A Hornchurch gardening community that cleaned up their streets in an attempt to combat littering has received a grant from the National Lottery.
Residents on neighbouring roads, Harwood Avenue and Oak Glen, came together to smarten up their roads.
Lisa Schofield of Harwood Avenue began a neighbourhood watch to make her community a "nicer place to live in".
Lisa said: "We've worked really hard on our roads. It's been a street success for both roads."
"It's our community coming together to make our roads better than they were and feeling a sense of pride in our area."
Lisa started running coffee and cake mornings every three months to in a bid to get her neighbours involved in the community clean up.
After tidying alleyways and clearing roads of weeds, the residents hard work was recognised at the It's Our Neighbourhood competition last September.
It was their first time entering and they received level 5 outstanding - the highest level achievable.
After their success at It's Our Neighbourhood, Lisa decided to apply for a grant from the National Lottery to help the community continue to keep their streets neat and tidy.
On April 5 she received confirmation that they had won a grant total of £9,501.
"I was so excited. I couldn't believe it," said Lisa.
"Everything in that grant will sustain us for a long time. Every penny is accounted for."
The grant will help provide gardening equipment and all the necessities needed for planting.
The community will be entering It's Our Neighbourhood again this year and are hopeful of banking another level 5 outstanding achievement.
They will also be entering the Our Community competition for the first time. They will be judged against other communities where bronze, silver and gold awards are up for grabs.
Lisa added: "I'm hopeful with what we've done.
"I'm quite confident but you can never tell."
Reflecting on what has been achieved over the last year, Lisa described a sense of "good community involvement".
She said: "It's feeling a sense of pride in our area and our community coming together to make our roads better than they were."
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