Nine GoodGymers headed up to Whitehawk: four cyclists, three runners, and two walkers, taking on some of Brighton's most beastly hills to reach the Whitehawk Community Food Project. Thie project is a community allotment focussed on growing organic fruit, vegetables, and herbs, while giving people the opportunity to learn practical food-growing and land skills, and spend time connecting with nature.

We were there to help create some new no-dig beds for planting broad beans and garlic, as well as clearing the surrounding pathways to make them more accessible. The no-dig gardening method avoids breaking up, lifting, or turning over the soil. Instead, beds are prepared by layering organic matter, like garden compost, directly onto the ground before planting into it.

We got to work shifting and spreading alternate layers of woodchip (which smelt amazing) and manure (which did not smell amazing), gradually transforming the beds. Our hosts, Kerry, Poppy, and Ben, looked after us brilliantly, keeping everyone busy and making sure we knew what we were doing. And it seems our efforts were appreciated. They said:

*"Thanks so much for the GoodGym session at WCFP last night. It was great to meet you all. Your bright energy and hard work was very much appreciated. It really made a difference for us."

We were also rewarded with a beautiful Brighton sunset, and kindly treated to something sweet: matcha KitKats from Sarah, who's swiftly approaching her 50th GoodGym task! A wonderful welcome to Irene and Phil attending for the first time!

Beastly hills, manure, sunsets, and KitKats. Just another GoodGym evening.

What next? HERE's our scheduled GoodGym sessions across Brighton & Hove.

With the late evening sun still shining, we headed north towards Moulsecoomb Primary School some on two wheels and some tackling the 4km run.

A particularly big welcome back to Daniel, returning to GoodGym after a break and, impressively, taking on his first run in a year! What better way to make a comeback than with a sunny run followed by some serious gardening?

Arriving at the school, we were greeted by the brilliant Warren, who quickly got us equipped and pointed in the direction of the evening's tasks.

One group headed into the school's orchard to clear around the bases of the trees, while another team got stuck into pruning and clearing parts of the veg patch. The veg garden was looking especially impressive, with some absolutely enormous sunflowers towering over us a few of them even taller than Ruth!

There was plenty of shearing, grass cutting and general hacking back to be done, accompanied by chats about holidays and summer adventures. As ever, many hands made light work and before long we'd generated an impressive mountain of greenery, eventually packing the compost heap to bursting!

With a little time still on the clock, there was just enough opportunity for some fairly brutal hedge trimming to tidy up another corner of the grounds. The hedge did fight back though, and I managed to finish the task with a literal thorn in my side. Occupational hazard of GoodGym gardening!

With the garden well and truly blitzed, tools were gathered, everything was tidied away and we disappeared off into the fading light for the long run and cycle back into Brighton.

It's always a pleasure to return to Moulsecoomb Primary School and lend a hand with their ambitious nature gardens and outdoor education projects. Another lovely evening of running, riding, chatting, chopping and doing some good.