"The bindweed roots pierce down/ Deeper than men do lie" (Walter de la Mare)

Following an already legendary mission at The Bevy which saw the gang split into idyllic orchard/ pungent backyard areas resonant of heaven/ hell, this week GoodGym Brighton looked forward to all the carefree associations that a bed of roses might suggest in sunny Portslade. However, the latest challenge was no walkover, instead the sisyphean task of removing bindweed, whose rope-like roots can plunge 4m deep, from an attractive rose plot in local open-space gem Vale Park.

No number of hurdles, including sharp thorns, stinging nettles and even an errant deadly nightshade, could deter the vigour of the GoodGym gang's gardening or dim the volume of its high-tempo zeitgeisty chatter. Lucy, from Friends of Vale Park, heralded the group 'angels' and bestowed ice pops in orange, lemon and pink flavours. Meanwhile, the group applauded Olivia's recent milestone of 50 good deeds, and finally celebrated with a collective vertical leap, appropriate in a week when GoodGym founder Ivo Gormley is featuring at a B2B event called Elevate, exploring the link between "physical activity, community connection, and climate action".

Friends of Vale Park is a recently-formed community organisation in Portslade, keen to improve and use the park for the benefit of the local neighbourhood and residents. Formerly a hazardous flint pit and training ground for soldiers in WW1, Vale Park is now a popular leafy space with outdoor exercise facilities, scout hut and book swap chest, and events run by the Friends include an Easter egg hunt, a pumpkin carving workshop and picnics in the park.

On a very warm Tuesday evening 9 GoodGymmers braved the long uphill jog to Manor Paddock - a lovely communal garden in sheltered housing that we visit regularly to help them keep the space tidy and accessible for residents.

On arrival we met some more GoodGymmers and our host Luc, who put us to task with a list of jobs for the session.

The main task for the evening was digging out two large Lavender bushes which had become quite unruly, and replacing them with some smaller plants for the summer season. It was tough going, but at least it smelled great!

The rest of us got our hands dirty helping with other jobs in the garden; collecting dried grass for mulching, cutting back conifer bushes and weeding in the raised beds.

Once we were done (and had made friends with resident Doggo Max!) most of us made our way back to our meeting point - enjoying the cooler temperatures and downhill elevation.

And a big welcome to first timer Jenny , we hope you enjoyed your first session with us :)

Following a brief but comprehensive deluge hitting the coast, this week's task - a slice of green community action as part of WWF x GoodGym’s Workout for Nature - saw an impressive fifteen GoodGymers descend on Round Hill Conservation Area to paint over graffiti tags gathered on the local Cat's Creep stairway and hoe stubborn weeds on the nearby Wakefield Road.

After GoodGym's visit, Cat's Creep, famous for its wavering apostrophe (depending on whether you think one or more cats are involved), 116 steep steps and resident toads and newts, was lined once again with freshly painted magnolia walls. Meanwhile, finely honed hoeing skills from the recent GoodGym Palmeira Square challenge meant that the flint wall on Wakefield Road was similarly smartened up.

Through its collective endeavours in the Round Hill, the GoodGym Brighton team are hopeful of another appearance in the local Round Hill Reporter (published since 2000) following previous articles in recent editions. The Reporter is the printed newsletter of the Round Hill Society and is evidence of a lively local community with regular events including an annual water fight.

The mission drew to an energised end with the packing up of tools, swiftly darkening skies and GoodGym area activator/ Round Hill resident Stefania handing out ciabatta and luminous doughnuts sourced via the Olio app, which helps prevent good food from going to waste.

With thanks to volunteers from the Round Hill Society, including Dominic and local councillor Raphael.

Executive summary haiku

Fifteen GoodGymers

paint and hoe. Local acclaim.

Toads enjoy the rain.