On a pleasant spring evening seven of Goodgym's finest met to help Wanstead Community Gardeners and ran 5km in the process.

Now that spring has finally sprung there is plenty to do in the flower beds and gardens around Wanstead and we were once again back with our favourite community gardener, Marian. Armed with trowls, spades, forkers and pruners the group headed to the area next to Wanstead Station to help cut back some of the winter growth and help Marian make the place look pretty again.

With the team working on laying stepping stones, pruning trees, digging up dead plants and sawing off branches soon the area was transformed. In fact some of the team didnt know their own strength and Trainer James managed to break the handle off a fork - sorry Marian!

With the hard work done there was one last task to do - plant some wild flower seeds at a spot we had cleared during the winter months at Snaresbrook station. And all that was left was a lovely run around Eagle pond and some easy stretching back at base.

Well done to Devon for making her first visit to Goodgym. Hopefully we will see you next week! To all the others, LOVE your work and see you next week :)

If you want to get involved in making the area a nicer place and get fit at the same time, you can sign up here

On a cool but pleasant spring evening, seven of Goodgym Redbridge's finest runners met to help out Wanstead Community Gardeners and ran 7km in the process.

It's been a while since the team got stick in with Marian and Wanstead Community Gardeners, so when we got an email asking if we could help with a BIG task we jumped at the chance. Marian and her team, reclaim bits of unloved land around Wanstead and Snaresbrook and transform them into havens of colour and beauty. We've been working with her for almost two years and we are proud to run past things we have help make happen in the local streets.

This week's task involved digging up plants at the Alan Burgess Centre - hope to AgeUK and right on Wanstead High Street. With seven runners in attendance and the briefing done it was a short jog down to the centre to meet Marian. Armed with forks and spades the group set about digging up plants, which will be moved to planters near the station, and clearing a flower bed for new top soil and planting in the next few weeks.

With sleeves rolled up and sweat on brows the team worked hard to get the deep rooted plants out and the beds cleared and within 45 minutes the job was done, the tools were returned and some trellis was brought up to the centre. A great task and one that would have taken Marian a week to do on her own. Go team!

With all the hard work done, it was time to shake out the legs with a pleasant run around Eagle Pond! Job done!