On a humid September evening we ran and cycled down Lewes Road to Moulsecoomb Primary School to help them prepare their school field for the first day of term the following day.

However, this wasn’t just your bog-standard school field. Upon arrival Warren gave us a little tour and showed us the replica Iron Age Roundhouse, a Clay House, some beautiful flowers and a vegetable patch all covered in wild grass plus a new greenhouse. The students get to explore the buildings in their history classes and they help out (and sometimes even enjoy!) maintaining the vegetable patch too. We were joined on the task by first time Goodgymers Andy and Tom - welcome to both!

We were tasked with removing the Bindweed from the Vegetable patch, weeding and moving and bagging the ready-to-go compost from the compost patch. Fittingly, and much like a school disco, we split into a boys group and a girls group, and although we didn’t dance separately we did all roll our sleeves up and get going! Apart from a few vicious (and as yet unidentified) insects in the vegetable patch everything went swimmingly and we were able to leave Warren with a few manageable tasks for the children to finish on their return.

No pub for us afterwards, all the Brighton Goodgymers needed an early night before the first day of school the next day 🤓

One of the longer distances to a mission for much of the GoodGym Brighton crowd, we ran and wheeled our way out west to Vale Park in the beautiful late summer sunshine.

Main mission: removing a huge proliferation of dock plants and bindweed from the park’s beloved yellow rose bed, giving the roses space to really do their thing.

Yellow roses are aptly a symbol of friendship and we always welcome new friends at GoodGym Brighton! Tonight, we were joined by Harrison, Edward, and Nick on their first GoodGym community mission.

Working under the excellent direction of Lucy and other Friends of Vale Park we donned gardening gloves and spread ourselves around the rose beds. Moving between waves of excited chatter and meditative hush, we pulled up plants and unwound bind weed from branches and stems. At points we were all so hidden in the depths of the flowerbeds that only occasional flashes of red t-shirt gave us away.

Creating an ever-growing pyramid of leaves adjacent to the flower bed, we stacked our spoils higher and higher like a childhood game of dare until the pile eventually slumped. Then started all over again.

Roses freed, we ran off into the sunset like the subtle superheroes we all are.

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Ciao Ciao Carla, Bye Bye, lovely friend and GoodGym Brighton Hero.

Tonight, with a sightly tingled heart, GoodGym Brighton said GoodBye to you but we truly believe it is only a "Bye For Now" . Wherever you'll go you will be always shining, having fun and keep dancing💃. You are already a lovely and confident GoodGym Fitness Run Leader and, soon, so you will become for GoodGym Warwick & Leamington Spa. 'Lucky they are' :-), says Stefania

Be [GoodGym] always with you!

You might move elsewhere but our friendship stays forever, and we will be here waiting for your return ❤.

Well this summer continues to evade us, with a lovely day turning into patchy rain by the time we set off to Vicarage Bowls club yesterday evening. Luckily the rain didn't last and we navigated our way through the streets of Brighton out to the bowls club.

We have been regular visitors to the bowls over the years but sadly our host informed that this will be the last season the club is in use. After ninety-six years the club can no longer get the support it needs to keep running so will be closing come September.

With this in mind we set to work to make the planting look its best for the club's final hurrah! The main task was clearing a huge bed of overgrown brambles and weeds. All nine of us set to work cutting and pruning out any unwanted intruders. We had soon created a huge mound of debris filling eight bin bags!

With all this hard work on a humid summer's evening our kind host brought us water and biscuits to keep us fueled up. We then continued on clearing the bed, whilst some of us refreshed the path, with Jane in particular wielding her own weeding knife to great effect.

With such a big task we stayed later to try make a larger dent in the bed, skipping the fitness session. After a few photos we all ran and walked back into Brighton. If this is to be the last time we help the Vicarage Bowls Club then it was a great session to go out on and maybe we'll be back in future to help with whatever replaces the club. Thanks for everything VBC!

A good - if rather warm! - time had by one and all on the August installment of the (in)famous GoodGym Brighton monthly trail run.

We tackled an 11km loop of the River Adur, starting in Shoreham and finishing in the surreal art deco surrounds of the Hummingbird Resaurant at Brighton City Airport.

A uncharacterisitcally flat route for the South Downs meant lots of time to take in the scenery, appreciate the wildlife (egrets and swans - a - plenty) and catch up with other GG-ers as we ran. Our trail followed part of the Downs Link, taking in beautiful views of the Adur Valley, Lancing College Chapel and ye olde Beeding Cement Works. The Hummingbird Restaurant proved a perfect spot for some post run re-fuelling, watching the small planes and helicopters taxi around (bringing back vivid memories of Budgie the Little Helicopter) and an occasionally spectacular landing on the small runway.

GoodGym Brighton made a heroic return to Somerset Point, where we have contributed various tasks over the years to keep their garden looking fresh.

On this sunny August evening, we met at the usual spot and began our efforts by running up an epic hill to reach our destination. The task tonight: weeding. The tool shed: open. The snails: everywhere.

Juliet and Sherman took charge of the shears and dealt with some unruly bushes round the front (ooer), ensuring that access to the building was kept clear for people with limited mobility. The rest of us got stuck into the weeds that seemed to have sprung up in every available space. It always amazes me how rapidly a big group of people can make a big difference to a task like this, and we left Somerset Point looking remarkably neater than when we arrived.

To finish up, we jogged down to the seafront for a sunset run. After assuming single file formation, we executed a straightforward workout in which the person at the back sprinted to the front, while the rest of us jogged continuously. Edel workshopped some bootcamp-style chanting to take this to the next level (although I'm not sure it was possible for us to look any cooler). Finally, we had a collective stretch in the last of the sunlight, before making our way to the pub for a well deserved cold beverage.

Despite the early start - post Saturday Brighton Pride festivities - a crack team of GoodGym-ers assembled to help keep Brighton beach litter-free and stop those pesky pieces of plastic from making their way in to the sea (as lovely a day as it is for a swim!)

We joined a great big bunch of other volunteers organised by our friends at the Brighton & Hove City Council Tidy Up Team as part of the BIG Pride Beach Clean, kitted up and litter-picking our way along the beach and promenade. Litter grabbing tools - also sometimes referred to as 'reaching tools' - fully justifying the tenuous S Club reference in the title :) - just one of the Brighton Pride 'Fabuloso' acts that the litter pick fabulously rewards us all with free tickets to.

Welcome to Edward who joined us for the first time and thanks to all of the returning GG team.