Another lovely day in Cardiff as 10 volunteers got together to Get Active and Do Good.

Tonight, we had 7 runners from our start location, 1 cyclist and 2 walkers. It was a lovely evening to be out and about helping, and we had a celebration too.

Jonathan hit a milestone as we celebrated 50 good deeds.

Big Congratulations

As always, we arrived at Samye to smiles and a table of water, just what you want after a lovely run. We had a quick chat whilst rehydrating and catching our breath. Then it was time to get busy and help, there was a list of tasks and a group of willing volunteers - the perfect combination.

They had been very busy indeed since our last visit to Samye and were part way through a build of what will be a lovely pond. They had broken through the brick, rubble and dug down, piling it all around the sides. Still tome to do in the middle, which we could also help with if there was time, but for now the most important thing was to help, tidy up and move those heavy bags. After all, many hands make light work.

Our tasks for the evening.

• Put all the rubble into sacks
• Move around to the side of the building
• Vacuum hall, stairs and office in building 252
• Sweep up around the pond
• Sand the wall around the new fire door

It was all go, Dylan went straight to his friend HENRY to clean up that building. Imy and Natasha got their sand on, shimmying and shaking around the door frame. The rest of us, well it was manic - spades moving rubble and soil into sacks, people carrying bricks, moving bags once full....a little more of the pond was also dug out. After 30 minutes of good old hard work, the pond was looking good, and we had certainly "Done GOOD".

We popped inside for a bit of a social and a little soup, before heading back to the city.

Join us next week - all are welcome --> Sign Up Here

Tonight was a special run in Cardiff, as we celebrated Darren on his very special

200th Task

This can mean only ONE thing, it's time for the CAPE

We had our usual mix of groups tonight, with some walkers and joggers and a couple running like the wind - that's the power of the cape! We were heading out to help at the Samye foundation again, and as usual they had prepared a list for us.

• Move a plinth from the hall to the shed
• Move containers from the office into the attic
• Change the posters in the display cabinets
• Vacuum building 252 with good ol' Henry
• Wash the ground floor outside windows and ledges
• Put out all rubbish and recycling.

Thankfully there was a good number of us tonight, as 13 volunteers got active and cleared the list of tasks in good time. Dylan and Henry became great friends as the floor and stairs were spotless. Darren and Andrew vanished into the attic along with the containers. Imy and Natasha got artistic with the poster displays - looking great. Emma, Aimee and Ellen moved the plinth in the blink of an eye. Lucy cleaned the mirror until you could see your face in it......wait, hold on a minute???? And then it was all hands to the windows, and ledges, Su, Martin, Llion and anyone else that was free joined to get rid of those smears...Ready for some filming I believe.

We even had time for an additional task as Darren donning his cape, mopped the hall until it was sparkling clean. We got together for some soup and soon to follow on the run - soup stitch. A great evening had by all, thanks you wonderful lot.

A nice turn out for our last group activity for the January Challenge....

We had them all tonight, runners, walkers and cyclists. Oh, how active we've been in Cardiff, well done team. Meeting at our usual place, we split into our groups and made our way to the task. We all made good time, meaning we could get to volunteering faster. Our task, to tidy up all of the leaves, and there were a lot that had also been there all Winter - pungent is probably the word to use.

Gloves all around tonight, very necessary - separating the trash into recycling bags and then the leaves into red bags, we got to work. Martin went over to sweep a different area with the help of Ben and Lucy collecting, Llion tidying up around a parked car whilst the rest of the group tackled the mound of leaves by the back door.

The odd worm or two were found enjoying themselves in the heap, doing what they do.

Learning TIME

• There are 31 species of earthworm known to occur in natural environments within the British Isles, though only 29 species are known to occur in Great Britain.
• Earthworms have been called ‘ecosystem engineers’.
• Earthworms play an important role in breaking down dead organic matter in a process known as decomposition. Decomposition releases nutrients locked up in dead plants and animals and makes them available for use by living plants.
• Earthworms are also responsible for mixing soil layers and incorporating organic matter into the soil.

#Original Title ALERT

On a night of Seasonal Shopping, a big WALES football game and The Prodigy playing in Cardiff, it was very VERY busy. Thankfully, most people made it through the traffic in time for the run, with a few additional goodgymers meeting us at the task for the volunteering.
6 of us went for a run tonight, just about making it through the crowds. A nice 5km run around the bay and away from all of the people, a nice bit of serenity.

Our end location tonight, different to our start, was a great cafe - Muffin Break, ready to get busy making our last set of paper chain sets for the CAMHS at Christmas organisation.

As Michael SMASHED 2 Muffins

The happy goodgym elves got to work creating the paper chain packs, writing jokes on the paper, some with additional seasonal stamps. There were coloured pens, ink stamps and paper flying everywhere until the final whistle went - the task was coming to an end. Everything was collected together and packed away, and the crew got into pose formation for the final group photo.
Our volunteer task was over, and now it was time for a quick social before heading home.
Join us next week as we write 'Cards for Care Homes' and make a few for the organisations that we have worked with this year.
Get Creative, Get Crafty..... GET GOODGYM
Check Listings

Our Winter change has come in again, we met up as usual and stored away our bags before heading out for a nice run. Tonight, we did an out and back run for 45 minutes, and then got back together to do the task for the rest of the evening (and a little longer for some of us).

The task

Cut out strips from the Xmas wrapping paper (provided by AA Michael) and then on each one write a joke. The strips are being packaged into groups of 50 and then will become a pack for a young person in a CAMHS ward to make their paper chain.

Paper chains, as well as being an awesome decorations that are suitable for most CAMHS units, symbolise connectedness. For young people in CAMHS units it’s really important to feel connected to the outside world and to not feel forgotten. Making these special paper chains, which will be a team effort between the community and the young people on CAMHS wards, is a real opportunity to provide a tangible reminder of that we are all still connected despite everything. >

TO WORK ELVES