Returning to support Ms S felt a bit like stepping back into a familiar chapter and it was lovely to be remembered. This was my second time helping her out, and the day came with a tidy little to‑do list: hang the new bedroom curtains and investigate the doorbells.

I started with the curtains, which I suspected would be the easier win of the day. Thankfully, I came prepared with my trusty screwdriver kit. A bit of “lefty‑loosey, righty‑tighty,” and soon enough the new curtains were up and looking great.
Ms S was delighted with the fresh look in her bedroom, which made the effort all the more worthwhile. Next up: the doorbells. Both had gone suspiciously quiet. The culprit? Batteries.
A quick swap and the front door bell sprang back to life.

However, one last job due to pending supplies - the back door bell was a bit more stubborn. It needed a different type of battery, one we didn’t have on hand. So that task remains on the “to be continued” list for next time.

7 Goodgym folks ran to Global Gardens for the first of two visits there in April. For todays task we took to the lane to cut back the bushes and weeds that were spilling out from the allotment.

We all got to work with our secateurs, snipping away at the stingy nettles and overhanging bushes. It was therapeutic and rewarding work and we were making good progress.

Pants People (TOTP reference for you young folks!)

Jonny worked tirelessly trying to rescue an old pair of pants from the top of the bushes. Y? Coz he was briefs undie a spell!

We had taken two wheel barrows to transport the cuttings back into Global Gardens, but soon the lane was awash with greenery that the barrows could not cope with! I think it was Martin who realized the pile we needed to transport the offcuts to was just over the fence!.... Cut to...... all 7 of us trying to lob the piles of leaves, branches and nettles over the fence! ;o) Michael went around and kindly climbed aboard the bramble pile and stomped it into submission!

Stick Stick Stick Sticky Stick Stick

Once we had finished Ben fashioned a stick to help clear up the smaller leaves and twigs left in the absence of a broom. It was no Penny Lane, but it was a tidier lane!

We ran back in the drizzle for a well earned drink and chat in the pub.

After a surprise sunny Spring day, 12 goodgymers found their way to doing good.

Second visit for Misbah, very happy to see you again.

First visit for baby EVE, Oh what a visit it was. The noises and colours, movements and crazy adults (including a very bouncy Michael).

To the Tasks...

We had 2 areas to clear of brambly, spiky plant life. The side of the building that we had started on our last darker visit, but today with the added light of Spring we could finish it off. Martin, Neda and Misbah got to the task, cutting back, bagging and then raking the ground until it was glorious and clean again.

The second area, technically not part of the grounds, had become a dumping area for random people.

Volunteers to work

Emma, Su, David, Jake and Ruth tackled the dumped rubbish. Larger items were moved to the end of the alley. A suitcase was packed with cut back brambles, broken glass was cleared (carefully) and then the ground was raked over. It certainly looked better than it had earlier, we then closed and locked the gate, hopefully to keep it looking cleaner for a while.

Dylan and Jessica were put to work on the lawn area, taking out and spiky plants that had made their way over from the alley. Whilst Michael cut back some of the grass, it will be time for the children and young people to get outside and use the space soon.

A quick photo and then it was time for a nice run back.

A return to the Church of St. Dyfrig & St. Samson, for an inside task battling the woodworm that had taken up the Church as residents. A shorter run, but there was plenty to do with the task so our time was being well spent.

We arrived and bid our usual hello to Julian (task organiser), who has set up the work station in readiness for the group. We split into groups, we had volunteers to collect the chairs to be put onto the tables, and groups who were applying the woodworm treatment.

The chairs were placed onto the tables, treatment applied, and then popped onto the floor to dry before being put back in their original place. The Church hall was large enough to get a good workout, running around with the chairs.

Once all chairs had been seen too, we were instructed to a few other areas - the community hall had some places to apply to as well as a foot or two. (See photos)

Time well spent, and it was now time to travel back to the Glassworks to finish our run for the evening.

Meeting at our usual place - Glassworks, we welcomed our first timer Ben.

CROESO

Tonight we were making our way to the Samye Foundation Wales, making use of the Spring light and better weather by getting outside for what is now dubbed "The sleeping edition".

The main tasks were putting some potatoes to bed and creating a new plant bed with railway sleepers.

Michael split the groups and sent 3 volunteers to the back yard, Rosie, Dylan and Jessica. Tasks, to remove and weeds, dig over the ground, and then pop the potatoes into their new beds ready to grow and provide some food in the summer.

The second group then had a few different jobs to complete, weeding around the doorways, the seating area and in front of the current raised bed. Then it was time to get destructive....Rip out the old wood, hoping that the beds don't collapse. Thankfully the liners and roots of plants held the soil in place, so as the wood was removed, broken down and then stacked a few people got to weed the now exposed area. Then came the lifting and carrying, each sleeper needed two volunteers to move, as we brick stacked them into their new locations wondering how they would finally be attached (Lorraine was deciding this later).

We managed to make out way through the whole list of tasks, and took some down time within the centre to chat and have some lovely soup which they had made for us. A little later back on this return, but the soup was worth it!

My latest community task went ahead as planned, and what an adventure it turned out to be. I arrived ready to tackle the overgrown bush… only to discover it was much taller than expected and the scissors provided were, shall we say, more “delicate strawberry snippers” than “mighty hedge‑taming tools.”

In true neighbourhood‑mystery fashion, Mr M mentioned that the council had once promised to remove the entire shrub because it keeps causing issues — but that plan seems to have vanished into the mist. Perhaps one day the saga of The Persistent Shrub will reach its grand finale.

For now, though, I celebrate another community task done.