This is a sponsored article on behalf of London City Airport.
"Three words to sum up this amazing place have got to be its community, its history, and its aspiration."
That's what Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking & Dagenham Council, tells us as we stand amid the ruins of Barking Abbey. Built in 666 and once one of England's wealthiest nunneries, it certainly testifies to the borough's historical significance — as does the fact that we're a mere stone's throw from the possible birthplace of Guy Fawkes' infamous gunpowder plot.
But the borough is by no means stuck in the past as we discovered filming the latest episode of our new video series with London City Airport — Beyond Zone 1. If you're only just tuning in, this is a chance to check out the wonderfully eclectic boroughs on the airport's doorstep.
So far, we've been to Greenwich, Newham, and Waltham Forest. Now, we edge further east to Barking & Dagenham. So watch us explore the community arts scene, sample local cuisine, and even indulge in a spot of crazy golf.
