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!

I miss the summer, I really do! Don’t you? Regardless, it was such a great pleasure to be running with other 8 brave GoodGym-ers at yesterday's group session. We also welcomed Mariam, who was not discouraged at all but the rainy introduction to GoodGym Brighton!

Armed with rain cover ☔, weeds scrapers🧹provided by the B&H Tidy Up Team, loppers ✂ and other garden tools borrowed from Brighton Borrowers, we joined forces 💪 with a few other brave volunteers from Round Hill: the community hero Rob, my lovely neighbour Josh and the super active Aurelie from the Sylvan Hall Residents Association.

Together, we managed to clear Cat-Creep (ie the long steep stairway connecting Wakefield Road with Roundhill Crescent, where tods are crossing 🐸), a great length of the pathway of Wakefield Road, and the surrounding of the orchard at the East end of Sylvan Hall, which is aimed to flourish as a secret biodiversity spot of this residential estate. Mariam also managed to save cute snails from the green clearance! 🐌

This was a great and fully appreciated effort! Thank YOU all, GoodGym! Thank you also for helping to save good bread loaves and pasties from being wasted. Hope you enjoyed them for dinner 😊.

To the next one, and to the summer to come (hopefully).

Four GoodGym-ers helped out to run a tailored session at the Hummingbird Refugee Project - A Community Standing Together for the Rights and Protection of Young Refugees.

We were invited to run a guest workshop at the Black & Minority Ethnic Community Partnership - BMECP centre on occasion of their weekly Social Club. After some fun welcoming game and physical introductions Stefania talked all about GoodGym and the handed-out information to enable the young adults to join if they wanted. We then set off to The Brighton Greenway to pick litter. Nearly 30 young people joined in with much enthusiasm despite the spitting rain! Like Hummingbirds, who find refuge from rain under leaves or in dense foliage to stay dry, we simulated a similar shelter-seeking behaviour while looking for rubbish under the foliage in this green belt close to Brighton station.

We collected 5 bags of rubbish in 30 minutes, a great achievement and a lot of satisfaction!

We then went back to the centre and ate a meal together. It was such a joyful evening, enriched by the participation of experienced GoodGym-er Frances and our kind soul Ebrah. I was so impressed by the young people of the Hummingbird Refugee Project and how they threw themselves into the task. I think a few of them really enjoyed it!

I wouldn’t be surprised if we get some new members too! HERE how to become a GoodGym member!