What time is it?

It's goodgym TIME

At our usual start location of the Glassworks, we met walkers and joggers alike. We gave a great BIG goodgym welcome to our newest member - Mel. Glad that you could make it along.

CROESO

3 cyclists, 5 meeting us there, 2 walkers and 4 runners in total making a good 14 volunteers ready to help the SAMYE foundation once again. It's always a pleasure to return to this charity, one of our originals from the days that we started up in Cardiff.

Today, there was an extra suprise and our mascot for the task - ROSIE.

As per, there was a whiteboard list waiting for us when we arrived, and whilst everyone (mostly Jonathan) were busy with the dog, Michael had a quick walk around with Lorraine to see the big jobs.

On the list for tonight was,

• Hammer a drawer front back on in the Dolma flat.
• Saw the curtain poles to size in the Tara room.
• Clean building 252 - mop the floor, clean the bannisters.
• Put a pick axe together - brand new from the box.
• Sweep under the gazebo and collect all of the leaves and soil that have fallen.
• Weed around the doors in the front.
• move the chair and table in able to turn over the rug in the counciling room.
• Finally - the BIG JOB, dig up the large daisies, lavender, rosemary plants that have spread too much in the back garden.

Plenty to be getting on with, so lets split up and get to it.

David went straight to sorting out the drawer, Jonathan wanted nothing but the saw.

Mel and Neda got gloved up and were after all of the leaves.

Dylan and Rosie got to cleaning those doorways.

Turn around, Michael and Jenny. It was rug time.

Llion and Dylan were on cleaning duties, quietly due to sessions going on.

David then joined Lucy, Darren and Emily for the pick axe session out back. First to break down the roots, so that the spades and forks could be used to try and dig out as much as possible.

There was even a bit of extra time for Jenny & Llion to weed the vegetable beds and find some potatoes.

Before we knew it it was time to down tools and head inside for a treat of home made soup from Lorraine. Will the dog be here next time we visit? You'll have to join us to see....

Our second week back with Cwtch Together, helping them with the move around.

6 joggers and 7 walkers, made their ways to the wonderful charity. There was talk of the weekend, where some of us had gone to experience the Butetown festival. The conversations of Xmas also came up, but only for planning of our party, and even our 10th birthday celebrations next May.

Once at the hall we were welcomed by Sarah, back in between her Bon Jovi tours.

Our tasks for the evening, to move the items moved last week into there new store room. A group in the store was sorting items into groups making them easier to find for activities. We had a couple outside, weeding the path and finally, a group washing and drying a couple of boxes of toys.

Time flew by, even Michael lost track whilst helping drying toys. Lucy and Emily took to the Blue Raz dip and lick, ending with their blue tongues and lips.

Smurfs anyone?

Another wonderful task, ending with a quick conversation about Halloween and if our annual fancy dress run could be to Cwtch again - watch this space.
Join us next week for a return to Samye.
Find out about Samye, how we've helped in the past and sign up for next week here

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.

Only our second time helping out at Colum Road, the age assessment hostel in Cardiff. On what had been forecast as a possibly very wet evening, we were very happily surprised to have the rain wait until our task and run were over.

8 GoodGymers met at Glassworks, on Wharton Street. Michael planned a run that would still allow for a run close to 5km total, there and back, even though the task location was pretty close by.

We had a lovely jog to the task, chatting to each other about recent events, parties and gatherings.

After 20 minutes, we arrived at the task location. Michael had already been here once today, as he dropped down some tools for the team to use from his full time job with The Salvation Army. They were met by Tari, his beaming friendly smile welcoming them into the hostel.

Our task tonight had a few different jobs,

• Weed the gravel out back
• Tidy up the leaf fall
• Remove the Christmas lights we put on the railings last visit
• Wipe down the tables and chairs
• Cut down the buddleja
• Weed the front of the building

Our eager volunteers had no problem smashing out the tasks, working methodically through the list. Ruth and Lucy were top of the group for fun tonight with the cordless leaf blower.

Once the back yard was complete, everyone was sent out front to help cut down the pieces of buddleja to fit in the garden waste bag. Unfortunately, the green bin was still full at the hostel, so some last minute plans were put into place.

30 minutes soon went by, and after a group photo taken by Tari, it was time to head back.