Hidden behind years of invasive ivy, the grave of George Henry Williams, who died in 1905 aged 42, is slowly revealed as a Green Gym volunteer yanks and pulls the tough tyrant from this final resting place.

“You never forget the name of the first person,” Tracey Craig tells me from this dense spot at The Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene in East Ham, which doubles as the East Ham Nature Reserve. “Mine was George Westhrope. It’s like you give them light for that moment in time before nature takes over again.”

The concept, originally developed in the late ‘90s by Oxford-based GP Dr William Bird with the charity BTCV (formerly the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers), Green Gyms aims to improve both your health and the environment simultaneously. Over the years, stroke victims, people with mental health issues, and those suffering from addictions have all benefited from the scheme by participating, alongside those who just want to improve their fitness without the treadmills and spin classes and put something back in the community.

While many Green Gyms are still run by the BTCV and some in partnership with local primary care trusts, this particular outlet in Newham is now run entirely by volunteers.

Frances Ostroff, who led the session I joined last week, has been coming along for six years, after her friend spotted a leaflet in a doctor’s surgery.

Describing the area as her “second garden”, Frances sings the praises of the project, saying: “It’s good for your body and mind and it gets me out on days when I would be indoors. I love it, I try not to miss it.”

She also believes they offer a unique opportunity for victims of today’s credit crunch. “This would be ideal for unemployed people,” she enthuses. “It proves you can be consistent and committed to something, and if it’s on your CV it can improve your job prospects.”

Tracey, who lives in Ilford, came to her first meet last July as part of her dissertation research for her anthropology degree, but has never left. Accompanied by her 15-year-old daughter, it is an emotional session for Tracey as a promotion at work means she will no longer be able to go along on Wednesdays. “They are like my family,” she smiles.

With a range of ages, backgrounds and abilities, it’s amazing to think how a bit of green maintenance can bring such a diverse group together, but after a couple of hours of mucking in and getting to know everyone it’s clear why they keep coming back. While the physical benefits become abundantly clear as I wrestle with a particularly feisty vine, the psychological benefits are just as obvious, and I leave with a smile on my face, a spring in my step and a ladybird in my hair.

The Newham Green Gym meets on Wednesdays, and every first and third Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm. For more information call Mike Wilson on 020 8471 4257, email mjw1@onetel.com or visit www.btcv.org.uk