Yesterday was our third appointment in a row with a very uncertain weather calling the greatest GoodGym motivation to get out to help St Andrew Church in Hove, for our weekly group session.

We BELIEVED in it, and all worked out very well – apart the fact that I punctured my bike 😊.
Those dull dark clouds and weather warning of risk of heavy rain did not even touch us - just!

St Andrew Church is a busy city community church with a visionary plan to change their asset to create an open and inclusive space more adaptable to all, from small to grown up audiences. It is a community building, building for the community, where everybody is always most welcome!

In front of the church, their Friday’s meetings in the sanctuary have been lacking space due to invading weeds, promptly now removed by GoodGym-ers. And, indoor, you can now smell the fresh fragrance of botanic scent and of wax (a bit less botanic 😉) because of additional GoodGym-ers’ cleaning action!

Our eyes are already shining of excitement for what will potentially turn to be a GoodGym indoor refurbishment workout! For now, we support the great expectations of Rev. Dan, John, and of the whole community.

A nice group session for Jasmin, a visiting GoodGym-er from London. Follow us to see what’s on next

Despite the weather was not on our side, Brighton GoodGym-ers were fully lined up to run and happily gather at the Waterloo Street Garden for restoring the original charm of this cute street garden, between Old Market Theatre and Waterloo Street.

A few weeks ago, the Friends of Waterloo Street Garden called for Brighton GoodGym ’s help! The recent garden dis-adventure, due to an act of bad-behaviour, had deeply upset the regular users of the garden, when they found several big plants ripped in half, terracotta pots smashed, and benches turned over. Any little helped to tidy this all up! Including the arrival of enthusiastic Brighton GoodGym-ers ready to help out on a wet day – to their surprise (or not) 😊!

Yesterday turned to be a ‘fast and furious’ group session grabbing a window of less rain and limited daylight to plant bulbs in the pots to flower joy back into the garden next spring. Friendly chit chatting among GoodGym-ers and Friends of Waterloo Street Garden seemed to have already resumed the unique magic of this lovely open air street ‘salotto’. We might wish to pop in again this coming Saturday for their workshop of watercolour painting – weather dependent of course 😊

Yesterday was a return to the Brighton Hove Food Partnership’s Clubhouse on the Downs at Wilding Waterhall. A return to re-wilding for some running GoodGym-ers and a discovery of a relatively new community project for new-er GoodGym-ers, who adventured the ascent to the hill (and descent even more 😉) on their bike!

Formerly a golf course, this rewilding area now boasts diverse flora & fauna, stunning views, wild horses, and ample space for hire. Since our visit last year, this clubhouse has become a well-used space for several wellbeing projects, immerse in the nature to generate a multitude of good emotions to its beneficiaries. The continuing improvement and maintenance of the assets requires multiple contributions, often in kind, from construction builders, renewable energy developers, rangers of the city green spaces … and indeed the always most welcome help of GoodGym Brighton. We were tasked to clear the pavements surrounding the clubhouse from weeds to make the structure more easily accessible by all.

Did you like it, GoodGym-ers? In Harrison’s words: “I would just say that it's been a motivation and an inspiration to be a part of the GoodGym. I felt completely welcome from the very first moment and everyone is so nice and friendly - who would have guessed? I've enjoyed all the activities so far, getting outside and helping the place look nice! It's very heart warming to hear and feel the genuine thanks from the people we help and the public that witness us doing it, it really feels like we are putting something positive out there, so thank you!”