On an evening where a sea fret had drifted in to take the edge off a scorching day, half a dozen GoodGymers coasted up Lewes Road to the FareShare warehouse in Moulsecoomb, the Sussex branch of the national organisation tackling food waste.

The team was welcomed by Steven, Partnerships Coordinator at FareShare Sussex & Surrey, who gave an outline of the organisation's breadth of activity and engagement in the region (it works with around 250 charities and community groups) and a thorough briefing on the assignment of sorting donated items into crates to give to those homes most in need of support. He explained that the current summer school holidays (along with Christmas) was one of the main pinch points of the year for those households experiencing food insecurity. Steven was already familiar to some, having completed this year's Brighton Marathon weekend 10k in 1hr 20 by dancing the route in a gold onesie, and he shared experiences as a choreographer and dancer including 15 years with Ballet Rambert.

Steven masterfully choreographed the GoodGym team, who all donned hi-vis jackets and steel capped boots, as they sorted a variety of long-lasting tinned and dry food items evenly between crates, including a lot of pasta, cereals and rice, and many cans of fruit, vegetables, curries, meatballs, ham and fish. Food had to be inspected to ensure it was still in date; the record out-of-date discovery was a Loyd Grossman bolognese sauce jar with a 'best before' in 2016.

Steven applauded the flurry of activity that saw the team complete 70 filled crates of food (a total 700kg) to be delivered to help some of the local struggling households; 28,000 people at risk of food poverty access food every week from FareShare in the region. With an estimated 1 in 7 households in the UK experiencing food insecurity (1) against the backdrop of the UK having the sixth highest GDP in the world, the need for more fairness and more sharing is high. FareShare are reliant on different streams of volunteer support, and GoodGym Brighton vowed to return soon to support this essential local organisation.

(1) https://foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/food-insecurity-tracking#tabs/Round-16

I had a great time marshaling in my fave spot clapping and cheering the walkers/joggers and runners on this summer morning at Hove Park.

Today, I took the initiative to clean Palemeira Square, Adelaide Crescent and the area surrounding the clock in Palmeira Square, where a memorial stands for the victims of October 7. The site had become neglected, and I felt it was important to restore some respect and order to the space—not just for those it commemorates, but for the wider community that walks past it daily.

While I respect the act of remembrance and the pain of loss, I cannot ignore the hypocrisy of those who created this memorial while simultaneously denying or ignoring the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Grief should never be selective. To honor victims in one place while refusing to acknowledge mass suffering elsewhere is a form of moral inconsistency that we, as a society, must challenge.

Today’s clean-up was not just about tidying a public space. It was also a quiet act of protest—a reminder that remembrance must be rooted in justice for all.

16 Goodgymmers made the short jog over to Brighton Community Kitchen on Queens Road for our regular clean-up mission. We welcomed new Goodgymmer Charli, who has recently made the big move from Worthing over to Brighton, for her first task.

The Brighton Community Kitchen does vital work in the community to teach valuable cooking skills to those who might otherwise might not have access. Recently they have been working with the Marcus Rashford-backed project to provide meals over the holidays to children who are eligible for free school dinners. They have hosted classes for both the children and their parents to impart practical day-to-day cooking skills.

We were excited to see that the Kitchen has recently been upgraded with new sinks and a Food Dehydrator. The dehydrator particularly allows them to preserve vegetables that wouldn't otherwise by used, store them and later use them as ingredients. There was a big batch of Tomatoes, Onions and Carrots in the dehyradator during our clean.

Jo greeted us with her usual enthusiasm and gratitude, along with her famous todo list on the wall. This time we cleaned all the windows both inside and out, transformed the drawers from chaos to order, gave all the stools and work surfaces a good cleandown, scrubbed the ovens and of course sorted the cheese graters! Our extra large turnout meant we were able to knock-off all the tasks in no time.

With our tasks finished and everything ticked off of Jo's list we sauntered off into the summer night back to our own (slightly less sparkly clean) kitchens.

This week's maxi challenge was a Brighton Pride weekend tradition: the Sunday morning beach clean 🌊🌈

Accessorised with blue bags and litter pickers, we sashayed along the shoreline picking up an assortment of plastic wrappers, cigarette butts, and tired old coffee cups 😬 Litter? we don't know her.

Goodgymers, although your outfit choices were more pedestrian than pavilion, your collective effort helped restore our beloved beach from trashy to classy, and for that you are all queens 👸

Happy Pride everyone! 🌈✨️

On Friday, a colourful crew of GoodGym members laced up (or turned up!) for the Rainbow Run — a joyful, inclusive 5K hosted by the Brighton & Hove Frontrunners as part of Pride celebrations.

Some of us came to run, proudly wearing rainbow socks, sequins, and smiles. Others showed up to marshal the route with enthusiasm and cheers, keeping runners safe and spirits high. And of course, a few GoodGym-ers made it their mission to cheer, snap photos, and support with the energy only our group can bring.

After the last runners crossed the line, most of us stuck around to help with the less glamorous but just as vital job of dismantling the race area — yes, that meant taking down bunting, taking out flags and poles, and de-glittering whatever we could.

The Rainbow Run wasn’t just a 5K — it was a celebration of inclusion and visibility, open to ALL runners: those who run fast or slow, those who run alone or with others, those who run on both sides of the road, those who cross the road when running, those who run in secret and those who don’t. The Rainbow Run was for everyone.

A huge thank you to Graham from B&H Frontrunners for all the brilliant organising and ideas that made the event run smoothly, to Rosie and Pippa for suggesting we get involved in the first place, and to El, who travelled all the way from Worthing to join the fun.

We wrapped up the day in true GoodGym style — with a picnic in the park. There was sunshine, laughter, great company, and yes — of course — I brought hummus. It also happened to be my birthday, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend it than surrounded by this wonderful GoodGym community. I’m so grateful for the joy, the support, and the shared silliness — truly the best birthday gift of all. 🌈💪🏃‍♀️🎉

While the world may be getting harder out there, events like Rainbow Run remind us why it matters to come together, to celebrate, and to keep running — for joy, for each other, and for a more colourful world.