From Parkrun to Permaculture: Planting a Future in Moulsecoomb.

The Friends of Hodshrove Woods reached out to GoodGym for some extra hands to plant ten new fruit trees in their local community. The saplings came courtesy of the Brighton Permaculture Trust, an inspiring local charity that helps schools and communities transform urban spaces into productive orchards.

Fresh from a parkrun at Bevendean Downs, I headed to this "green pocket" in Moulsecoomb to join the community mission. I was joined by new GoodGymer Julien D and my friend Poppy from the Brighton Multicultural Women’s Cycle Club, alongside several local volunteers and residents like Linsley. Under the expert guidance of Jan and Abs, we spent a beautiful morning getting stuck into the soil. We planted a variety of apple and pear trees, as well as Cambridge Gages—better known in Italy as the delicious Regina Claudia plums.

True permaculture is about more than just cultivation; it’s about fostering sustainable ecosystems and bringing people together while embodying the fundamental principles of permaculture. Communities thrive when they grow, harvest, and eat their own food, and we can’t wait to return to Hodshrove Woods to see our "baby trees" fully grown and bearing fruit.