What a celebration, goodgym CYMRU, we hit our EIGHT anniversary. Starting back on May 23rd, 2017, running to a community garden space, and here we after 8 years running to one of our regular community growing spaces Global Gardens.

We are very proud of how many community green spaces we have helped over those 8 years, and hope to continue the fight to keep Cardiff as green as possible.

Our groups tonight had cyclists, walkers and runners all making their way to Global Gardens. It was a great run through the park, a great way to spend our celebration run before the weather changes. Michael had both his goodgym and global gardens hat on tonight, as he got everyone into the site and ready to volunteer. Although the weather was due to change, there was still plenty of watering to do. The polytunnel needed a good soaking, as did plenty of potted new plants that were dotted around. We also had a second group tooled up and ready to get back to the removal of brambles and bindweed, people on wheelbarrow duty to run the weeds back and forth to the designated compost pile.

We had some returns tonight as we welcomed back Benjamin and Lucy, with the lovely baby Eliza and goodgym bunny. (is this a new mascot?)

After 30 minutes of volunteering (and baby holding), we were done and it was time for our group photos. We made our plans for afterwards to continue the celebrations with a few drinks and some food, and a catch up with each other.

You gotta roll with it - You get take your time - You gotta say what you say - Don't let cricketers get in your way.

10 wonderful goodgymers got together to help our lovely community orchard. You can see their facebook page here, originally set up as a response to park vandalism this project will hopefully be one for future generations to come.

As we are still going through one of the driest Springs for decades, goodgym made the plan to help the orchard trees survive, some planted only last year and some more recently this year. Michael went to speak with the wonderful Mel in her Cafe - The Secret Garden about the task and pick up some aqua rolls.

To increase the challenge, we asked runners to try part of the run with the aqua rolls - Darren was nearly rolling in the deep, as Emily rolled straight past him. Jonathan was certainly ready to let the good times roll.

Each aqua roll holds 40 litres of water, and as the tap for the orchard use was 350m away from the orchard, these would make the task at hand a lot easier. With nearly 50 trees to water this would take a spectacular 500 litres of water to get enough down into the scorched soil. Thankfully the trees are all mulched so the water won't evaporate easily.

We split into teams of water runners and water givers, two aqua rolls, watering can and a lot of energy. With 5 trips back and forth, three people each time, we covered a total of 5km alone on the task and over 500 litres of water. Each runner had a break whilst the team got to watering the trees, and importantly remembering which trees had been done.

After a lot of strange looks from the cricket teams playing in the field, and some questions from them as we left, the task was complete and we were making our way for a catch up in the local.

A shout out to all that came today, they were in dire need of volunteers this week. Michael spotted this early and gave a shout out on the WhatsApp group, and then again on a night out at the Musical Rave.

Our 6 volunteers helped to get to the number allowing the event to go ahead.

A great turn out for the event with a whopping 169 runners on the course. 23 first timers and 41 new PBs.

A coffee and a chat afterwards before heading away for another week.

Join us Tuesday for some rail painting... Get signed up here