Disregarding downpours earlier in the day, an enthusiastic group of Goodgymers jogged to Moulsecoomb Primary to help out in the garden. Bypassing the historical huts constructed for pedagogical purposes, we headed to the veg patch and a collection of young trees at the back of the playground. Moulsecoomb Primary is well-known for its lush and variegated playground, and we do enjoy visiting periodically to help with weeding and general gardening.

Serenaded by the unexpected but welcome cries of a nearby urban chicken, we hacked at overgrown brambles, dug up weeds, and meticulously removed bindweed that was choking the baby trees. We were having so much fun we almost forgot to stop, but sadly the darkening sky warned us that it was time to be on our way.

Thanks team for a great task, and to Rosie for leading the first part of the run! We're looking forward to returning to more of our old haunts as we get into autumn 🍂

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 🤓

Yes, the pubs are open, yes we can hug and hold hands (and BHAFC can play in front of a home crowd and win!). However all this means nothing compared to the return to Moulsecoomb Primary School, genuinely one of the best schools in the area that puts the community at its heart.

Tonight we met Warren and Jules who put us to work in the school's fruit orchard. Paul performed the hero task of turning the compost and getting it ready for the year 4's vegetable patch lesson in the morning.

Michael did his best goat impression, cutting through the grass that was growing around the fruit patches. The rest of the weed destroyers removed all the misplaced plants to give the raspberries space to grow and a play time snack for the pupils in the new term.

Once the weeding was complete Warren showed us the school's pond which is current full of tadpoles! Every visit to this school is genuinely fun and educational.

Also, this writer has never seen so many snails in one place. Moulsecoomb should think about adding french cuisine to the lunch menu!

Tara and I met Jules at Moulsecoomb Primary School who showed us to their lovely allotment. The space is used for kids who need some quiet time or are having particular problems in class and also a chance to learn about the things we grow. The area was in need of a lot of TLC as it hadn't been paid a lot of attention during the holidays and lockdown. The brief was basically to clear dead,brown stuff and leave the green. We cleared several wheelbarrows worth including brambles and teazles but there is still much to do so I'm sure we'll be back.

8 goodgymers descended on Moulsecoomb School once again from far and wide and were met by Jools at the school gates. A variety of tasks were assigned. Roy and this writer cleared out a huge pile of weeds in an area on the opposite side of the field using spades and a trolley dating back to Victorian times that definitely had a mind of it's own. Michael and Tara started by clearing out the compost sections and putting the manure into large sacks...they were good students...a small tribute to Tara's great pun from the weekend! Susan and Tabitha continued the plum work and cleared off the rest of those rotten and decaying damsons and Lydia and Juliet cleared an overgrown area around what is delightfully called the butterfly cemetery. Once completed we all set about clearing weeds away from the row of raspberry plants. The school is certainly an inspiring place and teaches the kids there about where our food comes from and the benefits of healthy eating. Once finished we all set off and hopefully arrived home in one piece with darkness arriving despite this writer taking a tumble running home...I'm ok!

It was harvest time at Moulsecoomb Primary school: School governor Warren met us to help with the school's orchard which is used to teach children about growing food as well as provide a healthy snack at break times.

Welcome to James who joined us for the first time this week, and welcome back to James who joined us for the very first time last week: James^2 looked after composting duties, turning the heap over and adding to it from the weeding taking place amongst the raspberries.

Welcome also to Rosa who joined us from Newham Goodgym, always great to meet other Goodgymers! Rosa, Emma and Michael ploughed through the weeding while David, Rosemary and Frannie handled the plums...

This left Roy, Michelle and Juliet clearing out a very dry pond (and rumour has it a dead squirrel?!) Much was achieved in our 45 minute session in the evening sunshine and a general good feeling that this Goodgymer has been missing recently.

Warren is looking to have us back soon with such a lot of school grounds to cover.