June 2023

The Wren Wildlife Group will host the Wanstead Wildlife Weekend this month. Everyone is invited to join them in Wanstead Park and on Wanstead Flats to get a little closer to nature. Gill James outlines the events taking place

The Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group was founded in 1972. We’ve spent the last 50 years helping to promote and protect the wildlife of the Wanstead area and its surrounds, and helping to bring the people of East London closer to the wildlife around them. This month, we continue that tradition by inviting you to Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats on the weekend of 24 and 25 June for the Wanstead Wildlife Weekend. Come and discover what’s living on your doorstep! There are activities for all ages.

Moth traps
Saturday 24 June, 6am (Wanstead Park)
Saturday starts bright and early with moth expert Tim Harris revealing what moths he has caught overnight in his moth trap. Meet at the Temple; no booking required. 

Wildlife walk
Saturday 24 June, 10am (Wanstead Park)
Those looking for a later start to the day can join an introductory wildlife walk for all ages with Redbridge Nature Conservation leader Tajinder Lachhar, who will be pointing out the different plants, insects and birds of Wanstead Park. Meet at the Tea Hut; booking required.

Spider safari
Saturday 24 June, 2pm (Wanstead Flats)
On Saturday afternoon, we are delighted to welcome back a man who knows all about spiders, David Carr, who will be on Wanstead Flats leading the great spider safari. Prepare to be amazed. Meet at Centre Road car park; no booking required.

Family workshops
Saturday 24 June, (Wanstead Park)
Take part in a butterfly workshop for families, with hands-on activities, including making butterfly feeders; or join a workshop for older children, learning about our fascinating birds of prey. Meet at the Temple enclosure (times to be confirmed); booking required.

Art ramble
Sunday 25 June, 10am (Wanstead Park)
Discover your inner artist on Sunday morning with Jo Wood, who will be leading an art ramble in Wanstead Park for adults. Meet at the Tea Hut; booking required.

Pond-dipping
Sunday 25 June, 10am & 11am (Wanstead Park)
Children will love collecting and identifying the small creatures to be found in the Shoulder of Mutton Pond. There will be two one-hour sessions, one for younger children at 10am (four- to nine-year-olds) and one for older children at 11am (all children must be accompanied by an adult). Pond nets and experts provided, but bring your own wellies! Booking required.

Macro photography workshop
Sunday 25 June, 2pm (Wanstead Flats)
A local photographer will be showing you how to capture nature’s minute beauty with a camera, photographing insects, such as damselflies and bees. Suitable for adults. Meet at Centre Road car park; booking required.

Climate picnic
Sunday 25 June, 12 noon to 2pm (Wanstead Park)
On Sunday afternoon, we are delighted to be able to welcome families into the newly opened Woodland Play Area in Wanstead Park (behind the Temple). Join in the Great Big Picnic celebrating the Mayor of London’s Community Weekend (bring your own grub). No booking required.

Insect stories
Sunday 25 June, 2pm (Wanstead Park)
The picnic will be followed by an insect-themed storytelling session led by costumed actors. Suitable for three- to six-year-olds. Meet at the Woodland Play Area; no booking required. 

Minibeast hunt
Sunday 25 June, 3pm (Wanstead Park)
Kids will love becoming nature detectives and joining the hunt to see what creepy-crawlies they can find hiding under the leaves and logs. There will also be activities such as identifying trees and animal hide and seek. Meet at the Woodland Play Area; no booking required. 

Wren Group information tent
Both days, 10am to 4pm (Wanstead Park)
More serious nature detectives will be collecting information and recording what animals and plants we can all find and identify over the weekend. Local naturalist Tricia Moxey will be totalling up all the finds to see how rich the biodiversity in our area is. And on Sunday, the Aldersbrook Horticultural Society will be giving advice on how to encourage wildlife in your garden.

Wanstead Wildlife Weekend will take place on 24 and 25 June. For more information, and to book events, visit wnstd.com/wren

Humanist Heritage Project coordinator Madeleine Goodall will be the guest speaker at the East London Humanists’ June event. Group chairperson Paul Kaufman previews the history that will be discussed

To quote Confucius: “We have two lives. The second begins when we realise we only have one.” The Humanist tradition stretches back thousands of years and across the globe. The Charvaka school of philosophy (India, 600 BCE), the Sceptic and Epicurean schools of ancient Greece and Confucius (China, 500 BCE) all reflected on how to lead a good life without religious belief. 

This month we will welcome Madeleine Goodall, coordinator of Humanist UK’s Humanist Heritage Project. Her presentation will focus on the pioneering freethinkers and social reformers emanating from East London.

In England, denial of God attracted burning at the stake or other unspeakable punishments for centuries. Little remains of what non-believers from that time wrote or said. Records show a burgeoning of freethought from the early 1800s. Reform was hard fought for, with women often at the forefront. One better-known example is Mary Wollstonecraft, born in Spitalfields in 1759, and author of the early feminist tract A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Less well known is Eliza Sharples, who opened a coffee house in Hackney Road for freethinkers in 1849. She was the widow of Richard Carlile, who spent many years incarcerated for expressing non-religious views. Another prominent East London activist was Annie Besant, known among other things for supporting the iconic Matchgirls Strike in Bow in 1888. She shot to notoriety in 1877, along with Charles Bradlaugh, when they were prosecuted for publishing a pamphlet on birth control. Bradlaugh, born in Hoxton, became a household name as the first openly atheist MP. He was imprisoned in the cell under Big Ben in 1880 for refusing to take the religious oath then required. He finally took his seat in 1888.

Other local Humanists whose names may be familiar include writer, artist and social activist William Morris, and Sylvia Pankhurst, staunch campaigner for peace and women’s rights. In 1915, Sylvia created an early haven for women when she converted The Gunmakers Arms pub on Old Ford Road to The Mothers Arms. 

Neglected pioneers the Humanist Heritage Project has unearthed include Zona Vallance, born in Stratford in 1860 and founder of the East London Ethical Society, and Bessie Mabbs, appointed head of Bow Modern School in 1901, which boasted “a sound and thorough education without undue pressure.”

King Charles III’s coronation, with its anointings and other rituals, highlighted this country’s faith traditions. The Humanist Heritage Project is a much-needed celebration of the invaluable contribution the ethical non-religious have made to tolerance, culture and social progress.

Madeleine Goodall will be speaking at the East London Humanists’ meeting at Wanstead House on 26 June from 7.30pm. The event is free and open to all. For more information, visit wnstd.com/elh

Derek Inkpin from local solicitors Axiom DWFM looks at the use of signatures and explains how typing your name at the end of an email can also be legally binding

Is putting your name to an exchange of emails sufficient to hold you to a legally binding agreement? The traditional way, of course, of contracting with someone where the law prescribes that a particular agreement must be in writing is to sign it with a pen. With all the technology now at our fingertips, is there any other way of committing yourself except with a ‘wet signature’?

At the end of 2022, this was an issue which arose in a Court of Appeal case (Hudson vs Hathaway), where crucial to the court’s thinking was whether the law had been complied with on the issue of putting into writing the transfer of an interest in a property. Does an email amount to ‘in writing’ as the law prescribes, and has it been signed by the appropriate person where no handwritten signature appears in the email?

One of the judges said in this case that deliberately ascribing one’s signature to an email amounts to a signature, and the law recognises that technological developments have extended what an ordinary person understands by a signature.

What was important in this case was an exchange of emails between the joint non-married owners of a property who reached an agreement where the man (Lee) kept his pension and shares and the woman (Jayne) kept the house and its contents and other assets. What subsequently happened is that Lee later claimed half of the proceeds of the sale of the house contrary to his earlier agreement. In the absence of a signed agreement by Lee and Jayne, were their emails sufficient to comply with the law and to change the arrangements when they purchased the property?

Jayne relied on the argument that there was a common intention between her and Lee for her to have the house and that she had acted to her detriment by relying on that agreement. The point to be made is that every case is unique on its own facts, but in this case, an email to which you put your name is sufficient to legally bind you, and where you rely to your disadvantage by reaching an agreement which changes the earlier legal ownership of a property is legally binding.

What Jayne had asked in their email exchanges was: “I get the equity in the house [and other assets]. Is that right? If so, I accept this.“ To which Lee replied: “Yes, that’s right.“ These words, with Lee’s printed name at the end, amounted to a signature and that was therefore legally binding.

I suppose the moral of the story is to be careful what you write if you want to avoid legal implications.

Axiom DWFM is located at 9–13 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, E11 2PU. For more information, call 020 8215 1000

In the fourth of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Alessandro Riccarelli presents his shot of a Grey Heron

I love nature and wildlife photography is a big interest of mine. Recording wildlife is challenging; you don’t know what you’re going to see or when, or if you are going to see anything at all!

Grey Herons are a common view in our green spaces, especially in Wanstead Park where it’s fairly easy to spot a few, like this one landing on Heronry Pond, taken last year. However, due to the hot weather causing draught, some of the park’s wading birds had no choice but to move to where food supply was certain. (When I visited Heronry Pond, I noticed the very low water level and the cracks in the soil.) In particular, before mating season commences (February to June, but this may change depending on weather conditions), herons (and other species) need to make sure they have enough food to sustain themselves and their offspring; they need plenty of choice on the table!

Photographing herons is very time-consuming. Herons can stand still for a very long time, testing anyone’s patience!

Since the mating season began, I’ve also been keeping a close eye on heron activity over in Valentines Park, where there has been four nests this year. I’ve been recording some good and some not-so-good news (as always happens in the wild, and in life, for that matter). Some of the chicks made it, others were less lucky, and this is always sad to see as a wildlife photographer.

Both heron partners brood the nest, taking turns while feeding from local streams, ponds or lakes. Locally, herons have been feeding on semiaquatic organisms, such as newts, which are widely available in Valentines Park. Herons also pay visits to gardens, with man-made ponds providing more fish to bring to the nest; on one particular occasion, whilst recording a video, I saw a heron on the nest swallowing a fairly big fish that had been regurgitated by the other partner earlier!

Seeing chicks in the nest is highly satisfying; they grow fast and often they clash with each other, but what has been really interesting to see is when one of the parents returns to the nest to feed the chicks. They become stronger and more demanding, grabbing their parent’s beak to pull it down and stimulate the regurgitation of food. There’s always a weak one in the nest and the whole brood doesn’t always make it.

By now, all the juvenile herons should have fledged, making other parks or areas their home, and hopefully for raising their own chicks in the coming years. I will be taking many more photos in Wanstead Park in the coming months – every outing can be unique!

To view more of Alessandro’s wildlife photos, visit wnstd.com/riccarelli

Two members of Wanstead Climate Action won a visit to the Jenkins Lane Reuse and Recycling facility in April. The litter-strewn approach gave a dystopian glimpse into our world of waste, says Diane Molloy

Waste in Redbridge (along with that from Newham, Barking and Dagenham and Havering) is managed by the East London Waste Authority. Waste management company Renewi will operate the Jenkins plant until 2027, when the contract is up for renewal, after a 25-year tenure.

Close to the North Circular, the River Roding and the Beckton Creekside Nature Reserve, Jenkins Lane swallows the 22 million bags of rubbish that Redbridge residents dispose of annually. Redbridge holds the not-so-auspicious position of producing the fifth-highest amount of rubbish in England, with a 30.5 % recycling rate, well below the 44% national average. The rate has improved from 24% since the introduction of wheelie bins (according to Redbridge Council data).

Sorted household recycling is sent to the Ilford Recycling Centre. The remaining unsorted rubbish and street bin collections are brought to Jenkins Lane. The volume of rubbish arriving at the facility daily is staggering to behold. Convoys of trucks, loaded with the contents of street bins and the scourge that is fly-tipping, empty their contents into vast spaces comparable to aircraft hangers. Operatives dig out what can be recycled akin to a skilled claw-machine master in an amusement arcade. Household waste, non-recyclable plastic, plastic residents haven’t attempted to recycle, batteries, you name it, it’s in there. Mixed in with food, it is deposited into an even vaster space. Think Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern – only with flies. This waste undergoes mechanical biological treatment, which reduces the volume of waste by about a third by drying it out, and produces refuse-derived fuel that can be used to replace fossil fuels in the generation of energy.

Some 50% of waste in Redbridge is food, making it clear why the Our Streets team are encouraging composting and food waste reduction so vehemently. Education is key to reducing what ends up here. Ultimately, it is clear: we buy too much and waste too much.

Martin Dorey of 2-Minute Beach Clean, posted on social media recently: “We are still fighting the plastic menace. The oil industry is still pumping it out. And now, more than ever, we are making the connection between climate and plastic. Climate is oil is plastic.”

Wanstead Village councillor Jo Blackman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Civic Pride, said: “Reducing household food waste is a great way to both help the environment and save money. And all households with a garden should try composting, which can provide free compost from raw fruit and veg leftovers mixed with cardboard. The council’s website has links to reduced-price bins and tips on reducing waste.”

For more information about the waste and recycling process, visit wnstd.com/wrp

For more information about Wanstead Climate Action, visit wnstd.com/climate

Work is now underway to improve the library in a school in Kenya following a fundraising campaign by Wanstead and Snaresbrook Cricket Club.

Players from Wanstead visited Kabiro School in Nairobi to run coaching sessions last year and were shocked by the state of the school library.

“Last month, I transferred the £5,340 raised to the East Africa Character Development Trust, which is overseeing the work. This will cover the renovations and the purchase of chairs and a computer for the library,” said Scott Emmons.

Ivor Peters – aka the Urban Rajah – will be showcasing his cooking skills at a Bollywood-themed event in Wanstead this month. Here, the chef, food author and traveller explains how Indian food unites people

I was about five years old when I was captivated by a sight I’ll never forget. I sat on my grandparents’ kitchen step and watched them perform the chapatti shuffle; it’s a dextrous move. They would shimmy their shoulders and sway their heads in unison as they flick-flacked flatbread dough between their palms, sending cartoon-sized clouds of flour into the air. Then they’d slap the flattened dough onto the hot pan and shuffle it around until it ballooned and cooked through, finally slicking each piece with a pat of butter. It was foodie heaven. I fell in love with Indian cuisine right there and then. 

Decades on, as a second-generation British Asian immigrant working as a development chef, I’ve been evangelistically spreading the word about the power of Indian food and how it unites people. 

Indian cuisine has been present in the UK for over 250 years, and it’s a true reflection of the country’s cultural diversity. Each dish tells a unique story, carrying the heritage, history and traditions of its origins. As we dive into Indian food, we not only savour the flavours but also immerse ourselves in the stories behind the dishes. It’s one of the reasons I wrote my cookbook, Curry Memoirs, as it fuses family stories with family recipes. Food is what brings us together; it’s the great unifier. 

Spices and Indian cuisine are baked into the culture of celebrating life in the Indian subcontinent. Whether it’s Diwali, Eid, Holi or Christmas, our households come alive with the scent of delicious dishes prepared with care for loved ones. Cooking food and serving guests is an act of love that puts the needs of others before our own. The concept of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (Guest is God) is deeply ingrained in South Asian culture, where guests are treated with utmost respect and warmth.

When we cook for you, it’s an expression of love, it’s deeper than food, it’s sharing life and rescuing life. It’s why I founded my modern Indian street food brand Urban Rajah. Like me, our products are born in Britain, spiced by India! We believe that food can transform lives, and one way we do this is by spotlighting the impact of modern-day slavery by partnering with NGOs such as Justice & Care. It’s estimated there are 100,000 people trapped in slavery in the UK and over 50 million globally. Our aim is to free taste buds through our food whilst helping liberate lives.

It’s this passion for food and unity which has driven me to write about food and develop menus. So, join me at Chestnut Manor Care Home this month and sample our flavours and recipes. Who knows, we may end up doing a chapatti shuffle together!

Ivor will be taking part in the Chestnut Manor Care Home open day on 28 June from 12 noon to 5pm (63 Cambridge Park, Wanstead; free; booking required). For more information, call 020 3871 6070

Wanstead residents are invited to watch the Trooping the Colour flypast from the grounds of St Mary’s Church as part of a fundraising event on 17 June.

“The flight path traces the M11 and A12, so St Mary’s is an ideal vantage point. The planes are scheduled to fly over Wanstead at approximately 12.55pm,” said a Friends of Wanstead Parish spokesperson.

The event – which runs from 11am to 3pm – will also feature a classic car show, licenced bar, BBQ and bouncy castle.

Funds raised will go towards a new door for the church crypt.

Having been named Secondary School Teacher of the Year at the Redbridge Education Awards, Wanstead High School music teacher Ian Sweet reflects on his pathway into the profession he almost gave up 

After three years as a self-confessed jack-of-all-trades through my music degree and a very uncertain future in hospitality (having interrogated Steve Redgrave on who he was when he asked to put a poached egg on his tab during summer work at a rowing club), I very much fell into teaching in September 2003.

At 21 years of age, I had the enthusiasm, subject knowledge and musical skills required, but was severely lacking the patience and empathy that would, of course, prove far more important. As is probably the case with most student teachers, there were moments during training placements when I considered ending my teaching career before it had begun.

As soon as I started in a permanent role at Wanstead High School, whilst I still had huge amounts to learn, I felt much more of a sense of belonging. The school had recently been through some difficult times, and I was one of around 30 new teachers starting that September, including around 20 newly qualified ones. I learned more about teaching classroom music from Jane Lee (head of music at the time) in my first half-term than I had in a year of teacher training and she, as well as elder statesmen and women of the school (notably Bryan Arkell and Phil Tootell, who gave a combined total of nearly 80 years of service to Wanstead), provided the best role models I could have hoped for. The combination of new, enthusiastic staff with older, experienced ones, and with a new headteacher at the helm, made those early years such an exciting time.

The thing that’s kept me here, as with many long-serving members of staff, though, is our students; their sense of humour, kindness, creativity and warmth of spirit. We’re also incredibly lucky as a school to have hugely supportive parents who really value the extracurricular programme the school puts on in the arts and beyond.

I believe that all children are, and must be, creative, and this has never been more relevant than today when they have so many more windows on the world than my generation had. I’ve been fortunate enough to see current and former students performing at major venues across the capital, but equally memorable to me are the ones who struggled with aspects of school but found a sense of self-worth and achievement in their own musical self-expression.

Those working in schools have the opportunity to make a positive difference to the next generation, in our everyday interactions as much as over the months of rehearsals for a musical production or the years of delivery of a GCSE course. I feel blessed to be able to make my own small contribution to this work, along with everyone else who gives their time and energy to education.

For more information on Wanstead High School, visit wansteadhigh.co.uk

The annual Aldersbrook Jumble Trail will return on 17 June (11am to 5pm), with residents selling pre-loved items from their front gardens and raising funds for Aldersbrook Primary School.

“Join us for an amazing community day, getting to know neighbours whilst selling unwanted stuff and supporting our fantastic school. Buyers will be able to find bargains on a range of items, including books, toys and clothes,” said a spokesperson.

All registered stallholders (£7) will be added to the trail map.

Visit wnstd.com/ajt23

Redbridge Council’s Flood Awareness Roadshow will visit Wanstead this month. Head of Highways Dhiresh Bhatt reports on what the sessions will offer local residents

A Flood Awareness Roadshow will take place across Redbridge this month and into July, offering local people information and advice on how to protect their homes from flash flooding in the borough.

The community-based events are being led by Redbridge Council, with the Highways Team and partner organisations, including the Environment Agency and Thames Water, offering interactive sessions and advice on flood defence measures for local homes. Residents are invited to join us and ask any questions. There will also be the chance to:  

• Discover how the council is helping protect local homes in areas prone to flooding.
• Watch demos and view examples of anti-flooding devices for the home, and learn what you can do to help reduce flooding.
• Find out about local schemes aimed at reducing flood risks in the borough.
• Meet and hear from partner organisations working with the council on local flood alleviation schemes.
• Receive a free leaflet packed with information on staying flood aware, how to protect your home and what to do in a flooding emergency, along with lots of other useful advice.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Civic Pride, Councillor Jo Blackman, said: “Redbridge is seeing the impacts of climate change with more frequent bouts of flooding from torrential rain. The roadshows will be a great way to find out more about what the council is doing to tackle flooding in Redbridge. It’s also an opportunity to find out what you can do to help reduce flood risks in the borough and protect your own property.”

Head to the roadshows to find out about the measures being taken to tackle flooding across the borough. These measures include:

• Rain gardens, which help reduce flooding by absorbing rainwater and draining it away slowly to help stop sewer systems becoming overwhelmed. Several have already been created in Clayhall and Wanstead, with more planned.
• Partnerships: the council is taking a collaborative approach towards reducing flood risks in the borough. The Environment Agency is proceeding with a flood defence scheme for River Roding, helping alleviate flood risks to over 2,000 local homes.
• Gully sensors, which are being used at flooding hotspots to provide real-time data showing how blocked a drain is

The roadshow will come to Christ Church Green, by Woodbine Place, Wanstead, on 20 June from 5pm to 7.30pm. For other locations, visit wnstd.com/flood

A dog show will be held on the grounds of Christ Church on 11 June from 11am to 3pm.

“The Friends of Wanstead Parish are very much looking forward to hosting this popular event, with categories including best puppy, best rescue, best old timer, waggiest tail and best look-alike. The winners of each category will then contest the final to become best in show,” said a spokesperson.

Dog registration is from 10.30am to 12 noon (£3 per dog).