February 2020

A local knitting group has raised £900 for the Wanstead Night Shelter by selling the items they make.

Social Knitworks, which meets Wednesday evenings at The Cuckfield, also celebrated their first anniversary last month. “Over the last 12 months, we have donated countless items to Whipps Cross Hospital for babies in need as well as cat blankets to the Celia Hammond Animal Trust. But our biggest achievement has to be raising nearly £900 for Wanstead’s Night Shelter,” said a group spokesperson.

Visit wnstd.com/knit

There is still time to apply to compete in this year’s Redbridge’s Got Talent, which is being held to raise funds for the Redbridge Mayor’s Charity Appeal.

“All ages and talents are welcome to apply. The show will be held at the Sir James Hawkey Hall in Woodford Green on 26 April from 5pm. All proceeds from the show will go to two brilliant local charities, Healthy Living Projects– which works with homeless people to get their lives back on track – and Imagine Independence – which works with people with mental health issues,” said a spokesperson for the event.

There is no charge to enter the competition and the overall winner will receive a £500 prize.

Call 07712 516 424 or email redbridgesgottalent@gmail.com by 7 March.

Last year’s event raised over £25,000 and was won by Karan’s Bollywood Masterclass.

The volunteer team of organisers of Art Trail Wanstead are having a well-deserved rest this September after 10 years of running the large, community visual art event.

But, to keep the local art scene alive, there are likely to be some pop-up art displays to enjoy this year instead, with details to be announced at a later date. And Art Group Wanstead members are again set to have a strong presence at September’s Wanstead Festival. “Having a break will give us time to plan for the years ahead,” said a statement from the organisers.

Last September, about 150 artists showed work at 70 venues.

The group, which has over 300 members, is continuing to offer free membership to artists – professionals and amateurs who have a strong connection to the local area – for its future plans.

Visit artgroupwanstead.com

Youngsters interested in becoming a Royal Air Force cadet are invited to join a new recruit course at 241 (Wanstead & Woodford) Squadron, starting on 4 March.

“On the night there will be a presentation on the opportunities that the squadron provides for cadets, a separate briefing for parents… and a tour of the premises… The cost of the course is £30, which is refundable if you do not join at the end of the course, which is eight Wednesdays long, and gives you a chance to see if you like the squadron,” said Squadron Leader Jerry Godden.

Cadets can expect to take part in a wide range of activities, including flying, gliding and shooting. The cadet centre is located at the rear of 85–87 Finchingfield Avenue in Woodford Green. All new recruits need to be in Year 8 or above.

Visit swvg.co.uk/241

An expert from the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) attended the February meeting of the Redbridge Tinnitus Support Group – which meets in Woodford Green – to answer questions and discuss the latest research into the condition.

“Tinnitus can be an isolating condition, and we’re keen to spread the word that there are management techniques that can help a person lead the best life they can, and to reduce the burden of living with this problem,” said BTA volunteer Colette Bunker. Around one in eight people suffer from persistent tinnitus, which is defined as the experience of sounds with no external source, most commonly ringing or buzzing.

The Redbridge Tinnitus Support Group meets on the last Monday of every month.

Call 020 8551 7700

In the 20th of a series of articles charting the Wild Wanstead project, Susie Knox reports on a new initiative to stop the decline in British insects and encourages us all to help

Insects. Love them or loathe them, we certainly need to look after them – they are, after all, the foundation of life on Earth. That’s why one sunny lunchtime back in November, I nipped to the Museum of London to join the launch of a new report into the state of insect life in Britain.

It is known that insects are in calamitous decline across the world – ‘insectageddon’ as it has been termed by the newspapers. In 2017, a study reported that flying insects had declined by around 75% in the last 25 years on German nature reserves. But what is the situation in the UK and how should we all be responding? Those are the questions addressed by Insects and Why They Matter, a report by leading entomologist Professor Dave Goulson.

Considering their importance, there is remarkably little data monitoring insect populations. One of the best-studied groups in the world is British butterflies. Our common butterflies have declined by about half over the last 40 years, and despite conservation efforts, numbers of those needing specialist habitats have fallen by 77%. Over a similar period, the ranges of wild bees and hoverflies have shrunk dramatically. There are now large areas of the country where many species are no longer able to live.

This is bad news for birds, bats, lizards, amphibians, fishes and the many other creatures that rely on insects for food. And it’s bad news for us humans too. Insects perform an important function controlling pests on our crops. They help old material decay, recycling nutrients into the soil, and they pollinate the plants we eat. Three-quarters of food crops need insects. No insects mean no tomatoes, apples, coffee and even chocolate.

According to the report, there are three main reasons why insects are declining in Britain: loss of habitat, the intensification of farming and the use of pesticides. Nearly 17,000 tons of pesticides are sprayed on farms every year – not to mention all the chemicals used by councils and homeowners. According to DEFRA, every hectare of arable land in the UK receives 17 applications of pesticide each year.

With less habitats, fewer flowers and an environment contaminated with poison, it’s not surprising our insects are dying. But there is still time to make a difference. Many insects may have reduced range but they are still in existence, so there is scope to rejuvenate their populations. There are two main strategies proposed for addressing this: stopping all routine and unnecessary use of pesticides and creating more and better connected insect-friendly habitats in our gardens, towns, cities and countryside. So, with this in mind, what can individuals do to help? Here are a few ideas to consider:

Never apply pesticides in our gardens.

Use every bit of outdoor space we have to create a habitat for wildlife. Greening up driveways, installing green roofs, planting trees, shrubs and pollinator-friendly flowers in our gardens, and leaving some areas to get a bit wilder.

Email the council to ask them to stop using pesticides and support the creation of more wild areas (like the new Grow Zones, which are slowly being established on verges and parks in Wanstead).

Buy organic food where possible.

Sign petitions asking the government to act.

According to Insects and Why They Matter, ecosystem crashes due to a critical loss of insect abundance and diversity are a real and present threat to society, but they are not inevitable. Insect declines in the UK are mainly caused by a loss of habitat in which to thrive, and the use of pesticides on farmland, urban green spaces and gardens. These can be addressed without major economic or cultural cost. It just needs all of us to act.

In the seventh of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, Janet West explains the operation of their user involvement service Voices of Experience

Voices of Experience is Age UK’s user involvement service, which has been established in Redbridge since 2004. It was set up to enable older people to have their say on a number of issues that affect their daily lives. The service consists of a questionnaire group and a citizens panel of 15 members, who meet monthly for discussion and to hear from speakers from the council, Clinical Commissioning Groups and other statutory and voluntary organisations.

The coordinator of the service engages with older people through questionnaires, face-to-face discussions with groups of older people, as well as one-to-one phone discussions, so people get the chance to have their views heard in a way that suits them. It might be about a current local authority consultation, for example, and their views can be given back to the council to ensure their voices are heard. Discussions are also held at the Allan Burgess Centre in Wanstead with older people who have popped in for a coffee and a chat or for lunch.

In fact, Alex Wilde and the Redbridge Rhymesters, who frequently attend the Allan Burgess Centre along with children from Snaresbrook Primary School, first got to know us through a chance discussion with me when I was the coordinator of the service. I had come across a poem of Alex’s and contacted her to ask permission for the poem to be used in the Voices of Experience newsletter. Alex was delighted and thereafter a wonderful relationship between Alex and Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering was established!

Sometimes, the group participates in Age UK’s campaigns, most notably on improving social care, accessible transport and tackling loneliness. The panel has met with MPs at Westminster and been given the chance to question them on their plans for social care. The photo shows panel members Pearl and Bert – both very active members of the group for many years – during the campaign ‘On the Buses’, which was aimed at making bus travel safer for older people by providing appropriate training for drivers to help prevent falls on buses. (Bert sadly passed away recently, but remained an active member up until the end of 2019.)

Members of the group have said it makes them feel valued and listened to and some have been with us for many years. There is now a new coordinator in post, Pat Fitzsimons, as I have moved on to another role in the organisation. Pat has some new and innovative ideas for the service and is looking forward to 2020 and new ways to include older people and give them a voice.

In the fourth of a series of articles, local photographer Geoff Wilkinson discusses his new exhibition – entitled ‘Quick! Before it goes’ – depicting London’s East End, an area which resonates with many residents here

Preparing a new photography exhibition about London’s East End for my Wanstead gallery invariably involves a lot of walking. Cold, dark, wet nights are my preference as the light from street lamps, shops and traffic bounces in the rain and reflects on the pavements and roads, filling the pictures with energy and life, unlike daylight.

The other thing I can’t resist is an alleyway or a street with a curious name; in this case, it was Park Lane. The very name conjured up for me mental images of grand hotels and luxurious apartments overlooking London’s Hyde Park. This particular Park Lane, however, is just off Stratford High Street and is a wonderful example of the old and the new.

As you can see from the photograph, at the north end of this short road stands an old, small, white-painted building now used as a house of worship. Surrounded and dwarfed by its modern neighbours, the photograph shows a prime example of how change continues. Like the Thames that flows through it, the East End also changes continuously, albeit at a slower pace than the river.

The Huguenots, Jewish and Asian families have all passed through Spitalfields over generations. When the East India, West India and King George docks were working at their frenzied height, ships from all over the world were unloading passengers and cargo, adding to the mix of nationalities and languages. Not really surprising then that change continues, although at a faster pace, with architecture changing dramatically as well.

What I want to discover before they disappear are the buildings, streets and alleyways our parents and grandparents grew up in. There must be many more places for me to find, discover and photograph, so the search will continue.

Purchasing property and getting married are key events that prompt the need to update your will, but there are other circumstances you may not have considered, says Hollie Skipper of Wiseman Lee Solicitors

It is no surprise that many people only make one will during their lifetime. The prospect of discussing your personal affairs with a solicitor can be unsettling or you may simply not have the time. While changes to your address and changes to the names and addresses of beneficiaries do not often create a problem, why might you need to change your will?

The most popular reason is a change within a family relationship. Not including someone in your will who ought to reasonably expect to benefit is something to approach very carefully and proper drafting of the reason why is essential. You might want to add a new beneficiary to your will. Simply letting your family know that you would like to gift someone a sum of money or personal item on your death does not legally oblige them to do so. Indeed, they may forget and your intended beneficiary will go without.

Changes to your assets may also be a good time to review your will. Perhaps you have acquired an investment property jointly with another and you would like your interest to pass solely to them on your death. Perhaps you have made lifetime gifts to your children and would now like to benefit your grandchildren under your will instead. A family member passing away or the birth of new family members can prompt the need to change a will. With many people now living long enough to meet their great-grandchildren, you may wish to ensure they too benefit from your assets.

Choosing the right executors to administer your estate is very important. As time passes, you may consider the executors you originally chose are no longer suitable. They may be of a similar age to you and may not be around at the time of your death or their own circumstances may dictate they are unlikely to have the time to devote to the process. If you made your will when your children were young and they are now over 18, perhaps you would like to add them as executors.

With changes to the law, the terms of your will may mean you do not benefit from the recent increase in inheritance tax exemption or your will may contain an outdated or unworkable trust. You should ensure your assets pass in the most tax efficient way possible.

Small changes to your will can be made by executing a codicil, which is a supplementary document that modifies the terms of an existing will. This is often cheaper than starting from scratch. However, if the updates are substantial or the changes have a bearing on the other operative terms of your will, then it is best to make a new one. A properly drafted will can have a long shelf life and cover some foreseeable changes as your family grows. However, I recommend you review it regularly and seek advice if you consider there are any changes to be made.

Artists who feel unable to work quickly are invited to a demonstration at Wanstead House this month.

“Keith Hornblower is a professional architectural illustrator and artist. He empathises with artists who feel unable to confidently work quickly and experiment with style and methods. In his demonstration of painting street scenes in line and wash, Keith will show us how to overcome this reluctance,” said an Essex Art Club spokesperson.

The event will take place on 23 February from 2.30pm (visitors: £5).

Visit wnstd.com/eac

Paul Kaufman, Chair of East London Humanists, sets the scene for the grim but important topic of assisted dying, which will be discussed at the group’s meeting this month with guest speaker Keiron McCabe

Keiron McCabe campaigns full time for reform of the law on assisted dying on behalf of Humanists UK. He works alongside pressure groups such as My Death, My Decision.

Keiron is young, energetic and passionate about his role. He cut his campaigning teeth working for the Hilary Clinton campaign in the 2016 US election. So, why choose to be involved in this of all areas of work?

Keiron explains that it is hard to exaggerate how important reform is to the individuals involved, and the positive difference reform would make to them and their peace of mind.

The sense of injustice is compounded by the fact that polls show overwhelming support for a change in the law. The largest such poll was commissioned by Dignity in Dying last year. It showed 84% of respondents support a change. Support is consistently strong across age, gender and class, and there is even stronger support among people who stated they had a disability. There is broad support for assisted dying across most faith groups, including more than 82% support amongst Christian respondents.

So, why is popular opinion, and the wish of the individuals concerned, being thwarted? The resistance to change is largely spearheaded by religious diehards, not least unelected bishops in the House of Lords. Objections are often rooted in a belief in an overriding ‘divine will.’

One individual affected is Paul Lamb. Keiron has worked closely with Paul in support of his recent high-profile High Court challenge. He was paralysed from the neck down following an accident 30 years ago. Paul enjoys the love and support of family and friends and enjoys a quality of life which he feels currently makes life worth living. But Paul is in constant and growing pain. His condition is incurable. He dreads life becoming intolerable and lacking the power to choose the time and place of his death. He has no religious belief or belief in a divine will. His wish is carefully thought through and rational. He simply wants the reassurance of knowing he will be able to die in his own home, surrounded by those he loves, at a time of his choosing.

Many progressive jurisdictions have passed reforms which would allow Paul’s wish to be granted. Fears of abuse and the ‘thin end of the wedge’ argument have proved groundless. For example, Portland, Oregon, where the law was changed in 1997, has exceptionally good hospice provision and palliative care. But now the terminally ill in Portland are able to make an informed choice.

In the 21st of a series of articles, David Bird discusses the work of Redbridge Music Society and introduces us to soprano Charlotte Bowden, who will be performing at Wanstead Library this month

Two essential aims of Redbridge Music Society are to promote and support up-and-coming young musicians, especially those associated with the borough, and to bring high-quality live chamber recitals to the people of Redbridge at affordable prices. This month, outstanding young soprano Charlotte Bowden, together with award-winning pianist Ella O’Neill, will give a recital of music by Schumann, Brahms, Britten and others at Wanstead Library. 

Charlotte completed her undergraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music and is currently studying on the Masters in Performance course under Rosa Mannion and Simon Lepper at the Royal College of Music, where she and her accompanist Ella first met. Charlotte is a Huffner Scholar, a Harriet Cohen Memorial Music Award holder and is currently a Philip and Dorothy Green Making Music Young Artist. She is also a Britten-Pears Young Artist having studied the title role of Handel’s oratorio Theodora with Sarah Connolly and Christian Curnyn in 2018; this was followed by an invitation to study at the Verbier Festival Atelier Lyrique in July 2019. She was awarded second prize and the audience prize in the 2018 Maureen Lehane Vocal Awards and first prizes in the Marjorie Thomas Art of Song Prize and the Michael Head Prize.

Charlotte has performed at prestigious venues such as Cadogan Hall, Snape Maltings and the Royal Festival Hall, and next month will make her Wigmore Hall debut as Orfeo in Handel’s Italian serenata Parnasso in Festa. She also has a keen interest in new music and created the role of Variable 4 in Bofan Ma’s chamber opera This Is No Opera. She is a Help Musicians UK Ian Fleming Award holder and is particularly grateful for the support of the Josephine Baker Trust. Charlotte went to Forest School in Snaresbrook and is delighted to be returning to the area to perform.

Accompanist Ella O’Neill is increasingly in demand across the UK as a song and chamber music pianist. Last April, she performed in the finals of the 64th Kathleen Ferrier Awards at the Wigmore Hall, where she was awarded the Help Musicians UK Accompanists’ Prize in memory of Arthur and Gwyneth Harrison. She returned to the venue in September to perform in the International Song Competition, and then in November for the finals of the Maureen Lehane Vocal Awards.

The collaboration of two such outstanding musicians promises to make the recital a particularly memorable occasion.

In the first of a series of articles documenting the thoughts and work of local anti-bullying ambassador Elsa Arnold, the founder of the Spreading Kindness Through E11 initiative explains her motivation

I’m Elsa. I’m 18 and an A level student. I have been an anti-bullying ambassador for The Diana Award charity since the age of 15, but this topic has always been close to my heart because of my own experiences, which led to me struggling a lot with my mental health.

I really value being able to turn my negative experiences into something positive, and I am so grateful to have had so many opportunities to have been able to do that.

I believe school is an experience you never forget and that everyone has the right to enjoy and make the most of it. I want to be a part of ensuring that happens for everyone.

In 2017, I started doing more work in the local community, teaming up with Redbridge Libraries to deliver anti-bullying workshops, which are honestly one of my favourite things to do. I’ve been lucky enough to have also worked with some local youth groups and schools.

I’ve experienced bullying at different times in my life, but the memories from primary school cross my mind most often. I was never really aware of what bullying was in primary school, so I didn’t identify what was happening at the time. I believed I deserved to feel the way that I did, and often, one of the hardest parts was trying to find a friend in myself. So, being able to work with children now, at the same age as I was when I struggled, means a lot because I see it as my duty to be a part of ensuring the same experiences don’t happen to anyone else.

I am also a member of the youth panel for the charity YoungMinds, who do amazing work for young people’s mental health and are an amazing, inspiring organisation to be a part of.

But one of the best and most heartwarming things I feel I have done is team up with Mark Mountney (owner of Zoology) in 2018 to launch a local initiative called Spreading Kindness Through E11, because that’s what has always been at the heart of everything I have aimed to do. I have also enjoyed teaming up with local businesses over the last couple of years to continue spreading the messages about which I am passionate.

My life is dedicated to helping other people and being part of making the world a better place. I can’t wait to see where I can take this and who I can work with next to help achieve this.

I’d like to thank the Wanstead Village Directory for giving me this platform to share a bit of my story and let you know how you can get involved. I hope you enjoy reading my articles.

After cementing herself as a family favourite during Fabula Festival 2019, Mama G is back in Wanstead for LGBT+ History Month celebrations. Here, the pantomime dame explains the importance of stories

Hello lovelies! I’m so excited to be visiting Wanstead Library in February that I absolutely insisted the editor let me write something for this delightful little tome, to make sure none of you miss out.

Some of you may have seen me last time I visited, and if you didn’t, let me tell you what I do. I do fabulous! I do it all the time! And I try and encourage everyone else to be fabulous too!

And I do all of this by telling stories. That’s right: I’m a pantomime dame storyteller! My stories are all about being who you are and loving who you want. They’re aimed at children and their families but everyone can enjoy them. I always try and make sure there’s some humour that the adults will enjoy, but mostly I want everyone to leave knowing that who they are is wonderful and that everyone else is wonderful too!

My stories are about all sorts of things. I have two fairies (Fran and Vera) who fight over who their friend Silly Billy should love. Then there’s Eunice the horse who goes on quite the farmyard adventure to discover who she really is (no spoilers, but it does involve eating glitter!). And my personal favourite story is about Little Roar, the fashionista dinosaur. If you come to hear my stories, you might also meet the firefly without any fire, Valentina Tereshkova (the first lady to go into space), some goats with a wind problem and even Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (well, maybe just at Christmas).

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Why would a panto dame want to tell stories?” Well, it’s kind of what we do. We always make sure you know what’s going on when it comes to Aladdin or Dick Whittington’s latest adventures and we love being in front of an audience. Wearing a fabulous frock and making every generation of a family laugh really is a wonderful way to make a living!

And I think it’s important to tell the stories I do because everyone has the right to know that who they are is valued and loved and appreciated. My stories also promote an understanding that you should respect and appreciate everyone else for who they are too. If children grow up understanding that everybody should be able to live their lives their way, don’t you think the world and our community will become a friendlier place?

It’s only a small act, but I can’t help feeling that the impact could be huge. So, why not come and join me for storytime? You never know, it could change your life!

Following their popular performance of The Snowman soundtrack before Christmas, Redbridge Brass Band will return to St Gabriel’s Church in Aldersbrook on 8 February for an evening of music inspired by love and passion.

“It will be a fantastic programme that includes Beethoven’s iconic Moonlight Sonata and Debussy’s Clair de Lune, played by guest concert pianist David Silkoff together with talented violinist Chris Karwacinski,” said a spokesperson for the band. The event starts at 7.30pm (tickets: £12).

Visit wnstd.com/rbb

Author, retired vet, ex-racing cyclist and head injury victim Julian Earl has many stories to tell, and residents are invited to hear them at an event in Aldersbrook this month. Gill James reports

As pet owners, a trip to the vets is all part and parcel of owning a pet. But have you ever wondered what it is actually like to work as a vet?

Such a profession is often seen as a glamorous occupation, but the reality is mess, noise, dealing with the public, being called out for an emergency in the middle of the night and long hours. Plus, there is the constant threat of injuries and accidents from large, unruly animals. You need a sense of humour to be a vet, and the author of Cows in Trees, vet Julian Earl, certainly has that essential attribute.

His book is written in a warm and light-hearted style, and yes, the cow in the tree story as depicted on the front cover of this hardback book really did happen! And this month, you have the chance to hear Julian telling us about a vet’s life in person.

Julian dreamed of working as a vet from his childhood. He worked in Lancashire and Lincolnshire with both domestic pets and farm livestock for many years.

He was a keen competitive cyclist before suffering life-threatening injuries during a cycle race in 2012 that brought his clinical work to an end. He was left with skull fractures and multiple brain haemorrhages. He was placed into an induced coma and underwent multiple operations. He was not expected to survive.

But not only did this remarkable man survive, he now – due to his head injury – competes as a para-cyclist.

Julian recovered well from his head injury thanks to the work of a remarkable surgeon. Sadly, many brain injury survivors are not so lucky. Headway East London is a local charity, based in Hackney, supporting people affected by brain injuries. It offers specialist support and services to survivors and their family, while also campaigning for greater public awareness.

We all think ‘it will never happen to me’, but every year around 350,000 people are admitted to hospital with an acquired brain injury. That’s one every 90 seconds.

Like Julian, Aldersbrook resident Oli Herz suffered a serious injury caused by a cycling accident. He is grateful for the support he received from Headway East London and now volunteers for them every week. He will also be at the event this month to tell us a little about his own experience and the work of the charity.

Some households in Wanstead Village will join four other wards across Redbridge in trialling wheelie bins for rubbish collection this month.

“The pilot areas have been chosen to be representative of the borough so the bins can be tested… before considering whether to introduce them more widely,” said a Redbridge Council spokesperson. Introducing wheelie bins across the borough could potentially reduce some of the £18m the council currently spends each year on collecting 22 million black sacks.

Visit wnstd.com/wheelie

The Wanstead Winter Night Shelter launched at Christ Church hall last month. Revd Canon Ann Clarke reports on the largely volunteer work that has made it such a useful resource for their weekly guests

Steven Timms, MP for East Ham, acknowledged recently that if it were not for Faith Group Night Shelters, 2,200 more people would be sleeping on the streets of London each night.

As part of Forest Churches Emergency Night Shelter (FCENS), Wanstead Parish opened its parish hall doors on 7 January to guests for the very first time. We were able to provide our visitors with a welcoming hot drink, a nourishing hot meal, shelter and breakfast,  and a listening ear and a smile.

Thanks to the financial support from our crowdfunding supporters and Aviva employees, £8,491 was the official sum raised, including £2,000 from the Aviva Community Fund. We were able to purchase a dedicated warming oven, fridge, new dishwasher, oven and microwave in time for the opening of the shelter, as well as room dividers, sleeping bags, food, storage equipment and a key fire safety system – a mandatory requirement for having guests sleep overnight.

The generosity of the local community has been overwhelming: in volunteering (40-plus people on the current rota); in donations from our Christmas services; and in donations of clothing and food from our Reverse Advent Calendar. Special thanks to Lizi at The Cuckfield and John at Petty Son and Prestwich for collecting so much and for supporting this venture.

Wanstead Parish has joined FCENS, which has a well-established scheme. A full-time worker, Tunde, works all year round with the homeless men and women in Waltham Forest and beyond. All guests are known by him and he attends each shelter to register them. There is also a paid worker, Anthony, who attends each shelter to help run the night shift with a volunteer. All other workers are volunteers.

Our team begins at 6pm each Tuesday to set up the hall, putting out the bedding and tables and being there to greet and engage with the guests. Teams of three or four people provide a nourishing hot meal and another group of volunteers serve and clear up. The volunteer night watch person arrives at 9pm. At 5.50am the breakfast team arrive and the guests leave by 7am. Due to the amazing amount of good quality clothing and new items, such as underpants, socks, hats, shoes and toiletries donated by the community, we have also been able to send our guests on their way with a much-needed care package.

Wanstead Parish considers it a privilege to be running this shelter once a week during the winter months. We see it as being part of our Christian duty to home the homeless, feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We would like to thank so many members of our wider community for helping us to offer this important community resource.

In the first of a series of articles celebrating the swans that reside on the lakes of Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats, Tracey Adebowale-Jones explains her love for these graceful birds.

After some years of being captivated by and photographing the swans of Wanstead Park, I was walking one day around the Heronry Pond when I spotted a very forlorn-looking swan sitting in the reeds of a muddy, shallow estuary. I was struck by its sadness, condition and reluctance to come over to me for food (unusual for most swans).

After that first encounter, I started to take bread and seed, eventually coaxing it across the water so she would eat. Each day I went at the same time and each day she began to wait on the bank, but she seemed unable to preen, remaining dirty and unkempt and thin.  I happened to see a friend who was carrying bags of bird food and I expressed my concern to her. Immediately, she told me about Gill Walker, who rescues swans and other birds and takes them to The Swan Sanctuary in Shepperton, Middlesex for care, healing and, hopefully, a return to the water. I contacted Gill and a day or so later, my swan was carried off in an Ikea bag (just the right size) to the sanctuary, where she remains to this day.

Since that swan encounter, I have become an avid swan watcher. Still taking photographs, but now much more aware of their behaviour and needs. Learning all the time about them, and wanting to impart everything I have learnt, I have begun to develop a network of swan watchers in the park so that we can all keep them safe.

Swans are vulnerable to uncontrolled dogs, foxes, abandoned fishing line and floats, and when very small, the cygnets can be carried away by hungry crows or terrapins that lurk in the waters. Their nests are sometimes ransacked by humans who smash the eggs, and we believe our swan population in the park last year was depleted because of this cruelty.

We have four lakes in the park and usually, there is an adult pair on three of them – one greedy pair takes two lakes as their own and often you will see a territorial of great drama when another pair attempts to intrude. Already this year, we have been able to rescue a juvenile from the Shoulder of Mutton Pond who was driven off by an adult pair.

Through our growing network, we are able to tell each other when we have concerns about a swan’s health or safety, and we thank the many people of Wanstead who share a love for these birds for their support in looking after our beloved swans.

In the fourth of a series of articles looking at the redevelopment of Whipps Cross Hospital, Gordon Drakes is pleased to report that being environmentally friendly will be a key design principle in the new build

Campaigners were informed last month that an environmentally friendly hospital and the lowest possible carbon footprint will be a key design principle in the new Whipps Cross Hospital, and that the redevelopment team want this to go further and enable the whole of the site to achieve a carbon neutral footprint.

To cover additional costs, a 3% uplift to the capital bid for building the hospital is to be included. They are aiming to achieve the ‘Excellent’ level of BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). Alastair Finney, the Whipps Redevelopment Director, said they will appoint a dedicated sustainability consultant to the team for the next phase: “We will also make sure there are opportunities for expert stakeholders and local people to be engaged and involved in the work as it progresses.”

The recent election has demonstrated that, aside from the ‘B’ word, securing a sustainable future for the NHS and the planet are perhaps the two most important issues for the British public. So, this is welcome news indeed.

In the summer of 2019, the government enshrined into law a commitment to reach net zero carbon by 2050 (not soon enough, but a positive starting point), and it is clear that if governments of the future are to achieve this target, it will be because of action taken now and over the coming years. Given the scale of the task, the principle of net zero carbon needs to infuse and influence all government decision-making going forward.

How the government spends tax revenue on large-scale land development projects must surely be a prime area for implementing this new environmental modus operandi. Indeed, in the government’s response to a recent report issued by the Climate Change Commission, it acknowledged that the built environment accounts for 40% of national energy use and around one-third of emissions.

Whipps Cross is one of the six hospital developments the government has announced will benefit from a share of a £2.7bn funding allocation. The plans are still in flux and the amount of funding for Whipps is still not confirmed – do sign and share the Waltham Forest Save Our NHS petition to the Secretary of State for Health, which is to be handed in on 14 February. But by putting the environment at the centre of the plans, there is an opportunity to reap many benefits.

Members of Wanstead Climate Action (WCA)joined with local health campaigners to urge Barts Health Trust to ensure that low carbon or net zero carbon is a core principal of the Whipps redevelopment plans. Now that we have a positive response to this plea, we need to keep on the case. There are many hurdles to go through yet.

Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue invite those interested in Jewish culture to celebrate Tu b’Shevat (New Year for Trees) on 9 February.

“This festival was developed in the 16th century to mark the first signs of winter’s departure and the re-awakening of nature in Israel. It is marked by tree planting and eating uncommon fruits, such as rambutans,” said Martin Gaba. Celebrations will take place at 2 Fillebrook Road, Leytonstone from 2pm to 5pm, with food, songs and stories.

Call 07434 631 948 or visit wnstd.com/laws

Ahead of a family orientated oral history training session in Wanstead this month, Rev Dr Jack Dunn explains why listening to your elders is important, and why talking to youngsters is vital for the community

This month, Wanstead Parish, in conjunction with Eastside Community Heritage (ECH), will be offering a unique opportunity to develop and gain new skills through oral history training at St Mary’s Church.

The training is part of the parish’s Heritage Lottery Funded (HLF) community activities, associated with the recent repair and renovation works of the masonry at St Mary’s, and is open to all. It has been particularly designed to be family friendly and is ideal for children aged 10 and over and their parents, caregivers and grandparents.

ECH has been working in east London for over 22 years. During that time, it has become one of the nation’s leading community heritage organisations. It has established (with funding from HLF) the London People’s Archive, now called the Hidden Histories Archive, which contains over 4,000 digitised oral histories of Londoners.

ECH’s mission is to uncover the histories of people that would otherwise permanently be hidden or lost from history; from working-class communities, from the economically disadvantaged, from immigrant communities and from LGBTQIA+, BAME and disabled people. The organisation helps ‘ordinary people’ to see that their stories can be extraordinary and are worth telling and preserving for posterity.

Intergenerational activities are a core element of both Wanstead Parish’s and ECH’s ministry and offering. This project has been designed to help bring the generations together to listen and to share and to learn from each other. Young people find older people more interesting than expected; older people are surprised and touched by the interest of the young; experience is passed on from one generation to another; enduring relationships are formed, which benefit communities and individuals, breaking down generational barriers. The process of training younger people to interview their parents, grandparents, carers and older members of the community will hopefully shine a new light for future generations.

The skills and techniques the participants will acquire by engaging in oral history-based projects are numerous. For school-aged children, oral history is not confined to history lessons and can be used to enrich learning across the national curriculum, including in art, media, technology, geography and English language.

All this and more is included in the oral history training provided by ECH. We hope you will join us for a fascinating 90-minute session, open to all.