April Showers bring cleaning powers

Ahhh yes we may be in British Summer Time (David was sporting shorts to prove it) but April was determined to show its fame for showers on our first run of the month. Nevertheless 12 runners rocked up ready (if a little soggy) to get fit whilst doing good. Miraculously the clouds cleared as we started our warm up outside the YHA and blue sky started to appear as we dodged puddles on our run up the North Laine hills to The Community Kitchen - Brighton and Hove Food Partnership. We met with the ever-smiling Jo who gave us a quick update of all the amazing courses and activities that have been going on at The Kitchen since we last saw them, she added that they turn One in May - what an incredible first year they’ve had, we’re delighted to have been part of it!

Armed with sponges and cloths we set to work on our task of cleaning surfaces, windows and chairs (which needed a good clean after The Kitchen hosted a group of sticky-fingered cake-creating little’uns on Mother’s day!). The tunes went on and we got to work singing and scrubbing as a final shower squalled outside. Tabitha was caught on camera delivering a great Abba rendition (and you can catch her singing live this Saturday as her choir performs at a fundraiser for the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership) and the rest of us hummed along happily as we got the kitchen back to it’s spotless state. Once every bit of dust and grease was banished we bid farewell to Jo and headed down to the sea front for a fitness session.

In quixotic April fashion the evening was now clear and beautiful, the sea a deep aqua and gulls in pairs heading out towards the silent silhouette of the West Pier. Tara set out a course of 8 different activities from Russian twists to box jumps, stair sprints to toe taps. We paired up and set off doing 90 seconds on each activity under the spire of the i360. The view of the evening light on the sea was peaceful and beautiful, we we’re slightly less peaceful and beautiful as Tara kept us at our exercises, explaining what each one was good for and keeping a watchful eye for slackers!

Fitness over we ran back along the sea front with an occasional sprint up and down the ramps to keep warm in the now chilly evening and returned to the YHA for some welcome stretches in the last of the light before heading home, slightly sweaty but full of the joys of Spring!

Here's the links to Soul of the City choir. There's a show at 5:30pm: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/467109 and one at 8:15pm: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/467107