We returned to the Fitzherbert Community Hub to help our friends from the Real Junk Food Project with some essential cleaning and tidy up work of this popular venue for local communities.

It was a special evening for GoodGym Brighton as we were invited by ITV Meridiam to shine our best smile and speech in front of a camera – we were all stars yesterday evening!

What do you gain from your GoodGym volunteering session?, … and what does motivate you to stay fit more than doing traditional exercise?

Stefania:

"As an Area Activator of GoodGym Brighton Community, I am enthused by the charity mission of creating happier, healthier and better connected communities by getting Brighton & Hove moving. Personally, I have been active in sports for as long as I can remember. Sports have been always a source of inspiration in my life, taken me through the good and the challenging times, allowed me to meet people, develop friendships and transferable skills.

I am a strong believer of the significant role that both physical activities and volunteering can play in everybody’s confidence development, and I feel empowered to share my values and develop empathy, not only for local community causes but the wider sport for development agenda. In my role, I most enjoy empowering my passions in other enthusiastic GoodGym-ers for a circular good while keep being active sustainably.

Brighton GoodGym-ers keep surprising all our beneficiaries (and me) with our unconditional good heart, always prepared to do everything – and get our hands dirty! Keep moving together fuels our goodwill and fulfils us with incredible satisfaction. Burning calories (or stress 😉) while moving, just help – that’s for sure!"

Research has shown that participating in GoodGym has a positive effect on both GoodGymers and organisations that we support each week with our GoodGym group runs and community missions. GoodGym increases wellbeing and reduces mental distress, and older people who GoodGym supports are less lonely and happier.

Yesterday, we run a relatively short distance from our meeting point in Brighton, in Victoria Gardens, led by our star Rosie, who is not only a keen ambassador of GoodGym but also a GoodGym Fitness Run leader, like Pippa and Michael who are all contributing to make GoodGym thrive in Brighton Area with the help of a wonderful Task Force.

Thanks Real Junk Food Project for hosting us! We most enjoy coming to yours. Good luck with the BRAVO Awards! It’s already a success to be nominated for five awards, including sustainability - prioritising the planet and people as much as profit. Bravo! Voting in ON from 4th February!

WHAT's ON NEXT at GoodGym Brighton?
Plenty to amuse you to join us soon.

EVERYBODY is welcome!

On a chill Tuesday evening the Brighton Good Gym team sallied forth.

Firstly a short exercise session led by Stefania. Warming up by running laps around Victoria Garden. Then lunges and high knees to keep the cold at bay. As a finisher we ran up the hill to Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project (BUCFP).

We were welcomed into the warm at the friendly BUCFP staff were and told about all their amazing work supporting families on low incomes, providing low cost laundry, benefit advice and free vegan meals.

The task was wrapping presents for their free raffle at the Christmas Party. Christmas music on Rosie's phone got us into the seasonal spirit. The gang made short shift of the task and was not defeated by a toy donkey and gremlin. They were on a roll and even had time to move some tables and chairs.

We finished up with some photos. Then it was a wrap!

See WHAT's ON NEXT at GoodGym Brighton!

Impressive was the stamina of yesterday’s Brighton GoodGym-ers who did not even hesitate to get out in a cold Autumnal evening for a short run to Palmeira Square to help the Palmeira and Adelaide Garden Group. New heroic GoodGym-er Sonam joined us for the first time, in shorts 😊

As usual, our lovely Stuart, who is the patron of all the good conservation happening in Palmeira Square’s green spaces, welcomed us ready for action with rakes, brooms and leaves grabbers to remove all the Autumnal leaves from the footpaths around the Floral Clock.

On continuing move and with grand co-ordination of group effort, we managed to clear all the pavements without (almost) freezing our hands and feet. Soon after the GoodGym-ers were joined by Brighton & Hove council's forces contributing to the clearance of the streets and to our greatest satisfaction!

The Floral Clock is now ready for the Christmas lights switch-ons happening this coming weekend!

See WHAT's ON NEXT at GoodGym Brighton!

What is B.fest I hear you ask? Is it what a time-starved cityboy calls the first meal of the day? A tonic wine made by Scottish monks? No! It is, of course, Brighton Youth Festival, an annual youth arts festival with the aim of making arts and culture more accessible to young people.

B.fest 2024 runs from Saturday 26th October to 2nd November in their temporary Gloucester Road site. They are currently in the process of renovating their home on Edward Street and hope to be back there permanently for next year’s festival.

A big group of us made the short jog over to Gloucester Road (plus Ben who decided to make a tour of it and first jog to the old B.fest site!) to help with putting the finishing touches to the venue ahead of the festival. Upon arrival we were directed to the top floor into a big space that is going to be used as a gallery to display all the art on show. The space had already been prepped with wooden ledges all the way around to put the pictures on. Our task was to paint the walls and ledges brilliant white.

In order to preserve our spotless running gear (only the finest for Goodgymmers) we were provided with overalls, shoe covers and gloves. After laying dust sheets and strategically placing masking tape, Sarah expertly removed some pesky screws and then half of the team took paint brushes to paint the wooden ledges while the other half big rollers to do the 2 walls. While that was happening Stefania and Liam went downstairs to help Darryl dismantle a scaffold tower he had used to create a spray-paint mural on one of the outside walls.

We made short work of the walls along with a few extra boards that needed painting for the display and were soon able to pose for an ambitious photoshoot upon completion. The (now) sparkling white gallery has had the Goodgym touch and is ready for the weekends festivities!

Fancy getting more involved with B'Fest? You can, volunteers are always welcome!

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