On another evening when wind and rain returned to pelt the coast, this week's turn-out from GoodGym Brighton meandered their way towards a cleaning task at the Cardinal Newman School, whose alumni (including its previous iterations) boast one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters and Ann Quin, local novelist whose 1960s experimental Brighton-set novel Berg is known for its almost circular ending.

One of the most distinctive features of the Cardinal Newman School is a circular arrow-tree in its central atrium, a kind of indoor roundabout or static carousel, with signs all around with the demand 'WALK ON THE LEFT'. The GoodGym gang, entering the building after school hours, were of course able to ambulate where they wished as they tucked into tonight's menu of assignments: sweeping/scooping pigeon excrement in an outside breakout area, or scrubbing/rubbing dirty bannisters flanking the school's showpiece staircase. Some might have projected that the outdoor crew had the short straw, but morale seemed to soar as the trio raced through their faecal challenge and posed grinning against the backdrop of a cheery mural saying 'Together'. Indoors, a larger contingent polished off the muck engrained in the stairs' florid black railings and dark wood banisters with an arsenal of antiseptic wipes, while breaking off to admire the photogenic possibilities of a four-floor selfie.

Assembling by the arrow-tree for a reunited full group photo the GoodGym group looked forward to the fast-approaching Brighton Marathon weekend where, in some instances, the rule will be to run on the right, and the potential excitements of a competitive duel in the dirt at next week's task at Moulsecoomb Allotment, though that's something to be dealt with on another evening.

This Monday was open mic night at the ChoirWithNoName singing over a Karaoke track or around the piano! Members were invited to suggest their favorite hits and bring instruments to play and perform their songs of choice, including Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush.

In the kitchen there was another music to play 🙃.

For this community mission, GoodGym’s Amanda stepped up as lead chef for the first time at ChoirWithNoName. She headed the kitchen alongside Sonam and me, with Lindsey and Anne-Mari rounding out our volunteer cooking team.

On the menu tonight: Potato and Spinach Gateau. It was a total race against the clock to peel, slice, and bake crispy potatoes while sautéing a mountain of onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Meanwhile, Amanda was a powerhouse, whipping up both vegan and vegetarian versions of the béchamel sauce.

I’ll admit, procuring and cooking food for 50 people was a first for me — but what an incredible, rewarding Good challenge! Many volunteers and members commented on how tasty the cooked meal was - DELICIOUSly Good :-). We were also proud to have successfully sourced several essential ingredients from surplus food via Olio. While the effort left us completely exhausted, Sonam somehow still had the energy to run all the way home!

"And if I only could, I'd make a deal with God, And I'd get Him to swap our places

Be runnin' up that road, Be runnin' up that hill, Be runnin' up that building (yo)

Say, if I only could, oh".

From Kate Bush's song, Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God).