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.

After a very busy half marathon, and with some tired legs and muscles, we met for our usual goodgym Tuesday task.

Michael had already been out to test the route tonight, and had kept it shorter than usual to help those half marathon finishers with their recovery.

We ran out for 1.5km so 3km in all. Joining a Salvation Army hostel again, this time we were tidying the outside spaces ready to be decorated with lights to make them warm and festive.

Darren, Jake, Martin and Jenny got straight to work on the worst overgrown area. Darcey was mesmerised by the weed brush, taking great pleasure cleaning in between all of the paving slabs.

As the second group arrived, walkers, cyclists and an extra runner... Michael got them in to join the volunteers.

Rosie joined on the raised area, whilst Dylan, Dave and Emily started work on the seating area weeds.

Jake joined Nathan to tackle the buddleja plants trying to take over the front of the building.

Whilst all the groups got to work, Darren decided on the run report title, followed by an endless stream of Summer loving being played.... Martin found his new favourite item, the leaf blower... Oh it's loud.

As it was a shorter distance tonight we stayed slightly longer, the difference made was amazing and we have already had thanks from the hostel staff in emails.

As the darker evenings begin to creep in, 8 goodgymers were still keen get out for doing good.

A split group tonight, with 2 walkers, 2 cyclists and 4 joggers, Michael led those running on a windy route through the streets of Cardiff.

Tonight's task was back at St Edwards Church, for the Forget me not group. Helping to tidy up the grounds that had succumb to the brambles.

Runners were late to the party tonight, after a plaster stop for some rubbing shoes. The walkers had already picked jobs and were busy getting stuck in.

We had

Jenny on strimming, taking out huge amounts of bramble in no time at all.

Rosie had the Iovely job of planting bulbs in the newly created bed.

Jake and Lucy were in the street, tackling the growth through the fence.

Dylan, Dylan and Darcey. The 3 Ds, got to work on the brambles on the inside of the fence.

It got dark pretty quickly tonight, but the Church has outside lights and Michael had his body torch. Next week, our portable lights will make their return.....

Heavy Bag alert

After some serious bramble attacks we managed to compose ourselves enough for a group photo. We then headed our separate ways, cyclists one way and the rest jogging back to our start location.

See you next week, get signed up so that I know what tools to prep....

On a beautiful autumnal Saturday morning, it was time for the Memory Walk 2026 in support of the Alzheimer’s Society. The walk took place in Bute Park with options to walk either 2km or 6km.

Joining a large group of volunteers, I was allocated to supporting the merchandise stall selling a range of items from dog bandanas (most popular item) to pin badges and everything in between! It certainly tested my mental arithmetic when people were buying multiple items!

There were some inspiring people on the day, including a lady with early onset dementia, those that had lost people to this cruel disease and their carers. People join this event as they’ve been personally impacted by Alzheimer’s and it’s always an emotional one - especially seeing the memories attached to the memory tree.

Along with several other volunteers, we sold a great deal of merchandise that contributed to such a good cause. The Cardiff event alone was estimated to raise around £90k for the Alzheimer’s Society with an overall target total across all memory walks of £2m.

The day passed by quickly and when the final walker was over the line, we packed away the leftover merch ready for the next Memory Walk.

An utterly rewarding, if emotional, walk in the park.

A lovely evening for a trip to an allotment, the orchard harvest group had been invited to this allotment by a plot holder who didn't want their fruit to go to waste. As they were looking for volunteers, and one of the people managing the group is a GoodGymer from old, Michael signed up to the session.

It was great fun as 3 of us used the fruit pickers to get as many apples as we could. 3 crates full by the end of the hour, to be used at the celebrations at Global Gardens coming up this weekend. (26th September)

You can see what they get up to here

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.