Tonight was the celebration of 9 years of goodgym in Cardiff, and what those years have given us.

We have helped 70 charities, community groups, schools and religious institutions on our group tasks alone. (Missions not included). Totaling a whopping 5596 volunteer slots and an impressive 2798 volunteering hours.

Plenty of more stats to come, but before then let’s get to the task. It seemed logical to help out the Samye Foundation, as they top the number 1 spot with 67 group tasks. Once Lorraine had confirmed our task Michael got to work planning a picnic under their beautiful gazebos.

But before we Celebrate we have to get those deeds in.

GoodGym started in Cardiff back in 2016, May 23rd. I remember it well, being on that first task and run. As a solo runner it was quite daunting, but now nine years on I look back on all the things we’ve done with smiles and laughter, and with a great group of new friends.

So to the task, we had a good long list of things to do tonight, a great way to work up an appetite.

Weeding

• Front entrance gate
• Side gate
• The three doorways
• 3 vegetable barrels in the garden area
• Any other pavement area (if time)

Plus * Empty old plant pots of dead matter * Move the (heavy) umbrella stand from the back garden to the gazebos out front. * Empty the greenhouse, organise and place back. * Sweep – everything.

No time to wait, there’s a lot to do. Everyone grabbed their tools (ooh er), and picked there task from the list. We had a healthy number of volunteers tonight helping out, so we should manage most of the list.

Martin was wisterical with his sweeping brush, as he tidied up those gazebo floors.

Ellen, Dylan, Emily and Lucy the compost crew, got to work out back emptying pots, weeding barrels and all in the name of new life from composting.

Jake went rogue.... And after initially wedding the path decided there was a bush that needed pruning back. He’s certainly had the practise on some of our tasks this year.

Llion the organiser, straight to the greenhouse duties.

Darren and Dave were paving the way as they got in-between the cracks to clean up.

Dylan multi-task Tuesday, carried that beast of an umbrella stand and then got to work weeding the doorways.

Adam the gate master, couldn’t wait to get behind that huge gate and get those weeds and leaves gone. All helped with the perfume of the surrounding roses.

Aaron, another sweeping delight, getting those doorways swept before joining the weeding teams.

But then... Began bucket wars... Our resident bin jumper (Martin) had already found his new slogan - "If there’s a bucket or a bin I’m gonna get in". But newcomer Aaron seemed to be looking for that title......

Who wore that bin better?

Wendy joined us slightly later, but worked those guns carrying the ?tub? of weeds to the compost Corner. Michael and Lorraine were busy, photos galore and getting the food together. Michael had got some bits and bobs so was busy popping them in the picnic area. Lorraine was adding some bits from Samye, a great collaboration of food preparation. Everyone sat down, ate and enjoyed. A few group photos tonight, including the goodgym flag. Then it was time to run back, Michael Dylan and Ellen stayed to help Lorraine tidy up as extra thanks for allowing us the space to celebrate. Once everyone was back at the Glassworks, we had a few additional goodgymers join us for the late night celebrations.

Time for CAKE

Michael got the cakes from the kitchen, thanks to the Glassworks for storing them for us. And special thanks go the Mel at the Secret Garden Cafe in Bute Park for making them for us, she is also the star that got the Community Orchard up and running.

Great time had, thanks to each and every GoodGymer, past and present. Without you we would not exist.

Our top 10 are as below....

But over the last year our top 10 look a little different....

Here’s to the next year.

10 Goodgymers headed back to Global Gardens on a lovely sunny evening. We were here two weeks ago clearing the weeds on the fences but tonight we were preparing a space for a new planter.

Welcome Wendy to the house!

Welcome to Wendy who attended her first GG task tonight, hopefully it will be the first of many! Also, welcome back to Aaron who joined for the first time last week. Always great to have new members, spread the word good(gym) people!

Barrow, is it me you are looking for?!?

Whether it be running, walking or cycling we arrived at 7pm and got straight on with the task at hand. We had to clear a space of the rubbish, weeds and brambles thats going to be used as a new planter bed. We got the tools and the numerous wheelbarrows ready and everyone got going……..well nearly everyone as Dylan has gone to the wrong allotment! Oops!

The team had a good system going and soon there was two bags of rubbish collected. The barrows were ferrying back and forth to clear the twigs and weeds away and by then time we had to leave there was a large area of soil on display! Jake has now patented his double decker wheel barrow - see pic!

Waste not want not

We also found some rogue vegetables in the pile, so Lucy popped them in her bag to replant at home.

Some folks headed home and the rest to the pub to watch an epic Champions league match, followed by some Crazy Taxi and Karaoke. What a great Tuesday!

Welcome to your first group task Aaron, we are very happy to have you with goodgym

CROESO

And, happy 50th mission to our regular Rosie - black t-shirt coming your way soon.

On a beautiful sunny evening, 9 goodgymers joined together for a run and cycle to help out at the wonderful charity "Cwtch Together". Our tasks for the evening were;

• Cut back the grass as much as possible
• Remove any stingy plants
• Fork over the ground in at the corner of the building, and level the ground
• Open the box......what's in the box?

Sarah, our task organiser had found a locked box whilst continuing to clear the corner outside and was unsure what was in it. The corner had been cleared on our last visit, and now the plan was to level the ground and then lay some paving slabs on there for an additional storage area.

Whilst Michael and Jonathan got the tools from inside the hall, the rest of the team had ripped open the box - like an angry version of deal or no deal.

Oh, what a disappointment

Not even a penny to be seen, it was nothing more than old soil in the box. At least we now know.

Now lets get cracking, Jonathan was straight onto strimming with the cordless, Aaron also strimming but with the corded version and Emily on the flymo. Not the easiest of gardens to cut back, a very uneven and bumpy ground for a mower where the fly was a little less than you wanted in a flymo, but it made for a good workout having to push more. The cordless kid made light work of taking back the grass, as Jonathan completed a quarter of the garden on his own - only stopping when the battery died. Aaron and Emily worked their areas, limited by the length of the cords and only able to move with the extension lead as a group. Great team effort as they made a the garden look at lot better and ready for the young people to use for outside activities on the next sessions for Cwtch Together (weather permitting).

Jake and Llion were scuttering around the garden, removing the stingy baddies as they went. Some areas weren't on the strimming and mowing list, so these had to be done by hand tools alone.

Rosie, Dylan and Dylan took to the corner forking and talking, getting stuck in. Some bits of rubbish were found and removed as the soil was broken up, and then the leveling began. Another good work out for the evening, and it looked great once finished.

We have made a massive difference on this task, and i'm sure that the young people will love using the outside space again this year. A quick photo and it was time to run, cycle and walk back for a little social and catch up.

See you 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.

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!