April 2023

Visit the bluebells in Wanstead Park this month, then enjoy them in art form at St Gabriel’s Church, says Art Group Wanstead founder Donna Mizzi

The bluebell wood in Wanstead Park attracts more publicity and draws in a greater number of visitors with each passing year. But this month, you will be able to enjoy the local English bluebells more than ever before. 

A Bluebell and Spring art display and event is being organised by Art Group Wanstead to celebrate the annual appearance of these enchanting flowers. And it will be held at St Gabriel’s Church on Park Road, Aldersbrook, just a short walk away from Wanstead Park’s bluebell wood, giving the opportunity to combine both attractions.

A wide range of art – including painting, drawing, photography, collage, mixed media and mosaic – will be on show from local artists (professional and amateur). Work by young artists from Make Me An Art Star art club and Wanstead Park Preschool group will also be displayed. The event is being supported by The Stow Brothers estate agents.

The event runs from Monday 17 April until Sunday 23 April. The biggest day will be Saturday 22 April, when there will also be fascinating workshops and art demos for adults and children, stalls, a bead shop, teas and scrumptious cakes. There will be no admission charges, but donations for St Gabriel’s Tin in a Bin will be greatly welcomed – either in the form of tinned food or cash contributions for the food bank.

On all open days, there will also be an art and craft Give, Take ’n’ Donate table with the money going to the food bank. This is your opportunity to spring clean your art cupboards. Good quality art and craft items of all sorts will be appreciated by visitors and artists, including art books, paper, picture frames and materials for adults and children.

Art Group Wanstead plans to have some refreshments available each day for local residents and walkers who want to pop in to enjoy the art. Perhaps it will encourage visitors to start some bluebell artwork of their own. 

It is estimated that the UK has up to half of the world’s total bluebell population. But don’t confuse our delicate, drooping bluebells with the Spanish version, which grows upright with flowers all around the stem. The hybrid, a mix of the British and Spanish, may gradually threaten the native bluebells’ existence. In our part of the UK, the most intense bluebell blooming time tends to be from mid-April up to early May. But keep your eye on local reports.

When viewing the flowers in the park, always stick to the log-lined paths: it can take years for crushed bluebells to regenerate in a trampled spot. A few minutes of thoughtless behaviour could easily impact this stunning wildflower spectacle.

Bluebell and Spring event times at St Gabriel’s Church, Park Road, E12 5HH:

Monday 17 April: 12 noon–3pm
Tuesday 18 April: 12 noon–3pm
Wednesday 19 April: show closed
Thursday 20 April: 2.30pm–4.30pm
Friday 21 April: 12 noon–3pm
Saturday 22 April: 11am–4pm
Sunday 23 April: 11.15am–1.30pm

For more information on Art Group Wanstead, visit wnstd.com/art

Dr Gayle Chong Kwan is an artist and patron of the Wren Wildlife Group, with a particular interest in ecology, waste, landscape and nature. Here, the local resident reflects on her Epping Forest-inspired work

I am an international multidisciplinary artist and academic of Scottish-Chinese/Mauritian descent. At the core of my practice is an expanded and embodied notion of the visual, which I explore through photography, installation, video, pieces worn on the body and intimate and large-scale ritual and sensory experiences.

I create interventions in institutions, museums, galleries and the public realm that question and challenge their acquisitions, modes of public participation and the status of objects and collections and the ecologies in which they sit. I use a methodology of ‘imaginal travel’ (I have a PhD from the Royal College of Art) of propositional attitudes and ritual and immanent acts in collaboration and in contemplation of inner life.

I was delighted when the Wren Wildlife Group approached me and asked if I would like to be involved. They are a charity local to me that celebrates, explores and helps to protect important outdoor and green spaces. There is real in-depth knowledge, research, commitment and passion among the members. I am keen to help them develop creative activities around different aspects of the group, around seasonal activities and communal and creative experiences.

Art can play a role in bringing new perspectives in ways in which we might think about, model and put into practice new ways of experiencing and treating ecologies, people and places with which we engage. Many of my projects and artworks connect with aspects of ecology, waste, landscape and nature. I developed a major project around Epping Forest in 2017–18 entitled The People’s Forest. I was fascinated by the politics of the forest, both in terms of its history in the attempted enclosures and the Epping Forest Act of 1878, and more recent protests in the 1990s against the building of the M11 link road. I was struck by the liminal nature of the forest, as a place between rural and urban, and as a site of imagination, myths and possibilities. Like William Morris, I became fascinated by the forest’s unique pollarded trees, which were shaped by the commoners’ right to lop or cut off their own wood supply.

I also became interested in specific trees, such as the Fairlop Oak and its tradition of an annual feast that stood in Hainault Forest and which suffered incursion by private landlords in the 18th century, the George Green chestnut tree, which was a focus of the M11 protests, and trees as symbols and the focus of protest movements more generally. 

I worked with a range of people to explore and walk with them in areas of the forest special to them, from which I made sculptural headdresses out of photographs I took, like the one pictured here.

I’ve lived in London for over 25 years now. I love this city. I never grow tired of it. I feel at home in Leytonstone. Through The People’s Forest and spending time in Epping Forest with my sons, the forest has rooted me in this special place.

Outdoor and green spaces can be amazing inspirations for making artwork – they are places where we bring our attentiveness, our sensory and elemental appreciation of nature. It’s not just about outdoor and green spaces being an inspiration but instead places where we are invited to experience our whole selves.

To view more of Gayle’s work, visit gaylechongkwan.com

For more information on the Wren Wildlife Group, visit wnstd.com/wren

Having chaired the packed Wanstead Youth Centre public meeting last month, Revd James Gilder of Wanstead Parish talks about hope, faith and turbulent politics in the first of a series of articles

I write this whilst looking over from my study window to Christ Church, on an early March day that could just as easily be January. We had a little work done on the church roof some time ago and it occurs to me that today, with its snow and bitingly cold rain, will be a good day to test if the weatherproofing has done its job. 

A short walk over to Wanstead Park and its near-empty ponds tells a different story, though – that of the ongoing drought, which seems something of an alien concept to Europe in winter, yet is all too real this year. 

The changing climate is, of course, a huge source of alarm, and has led many people to have a sense of hopelessness about the future. Between the climate emergency, wars, artificial intelligence and goodness knows what else, it sometimes seems like humanity’s capacity for ingenuity tends to outpace its capacity to guard against the havoc such progress might wreak on us all.

Should we just abandon all hope of a bright future, though? I hope not! Last night, it was my privilege to chair a meeting about the future of Wanstead Youth Centre. The centre was packed, with every seat taken and many more local residents standing, whilst Redbridge Council and the Save Wanstead Youth Centre campaign each put their points and local residents asked questions.

Much has been said about the decline in standards of civil debate in recent years, but I was hugely impressed at both the degree of local interest there was in saving the centre and the level of politeness and respect that was shown on both sides, despite obvious differences of opinion. It certainly made my job as chair much easier! In fact, I was given to think that if our leaders, nationally and internationally, could regain some of the civility that was shown in that meeting, they would probably engender far greater levels of trust from us all.

Nobody likes a braying mob (Parliament, take note!). Lots of psychologists have studied what happens when the power of the crowd takes over – and it’s generally not rational behaviour. The obvious example of this from the Christian faith is when the crowd inexplicably chose to free Barabbas (a dangerous criminal) and yet condemned an innocent man to die (Jesus Christ). At this time of year, Lent, Holy Week and Easter, many in this parish will visit our churches to walk through the story of Easter once again – a story of hope and faith set against a backdrop of turbulent politics and threats on every side. 

Whatever your beliefs are, I wish you every blessing, peace and hope for a better future.

To contact Reverend James Gilder, call 020 8530 8743 or visit wnstd.com/parish

Redbridge Council has partnered with a charity working to reduce the environmental impact of clothes, and residents can now book a free collection of unwanted garments. Council Officer Simon Stodel reports

An estimated 350,000 tonnes of clothing are binned in the UK each year, and every time you throw away an item of clothing, it’s costing the earth, as well as your wallet. You can do your bit to reduce this waste (and save money) by buying less and selling, repairing and donating your unwanted textiles.

To produce new clothing, the fashion industry uses unsustainable amounts of water, fossil fuels and energy. Many manufacturing processes are also associated with toxic chemicals, waste and pollution – all of which have a harmful impact on our environment.

In Redbridge, all general waste is sent to mechanical biological treatment facilities where it is shredded and passed through various conveyors to extract recyclable materials such as metal and glass. It is not possible to recover textiles during this sorting process and although the waste in our borough is turned into refuse-derived fuel, there are many more sustainable ways to manage your unwanted or damaged clothing.

In the fight against wasteful fashion, Redbridge Council’s Neighbourhood Team has launched a new section on the council’s website to support local people in reducing clothing waste in the borough. Packed with information, advice and tips, the dedicated page highlights ways to reduce, reuse and recycle clothes, as well as how to dress for less the eco-friendly way.

The team has also partnered up with UK clothing charity TRAID to offer residents a free, bookable, doorstep collection service for unwanted clothes. Donated items go to TRAID’s charity shops, dedicated to selling pre-loved clothes and raising vital funds for global projects to improve conditions and working practices in the textile industry.

You can donate clean, wearable clothes, shoes, accessories, sheets and household linen (excluding duvets and pillows). You can book a collection for a minimum of one large bag or three small bags of clothing, but TRAID encourages residents to donate more than the minimum amount, as this helps the charity to deliver a more efficient service. This service is open to all Redbridge households, including flats.

Councillor Jo Blackman (Wanstead Village), who is also Redbridge Cabinet Member for Environment and Civic Pride, said: “With fashion trends changing fast, and cheap clothing readily available online and on the high street, it might be tempting to change wardrobes often, but it comes at a great cost to our environment. One of the easiest ways we can all play a part to help tackle climate change is to reduce, reuse and recycle, and clothing is a good place to start.”

To book a free clothing collection, visit wnstd.com/traid or call 020 8733 2595. For information on reducing clothing waste, visit wnstd.com/clothes

Over the last 10 years, Redbridge Council has increasingly excluded residents from the planning process, argues Paul Canal, who laments the decision to approve the Snaresbrook Station car park development

We used to have up to 50 meetings a year attended by local people. The abolition of the Area Planning Committees, which met up to 33 times a year, was followed by the removal of residents’ – or indeed councillors’ – rights to call in applications for public discussion. For an astounding 10 months, we didn’t have a single public planning meeting – and that was not as a result of covid!

In their place, behind closed doors, a planning chair sits with an officer and they alone decide what should and should not be discussed in public. There is no right of appeal. Every other decision is made by an officer, unchallenged and unchallengeable. It appears as though the views of the public are neither sought nor considered important. Yet, even where we have the rare meeting, the odds are stacked against residents. Developers have (and pay handsomely for) access to officers for several years to discuss and refine their plans. Residents get barely five weeks’ notice and only two minutes to advance their views, and that is if a meeting is held at all! Petitions signed by hundreds are counted as only one objection – a democratic outrage. The committee then invariably waves the application through, albeit with the occasional crocodile tears and expression of “regret”.

Which is how we now have the Snaresbrook monstrosity, an overbearing building plonked in a car park. Whilst the borough is crying out for family homes, Redbridge Council have not only approved the 70-plus one-bedroom flats, but flats up to 30% smaller than planning standards normally allow. Simply astonishing, but ideal if you are a slim Hobbit.

The local plan, a statutory document, determines land use. If a former car park is quietly reallocated as development land, the die is cast. There are no legal grounds to object. All you can do is mitigate the impact by working to have a development acceptable to the community. Except, in reality, the community have no say. We get to the party when all the food has been eaten and the music has stopped. In our two minutes, we can appeal and implore and they can ignore. Which they invariably do.

I recognise we need more homes and I am not against the building of homes on car parks by stations per se, (though I note that no thought or provision has been given to those who drive to the station, car drivers being as popular as Ebola in Redbridge). I am, though, viscerally opposed to this lumpen carbuncle with the grace of a tub of lard and the profile of a battleship. It is simply too tall, flies in the face of planning guidelines regarding scale and mass, and should never have got to planning, let alone be passed. And it is the neighbouring residents who will suffer the most. I am genuinely sorry for them. They have not just been failed, they have been royally shafted.

Paul Canal is a Wanstead resident and Conservative councillor for Bridge ward. 

In the third of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Diane Dalli presents her shot of a female ring-necked parakeet

I have been visiting Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats to photograph the wildlife there for the past three years. It is a haven for a variety of birds and there is always something to spot, from birds of prey like little owls and kestrels to smaller species like stonechats and white throats.

The swifts and swallows that arrive in late spring are challenging to photograph and I will be attempting to get a sharp picture of them flying this year. They fly at up to 70mph, so they live up to their name!

Skylarks have been given their own territory on the Flats, fenced off to prevent disturbance during the nesting season, and can often be seen soaring over the flats, singing sweetly. Another challenging photo opportunity.

And then there is the large flock of ring-necked parakeets, which are present all year round and are very active, squawking as they fly by. The female parakeet pictured here was with her mate, checking out the hole in the tree as a possible nesting spot, so I will be returning later in the year to see if I can see any fledglings. While this colourful bird is named the ring-necked parakeet, only the males develop the telltale ring.

In the summer months, I also enjoy photographing the many varieties of colourful butterflies in Wanstead, some quite rare, like the green hairstreak and the clouded yellow. 

There are many different habitats around here, including several lakes and ponds with a large variety of waterbirds. Dragonflies can also be seen, skimming across the water on a hot summer’s day. The ponds suffered last summer in the drought but are now looking ready to support this year’s breeding pairs of swans, egrets, ducks and grebes.

Wanstead Park is a peaceful place to spend a few hours away from city life and I will keep coming back with my camera.

To view more of Diane’s wildlife photos, visit wnstd.com/dalli

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has awarded Redbridge Council £323,774 to fund clean air initiatives and help reduce air pollution in the borough.

“The funding will increase the number of Breathe London air quality monitors across Redbridge while enabling us to develop interactive air quality maps using data gathered by the community. The money will also help deliver cycle training and additional school cycle storage for pupils and parents,” said a council spokesperson.

A Breathe London air quality monitor costs £2,400.

Temporary fencing returned to Wanstead Flats last month to protect ground-nesting skylarks during the breeding season (April to August).

“The skylark is now on the Red List for species of conservation concern. We have been monitoring the numbers of singing males on the Flats and have noticed a rapid decline from double figures in 2010 to just three or four in the last few years. With increased footfall on the Flats, we are concerned skylarks may soon be lost as a breeding species locally,” said a Wren Wildlife Group spokesperson.

In the fourth of a series of articles, April Mehmet reflects on two years of running Walk It Out, an initiative dedicated to improving the health and well-being of women in Redbridge

I founded Walk It Out back in April 2021, aiming to empower young females and women in Redbridge to improve their health and well-being, to raise awareness through female empowerment and, most importantly, to tackle crime in the borough. What a journey it’s been – a successful one.

Since my last article, Walk It Out has been nominated again for this year’s Mayor’s Community Awards (which we won in 2022). I am very proud of our achievements and it inspires me to continue empowering young girls and women in our communities.

We have been constantly campaigning to end male violence against women and have been providing a range of free activities and support, designed to build confidence in young girls and women, empowering them to become the best version of themselves.

We should be able to walk anywhere, anytime without the fear of being attacked. Street harassment is an issue in every society, but misogyny and sexual harassment in public has been so normalised that females find it difficult to speak up, so Walk it Out is an advocate and voice for the voiceless. Alongside our group activities, we also provide one-to-one mentorship for members of the group, allowing a space to confidentially discuss ongoing concerns and receive additional support and guidance. Our mission is to strengthen the voices of females.

We have been chosen by Tesco’s Community Grants scheme to share our project in-store, which will be put to a customer vote in local branches, including Wanstead (voting via the blue tokens will commence from the first week of April). Please vote as we are in need of funding to continue supporting local women.

What does being a woman mean to me? Women are all unique and that’s the beauty of us. We have the power, passion and positivity to change the world. I love being a woman; being a woman means I can be anything and everything I want to be. It means being able to fight for change on the issues that matter to us, being able to raise my voice on behalf of those who can’t, and standing alongside other women to show that they matter. A woman is the most powerful and beautiful creation ever! When asked who’s my role model, who do you look up to and who makes me feel good, the answer is simple. Me! I motivate and inspire myself everyday.

Walk it Out is in search of volunteers to lead park walks in Wanstead and the surrounding area, bringing women together in a safe space. If you are passionate about making a difference in your community, get in touch with your CV and cover letter. The best project you’ll ever work on is you!

For more information on how you can join a walk or support the Walk It Out initiative, call 07437 517 177 or visit wnstd.com/wio

A series of craft activities will take place at Wanstead Library during the Easter holiday.

On 5 April, children aged four and over will have the chance to make an Easter bunny out of paper, and on 8 April, they can create an Easter egg decoration. The story of Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow will be the basis for dinosaur-themed creations on 13 April, while hanging decorations inspired by Ramadan will be made on 15 April.

All drop-in sessions run from 2pm to 3pm and are free to attend.

Call 020 8708 7400

Visitors are being asked not to pick or trample on Epping Forest’s native English bluebells, including those growing in Chalet Wood in Wanstead Park.

“The past few years have been hugely damaging to our rare bluebell population. Sadly, a growing number of visitors seem to care more about getting a social media moment than the lasting damage they leave behind,” said Ben Murphy, Chairman of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee.

Bluebells serve an important purpose in the park’s ecosystem, feeding bees and other early pollinators. Even when not visible above ground, the bulbs can be damaged by heavy footfall, and when the plants are trampled on, it can take them four to seven years to re-establish and grow again.

“To avoid us having to close off areas of Epping Forest, we hope by explaining why these sites are so important, alongside new pathways and signage, visitors will work with us to protect these wonderful bluebells for years to come.”

Wanstead’s Tin in a Bin charity – which celebrates its third anniversary this month – has partnered with Redbridge Council to help feed more children during the school holidays. Suzanne Paterson reports

Since October 2021, Redbridge Council has funded 500,000 free school meals through the holidays to help ensure children don’t go hungry. The council is now partnering with Tin in a Bin to help additional families who may not be able to access this support.

It was Jamie Oliver’s campaign highlighting the impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on children ineligible for free school meals that got the Tin in a Bin team thinking of ways we could help in Redbridge. We decided two things; firstly, we needed to work with all schools in Redbridge via the council’s education department to identify the families that needed meal vouchers for the school holidays; and secondly, that we needed to be a bit more creative than just asking for money. Redbridge Council was simultaneously thinking of ways to support families in need.

Tin in a Bin has 50-plus volunteers covering a wide range of skill sets, so it wasn’t long before we identified that one of the team works in the education department and that we had a group that loved putting on events!

And so we organised two drag queen bingo fundraisers in March, with all proceeds supporting the Easter Holiday Food Support campaign. The council also relaunched their GoFundMe page as used during Covid to buy computer equipment for families. And a big thank you to Le Marmiton for their generous support. Together, we raised over £4,000, which will help over 200 children across the borough. Every £20 raised will feed one child for the whole of the Easter break. The GoFundMe page remains open for donations as the scheme has been extended into the summer holidays.

The Leader of Redbridge Council, Councillor Jas Athwal, said: “No child should go hungry, and in Redbridge, we’re making sure they never do, making it easier than ever for families to access free school meals for their children through the school holidays. This is a fantastic partnership that will support some of our most vulnerable neighbours and complement the free school meals programme we already deliver.”

Tin in a Bin started during the first COVID lockdown in April 2020, and now has a network of over 50 food donation points in Wanstead, Woodford and beyond. Our donors provide food and funding, which has enabled us to support local food banks with well over 150 tonnes of food and other essential items since we started. The Tin in a Bin team would like to thank everyone for their continued support; we recognise times are tough for everyone, but if you can, please pop a couple of tins a week in your nearest ‘Tin Bin’ (see wnstd.com/tinabsites). All donations make a difference and are gratefully received.

To donate, visit wnstd.com/holidayfood
For more information on Tin in a Bin, email tinab.wanstead@gmail.com