A gaggle of goodgymmers ran and cycled all the way up to Waterhall to help Brighton Food Partnership (BFP) keep the clubhouse in good order. BFP have a lease on the clubhouse and rent it out for private parties, events and weddings to raise much needed funds for their efforts to use food to bring people in the community together. Rachel had heard that an Adder* had recently bitten a dog nearby so we were on high alert!

On the hottest May day ever recorded in the UK, we were greeted by Rob with delicious cold drinks and given an overview of the tasks. We split into two groups, one to clean the huge windows looking out over the South Downs and the other to weed the pathway from the carpark to the clubhouse to make it wheelchair accessible. Luckily the temperature had cooled slightly and it was very pleasant in the shade. Rob provided a huge array of tools to help us on our way.

It was tough conditions to work in but we made sterling progress in clearing the path and sheening up the window. Job done we ran, cycled and bussed back home to try and somehow stay cool.

*Adders can grow upto 80cm and are the UK's only poisonous snake species (1). They are heavily protected and bites are unlikely to be a problem for humans - the last recorded death was a 5 year old boy in 1975 (2).

(1) https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/reptiles-and-amphibians/adder/

(2) https://www.surrey-arg.org.uk/SARG/07000-Publications/Guides/Langham%20-%20Fatalities%20attributed%20to%20adder%20bite%20in%20Britain%20.pdf

Yesterday, GoodGym Brighton supported a community task at the Brighthelm Centre, a well-established community venue in the heart of Brighton that provides spaces for meetings, events, conferences, and community activity. The task was framed as a local “green clean action” session at Brighthelm Centre, together with other volunteers encouraged to bring gloves and turn up ready to help.

Led by Brighthelm Centre’s gardeners, we cleared weeds from the pavements, cut back encroaching greenery, litter-picked, and tidied the entire outdoor space. It was lovely to meet lead gardener John and work alongside him. We may have missed the window cleaning task, but I’m sure we’ll be back on another occasion.

Next, our Task Force met to plan future GoodGym sessions and support the GoodGym WorkOut for the Future campaign. A social gathering for our birthday in July was also on the agenda.

Happy GoodGym-ing!

Six GoodGymers headed up to the Moulsecoomb Estate allotments for an evening of fresh air, teamwork, and a proper hands-on permaculture challenge. Our host Heidi at the Moulsecoomb Allotment and Horticultural Society look after the plots on Natal Road, and they’d asked for help tackling some of the heavier jobs that had built up over winter.

What we got up to:

• Heidi welcomed us onto the site and gave us a tour of the areas needing attention. With tools gathered and gloves on, we split into small groups and got stuck in:
• Clearing weeds from paths and beds to give the plots some breathing space
• Digging out buried rubbish, including long-forgotten bits of plastic and metal that had been hiding under the soil
• Helping the pollinator-friendly plants by freeing up space around them and removing competing growth
• Building rustic wattle-style plot edges using branches and cuttings — a surprisingly satisfying bit of natural construction that gave the beds a lovely defined border
• Plenty of teamwork and chat, making the graft feel lighter and the afternoon fly by

The results: By the end of the session, the allotment looked noticeably clearer and more cared for. The new twig borders gave the plots structure, the weeds were under control, and several bags of rubbish were removed from the ground. Heidi was delighted with the progress — especially with how much six pairs of hands could achieve in a short time.

And, what a vibe!

A proper GoodGym session: practical, outdoorsy, and full of good energy. Everyone mucked in, swapped tips, and enjoyed the chance to do something physical and rewarding together. The rustic edging challenge turned out to be a highlight, with some surprisingly artistic results. Julien D and Jane were unstoppable in their digging and creative endeavour.

Here some lovely quotes:

“It was great fun to be constructing something for a change. Who knew it wasn’t all about destructive gardening (or bindweed clearing as it often involves)? A great task with a smiley host “

“After what seems like years of digging up carpet and plastic it was refreshing to be creating something nice on the allotments this time, and the stunning sunset was an added bonus“.

To many more sunsets at the allotments with GoodGym Brighton! 🌅