March 2022

Karina Laymen believes illustration is a servant of the creators of art. In the second of a series of articles, the Wanstead House tutor presents a piece of work inspired by a dream about the rapture

For centuries, illustration has been considered a type of pseudo-art in the sense of a non-self-generating conceptual art. Illustration forms part of that triangular relationship of communication, where the author generates the concept, story or event, the public is the direct receptor or passive interlocutor of the author and the illustrator is that third ‘auxiliary’ part who facilitates the understanding or visualisation of the concept.

This humble position, outside a two-side flux of communication, gives the illustrator an honourable commission of servitude to the public and the author, the substantial creator.

Society throughout the years, especially from the 18th century onwards, has become increasingly self-centred: in these last two centuries, society has lifted a monument to the ‘I’ and ‘yourself’ to the point of making an individual’s existence a piece of art, placing aside, ofttimes, the substance of the creator.

Art as a pure discipline features a more introvert or narcissistic expression of the individual, which is the creator, the author, that shows us what dwells inside him or her: feelings, experiences, psychological processes, desires, memories, impressions and so on. Therefore, in this bipartite relationship of artist and viewer, the latter becomes an admirer of a private experience of another individual.

The generous nature of illustration as a position of servitude aims to exalt the substance to be appreciated.

After 30 years of receiving persistent ‘commissions’ from an author, in 2019 I finally decided to embrace the project and pass on the message this especial creator has for the public: my dreams of the end times.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions… And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit… And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke,” (Joe 2:28– 2:30, King James Bible).

I had this dream around 2003. Musicians in red outfits were playing their instruments on the clouds, meteors were hitting the ground, thousands of people were wearing dark and dirty clothes, as if they’d just come out of a war, and the moon was growing and growing; it was getting larger and occupied a big part of the reddish sky.

Lying ill on my bed, I was dying, my mum crying next to me, but at the same time, I was standing by the broken wall watching everything, my sister at the window very excited because of the huge moon.

Let’s pay attention to our dreams. We might not be the author, so let’s be “a faithful servant”.

To view more of Karina’s work, visit wnstd.com/karina

Karina teaches art classes every Friday at Wanstead House from 10am to 12pm. She also runs bespoke illustration courses for small groups. For more information, visit wnstd.com/riae or call 020 8550 2398

Local author Christina Morris has created a self-care book for mothers.

The collaborative publication features stories from 20 women around the world, including Sally Martin from Wanstead and Lisa Russell from Loughton.

“If we help even one person by sharing our experiences, then the book will have fulfilled its purpose… It’s an excellent Mother’s Day gift!” said Christina. Priced £15, Strong Mothers is available online from Wanstead Bookshop, or on the High Street from City Place Coffee and Oxfam Bookshop.

Visit wnstd.com/books

The Wanstead Society will celebrate its silver jubilee by planting a new tree on the High Street this month in a nod to the community group’s first project in the late nineties. Scott Wilding reports

Back in 1997, an average pint would cost you £1.10, a litre of petrol was around 70p and I was still at Wanstead High School completing my A levels. But this was also the year that the Wanstead Society was born, and so in 2022, we turn 25.

To celebrate our silver jubilee, we are planting a tree outside Gail’s Bakery this month, which we hope will live at least another 25 years.

We’d like to thank Redbridge Council, who helped with the logistics, and for allowing us to celebrate our anniversary in this way.

We felt a tree was the right way to celebrate rather than a formal celebration. Urban trees provide heat shade, soak up excess water and give food and shelter to local wildlife. One tree on its own, of course, makes only a small difference. But in the 25 years we have been active, we have planted over 40 trees right across Wanstead, including the ones that stretch from Snaresbrook Station to the junction of Hollybush Hill. These were installed in the late 1990s and are still going strong; it was one of our first projects, but far from the last.

In over a quarter of a century, we have planted bulbs on Christ Church Green, funded the Wanstead Community Gardeners and helped pay for numerous community projects. From part-funding bins to fundraising for the refurbishment of the children’s playground on the green, we have always aimed to put something back.

Our next 25 years will see more challenges, but none more so than the environment. It’s essential that we do what we can to support local, native wildlife and plant vegetation if we want to tackle the climate emergency. This is likely to be the one really big challenge we all need to contribute to. In July last year, flash flooding caused by severe heavy rain resulted in huge damage to local homes and businesses. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, it’s clear climate change is right on our doorstep, and in some cases, flooding over it and into our homes.

Our projects would never be possible without the help and support of Wanstead residents. As a volunteer organisation, we rely on our members giving their time for free. And it’s our members who, through generous donations and selflessly giving up their time, have made Wanstead just that little bit better.

So, we hope that over the next 25 years, we can continue making Wanstead even better still, and with your help, we will.

For more information on the Wanstead Society, visit wansteadsociety.org.uk or write to: Wanstead Society, c/o Wanstead House, 21 The Green, Wanstead, E11 2NT.

Councillor Jo Blackman (Wanstead Village, Labour) discusses speeding and dangerous driving, and invites residents to take part in community roadwatch events with local police

One issue that regularly comes up when we’re talking to residents is the problem of speeding and dangerous driving. Whether it’s motorists going too fast on main roads, ignoring red lights or driving aggressively, it seems we’re all fed up with feeling unsafe on our roads.

Redbridge Council can play a role in making roads safer by installing infrastructure like speed humps and a raised crossing, and we have recently consulted on introducing a number of measures to slow traffic on the High Street and other roads across Wanstead. School Streets zones that limit non-residential traffic close to schools can also help keep children safe and are working well at a number of local schools, including Wanstead Church School.

However, the council’s budget is under significant pressure and is subject to competing demands across the borough. Historically, TfL has provided much of the funding for councils to implement road safety measures. TfL is currently in negotiations with the government regarding future funding. Any settlement is unlikely to restore TfL’s funding to previous levels, nor provide councils with the funds needed to undertake all the road safety interventions necessary across the borough.

We know that enforcement is crucial too. A recent Panorama programme highlighted how a failure to reduce road deaths over the past decade is linked to a cut in the number of dedicated traffic police officers. Too many dangerous drivers have been able to continue without fear of being caught. Police numbers are set to increase, but it’s still unclear how many of those will be dedicated to policing our roads.

In Wanstead Village, we’ve asked the police’s local Safer Neighbourhoods Team to focus on dangerous driving. We are organising meetings for residents with the police where we know there are persistent problems to help highlight the need for more rigorous policing. We have also been told that specific police operations are being undertaken to target problem areas. And we have asked the police to restart community roadwatch events, where the police team up with volunteers to identify speeding motorists who are then issued with a warning letter, which can be effective at encouraging compliance. New technology can help too. As more drivers have dashcams, the footage is being used by police to prosecute dangerous drivers and can be uploaded via the police’s website for them to follow up.

Let’s hope the threat of police action, combined with road safety measures where feasible, will help make our streets safer.

To volunteer for community roadwatch events, email CommunityRoadwatch@met.police.uk

Aldersbrook resident Dr Mark Hayden is the Redbridge Climate Safe Streets Champion for the London Cycling Campaign and believes urgent action is needed to make our streets safe for active travel

It was reported in the October 2021 edition of the Wanstead Village Directory that I planned to ride from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to Glasgow for COP26. Alongside 70 paediatric healthcare providers and two GOSH patients, I completed the 500-mile ride to highlight the lack of action to protect children across the world from toxic air pollution. We carried urgent messages from GOSH patients, the World Health Organization and a healthy climate prescription signed by organisations representing 46m health workers. But did anyone listen?

Undeterred, I am now working with the London Cycling Campaign as the Redbridge Climate Safe Streets Champion to pressure politicians standing in the May local elections to commit to taking action to protect children.

Redbridge sits in 31st place out of the 33 London boroughs on the 2021 Healthy Streets Scorecard, and things are looking bleak unless change comes soon. Our borough has one of the lowest active travel rates in London, possibly because we also have one of the highest rates of pedestrians and cyclists killed or seriously injured. And we have done little to make our streets healthier compared to other boroughs (in 2018, an estimated 28 people in Wanstead died as a result of air pollution). We have very few school streets or safe cycle routes. We simply haven’t done enough and need to take urgent action to make our streets safe for active travel.

This is the local election that counts the most. Politicians can no longer delay action – they need to be big and bold now. Climate plans mean nothing if action does not follow. And action on cycling equals action on climate. Electric cars are not the answer for saving the climate, let alone congestion, pollution, inactivity and road danger. People and streets can change – change can attract a lot of noisy opposition, but most people do want better streets and most London motor vehicle journeys could be done other ways.

Everyone gets the urgency; a Conservative government, the Labour Mayor of London and all the experts are basically saying the same thing – we need a lot more cycling and a lot fewer cars, fast. But are we listening?

By Redbridge’s standards, Wanstead is relatively lucky. I am thrilled by the impact of the school streets initiative on Ingatestone Road in Aldersbrook. I love taking my dog for a walk in the morning and seeing the street full of kids and parents on bikes instead of speeding or idling SUVs. I also welcome the segregated cycle lanes being installed on Lake House Road and Centre Road, but worry that children in areas east of the A406 are being left behind.

For more information on the London Cycling Campaign, visit wnstd.com/lcc

A leading exponent of the bandoneon – a concertina-style musical instrument – will be performing at St Gabriel’s Church on 19 March as part of the Valentine Singers’ Misatango concert (7.30pm; £15).

“We are delighted South Woodford resident Julian Rowlands, who often plays on Strictly Come Dancing, will be part of our event. The concert is quite unusual. It will include a Mass written by an Argentine composer in a tango style. A fusion of words from the past with music of the present,” said a spokesperson.

Visit wnstd.com/vs

In the 25th of a series of articles, David Bird discusses the work of Redbridge Music Society and introduces pianist John Paul Ekins and cellist Timothée Botbol, who will perform in Wanstead this month

Redbridge Music Society continues its current programme of bringing high-quality musical events to the borough with a recital to be given by prize-winning young musicians, pianist John Paul Ekins and cellist Timothée Botbol, at Wanstead Library this month. The recital is dedicated to the memories of Dr Don Hoskins MBE and Manuel Villet, Redbridge Music Society’s past president and vice-president, who did so much to bring music to the local community. Music to be performed will include works by Debussy (Clair de Lune) and Mussorgsky (Pictures at an Exhibition).

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 and Royal Albert Hall, the Southbank and the Zurich Tonhalle. He graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2009, and in 2011 obtained a Master of Performance degree 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 19 prizes at international competitions 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. During the recent lockdown, he raised money for the NHS and Help Musicians UK via a series of highly successful online recitals. He was particularly honoured to be presented to the Queen at a reception for young performers at Buckingham Palace.

Swiss cellist Timothée Botbol studied in Geneva and Lausanne, continuing his studies at the Royal College of Music on the Artist Diploma Programme. He has given many solo performances in the UK and across Europe at venues including St John’s Smith Square, the Purcell Room and the Royal Albert Hall. Timothée has appeared as principal cellist with the Welsh National Opera Orchestra and the Collegium ensemble. He is also a chamber musician performing with violinist Vilde Frang and the renowned violist Lawrence Power. In 2017, he was awarded the Grand Prize Special from all categories at the Augustin Aponte International Music Competition in Tenerife. In addition to cello, he also gives recitals as a baritone, and recently performed as a guitarist in the West End show Waitress. Timothée is currently a Park Lane Group Young Artist.

This event will be a very special evening of music-making. I do hope you can join us.

John Paul and Timothée will perform at Wanstead Library on 15 March from 8pm (tickets on the door; visitors: £10: members: £7). Call 07380 606 767. Redbridge Music Society is supported by Vision RCL and affiliated to Making Music.

The annual captains’ drive-in at Wanstead Golf Club has raised £2,125 for Leukaemia UK.

“I was genuinely humbled seeing so many people in attendance at what was a fantastic day for the club and a proud day for me personally… The whole club came together to have a fantastic time and I look forward to repeating this at other events throughout the year,” said new club captain Mark Pincham.

Women’s captain Margaret Fielding, veteran’s captain Paul Siggins and junior captain Tilly O’Leary were also inaugurated at the event.

In the ninth of a series of articles by those connected to Redbridge Lane West allotments – which are under threat from the adjacent gas works – we hear from former plot holder Gemma Sanderson

In November 2011, Wanstead Village Directory published an article sharing the enjoyment that my husband, Sandy, and I got from our little patch in Wanstead.

We obtained the allotment in 2007 when it was just a weedy patch of grass with poor-quality soil. It seemed a little overwhelming at the start, but Sandy gradually sectioned areas off into raised beds, where we could focus on improving the soil, and covered the paths with membrane and stones to keep down the weeds. We sifted the soil thoroughly in each of the beds to get rid of debris, grass and bramble roots. We also went and collected manure regularly from the local stables to combine with the soil. It was amazing to see what a difference this made to the quality and texture of the soil over the months and years.

Sandy and I loved the whole production process of growing our own fruit and vegetables, as well as the social aspect that came with the friendly site on Redbridge Lane West. There were a few well-established plot holders – who had been present when the Queen visited in 2002 – who gave us great advice in the early stages. Over the years, we went from being enthusiastic newbies to being sought out for advice ourselves. It also had a positive impact on my husband in terms of health and helped him get past the struggle he had with having to give up his career.

Sadly, in early 2012, Sandy became quite ill and was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. He deteriorated rapidly and I lost him in June that year. I really struggled for some time but found the greatest peace at the allotment, where we had enjoyed so much time together. We planted a crab apple tree on the site, in Sandy’s memory, alongside one for a fellow plot holder who we had lost the previous year. The allotment community was a huge part of what got me through that difficult time.

All the initial efforts put into the structure and layout made the ongoing work more manageable, and I was able to keep the allotment going for another four years, with help from fellow plot holders Sally and Ray. After this time, the wooden raised beds and structures were starting to deteriorate, and along with a need to downsize my property, I made the very difficult decision to give up my plot. But I still keep in contact with the many friends I made at the allotments.

A small amount of Sandy’s ashes were placed under a rose I planted for him at the allotments. Sadly, this rose is in the very area where I understand Cadent want to place a car park as part of their gas site upgrades. I will be sad to see all our hard work and memories demolished. I’m not sure Cadent realise how much time, effort and love has gone into each allotment plot over the many years.

To view Gemma and Sandy’s article from 2011, visit wnstd.com/sanderson
To view the petition to save the Redbridge Lane West allotments, visit wnstd.com/sta

A research project led by the University of Westminster is seeking feedback from local people about the streets of Wanstead and South Woodford.

“The EX-TRA project (Experimenting with City Streets to Transform Urban Mobility) is studying a number of street space experiments around Europe, including the mobility hubs implemented by Redbridge Council. Do you think this is a good use of street space? We are interested in the views of all people who live, work or visit here,” said a spokesperson.

Visit wnstd.com/extra

Work to create new cycle lanes – and expand existing ones – in the local area began last month.

It follows a consultation by Redbridge Council last summer – which invited feedback from residents, emergency services and TfL – on proposals for four roads: Aldersbrook Road (six weeks of work began on 21 February), Blake Hall Road (eight weeks of work began on 21 February), Centre Road (five weeks of work began on 7 February) and Lakehouse Road (four weeks of work began on 7 February).

Visit wnstd.com/cyclelanes

The recently formed Friends of St Gabriel’s will be hosting an eco-festival at the Aldersbrook church this month. It’s all part of future-proofing the venue, explains Georgina Brewis and Jane Skelding

St Gabriel’s Church has been at the heart of the Aldersbrook community for over a hundred years. The church, its hall and gardens are community assets that serve thousands of local people each year by providing spaces for an enormous range of recreational, social and educational activities.

The hall is currently home to a week-day morning nursery school, supports a programme of clubs and classes – from Pilates to football, Cubs and Scouts to knit and natter – and has hosted many generations of Aldersbrook birthday parties. However, the maintenance and upkeep of the ageing estate is extensive, costly and time-consuming. In the long term, St Gabriel’s would like to become greener and more sustainable by upgrading the hall’s facilities, including fitting solar panels and creating new meeting spaces, and is currently seeking planning approval for these works from Redbridge Council.

Since the summer of 2021, a small group of people – mostly non-churchgoers who live in Aldersbrook – have been working with Father Martyn Hawkes to form the Friends of St Gabriel’s on the lines of similar secular support groups elsewhere. The group exists to secure the long-term future of the church and its hall for everyone, regardless of religious faith. The Friends officially launched last September, and held a successful Christmas decoration event with Wanstead florist Daisy in December. Through fundraising events and by signing up regular supporters, we have so far raised over £3,500 to fund essential works to the hall, which will start this spring.

Our next big event is an eco-festival on Saturday 12 March (sponsored by The Stow Brothers). In celebration of protecting our local environment, there will be stalls covering all sorts of making, doing and repairing. There will be demonstrations and advice from experts on bike repairs, clothes alterations and ceramic repairs, as well as beer brewing. For anyone looking for new mindful activities, we will have local community groups ready to help you get started on pottery, knitting and horticulture. A member of the Redbridge Cycling Campaign will be on hand with local cycling tips and there will be a chance to view the planning application. Live entertainment will include a local Irish folk group. And there will be eco-friendly crafts for children and, of course, plenty of refreshments.

The Friends of St Gabriel’s want to ensure the church and its hall are still here in another hundred years. So, the group is open to everyone who values the presence of St Gabriel’s as a community asset and we welcome supporters from any religious background and people of no faith at all.

The Aldersbrook Eco-Festival will take place at St Gabriel’s Church, Aldersbrook Road, on 12 March from 12 noon to 3pm (entry: £1; children: free). For more information on the Friends of St Gabriel’s , visit wnstd.com/fosg