Last Tuesday's GoodGym Brighton group run was in safe hands thanks to Task Force member Frannie stepping up to lead— thanks, goodness! From afar, I watched the Brighton crew run and cycle through a mild spring day to FareShare Sussex & Surrey. They tackled a mix of distances for a session that was, mysteriously enough, described as a "Crime Scene."

It was a "very smelly but satisfying" session for “Team Cabbage”! 🥬😊 [GoodGymer Christophe's quote]

The next day, FareShare host Steven reached out to share a huge thank you with the crew. He praised the GoodGym Brighton team for being "splendid and stoic" as they tackled the messy job of decanting rotting cabbages into trays.

Unfortunately, Ben and Ruth had to "hip-out" of this one—missing out on all the smelly fun! 😉

It was a tough, thankless task, but FareShare Sussex & Surrey couldn't be more grateful for the help. Even though everyone’s phones were tucked away to stay clean during action, I managed to track down a group photo of the heroes who solved the Case of the Cabbage Patch.

What else did we miss last week? 😊

Let’s not miss out the opportunity to run and team up together at some of the coming up events.

In case any of you wish to participate with and fundraise for FareShare Sussex & Surrey there are still places on both the Brighton 10K, on the 12th April, and on their new venture covering 48 miles cycling from Guilford to Brighton. You can find more information about both, here.

There is also a last call for our 10K “plogging” (run-walk-litter pick) relay alongside our GoodGym Brighton Marathon runners. Sign up NOW here for this community mission in partnership with Green Runners and Leave No Trace.

Tonight's GoodGym assignment saw a dozen-strong team meet at the Hove Peace statue and, to the backdrop of a welcome and resplendent sunset, were led by Stefania (some via a short run around the Lawns and Hove Plinth) to the doors of Brighton Sailing Club, described on its website as "a spirited community of sailors who share a love for the sea, the wind, and the camaraderie that comes with it". The Club also functions as a base for the Brighton Explorers Club which has a broader remit of outdoor activities, and a follow-up task to use their kayaks to do some testing of local river quality is on the GoodGym schedule.

The mission at the Brighton Explorers Club was to conduct an off-season audit of the Club's Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) stock. A trilogy of tasks included: checking for leaks by applying soapy water round the SUP valve, where a frothy bubbling would signify the presence of an unwelcome leak; squatting energetically using double-action pumps to get the paddleboards to the right air pressure; and running an inventory of the single-blade oars and ensuring that they extended to full length/ retracted correctly. All of this was completed outside the Club with the usual GoodGym gusto, and at the end the SUPs were returned into storage, with one of the team commenting that their imposing height made them look like benevolent gods.

While the jury is still very much at sea on the sentience of paddleboards, the totemic animals on Brighton Sailing Club's flag, (two green) dolphins, have historically been associated with benevolent godliness, symbolising wisdom and protection and considered demi-gods in classical Greece. Though not quite as ancient, the Brighton Sailing Club dates all the way back to 1871 as a hub for sea adventures and sailing races.

Following the task's close the gang looked ahead to races of a different kind, and to participating/ supporting in Sunday's Brighton half marathon, with a plea perhaps to the weather gods, before heading off into the evening and, for those who hadn't eaten yet, a well-deserved supper.

12 GoodGymmers came together this week, including first timer Miran - welcome Miran! On foot or with pedal-power, we made our way up the short but oh-so-steep climb to the Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project (BUCFP) where we were greeted with a mountain of bedding that had been donated, and that needed sorting into sizes so that they can easily be allocated to those in need.

After some time deliberating over the difference between single, double or king sizes (check out the photos for the answer...) we made fantastic progress - sorting, folding and storing hundreds of sheets, duvet covers, mattress protectors and pillows in just half an hour.

The Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project provides practical support, education, advice and much more to those in poverty, in poor living conditions, benefit claimants, the unwaged, pensioners, families and those on low incomes and suffering social exclusion and poor wellbeing.