Christmas starts early when you are a Goodgym member! Not in the annoying way that shops starting playing Mariah in early November, but in a Christmas task that had us preparing paper chain packs for the CAMHS project.

This is the 3rd year of us helping and it is always a fun and rewarding task to take part in. Now Halloween is over why shouldn't we start to get into the Christmas spirit...actually just bring on Mariah........and Slade......and most importantly East 17!!

Some folks met at the task, some did a loop run from the meeting point and Adam and Darren were late so did a naughty boy run on their own! Once we had all got together we crack-ered on with cutting up lots of wrapping paper to make the paper chains.

A cut above the rest

Rosie was a chopping machine - cutting the exact sized chains using her rather stylish pink guillotine! Neda was also in charge of a more traditional guillotine, the likes of which most of us have not seen since school! DISCLAIMER - don't worry they did their Elf and Safety training first

The rest of the team were a well oiled production line, writing jokes and decorating with Christmas stamps. During the task we produced a mass of paper cuttings to be used in the Paper Chain packs.

Chain in the membrane

Thankfully Michael reminded Darren to put on some Christmas tunes while we worked, this helped us churn out at a more efficient rate I'd say!

CROESO Sav

Welcome to Sav , thanks for joining your first group run. The corny Christmas cracker jokes are a good taste of what is to come at Goodgym! Yule love it here, well done you sleigh-ed this task! ;o)

The time flew by, sadly we could not Stay Another Day, it was time for us to head off into the night!

As Halloween approaches, it was time to get those costumes dusted off and ready for running.

10 goodgymers heard the call, the T-Rex leader made their return, joined this year by a pumpkin, Lord Farquaad, a ghost and the mighty DUFF man.

As is usual now for this run, we made our way through the streets to cheers, car honks and laughter. It's good to brighten up people's evenings, especially when the clocks have gone back and brought darkness with them.

Our task, to help Cwtch Together prepare and decorate for their weekend of Halloween parties.

We arrived to a list of tasks, and we all know how much Michael loves a list.. 😍

• Bring in 30 + pumpkins and create a display
• Cover tables with black bags
• Put up hangings on fence, securing with cable ties
• Erect the cardboard shop / stall
• Bring in the box from the unit
• Move the wood from the back unit to the front gate, ready for collection
• Empty the cupboard under the sink
• Blow up balloons
• Hang decorations... Including the glow on the dark skeleton

Our task organiser, Sarah, had prepared well tonight. With a long list of tasks we had no problems getting straight to volunteering. We always enjoy this task, it's good fun and lighthearted, the groups got going as the photos show. A last minute task joined the list, as the paperchains that had been put up were drooping too low. With a bit of macgyver thinking we came up with a solution. Using wool and ceiling fittings, an old walking stick and a clothes peg. Threaded through the chains, then raised at either end, the paperchains were moved up and away from children's heads (we hope). The same technique was then used to hang the skeleton, a nice spooky addition.

It was suddenly time for our group photo, get those costumes looking their best. We headed back for a bit of a social and discussion of the Christmas events coming up.

Song Time

• From Newport to Cardiff
• And every goodgym I get with
• My heart is pumping with love
• Pumping with love
• 'Cause I volunteer with you
• And all the things we could do
• My heart is pumping with love

That's enough of that.... I can't help myself sometimes.

A change to our usual start location, just the once this year... We don't usually change it but this was a new location that we could only help this way.

So we began tonight at Penylan Library and community centre, we hadn't started here since Covid. A quick catch up chat between Michael (goodgym leader) and Dave (Albany runners leader) before their team joined them for the evening. It's not often we meet together, but we do share members..

We welcomed our newcomer to the group tonight Andre.

CROESO

Tonight we all met at the start location, first for a while. Rosie and Dylan were walking so started early, whilst the joggers waited for the full group.

Michael, Andre, Su and Abdullah were next, jogging the lovely route 2.6 km to the task.

It has to be said that this is a beautiful place to run, and no wonder so many running clubs usually start here. We passed two along the way, with Michael knowing of a third that starts up towards the top.

We chatted along the way, getting to know a bit more about each other. And taking in the sites of the pleasure gardens, then Roath lake. As Andre said, it's a lovely part of Cardiff.

Our task tonight, was helping the 84th scouts hut, clearing a lot of brambles and overgrowth in order to open up the car park.

Lights out of the bag

All Tooled up

We started scraping tarmac to clear soil and weeds, trying our best to find the end of the tarmac. Julian had a hedge trimmer to take out the worst, unfortunately the battery died early on.

But we don't accept defeat, so Loppers choppers and all the oppors to work....

Opportunities that is.....

Brambles we churned to bits and the shovels and forks raked them out, before the leaf grabber, mastered by Su carried the waste to the relevant corner.

It was team work as always that got us through a great workout of a task. Especially the Andre squats with his shovel whilst leaf grabber Su got the bulk loads....

Soon the corner of garden waste was a nice tall pile, proving a good 30 minutes of volunteering.

It was a good energetic task tonight, but the difference from start to finish made the run back glorious.

As Autumn approaches, 10 goodgymers take the opportunity for one last task before the need of running lamps.

Walkers and runners met at the Glassworks and took two different routes to the task. Whilst the cyclists met us directly there.

Tonight was a return to St. Paul's Church and community centre, to help finish the tidy and trim, with a little bit of painting thrown in for good measure.

The runners were the first to arrive, so they had pick of the tasks. Dylan, Darcey and Jonathan were our keen choppers, taking on the tasks of removing all growth from the in front of the railings.

Soon, joined by our cyclists and still 5 minutes early, Dylan and Rosie made their way over to clean up the sides of the building. Although completed 4 weeks previous, by goodgym, the recent rain had brought down a lot of moss and vegetation from the roofs.

Bang on time, the walking group arrived. Emma and Martin joined Michael to help cut down some of the cut bush even smaller to make more room in the green bin. Neda and Su went straight to painting....

Just like the Forth Bridge, the railings here seem to be a never ending painting job...... But we don't mind. Unusually, we managed to find a gate that we have never painted, so this was the focus for the painting team. Emma and Martin joined to increase numbers, and it became a task that we had to complete.

Highlights of the evening, Darcey giving tree vibes with her branches, Dylan and his blooper moment as he became the bush he was cutting (it fell on his head) and of course Jonathan and his pure joy of getting his flag photo that he thought we were only doing when he didn't attend.... As if we'd do that.

Tonight's tasks were all completed to the soundtracks from the new Zumba group in the hall, along with many whoops and yeahs. Who knew Zumba was still going strong?

We went over the allocated time slightly, finishing all tasks at 19:40, with just enough time for a photo (minus Rosie). Jonathan finally got his picture with the flag... Twice.