GoodGymn is encouraging people to get involved with their local club to boost mental health.

Pairing fitness with volunteering, the club runs to nearby community projects to complete tasks for local organisations.

Emma Sperring, the GoodGym Trainer for Swindon said: “Our group is a wonderful place for people to go and make friends and socialise as a group, which really helps your mental health."

The group meets every Tuesday at the Better Oasis Leisure Centre at 6pm, for a group run or walk to a local not-for-profit organisation.

Mrs Sperring spoke as part of Mental Health Month, which the Adver is celebrating along with BBC Wiltshire and its Mental Wealth calendar for May.

Each day highlights a different activity which is beneficial to mental health, and today highlights lending a hand to those around you.

"It gives you that opportunity to chat to other like-minded people when completing a task and just have fun and connect, said Mrs Sperring.

"Last night we had quite a challenging and tricky task at a nursery, and this caused much laughter amongst the volunteers.

"It is that socialising and bringing people together which can maintain your mental health," she added.

“Also our volunteers really appreciate it when we finish a task, and that sense of achievement can be particularly good for boosting your mental state,” added Mrs Sperring.

“We’re constantly bombarded with stuff these days that we should be doing, and often we don’t have time to finish things.

"But with GoodGymn we all do a task together and finish it, which is lovely,” she said.

Mrs Sperring organises the weekly 45 minute tasks, which range from gardening and painting to digging, clearing items for good causes.

The group recently went to The Heaven Day Centre, run by Swindon Night Shelter to transform their outdoor area.

“It was very rewarding to see the difference we have made in a short time,” said Mrs Sperring

“And it is all down to team working too. That working closely together to get things done as a group, rather than on your own individually,” she added.

Helen Saville, a Task Force volunteer, has been involved with the Swindon group from its start.

"It's great because if you’ve had a bad day at work or whatever, you come along and you have such a laugh and it’s great.

"People are so grateful for the stuff you’ve done,” she said.

Goodgym Swindon has approximately 80 members, and is part of a national charity which boasts 50 groups across the UK, with Swindon as number 45.

The group also works with the wider community to boost mental health generally, by going on mission runs and coach runs.

These involve running to someone’s house to help complete domestic tasks or make social visits to isolated individuals and older people in the community.

“This can be wonderful for the mental health of the people we help," said Mrs Sperring

"Just being able to talk to someone, lots of people don’t have that opportunity and we might be the only person they see or speak to all weak,” she added.

The group receives referrals from other local organisations including Swindon Borough Council, and are always looking for new people to help or who might need companionship.

“Everyone is a volunteer, running and doing good in their own time," added Mrs Sperring.

"We're not a running club - the group is completely free. We all run together as one big group and support each other.

“We cater for all abilities, from beginners to more experienced runners," she said.

The club will celebrate its first-year anniversary in Swindon on 6 August, with a group run dressed as superheroes with capes.

“People do call as that as we run to places, doing good,” added Mrs Sperring

“It’s a win-win. You do good in the community, and you keep fit,” said Mrs Saville.

To join the group visit https://www.goodgym.org/areas/swindon