All that was needed to make the magic happen tonight was in the word ch**ch all along... & with our 'organ'isational skills we got the task done!

21 Goodgymers helped their local community in Cardiff
Lydia
Michael
Emma Wilkins
Benjamin Annear
Fiona Guy
Ellen
Su Fernandez
Lowri Davies
Aimee Giles
Adam
Emma Hughes-McEwan
Rosie
David McCullough
Sophie Hughes
Nic
Andrew Skelton
Emily Cotterill
Adam Hammond
Sophie Hastings
Louise Evans
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Cardiff

Tuesday 29th January 2019

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Benjamin Annear
Benjamin Annear

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Report written by Benjamin Annear

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21 runners turned up to GoodGym tonight with a plan to accomplish Cardiff's January Challenge target and be the ONLY GoodGym in Wales to reach over 200 good deeds!

They are going to write about this run for years to come… the day that GoodGym Cardiff, for a second time, reached their January Challenge target (And this time Mikey’s legs will still be working into February!). It’s fair to say that there have been a number of obstacles that we had to overcome to reach this goal, from Darren planning a skiing holiday, the GoodGym offices running out of missions to meet our demand, Mat having to attend lectures on a Tuesday evening, and finally, to Martin having to lecture on a Tuesday evening (He’s also battling his upset at not winning a tweet off yet… but your time will come Martin!!!). Despite all these challenges… WE DID IT!!!

So now back to this evening’s run. As Big Moose remains closed, our friends at Run and Become have again agreed for us to use their shop as a meeting point. The store is wonderful and the staff are always welcoming. There was 1 new runner who turned up to GoodGym this week… Welcome Adam!!! - Adam you looked fierce on this evening’s run… choosing to run in the speedy group and running gallantly. We also celebrated Lowri reaching the 50 good deed milestone. Well done Lowri, you’re inspirational. Lowri has earned good deeds helping out community projects throughout Cardiff and also helping the isolated older members of our community; Lowri has now achieved the special black GoodGym t-shirt and a badge to wear on tonight's run – Wahooooooo!

This week we split into two groups to run to the task; The Sexy Runners - Runners who are renown for consciously thinking about their form and technique as they run through the lands of Cardiff. The Speedy Gonzales - Runners known for their speed and finesse… Blink and you will miss them.

After running the streets of Cardiff for 20 minutes, regrouping at the traffic lights, we made it to St Edward's Church.

Welcome back GoodGym!

Kathie from Forget-Me-Not welcomed us with the warmest of smiles. She let us catch our breath and told us about the wonderful organisation she helps run. Forget-Me-Not provide a friendly and welcoming environment, suitable for people with memory problems and their carers. They also support people recovering from a stroke or people who feel isolated and vulnerable. Click here for more information.

Kathie explained that our task for this evening would be to move all of the chairs from the main church floor (the nave) to the area that leads up to the alter (the chancel). The nave would then need to be hoovered, mopped, dried and then the chairs would need to be returned back to their original positions. In addition, the bushes in the church gardens are becoming out of control (not to the same extent as Jumanji, but like Ben’s hair last week, it needs a cut).

With clear instructions, enthusiasm and determination running through our veins we immediately got to work. All 21 runners began moving the chairs, making light work of it as they went. Then a team of moppers are hooverers got to work, coordinating their efforts so they could work as effectively as possible. Andrew grabbed a rag and fell to his hands and knees… he then began drying the floor as quick as he was able, he looked like Danielson from Karate kid “Wax on Wax off”, but there was no wax… Su was lunging whilst hoovering and her and Fiona also began playing robot wars with their hoovers (Su's hoover even had flashing lights)... Fiona was reassuring Henry the Hoover that he didn't need lights to be accepted and that his beaming smile is enough.

25 Minutes later the floor was clean, gleaming one might say, and the chairs were all in their original positions. 3 bags of garden waste got filled and there were smiles all round!

Thank you GoodGym – You’re amazing and you make light work of a task that we wouldn’t be able to ourselves

Kathie offered us some biscuits as we left as a thank you and also to give us some energy for the run back. Our run back was quick and well-coordinated. We ran back as one group with Mikey leading the pack and Emma double barrel back marking.

We made it back to Run and Become for 8 for our cool down and to reflect on the evening’s run.

Well done Ben and Emma who came up with the Pun for the Run! You both share the virtual & imaginary RunPunStiltskin award - that's 3.5 days each!


This task supported
Forget-me-not Cafe and gardening club
Cafe open for 2 hours a week [but grounds always open] for people living with dementia and their cares, people recovering from stroke, those who are at risk of becoming isolated or lonely

We provide a safe, friendly space for people to meet, have musical entertainment, play table tennis, play draughts, chat, colour, do some art and now wish to extend to provide gardening as therapy. To the latter end we need to clear out a cellar of various bits of rubbish and make it into a storeroom for pots, gardening equipment etc.

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