the beautifully atmospheric Heene Cemetery, a closed graveyard and conservation area designated as one of outstanding natural beauty. Our hosts for the evening were the ever-dedicated Sue, who helps maintain the cemetery grounds, and Dora a passionate fox guardian currently caring for Elf and his adorable family of cubs who reside among the gravestones.

Our tasks for the evening were clear (and nicely ambitious!):

Removing ivy from the ancient Sussex stone wall Clearing grass strimmings from the graves Tidying space around the flourishing apple trees. General Tidying and Pruning

The team quickly got stuck in with their usual energy and good spirits. John, Belinda, and Anne led the charge against the ivy, carefully pulling back years of creeping growth from the stonework. This was quite some feat and pretty epic. With what John pulled away from the wall , it clearly that all the strength training with me is paying off!

Meanwhile, Pauland Stéphane turned their attention to the orchard area, clearing under the apple trees to allow them more room to breathe.

On grave-duty, Ryan , Mel and Sarah tackled the freshly strimmed grass, lifting the cuttings off graves and pathways to leave the cemetery looking neat and respected.

Elsewhere, El and Gillybean showcased their multitasking prowess by pruning and tidying across multiple areas, all under the curious gaze of Elf the fox.

In true GoodGym style, there was a touch of mischief too, John had sneakily buried a fake skeleton hand under the grass strimmings for Sarah to discover giving her a good laugh once the trick was revealed. But the spooky vibes didn’t stop there — not long after, a real bird foot and leg mysteriously fell from the sky, landing right in front of me . Whether it was a strange coincidence or a little message from the cemetery’s resident spirits, we will never know. Personally I blame John 🤷

After a full hour of productive work, we wrapped up the evening with a lovely surprise: Sue kindly shared some of her birthday cake with us all — a nice end to a great (and slightly eerie!) evening.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to Sue and Dora for their work and hospitality. We’ll be back in early October to help keep this special place looking its best.

Have a great week !

Julia xx

GoodGym Volunteers Brave the Heatwave to Support Care for Veterans Fair Clean-Up

In the midst of July’s intense heatwave, a dedicated team of GoodGym volunteers came together to provide much-needed support to the Care for Veterans residential home, helping to clear away a successful community summer fair.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the amazing team who turned up despite soaring temperatures. Barbara, along with her sister Jacqui and son Matt, brought great energy and team spirit. Special thanks also to Paul, who, after leading his cadets through the afternoon’s fair activities, generously stayed on to lend a hand with the clean-up.

Joining the effort were Roxy, Ricky, El, and Stephane—each one rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in with good humour and determination. And a big shoutout to Sue, who came straight from a sea swim and still had the strength to help pack down!

Between us, we dismantled the entire fair: tables, chairs, stalls, gazebos, bric-a-brac, drinks (both soft and otherwise!), and all the many extras that come with a well-loved community event. It was a big job in hot conditions, but one that the team tackled with fantastic teamwork and resilience.

Thanks to everyone’s hard work, the site was left spotless and all equipment safely packed away. It was a fantastic job all round for a truly wonderful cause.

Well done team—Care for Veterans and the whole community applaud you!

Barbara’s 70th Birthday & Summer Social

What a fantastic evening at Goring Gap — a true celebration of community, good deeds, and a very special milestone!

This week’s GoodGym task brought us to one of Worthing’s local beauty spots for a litter pick, but this was no ordinary mission. We also had the joy of celebrating a 70th birthday and hosting our summer social — and it was all rolled into one unforgettable event.

A Birthday Good Deed

It’s a real credit toBarbara generous spirit that she chose to spend her birthday giving back, joining us for the litter pick on her special day. The Birthday Girl was met with a lovely surprise — a visit fromLucy ! It was so good to see you, Lucy, and your timing couldn’t have been better.

Barbara was joined by a strong GoodGym turnout:Mel andPaul , Stéphane](/v3/profile/stephane-forrer) (who’s almost fully recovered from his recent bike accident — though a reminder to avoid shaking his still-broken hand!), and the always-enthusiastic Anne,Paul , Roxy Daisy, andCraig . This dream team made short work of the litter, filling multiple bags and even heading back for more. A great effort from everyone!

Food, Fun, and Festivities

With Goring Gap sparkling once again, we made our way to the greensward where the second part of the evening kicked off.

,John , El and Gillybean had set up a brilliant BBQ area and were busy cooking up a feast with food kindly brought by John. Everyone chipped in with a spread of nibbles, cakes, and drinks, turning the evening into a true celebration. Gill was brilliant with all the cooking and tidying up too.

We were joined by Barbara's son Matthew - it was lovely to see him on his Mums special evening. Nick also made a guest appearance. It was also lovely to see Tamsin and Jemmie who brought along the game Corn Hole This was great fun and was also was enjoyed by a handful of us John was victorious despite Jemima trying her absolute best to beat him !

We wrapped up with a perfect moment — presenting Barbara with a beautifully framed collection of memories to honour her birthday and her incredible commitment to volunteering. It was smiles all around as we captured the moment with some great group photos.

Thank you Barbara for being such an inspiration, and thank you to everyone who came and made this such a special GoodGym evening. Here’s to many more good deeds, good food, and great company!

🌞 GoodGym Worthing, 30th June

On the last day of June, Worthing was basking in glorious sunshine as we returned to a halfway house supporting homeless residents. We were tasked with a front and back garden tidy-up – having previously given the back garden a full makeover on our last visit, this time we turned our attention to the front while still giving the back some finishing touches. The heat didn’t deter our dedicated team, who rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in to transform the space for six grateful residents – one of whom, Adrian, enthusiastically joined us, proving to be a great help on the day.

⚡ Power tools and teamwork

Ryan took on the electric hedge cutter like a pro, tackling the overgrown bushes with gusto and precision. Meanwhile, Pauland Elwere on strimming duties , trimming back the wilder under growth and restoring order to the unruly greenery. Paul later turned his attention to a more challenging task – removing ivy from a tree that was suffocating with it.

✂️ Precision pruning and mighty mowing

Gillybean took the lead on pruning in the front garden and side passage, carefully shaping plants and shrubs to bring out their best in the summer sun. Belinda andMel also tackled the front garden, pulling out multiple debris piles from the flowerbeds and giving the area a much-needed refresh.

Over in the back garden, John gave the lawn a tidy mow doingthe best he could in such dry conditions. He subsequently joined Paul who had turned his attention to dealing with a large, stubborn branch on the evergreen tree out front – what a team effort!

🧹 The tidy-up crew

Megan and Mel were absolute troopers throughout the session, constantly on the move, tidying and clearing the growing piles of garden waste. Mel, ever the step-count champion, kept a keen eye on her fitness goals while making a big difference to the space.

By the end of the evening, the gardens were looking alot tidier, brighter, and far more welcoming for the residents who call this place home. The sun was still shining, and there was a shared sense of pride in what we’d achieved together.

We'll be back again next month to continue the good work.

Next week we will be celebrating Barbara's milestone Birthday as well as a cheeky summer social BBQ - please bring your own food and drink to enjoy.

GoodGym Worthing: Rooting for Change at the School Garden

On a sun-drenched breezy evening in Worthing, a cheerful team of GoodGym volunteers gathered at a local school, sleeves rolled up and spades at the ready. The mission? To tackle a set of stubborn, root-bound flowerbeds and get the school garden ready for planting butterfly friendly plants.

Amongst the team, El brought a bit of ergonomic brilliance to the task—adopting a smart corkscrew technique with her fork that made clearing roots easier on the back and surprisingly effective. It didn’t take long for others to take notice!

John wasted no time in getting stuck in with practiced determination. He was soon joined by Roxy whose energy and laughter kept spirits high as she wrestled with a particularly knotted section of roots.For the 2nd week running she unearthed a relic, this time of the canine variety in the shape of a jaw bone and teeth most likely belonging to the fox skull we dug up during our last visit.

Nearby, Ryan focused on systematically breaking up compacted soil and roots with plenty of sweat and toil but always a smile on his face :)

MeganPaula and Ricky teamed up to dig over a corner bed where roots had nearly taken over completely and where Ricky was particularly determined dislodging a stubborn tree root.

Stéphane brought a calm and steady energy, methodically working through one of the trickier beds and tree roots . His determination to get the job done was evident when he and John tackled another extremely persistent large root. Stephane always has a few good natured jokes up his sleeve to keep us all smiling!

Meanwhile, Anne , Belinda, Sarah, and Gillybean were tackling two overgrown flowerbeds bordering the classrooms. Armed with forks, trowels, and serious focus, they cleared thick weeds and undergrowth to reveal planting space ready for action. In very little time, both beds were transformed — clean, clear, and ready for planting.

The heavy work was softened by camaraderie, determination, and the a final victorious cheer as the last stubborn root gave way.

By the end of the session, the flowerbeds stood 90% cleared and turned and almost ready for fresh planting. Head Teacher, Helen came along to admire the transformation - Don't worry we will be back again soon to finish them.

Time to celebrate - Sarah wears her wings

The group headed to the pub, where there was no shortage of reasons to raise a glass. Roxy was marking her 50th GoodGym task and her birthday last week. She was surprised with a framed collage of photo memories ,each image representing one of her good deeds, a heartfelt tribute from the team. Sarah celebrated her impressive 100th GoodGym task and received a beautiful hand-crafted needlework portrait of herself in 'action'— beautifully stitched by John, capturing her perfectly. She was also modelling her much sought after GG 100 angel wings tee shirt which she did perfectly in her natural stylish way :)

Ricky was also in the spotlight, toasting both his 150th GoodGym and 200th parkrun milestones. He came well prepared for the occasion—bringing along two delicious cakes to share with the crew.

There was a slight delay in the celebrations for El, Anne, Megan, and myself as we had stopped to assist Stephane who had unfortunately taken a tumble on his bike en route to the pub. Though bruised and a bit shaken, Stephane was in good spirits and, after being checked out at A&E, was thankfully given the all-clear. The group, as always, pulled together—proving once again that GoodGym is more than just a running group; it's a community that looks after its own. Special mention to El for her speedy bandaging skills and to Anne for wheeling the bike home.

It was the perfect end to a memorable evening—filled with digging, laughter, surprises, and the kind of camaraderie that makes GoodGym Worthing truly special.

Until next week ..........

Julia xx