In a roundabout way, making Wanstead a prettier place

On a pleasant winter evening, six of Goodgym Redbridge's finest runners met to do good in the Wanstead and ran 7.5km in the process.

About a year ago, the Redbridge team got involved with Wanstead Community Gardeners to transform a roundabout outside The George Pub. As is often the case, the unloved ground had become a dumping ground for litter and unwanted items. The idea was that if it look liked a garden then maybe, just maybe, people would chuck rubbish in it. So the team set to work planting bulbs and shrubs and then they waited. And waited. And waited a bit more.

Come the spring, the shrubs had grown and the bulbs had emerged from their winter home. Gone was the rubbish tip and in its place a roundabout of wild flowers and plants.

While the roundabout is now established as a garden rubbish, sadly, still accumulates from time to time. Proud of what we have achieved there, we occasionally head to the site to stop the cans, crisp packets and plastic bags building up. And this is what we did last night. And it wasn't that bad, which may be proof that people are being more respectful of the space and putting rubbish in the bin.

With the task complete in double quick time, it was off to run a large loop of Wanstead and Snaresbrook via Eagle Lake. On return our resident physio, Ellie, treated us to a selection of stretches aimed at relieving back tension. Bravo Ellie!

Fancy getting involved? Why not join us next week when we head to Forest Recycling Project to mix some paint.