March 2020

Residents are invited to join the audience as eight professional singers take part in a masterclass with Royal College of Music vocal studies professor Alison Wells at St Mary’s Church this month

This month, I will be giving a masterclass to eight professional and advanced student singers at St Mary’s Church in Wanstead. The event last year was a great success. Over 170 people came along to watch what is a fascinating process. I worked with each singer for 30 minutes to help them find more technical ease in their singing, and also to help them develop an imaginative approach to the interpretation of the pieces they were singing.

Several people remarked they had thought the singers were brilliant anyway, and how wonderful it was to see that there was always a little bit more magic they could find.

For me, this is such a rewarding process. These singers are already out there in the profession, or at an advanced stage of study, but even in 30 minutes, they can gain a lot of confidence from working with an experienced teacher, and, crucially, from singing to a lovely audience in a beautiful environment. So, do please come along! Entry is free for audience members, though, of course, we welcome donations. Refreshments will be available.

It’s very special to me to be doing this event in St Mary’s, where I am a regular worshipper.  There is a spirit of positivity there, with the congregation growing in numbers. On the third Sunday of the month, we join the whole parish at Christ Church, but on the second and fourth Sundays, we now have Services of the Word led by lay worship leaders (of whom I am proud to be one).

We’ve worked hard on these services and I have been involved with others, including our director of music at Wanstead Parish Joe Waggott, to add music into them. We now sing Responsorial Psalms, with several members of our congregation acting as Cantors, and we recently did the world premiere of a new Te Deum setting for congregation and organ by Graham Titus, a dear friend of long standing.

As many members of the congregation said, the piece is not easy, but they did a wonderful job on the first performance and I’m sure it filled them with confidence so the next time we use it will be even better! The service at St Mary’s starts at 11.15am each Sunday, except the third Sunday of the month. Everyone is welcome, and if you get there a little earlier, then we have social time and tea and coffee before the service.

I’ve only lived in Wanstead for less than three years, but the community here is so friendly and supportive that I feel I’ve been here much longer, thanks to the people at St Mary’s and the wider Wanstead Parish, and, of course, the wonderful Wanstead Village Directory.

Over-50s poetry group the Redbridge Rhymesters will be joined by Snaresbrook Primary School pupils on 24 March as they host a creative writing session at the Allan Burgess Centre with a theme of ‘The Four Seasons’.

“Apart from the obvious summer, autumn, winter and spring ideas, I am hoping writers might come up with something about Frankie Valli, or even one of Vivaldi’s concertos. We shall see what imaginations are fired up,” said event organiser Alexandra Wilde.

Visitors are welcome.

Call 020 8989 6338

In the eighth of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, Janet West introduces Di’s Diamonds, which is now offering a social calendar of events for local over-50s

Di’s Diamonds is a group of men and women, single or partnered and aged 50-plus, from all walks of life and backgrounds, who want to get out and about, socialise and make friends.

We understand that doing these things on your own can sometimes be daunting, especially if you haven’t socialised in a while.

The group was originally set up by two ladies – Diane and Cathy – on a voluntary basis in Havering, organising coffee mornings, lunches and outings, but as the numbers grew, it became difficult to manage. Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering took it over and, thanks to funding from the London Borough of Havering and the Big Lottery Community fund, we have been able to employ three coordinators, Kim, Fiona and Kate. This means we can now organise activities in Redbridge, Havering and Barking and Dagenham. We offer a number of opportunities, including:

• Coffee mornings
• Lunches
• Bowling
• Irish dancing
• Museum and exhibition outings
• Creative arts and crafts
• Chair exercise and tai chi
• Music sessions
• Walks, and lots more

Volunteers host many of the events and also join in the fun. We pride ourselves on welcoming everyone, and members and volunteers tell us what other activities they would like and we do our best to accommodate them on a monthly calendar of events.

The calendar also lists events which are already in place across the three boroughs, as well as events we have arranged ourselves. This gives a much bigger choice of activities, and members can access activities in any of the three areas.

Spring is in reach, and with longer days to look forward to, and hopefully warmer temperatures, it’s the ideal time to think about the months ahead, so why not try out a new activity and take the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends?

You simply need to sign up to become a member to access the activities and joining is free! Perhaps you would like to host an activity as one of our volunteers? Please do give us a call or send an email if you would like further information.

An emerging home trend could change the quality of your life, explains local interior designer and Art Group Wanstead member Anna Wicslo

It might not trip off your tongue yet, but the word on the lips of the biggest movers and shakers in home design is biophilia. And it’s fast becoming one of the most important factors in the worlds of interior design and architecture.

Biophilic design aims to increase our connection with nature, contributing to good health and wellbeing. Countless studies show its effects can be relaxing, while in home workspaces it can be stimulating, boosting focus and productivity, and helping to spark creativity while lowering stress hormones and blood pressure.

Humans are understood to have an innate connection to nature and natural processes, built through genetic processes over hundreds of thousands of years. Biophilia was popularised by American biologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980s when he observed how increasing rates of urbanisation were leading to a disconnection with the natural world.

There is now a stream of endless ideas to connect interior design with nature.  Here are some that you’ll notice:

Furniture and lights mimicking nature in their shapes and forms of design.

Spaces becoming more open and increased natural light being used.

Pattern and the colour palette being connected to nature – blues, greens, earthy tones, popularity of animal prints and varied natural textures.

Materials chosen being sustainable and having no adverse effects on health – during their production or use.

A focus on improved air quality, with the help of plants and technology devices.

A greater use of indoor plants for their qualities and outdoor looks.

The power of plants has led to the popularity of living walls made of moss or succulents. Because of the expense involved, these striking green walls have been used more in corporate spaces, yet even there they successfully promote physical and mental wellbeing for staff and visitors. But, gradually, vertical planting and green walls are likely to become more popular outside our own homes as our exterior spaces become smaller in order to be affordable.

Biophilia will take many fresh directions and is set to be a trend that will grow and grow.

In the first of a series of articles looking at historic photos of the local area found in a 100-year-old family album, historian Richard Arnopp  presents a selection of images of Wanstead Park

Since 2007, I’ve been involved in the campaign to raise public awareness of Wanstead Park, an important and historic open space. I’ve also been an active researcher into various aspects of the park’s history, to inform the development of plans for the future by shedding light on its past.

One of my projects has been to build up a collection of historic images of Wanstead Park, Bush Wood and Wanstead Flats. In 2017, I acquired an album of photographs taken by members of the Hobbs family, some of whom lived locally. The album is dated 1896–1907 on the cover. There are just over 100 photos, of which at least seven are of Wanstead Park, which was what piqued my interest.

A related album sadly escaped, as bidding pushed the price beyond what I was willing to pay. Many of the photographs in the collection were faded, degraded or damaged to varying degrees, and it took a good deal of time and effort to restore them to the extent I was able.

Over the coming months, I’m going to give you a taste of this treasure trove of unique, original images. As well as local scenes, they incidentally shed light on social history, recreational activities, costume and some interesting personalities.

What makes the Hobbs album fascinating is that most of the people depicted are identifiable individuals. Finding the album was my first stroke of luck; the second was when I was contacted by a relative of the Hobbs family, Alys Wade, from Australia. Ms Wade had come across a selection of photos from the album which I had posted on my Wanstead Image Archive.

Ms Wade told me: “George Wilson Hobbs was born in Newport, Isle of Wight, in 1838. He, with his wife Fanny and their family, moved to Forest Gate around 1880 and resided at 35 Bignold Road for many years. They had previously been resident in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Three of George and Fanny’s children became self-employed artists like their father and worked from a studio at home. Florence Emily married Frederick Dawe, a commercial artist, in 1901 and they had one son, Cedric, who became an artist and an art director in the film industry. A large silk embroidery was worked by at least one of the daughters, possibly Fanny Marian, on a Singer sewing machine and won first prize for the Singer Sewing Machine Company in the 1900 Paris Exposition. George Edward wrote and illustrated several children’s books on the theme of brownies (elves) and also stories and illustrations for children’s annuals. He painted landscapes and portraits and illustrated cards for the publisher Raphael Tuck.”

I’ll begin the series with some photographs taken in Wanstead Park.

Rising at Molehill Green in Essex, the River Roding passes through the Wanstead and Woodford area en route to the Thames, bringing with it a very real flood risk to local homes. In the seventh of a series of articles, Nina Garner from the Environment Agency reports on the River Roding Project, which aims to reduce that risk. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

On Saturday 21 December 2019, the Environment Agency issued flood alerts and warnings along the River Roding due to heavy rainfall. These informed local residents of a risk of flooding and covered areas including Woodford, Ilford, Barking, Loughton and East Ham.

Although no properties were flooded in 2019, the river peaked at 7am on 21 December, reaching 1.83m. This river level reached was the highest on record since the 2000 floods. The 2000 floods caused widespread disruption to major roads across Redbridge and approximately 400 properties were affected.

The recent flooding caused some disruption to local residents and the Roding Valley parkrun was cancelled as the route was flooded, leaving the local runners disappointed.

Prepare, act, survive
Whether you live on a hill, in a flat or in an area that’s never flooded before, flooding can still affect you. Flooding not only puts homes, possessions and families at risk but can cause serious disruption to commuting routes, whether that be to school, work or a place of worship.

Due to our changing climate, there is a chance that flood events will become more common and extreme. Knowing what to do in a flood is important to help reduce the impact of flooding to your loved ones, your property and your possessions. The good news is that there are some simple actions you can take to prepare for flooding. These small actions, outlined here, could help keep you and your family safe.

Knowing what to do in a flood could save your life. Find out if your home, business or local area is at risk of flooding (wnstd.com/flood or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188). If you live in a flood-risk area, do what you can now to prepare for a flood. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Sign up to our flood warning system (wnstd.com/floodwarn).

Create a personal flood plan. This plan should include a list of things you should do (like moving sentimental items to safety) and provides space for you to note down important contact details, such as your utility companies and insurance.

Check the water level on the River Roding. You can do this by using the monitoring webcam (wnstd.com/rodingcam)

2,000 homes better protected by 2080
We are progressing the River Roding Project to help Redbridge become more climate change resilient and reduce flooding to over 2,000 homes by 2080.

Subject to securing full funding, we hope to submit our planning application for the project in late summer. We will hold information events for you to comment on our final plans before we submit. We will invite you once we have a date, so please keep an eye out for more information.

Parents with too many children’s clothes and toys will have the chance to sell them to other local parents at NCT Redbridge’s nearly new sale at Christ Church hall on 25 April.

Stallholders keep 70% of their sale prices, with the rest supporting the charity’s work. Seller registration opens to the general public on 9 March (cost: £5).

“Keep an eye on our Facebook page so you don’t miss out when it goes live as seller spaces sold out within 24 hours for our November sale,” said a spokesperson.

Visit wnstd.com/nct25april

Members of the Wanstead, Woodford and Barkingside Marie Curie Fundraising Group have reached their £100,000 target. Jill Playford thanks local supporters and explains how the money will be used

A celebration was held in February to thank all supporters and collectors who helped us to raise the fantastic amount of £100,000 over the last few years, paying for 5,000 Marie Curie nursing hours.

We get wonderful support from our local communities with local businesses donating raffle prizes, Wanstead High School donating the proceeds from their annual charity cross country run, Wanstead House holding cake and coffee mornings to raise money and students from Forest School helping out at our Great Daffodil Appeal collections.

The group was formed in June 2013 with four members who had all been local supporters of the Marie Curie charity. The initial aim of the group was to raise awareness of the work of the charity in the local area as well as to fundraise. At that time, we did not set ourselves a target – this evolved as the amount of money raised increased each year.

Group membership has changed over the years, and we always welcome new members, as they bring new ideas and energy to our group. Members commit as little or as much time as they can, and the larger the group, the more money can be raised each year.

To raise money, the group now hosts about 20 street and store collections, runs two quiz evenings each year, has stalls at the Wanstead Festival and Disability Awareness day and holds tea and coffee afternoons. Residents have quickly come to recognise the bright yellow uniforms – especially the hats – of our collectors and can be seen proudly wearing Marie Curie stickers and daffodil pins.

The Marie Curie charity has, in recent years, widened its services to offer support to anyone with a life-threatening illness in the last few weeks of their life. A free support line (0800 090 2309) also offers help and advice to people with a terminal illness and to their families and friends. Marie Curie nurses and health care assistants work in the local area to provide free, overnight home nursing care, enabling people to make the choice to die in their own homes, knowing they and their family will be well supported and cared for. A rapid response service, as well as a day respite service, is also available in Redbridge. These are supported by the money raised by local groups. Feedback from local families acknowledges the important role nurses play in giving the patient dignity in dying.

People living in the local area have played their part too by volunteering as collectors or donating generously when they see our collectors at local venues. The street collections for the Great Daffodil Appeal will take place on 7 March, so expect to see a blaze of yellow on Wanstead High Street and on George Lane in South Woodford. If you feel you could offer two hours of your time to help at these collections, please get in touch.

Before being diagnosed with cancer in 2016, Wanstead Business Network member Lucy Howe ran a wellness clinic in South Woodford. Now in remission, she is keen to help others again

Being told you have cancer is one of the scariest things you can ever hear. I know, because I’ve heard the words: “You have cancer.” That was the day the world fell out of my bottom!

Being diagnosed with cancer four years ago shocked me to the core, but made me realise the environment of my body was out of balance and I was being warned something needed to be done.

What can cause cancer? Is it the toxicity around us or is it stress-related from a busy lifestyle? Who knows? Making choices to reduce the toxicity in your life, starting with the food you eat, targeted organic supplements and only using good quality organic skincare will help. As will keeping your stress levels down and being happy.

The choices I made helped me beat cancer and I now live without the fear of it returning. I didn’t want cancer to beat me and there is no way I want it to come back. Hippocrates said: “Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illness will suddenly appear.”

Three years into remission and I’m feeling stronger, healthier and more confident, having worked hard with various coaches to help me with techniques to stop feeling the fear of it returning. Now it’s my turn to give back, empowering people while they are going through treatment and beyond. Motivating, supporting and encouraging them on their journey to live life to the full, whether they’ve had cancer or not.

I ran my first retreat in Cyprus in 2019, and this year, for my Relax, Recharge and Take Control Retreat, I will be on the beautiful island of Mauritius. I can help you live your wildest dreams, achieve all you’ve ever wanted or desired and get back the confidence to be ‘you’ again. Hang out with me for the week in June and you are in danger of:

• Learning how to put ‘you’ first – fixing your own oxygen mask before helping others!
• Getting more confident every day and falling in love with yourself.
• Feeling strong enough to make your dreams a reality and be your most invincible self.
• Laughing every day and making time for fun in your life again.
• Learning how to have ‘me time’.
• I want you to live a healthier, happier life with more confidence, clarity and productivity.

Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue invite those interested in Jewish culture to celebrate Purim on 9 March.

“Purim is a festival marking the deliverance of the Jews of Persia from extermination 2,500 years ago… People eat triangular-shaped cakes filled with poppy seeds (Hamantashen), give each other small gifts of fruit and sweets and donate to charity. It is a really happy day!” said Martin Gaba.

Celebrations will take place at 2 Fillebrook Road, Leytonstone from 6.30pm, followed by a party with live music.

Call 07434 631 948

Historian and author Diane Atkinson – whose latest book has become the definitive history of the suffragettes – will be discussing some ‘remarkable lives’ at Wanstead Library this March

I’m really looking forward to coming to Wanstead Library to talk about my latest book, Rise Up Women! The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes. It is a collective biography of 200 women – there were thousands more – who worked so hard and sacrificed so much for women’s suffrage.

Women from all social class backgrounds, all ages, all parts of the United Kingdom and all life experiences ‘came out’ as suffragettes, many of them leaving their previous lives behind forever.

For many years, the suffragettes were written out of the story of women getting the vote, or dismissed as self-interested, middle-class hobbyists, but nothing could be further from the truth.

In 1907, a woollen weaver from Huddersfield, Dora Thewlis, aged 16, was called ‘The Baby Suffragette’ by the newspapers when she was arrested in Westminster by the police while trying to enter Parliament with other Women’s Social and Political Union women. Her mother had put her on the train to London, telling her to do her bit for ‘the cause.’

Kitty Marion, a music hall artiste, was one of several dozen performers who were part of the struggle: in Kitty’s case, her road to militancy came after years of enduring sexual harassment while trying to earn a living.

Lady Constance Lytton, a close friend of Annie Kenney, a cotton worker from Oldham and senior figure in the movement, deliberately put her already frail health at risk by going on hunger strike and being force-fed in prison.

I first became aware of the suffragettes when I worked at the Museum of London, which has the largest archive in the world devoted to the militant struggle. In 1992 I curated an exhibition, Purple, White and Green: Suffragettes in London 1906–1914, which told the story of their brilliant marketing and merchandising skills in promoting their demand for votes for women, alongside their daring and dangerous struggle, imprisonment, hunger-striking and force-feeding.

Sylvia Pankhurst – who lived in Woodford Green from 1924 to 1956 – makes many appearances in the book, as do her east London comrades who gave her so much support.

The centenary of the first instalment of women’s suffrage in 2018, which was an important moment to celebrate the work of the suffragettes of the Women’s Social and Political Union, also made clear that there is still much work to be done to improve women’s lives.

In the 22nd of a series of articles, David Bird discusses the work of Redbridge Music Society and introduces violinist Henry Chandler and pianist John Paul Ekins, who will perform in Wanstead this month

edbridge Music Society continues its current programme of bringing high quality musical events to the borough with a recital given by prizewinning young musicians Henry Chandler and John Paul Ekins, who will perform music by Beethoven, Schubert and César Franck.

Although still in his twenties, Henry Chandler has already performed under famous conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Leif Segerstam and Sir Roger Norrington and has played with prestigious orchestras, including the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, English National Opera, Oxford Philomusica and European Union Chamber orchestras. He has also appeared in a masterclass with world-renowned violinist Maxim Vengerov.

Before going to university, Henry studied at the Royal College of Music (RCM) Junior Department, where he was awarded the Esther Coleman award for ‘outstanding musician’. He read music at Oxford University and followed this with the Artist Diploma Course at RCM, where he studied under violinist Professor Maciej Rakowski, who also taught Nicola Benedetti. Currently, Henry plays violin in the Alke String Quartet and leads the Zeitgeist Chamber Orchestra. In addition to playing the violin, Henry is also proficient as an organist and singer. He received his first choral training as Head Chorister, Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace at the age of 12, recording at Abbey Road Studios with the BBC symphony orchestra in a premiere of a work by Peter Maxwell Davies.

John Paul Ekins is in much demand as a concerto soloist and chamber musician and has performed at many prestigious venues in the UK and abroad, including the Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Zurich Tonhalle. He graduated from RCM (first class honours) in 2009, and in 2011 obtained a Master’s of Performance Degree (Distinction) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He made his Royal Albert Hall debut in 2013 performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Southbank Sinfonia. He has won some 19 awards, scholarships and prizes and has received generous support from organisations such as Making Music and the Keyboard Charitable Trust.

Besides teaching piano at St Paul’s School, John Paul also undertakes extensive educational and outreach work via workshops and masterclasses. He was particularly honoured to be presented to HM The Queen and HRH Prince Philip at a reception for young performers at Buckingham Palace.

This event will be a very special evening of music-making.

Colin Spence runs dog training classes in Snaresbrook and has been working with man’s best friend – and their owners – for 23 years. Here, he explains how much exercise a puppy needs

This is a much-talked-about topic and a conversation I have with new puppy owners on a daily basis, as many are not sure how much physical exercise their very young puppy should get.

Well, let’s take a look at this and what we trainers and behaviour practitioners believe in how much is too much and how much is just right and why.

Once we get our eight-week-old puppy home, for the first few hours or first few days, they will be getting used to their new environment, moving around the home, investigating everything. As the hours and days go by, puppies get more energetic, and roughly around the 16-week mark, will have had their last injection and be ready to exercise and explore the outside environment.

Many owners then take their puppy out for a walk; some even allow the puppy to start running and jumping obstacles. Allowing puppies to exercise outside is important, but it is also important that the common sense factor comes into play. Puppies are very vulnerable creatures, and if we allow them to be over-exercised from a very young age, we are very likely setting them up to fail. Why? Because they are still growing and their growth plates are at the very early stages of developing and coming together and strengthening. If we allow puppies to have too much exercise while they are young, they will put too much pressure on their joints and can have problems, such as arthritis, in the future.

As a rule of thumb, we should only give puppies five minutes of exercise for each month of their life; for example, a four-month-old puppy can have 20 minutes of gentle exercise, nothing strenuous, and please take into consideration the exercise your puppy already has in the home each day, moving around on those incomplete growth plates. So, I would take three minuets off the five-minute rule, and as they grow, you can then add more minutes accordingly and appropriately.

I am also asked if owners can take their puppy out jogging with them. The answer here is we should not allow puppies to jog with us until they are fully grown and have good, strong, healthy growth plates. We also need to take into consideration the breed. A border collie, for example, may fare well on an hour’s jogging, but the dachshund, with its very short legs, could find this very uncomfortable.

So please, let’s take our puppies wellbeing seriously and let them grow into healthy, strong dogs with good healthy ligaments.    

In the first of a series of articles by Refugee Welcome Wanstead – a community group planning to welcome a Syrian refugee family to Wanstead – Eleanor Taylor explains how local residents can help

I’m sure you will recall the dreadful scenes in the news in recent years of buildings flattened, people killed or injured and families torn apart as a result of the war in Syria. For eight years, the war has raged, creating the world’s largest refugee crisis, and forcing people into camps in Lebanon and Jordan.

Life in these refugee camps is precarious, and most families dream of being able to settle down somewhere to start afresh and rebuild their lives.

It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed when we see these stories, to feel there’s nothing we can do to help. The events are happening so far away, and we don’t make the decisions about how many families are rescued from these terrible conditions.

But there is something we can do. In addition to the standard number of refugee families taken in by the UK government and resettled in this country, the Home Office operates a programme called the Community Sponsorship Scheme. Communities can come together and offer the housing, support and friendship needed to welcome a refugee family into life in the UK. The scheme has already worked successfully across the country, and is currently in action in Dagenham, where a group similar to ours welcomed a family last year.

That’s where we come in. Refugee Welcome Wanstead, established by volunteers from five local parishes in and around Wanstead, is a group set up to apply to welcome a Syrian refugee family into our community through the Community Sponsorship Scheme. Together, we will provide accommodation, advice and support to a family, as well as welcoming them into our wonderful Wanstead community.

If we are to succeed, we need your help. To take part in the scheme, the Home Office requires us to raise money, which is why we have set up a crowdfunding campaign. In time, we will also need volunteers, as well as donations of items of furniture, so please keep an eye on our Twitter page to see how you can help.

With your help, we can make all the difference in the world to one family. We can’t solve all the conflicts of the world, but we believe that if we can help one family, we should.

It takes a community to welcome a family, and we know Wanstead can rise to the challenge. Please help us succeed together.

Marian Temple of the Wanstead Community Gardeners tells the stories behind two blooming stars of Wanstead and how these horticultural happenings came
to be

Garrya elliptica: now in catkin flower around Wanstead Station.
A few years ago, someone said to me: “It’s a pity about the Garrya elliptica at the station. We never see the catkins.” My ears pricked up. I had only just found out about Garrya elliptica a few weeks previously when I’d seen them at Anglesey Abbey’s winter garden and been transfixed by the curtains of hanging catkins. Did we really have such things skulking around Wanstead Station and not performing? Yes, we did! Lots of them but the contractors pruned them every autumn, cutting off the developing catkins. Of course, we never saw them.

We contacted the Redbridge Council department to get the time of pruning changed with mixed results, sometimes a show and sometimes nothing. This year, the Garrya elliptica were not pruned at all and we have the resulting curtains of hanging catkins.

In future, we’ll try and get them pruned in April as soon as the catkins finish so we should have them every year. They are just too good to miss and definitely worth conversations with the right people on the council to get it sorted.

Winter irises: four clumps against the buttresses of Wanstead United Reformed Church.
These originate from Algeria and Syria and grow wild on the hillsides in winter, not wanting to be roasted in summer. To succeed, they need exactly the right conditions: year-round full sun, poor dry stony soil and preferably against a wall, which reflects heat. The church has all this. Since the church was renovated and English Heritage was involved, only plants of the same era as the church building can be planted there.

Luckily, it turns out our irises were introduced into this country by ravaging Victorian plant hunters. Perfect! The clump in my garden, which has sourced so many of the Wanstead winter irises in our community patches, was planted by my mother over 60 years ago and it’s still going strong. Plants often outlive us.

The four church clumps were planted by lovely Don Stevens, a church member, and me in 2015. We’d dug out my mother’s compacted clump, hacked it apart and took four pieces to the church where we removed the shingle, cut a slit in the underlying plastic sheet and slid the rhizomes in. Winter irises famously do not like to be moved, so I was surprised when they flowered the first October. Yes, they obviously thought they were in the right place too! They have expanded and flowered from October to March every year since then. A real Wanstead delight. Sadly, Don died the following year, but the smiling winter irises are a fitting legacy to him.

The City of London Corporation is considering new proposals to host large-scale events at Wanstead Flats, Warlies Park and Chingford Plain.

A similar plan was ditched last year following a community campaign and fears over the Flats’ fragile habitat, which is home to ground-nesting skylarks. “These proposals will be discussed by members at the Epping Forest and Commons Committee in March and a decision made in due course,” said a spokesperson.

Income from any events would be used to help maintain Epping Forest.

Local wild flowers will be the subject of this month’s Aldersbrook Horticultural Society meeting.

My talk will explain how historical records give clues about the native flowers that grew in the Wanstead area and their uses… I will suggest reasons why many wild flowers are under threat and how careful management of wild flower areas should be able to enhance local biodiversity,” said Tricia Moxey, whose presentation will take place at Aldersbrook Bowls Club on 10 March from 7.30pm (visitors: £5).

Visit wnstd.com/ahs

As part of last month’s National Apprenticeship Week, Eton Manor RFC hosted an apprenticeship and training fair, one of the first social and business partnered events of its kind in the borough.

“With the help of local, national and global businesses, aspiring apprentices were introduced to a debt-free alternative to university and were able to discuss their career ambitions with future employers…” said event organiser Helen Gascoigne from training provider Aspire to Learn.

The fair is set to return next year.

In celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March, Redbridge Libraries will be working with local homeless organisations to supply their service users with much-needed support.

From 2 to 7 March, Wanstead Library will join the rest of the borough in becoming a donation point for items for the homeless community. Residents are encouraged to ‘fill a bag with kindness’ and bring in toothpaste, shower gel, soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, tissues, plasters, sanitary towels or tampons.

Visit wnstd.com/kindnessbag