Undoubtedly a great group session in mid-summer, this was! With an eco-bonus, and a surprise.

Last Saturday, Stanmer Organics opened doors to the public in the beautiful outdoor space in Stanmer Park, and yesterday to the passionate volunteers of @GoodGym Brighton.

The Centre of Eco-therapy is one of 20+ small orgs of Stanmer Organics with a mission at the heart: to provide nature-based therapies to whoever needs to overcome physical, mental or long-term health conditions. In this amazing healing environment, the guests do gardening, grow vegetables, drink tea, cook and eat around an open fire. All is composted, and a return to Mother Nature is encouraged. The basic essential facilities are compost toilets, so the users live a trueful permaculture experience, within its values and ethos. There is also a new sauna garden, did you know it?!

GoodGym was asked to help to dig a pit for building a new compost toilet, with a promise of an eco-therapy experience to thank the volunteers. A challenging call for the area activator, Stefania.

Brighton GoodGym-ers keep surprising all our beneficiaries (and me) for our unconditional good heart, always prepared to do everything – and get our hands dirty! Keep moving together in the outdoors fuels our heart and fulfils us with incredible satisfaction. Burning calories (or stress 😉) while moving, just helps – that’s for sure!

This call for GoodGym’s help was a great group mission, which was worthwhile opening to all, despite the long distance that is loved by some GoodGym-ers but not a cup of tea for everybody. We managed to get all moving, who by bike (or Beryl Bike) from our meet up in Brighton, in Victoria Gardens, who by run or walk at easy pace throughout the park to gather all together in good timing, and not getting lost in the woods 😊 – we didn’t. Thanks to Ben, who was already waiting us at the task and to Richard backing up my orienteering skills.

Surprise, surprise! Our inspiring charity founder, Ivo, and Darrel from Green Runners made us a surprising visit in Brighton. Both are runners and leaders by example, but also just simple people and passionate volunteers like everybody of us in Brighton GoodGym. We are all driven by sport passions and trueful values to do good and act green for our planet . In proper GoodGym style, I would say.

There was an good turn up of GoodGym-ers at this group session of middle summer, so well organised by Liz and Bella from the Eco-therapy Centre despite the demanding setting for such big group. Digging the hard soil was a bit challenging and crowded, at times, but the outcome of our work was fab – 2 deep dip holes were created and a new ramp constructed to help disable users to access the compost toilet. 😊 Meanwhile, Ivo and Dan, with a young adult got the fire ready🔥

Our host Liz offered us an eco-therapy experience and a bowl of soup, prepared with her garden vegs and with lots of her love – such a bonus, Grazie, dear Liz! The peaceful community-feeling made me forget all about the past stressful day(s), and the luggage still to pack up before my 6am flight the day after.

We enjoyed so much our evening that we lost track of the time, but we still returned home by cycling and running with a good light in the dusk. At the end of the day I was exausted, but happy and fully satisfied. All truly content, (or so I think).

First time GoodGym-er Liam quoted: “It was a great session for my first Goodgym in over a year. I really enjoyed digging (/pick-axing/tilling) the holes and the soup and hummus hanging out in the garden after was delicious”

What’s next? Follow us to see what’s on next Meanwhile, I begin to develop some ideas for a special GoodGym group session with the Green Runners and Sanctuary Runners-Brighton. Ready to pledge for sport for development and green action? I am, follow me!

This Tuesday, GoodGym Brighton has been Running Out Of Time, and we made a few pledges to act together as a community for climate and nature!

On this lovely warm evening, ten GoodGym-ers ran 2km to the beach where we picked up litter grabbers and Surfers Against Sewage's sacks to collect the litter. We spread out along the beach towards the iconic i360 and up on the path above the beach finding plastic bottles, cans and wrappers, but not too much litter this time, which was good to see. Some tourists gave us their rubbish and one asked an unusual question, ‘Can you fly a drone on the beach?’ It was explained we were not the council (!), and just volunteers so weren’t really sure.

After the task, we ran to the square near the i360 for some fitness exercises. Stefania divided us into four groups for two circuits of four different exercises: squats, tricep dips, step ups and press ups. Although it was tiring, it was also great exercise!

What a turn out at yesterday’s GoodGym session together with the Friends of Vale Park. This is a local community in South Portslade, near Brighton, dedicated to improving Vale Park. They want it to be a place where the neighbourhood comes together, enjoys themselves, takes care of the public green space and becomes the heart of the local community.

Historically, Vale Park was a ‘Flint Pit’. In 1917 it was a quarry used for the extraction of sand and flints, and then became a dump. During the First World War the area was used as a training ground for soldiers who built bridges over the water-filled pits. At the south east corner, there was a deep pond fed by a natural spring. It seemed to be a popular place for children to play, to have some great games and excursions there, not without some incidents. Now it is a lovely park with colorful and flowering roses.

The Friends of Vale Park love their park and hope we do too. And we do!

15 GoodGym-ers cycled or ran to the park to help unbinding wonderful roses from the attack of burning nettles and other itching and stinging weeds. With extraordinary results! A great session for a belated celebration of Volunteers Week with some proper “Beerbusiness” at our follow up social gathering in the pub.

VALE PARK GARDENING GROUP is STARTING SOON. You might be interested to know that starting on Sat 28th June at 10 am, and then every LAST Saturday of the month, there will be a new Vale Park Gardening group. It’ll be a great chance to be a part of a lovely community, meet new people, do some gentle exercise in the fresh air and keep those weeds at bay in their beautiful rose beds. Good for the body, mind and soul!

The Friends of Vale Park are looking for a group name for the new Vale Park Gardening group, with “Weedy Ones” getting my vote 😊!