A lovely evening on Worthing seafront saw seven GoodGymers, blue bags and pickers in hand, removing litter from a stretch that ran from the Beach Office to Anchor Gardens. Always a great “catch up and chat” occasion, the full bags tell their own story about the real difference simple tasks like this make.

Denials with thanks

Interaction with the locals is always a pleasure on GoodGym tasks. Today we were given appreciative thanks in two areas along the prom. We also had a profuse denial of littering responsibility directed at us as we cleared around the bench they occupied. The hope that, regardless of his responsibility or not for the litter we picked, is that our visible presence doing this task will be remembered and the bins placed along the seafront are used for their intended purpose.

When the wind blows

To be fair to Worthing, there wasn’t that much rubbish that had been dropped. Most of what we collected probably arrived on the persistent winds we have been experiencing. Activity on the beach has also been restricted due to the trundling back and forth of heavy machinery as they work to repair our long-neglected groynes.

Just like Arnie

We will be back! As we head towards summer, the beach will be busier. Our litter picking example becomes increasingly important, as does the removal of that pesky wind-blown stuff.

It was a real treat to return to our regular task at English Martyrs First School, where Head Teacher Helen and premises manager Richard gave us their usual warm welcome. It’s always such a lovely atmosphere here, and even more so when shared with this wonderful team who never fail to raise a smile.

Tonight offered a choice of tasks, with something for everyone. Indoors, the mission was to freshen up a recently renovated transition room, while outdoors the focus was on continuing the varnishing of the sheds we’d previously worked on (doors first, now the full works!).

Inside, Sue, El, Belinda and I got to work tackling those easy-to-miss spots – covering over blue tack marks and scuffs with a smart coat of grey paint. It’s always satisfying seeing those little imperfections disappear and the room come together.

Meanwhile outside, Paul and Barbara took on the important job of varnishing (but not vanishing!) the sheds, making great progress under the watchful eye of John, who had kindly volunteered as photographer for the evening. I (Julia) was especially grateful for that, as it meant I could fully get stuck into the task without worrying about capturing the action.

All in all, it was a really sociable and productive hour, and a joy to be back doing what we do best together.

Note: I attended this task with Brighton Goodgym but there was an issue with my tasks being counted properly by the website system. The report is from the original.

For this week's task, the unique group that is GoodGym Brighton congregated at One Church Florence Road, a place of worship and one-stop shop community venue, for a cleaning mission in their community kitchen. From this kitchen on every third Sunday a meal is prepared for those who are homeless, vulnerably housed or at risk of isolation, which members of GoodGym Brighton are often on hand to support.

The team were welcomed by Stefan who outlined the scale of the task when he revealed that the kitchen hadn't had a single deep clean since the New Year. A wide range of activities were divvied up and the GoodGym squad tackled them all in typical no-nonsense route one fashion: washing/ drying up, rationalising shelves/ pans/ utensils, cleaning ovens/ surfaces/ floors and confronting the fridge-freezer. Hefty items had to be removed from the kitchen and then returned post-clean, including blenders, large bottles of oil and 25kg bags of flour, which provided additional weight training for some. Among the one-off finds in the kitchen was a tupperware tub of lentils used in pastry baking to avert a soggy bottom, familiar to many attempting long runs/ walks in the recent inclement weather.

Capturing the latest one-off moment in the GoodGym Brighton story, the gang posed for the post-task group photo in an adjacent hall often used for a variety of educational purposes, which hosted a collection of xylophones, a paper mache Where the Wild Things Are-esque monster, and an emotions colour wheel tacked to the wall. With Stefan delighted that the kitchen was left in such a sparkling condition the group headed home deserving of a spectrum of happy-coloured emotions including successful, valued and inspired.

In a burst of inspiration, GoodGymer Sam penned this lovely poem. Enjoy the rhymes:

Feeling Complete

Rubber gloves slip snug on my hands, A toilet brush waits for careful plans. Where others groan, I bend with glee, Scrubbing the bowl till it shines for me. The swirl of water, the steady sweep, A rhythm of work both calm and deep. Graffiti cleared, floors bright and true, A quiet craft I can take pride in, too. The scent of cleaner, sharp yet sweet, A fragrance that makes the task complete. Each motion steady, circles tight, Turns hidden corners clean and bright. Some wrinkle noses, some retreat, But here I find the work complete. A task that others choose to flee Brings pride and stillness home to me. So let the gloves embrace my hands, And brushes trace the path I planned. For in this work, both strange and sweet, I find myself, and feel complete.

This report was co-written with contributions from GoodGymers Ben and Sam.

After what felt like a very long winter break, tonight marked our triumphant return to the Heene Church Rooms garden that we last visited way back at the end of October. And oh, how it had missed us… or perhaps more accurately, how the weeds had thrived without us!

Thanks to an exceptionally wet winter paired with surprisingly mild temperatures, the garden had turned into a full-on jungle. Tonight’s mission? Nothing short of a major weed-busting operation.

The good news: the evenings are officially on our side again! It was still light at 6pm when we arrived, and stayed that way right through to our 7pm finish — a sure sign that spring (and GoodGym gardening season) is well and truly back.

Our brilliant team tonight brought both energy and excellent chat. Soon-to-be parents Sarah and Ryan were on top form, with Sarah proudly showcasing her impressive 6-month baby bump whilst Barbara turned heads with a stunnnew hairstyle, adding a touch of glam to the gardening gloves.

Fresh from soaking up the sun in Gran Canaria, Belinda and John arrived glowing , proof, if ever needed, that a bit of winter sun does wonders. It was also fantastic to welcome Gill, who cycled in like an absolute hero, and Ricky, who kept us all guessing with hints of his upcoming top secret holiday.

Between the catching up, laughter, and a bit of gentle speculation about Ricky’s mysterious getaway, we somehow managed to make a serious dent in the wilderness. Beds were cleared, weeds were banished, and order was (partially!) restored.

A joyful return, a cracking team effort, and lighter evenings ahead — what more could we want? 🌱

Had some seed bombs leftover from a class i took at Brooklands with The Wellderness project and Sussex Seed Bombs. So i donated them to our seafront bed which was in much need of a tidy up.

Today was centred on supporting the school’s development of outdoor learning opportunities, though thankfully most of the work took place indoors.

And they’re off

First task was to remove doors from two playground sheds. These shed doors are to be colour coded according to what is being stored there. Once removed the gym hall floor was used as an “easy clean” area for painting. With some creative use of a very minimal amount of sheeting the painting began.

Blending in to stand out

In the gym the shed doors were transformed with bright colours - Pansy Purple and Bluebell Blue. Pigments of positivity! Away from the gym a noticeboard was attached in its new location and yellow stripes on the wall were painted out and blended in.

All in the balance

With doors carefully balanced - we hope - the team gathered for the group photo before heading off satisfied in a job well done.

Written by John

Thank you 😊 🙏