Helping Out at Heene Cemetery

Tonight, the GoodGym team gathered for a special mission at the beautifully atmospheric Heene Cemetery, a closed graveyard and conservation area designated as one of outstanding natural beauty. Our hosts for the evening were the ever-dedicated Sue, who helps maintain the cemetery grounds, and Dora a passionate fox guardian currently caring for Elf and his adorable family of cubs who reside among the gravestones.

Our tasks for the evening were clear (and nicely ambitious!):

Removing ivy from the ancient Sussex stone wall Clearing grass strimmings from the graves Tidying space around the flourishing apple trees. General Tidying and Pruning

The team quickly got stuck in with their usual energy and good spirits. John, Belinda, and Anne led the charge against the ivy, carefully pulling back years of creeping growth from the stonework. This was quite some feat and pretty epic. With what John pulled away from the wall , it clearly that all the strength training with me is paying off!

Meanwhile, Pauland Stéphane turned their attention to the orchard area, clearing under the apple trees to allow them more room to breathe.

On grave-duty, Ryan , Mel and Sarah tackled the freshly strimmed grass, lifting the cuttings off graves and pathways to leave the cemetery looking neat and respected.

Elsewhere, El and Gillybean showcased their multitasking prowess by pruning and tidying across multiple areas, all under the curious gaze of Elf the fox.

In true GoodGym style, there was a touch of mischief too, John had sneakily buried a fake skeleton hand under the grass strimmings for Sarah to discover giving her a good laugh once the trick was revealed. But the spooky vibes didn’t stop there — not long after, a real bird foot and leg mysteriously fell from the sky, landing right in front of me . Whether it was a strange coincidence or a little message from the cemetery’s resident spirits, we will never know. Personally I blame John 🤷

After a full hour of productive work, we wrapped up the evening with a lovely surprise: Sue kindly shared some of her birthday cake with us all — a nice end to a great (and slightly eerie!) evening.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to Sue and Dora for their work and hospitality. We’ll be back in early October to help keep this special place looking its best.

Have a great week !

Julia xx

GoodGym Volunteers Brave the Heatwave to Support Care for Veterans Fair Clean-Up

In the midst of July’s intense heatwave, a dedicated team of GoodGym volunteers came together to provide much-needed support to the Care for Veterans residential home, helping to clear away a successful community summer fair.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the amazing team who turned up despite soaring temperatures. Barbara, along with her sister Jacqui and son Matt, brought great energy and team spirit. Special thanks also to Paul, who, after leading his cadets through the afternoon’s fair activities, generously stayed on to lend a hand with the clean-up.

Joining the effort were Roxy, Ricky, El, and Stephane—each one rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in with good humour and determination. And a big shoutout to Sue, who came straight from a sea swim and still had the strength to help pack down!

Between us, we dismantled the entire fair: tables, chairs, stalls, gazebos, bric-a-brac, drinks (both soft and otherwise!), and all the many extras that come with a well-loved community event. It was a big job in hot conditions, but one that the team tackled with fantastic teamwork and resilience.

Thanks to everyone’s hard work, the site was left spotless and all equipment safely packed away. It was a fantastic job all round for a truly wonderful cause.

Well done team—Care for Veterans and the whole community applaud you!

Barbara’s 70th Birthday & Summer Social

What a fantastic evening at Goring Gap — a true celebration of community, good deeds, and a very special milestone!

This week’s GoodGym task brought us to one of Worthing’s local beauty spots for a litter pick, but this was no ordinary mission. We also had the joy of celebrating a 70th birthday and hosting our summer social — and it was all rolled into one unforgettable event.

A Birthday Good Deed

It’s a real credit toBarbara generous spirit that she chose to spend her birthday giving back, joining us for the litter pick on her special day. The Birthday Girl was met with a lovely surprise — a visit fromLucy ! It was so good to see you, Lucy, and your timing couldn’t have been better.

Barbara was joined by a strong GoodGym turnout:Mel andPaul , Stéphane](/v3/profile/stephane-forrer) (who’s almost fully recovered from his recent bike accident — though a reminder to avoid shaking his still-broken hand!), and the always-enthusiastic Anne,Paul , Roxy Daisy, andCraig . This dream team made short work of the litter, filling multiple bags and even heading back for more. A great effort from everyone!

Food, Fun, and Festivities

With Goring Gap sparkling once again, we made our way to the greensward where the second part of the evening kicked off.

,John , El and Gillybean had set up a brilliant BBQ area and were busy cooking up a feast with food kindly brought by John. Everyone chipped in with a spread of nibbles, cakes, and drinks, turning the evening into a true celebration. Gill was brilliant with all the cooking and tidying up too.

We were joined by Barbara's son Matthew - it was lovely to see him on his Mums special evening. Nick also made a guest appearance. It was also lovely to see Tamsin and Jemmie who brought along the game Corn Hole This was great fun and was also was enjoyed by a handful of us John was victorious despite Jemima trying her absolute best to beat him !

We wrapped up with a perfect moment — presenting Barbara with a beautifully framed collection of memories to honour her birthday and her incredible commitment to volunteering. It was smiles all around as we captured the moment with some great group photos.

Thank you Barbara for being such an inspiration, and thank you to everyone who came and made this such a special GoodGym evening. Here’s to many more good deeds, good food, and great company!

Sunny Skies – A Worthing Beach Clean

On a gloriously sunny June evening, with the sea shimmering and the sky clear, our brilliant GoodGym Worthing crew gathered for a feel-good litter pick along the beach. The golden hour light set the perfect backdrop for a community-powered mission, and the sea breeze carried the cheerful energy of everyone arriving.

This evening’s team included our regularsGillybean , Roxy , Craig, Sue , Megan, and the ever-dedicatedStéphane – sporting a wrist splint but still smiling after his recent accident. True to form, he wasn’t going to let that stop him from getting stuck in!

It was also great to welcome Susan to a Monday night and what a perfect evening for it. However I must apologise for not capturing you on the group photo - I'm not quite sure how we lost you but you and I did enjoy a good chat together.

Armed with litter pickers, gloves, and good vibes, we split into small teams and made our way across the pebbles and promenade. It didn’t take long to uncover the usual suspects: crisp packets, bottles,cans, rogue flip-flops, and even the occasional mystery item best left unmentioned! We all headed under the pier to clear up the usual debris and took the opportunity for a stunning photo ( just a shame Susan isn't in it :(

With the sun still fairy high in the sky, the group gathered once more, bags feeling heavier. Together, we’d cleared a significant stretch of the beach, helping to protect our beautiful coastline and all who enjoy it.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made this evening not just productive but full of happy banter, camaraderie, and that unbeatable GoodGym buzz. Here's to many more sunny seaside missions!

#GoodGymWorthing #BeachCleanDreamTeam #WorthingWonders 🏖️🌞🦀