Getting to the (almost) root of the problem

On a stunning April evening we had headed across Sunny Worthing to one of more recent, but also favourite tasks, at English Martyrs school. We were met by Helen, the head teacher who had a comprehensive list of task requests. Many of us had arrived with loppers in readiness for hedge and bramble work so we got straight to work.

Special mention to Roxy who completed The London Marathon yesterday in a fantastic time. Massive congratulations also must go to Anne who completed the 50 mile South Downs Challenge a few weeks ago and returned to her GoodGym buddies tonight.

Most of the team including Belinda, Barbara,El,John,Ricky,Paul Gillybean, and Anne got stuck into lopping down large brambly hedges lining the bordering fence. They certainly worked with great gusto with lots to get done in a limited time. The progress was excellent with piles of debris soon appearing ready to be transferred to the compost heap.

Roxy and puppy Mala decided to continue painting the fence that we had started last year. With only 1 paint brush it was a 1 person job but we do hope that we will push through and finish the whole thing this summer before it will all need doing again next year! Luckily for Roxy, when Mala got a little too hot and restless Helen's daughter stepped in and was only too pleased to take her inside to play with her.

Stéphane arrived just in time to help me empty compost into the new raised beds before concentrating on helping with all the debris clearing. John had usefully brought along a brand new electric strimmer which was sliced through the brambles beautifully. Gill very usefully found a trolley to help with transportation to the compost heap ( great photo)

Superstar of the day

Talking of the strimmer ..... John unfortunately misplaced a wing nut on it so we were all trying to keep a look out for it which was a little like looking for a needle in a haystack ! However thanks to our eagle eyed ( and determined) El this was the first of two problems that we didn't need to worry about! Within the space of 10 minutes she had not only found the missing part for the strimmer but also Paul's glasses which had dropped off his head into the abysis of foliage ! El is definitely one we are keeping !

What a lovely evening this was :) We will be back again next week to continue with more jobs. As its a bank holiday Monday we will be meeting next Wednesday 7th May at 6pm instead.

Have a great BH long weekend and see you next week.

Julia x

It was a bonus Wednesday session this week saw four of us back at Heene Community Rooms where we are starting to demonstrate that Worthing GoodGym is as determined as those pesky weeds.

One El of a GoodGymer

El arrived at the task with a tin of freshly baked biscuits. Really delicious biscuits they were too!

Don’t change, Barbara

Barbara regaled us with tales of wearing the same clothes day after day and not going as far as the toilet to pee. She then told us about her recent adventure. She seemed particularly proud of having avoided being eaten by a puma.

Puppy love

Roxy got a round of a paws when she arrived with her new charge Mali who spent the task peeping out from the bag over Roxy’s shoulder.

Weed had a good idea. It worked!

Where we had managed to lay and cover the pieces of cardboard on previous visits you could see that the weeds were gradually admitting defeat. They clearly still have some fight in them, but their resistance is becoming rather, well, weedy for want of a better phrase. We focused our attention on the path side of the garden clearing remaining weeds and planting a range of plants provided by Val. It’s good to see some wanted planting going in to replace the seeming mountains of green we’ve removed over a number of tasks.

April sunshine

With the light evenings and the recent beautiful weather we have all been enjoying , we were expecting a lot of rubbish on the beautiful greensward and surrounding roads near the beach. We did find plenty of rubbish but not nearly as much as we thought we would!

Many thanks to Paul, Roxy El Paula John and Ricky for turning out this evening.

We all set off with a litter picker and bag in hand. With new signs telling the public that it is an offence to leave litter in this beauty spot it does beg the question why there aren't any bins in the vicinity and also with so many security cameras everywhere why the council don't install some in this area.

Bizarrely this is one of my favourite tasks. Maybe it's because it's right on my doorstep,maybe it's because there is always so much litter and so it's a both needed and satisfying task or maybe because it's always such a relaxed task where we can walk and talk with each other.

Despite the area having been cleared recently we still filled 7 bags so we rant did feel it was a job well done. Many thanks to Paula who put all the bags into her favourite wagon and drove them down to a seafront bin where they will be collected by the refuse team tomorrow.

Next week is a Bank Holiday so we will all enjoy a rest and instead,meet next Wednesday at St Botolphs Church garden.

Wishing you all a very peaceful and Happy Easter long weekend.

Julia xx

Wednesday night is GoodGym night- just for this week

Many thanks to my team tonight who accomodated a change of night from our usual Monday. The roll call was as follows. Gillybean Roxy Sarah

The task tonight was an ongoing one that we have been working on at Worthing Leisure Centre garden for several years. It has been one that we have been chipping away at gradually and, overview the months it has been a case of a few steps forward and then, sometimes quite a few back when the weeds have threatened to take over again. However the good news is that,finally,we seem to be winning the battle ! The area that we sowed with grass seed and bulbs last November is looking green and, in some places, quite lush!

Team works makes the dream work

Ryan worked on a litter pick then moved to raking the recently mowed grass. Sarah helped Ryan with the raking and also the weeding with Gill.Sarah also played a ' what's on your back trick' on an unknowing John who was so hard at work he didn't notice! He had started with some pruning then dropped to his knees to clear some significant weeds from paving stones surrounding the fig tree.

My final shout out goes to Roxy who was fresh ( apart from her legs !) from completing her 1st marathon in Brighton at the weekend. Many congratulations to our very own ultra runner and here's to the next one ! For tonight, Roxy had chosen a standing task ( understandably) of pruning shrubs plus the fig tree before assisting Gill with somemore,and this time very prickly, pruning.

We achieved lots tonight but there is still lots to do so we will return soon!

Have a great week!

Julia xx

Junior parkrun is 15 Today Belinda and John headed out to Worthing Liesure Centre for Junior parkrun.

Light evenings are back again

What an absolute delight it was to arrive and finish the task in the light. Head torches and Uncle Ivo's GoodGym lights be gone!!

It's kind of traditional that we kick off BST at one of our favourite tasks at St Botolphs Church with our hosts Val and Rik.

Val is always super organised and has all the tasks they would like done listed alongside their intensity level, meaning everyone can make a considered choice.

This evening Belinda and John chosen the more challanging option of sawing a large tree trunk into 3 pieces. This was quite some task which they completed very successfully illustrating what 37 years of marital team work can do!

Roxy and Stéphane got stuck into some digging with Ricky also joining them too.

Meanwhile Mel was bare handedly stripping ivy out of the wall which appeared to be quite therapeutic after a stressful day working !

Gillybean and Paulgot stuck into some fine pruning of trees and bushes on the outskirts of the church wall.

It was great to see our OG Beth back in the borough. She wasted no time in getting stuck into cutting up prunings that Gill and Paul had kindly provided ! El and Sarah got stick into removing ivy from the wall surrounding the doomsday font that we unearthed a few years ago. Sarah was fresh from her recent seamless move with Ryan into a beautiful new town house nearby whilst El had the brilliant idea to ask if we could take a look around inside the church. We didn't need to be asked twice and all processed into the church behind Rik who was the keeper of the keys! We all really enjoyed marvelling at c the size and beauty of the church and I was particularly interested to see a large lady chapel being there too.

We got back to work after our impromptu visit before finishing up fur the week.

Thank you St Botolphs - you didn't disappoint!