July 2023

The second Wanstead Book Festival – part of next month’s Wanstead Fringe – is fast approaching. It’s time to get your summer reading ready, says Festival chair Giles Wilson

The idea of long, languorous summer afternoons with only a novel to occupy the attention is a holiday dream for many people, myself included. But what to read? Pick up something new at the airport or catch up with that pile of half-finished books? Well, here’s another option. The second Wanstead Book Festival is taking place during this September’s Wanstead Fringe, so why not use your summer break for some pre-reading?

Headlining the Festival is one of the UK’s greatest living authors, Jonathan Coe, who has been chronicling the changing nature of family and national life since he rose to prominence with What a Carve Up in 1994, and then most famously with The Rotters Club in 2001, which was adapted for TV. His new novel, Bournville, takes a sweep of post-war British history and gives a few well-aimed jabs. It’s a fantastically vivid portrait of how we see ourselves, which makes him just the person to headline the Festival (and an ideal candidate for holiday reading).

The question of how we see ourselves is also raised by Paterson Joseph’s The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho. It’s a novelised version of diaries written in the 1700s by Sancho who escaped as an infant from a slaving ship, becoming a musician, actor, anti-slavery campaigner and the first black person to vote in a British election. 

Tim Burrows’ book The Invention of Essex asks where the idea of political and fashion stereotypes about Essex came from. White stilettos and go-faster stripes led to Essex Girls and Essex Man – popular culture definitely still has its views about the county which is so close to Wanstead (and of which, until the 1960s, Wanstead was actually a part).

Helen Day will be discussing her work championing Ladybird Book artists. They captured another view on our recent past – a combination of neatly observed street scenes for hundreds of books which became many children’s gateways into reading.

Artists have a particular gift of seeing the world about them, and this is the subject of the new book See What You’re Missing by the BBC’s former arts editor Will Gompertz, now artistic director at the Barbican, who will be jumping on the Central Line to come and speak to us.

This is just a sample of the authors who will be taking part this year. The full programme – and tickets – will be available online. Details will also appear in the Wanstead Village Directory next month. And if you’re still looking for that summer read, you can see books from all the Festival authors in the online Wanstead Bookshop.

Wanstead Fringe and the Wanstead Book Festival will take place from 9 to 30 September. Visit wansteadfringe.org

For more information on Wanstead Bookshop, visit wansteadbookshop.com

A charity based at the Redbridge Lane West allotments in Wanstead is looking for gardening volunteers.

“We began over 10 years ago to engage adults with learning disabilities in the entire process of fruit and vegetable cultivation, harvesting, eating more healthily and learning skills for personal development. Even if you can only spare an hour or two to help us out on the allotments, it would be much appreciated,” said a spokesperson for Sprout There!, which is part of Ilford charity Uniting Friends.

Call 020 8551 8800

Tickets for the Wanstead Beer Festival are now on sale.

The first year of the Wanstead Beer Festival will take place at Christ Church Halls, Wanstead on 14 October, with funds raised going to local charities.

“The event will include a number of real ales drawn from the local area and beyond. There will also be some craft ales, lagers and cider to fit all tastes. Not forgetting some carefully chosen wines and prosecco for non-beer drinkers. There will also be food some delicious available from local suppliers. The ethos behind the event is keeping it local and helping the community,” said  event organiser and local councillor Paul Donovan.

“We hope to bring together the local community in this centrally based location. It is all about being local.”

A limited number of early bird tickets are priced £5 each. Standard price tickets are £8 or £10 in advance or £12 on the day.

For more information, visit wansteadbeerfestival.co.uk

The Corner House Project has changed its name to The Wanstead Charity.

“Nothing else will change; we will still work for the homeless, for victims of domestic violence and for any needy local people. Since we started in 2019, there has been confusion as people assume we’re part of the Corner House building (Allan Burgess Centre) on the High Street – where we used to have an office – and they have had to field calls and sort donations left outside, so the name change will avoid this,” said a spokesperson.

The Disability Awareness Festival returns to Wanstead this month. Designed by people with disabilities, it’s the only fully accessible and inclusive festival in the borough, says Suzanne Wright

Each summer, Redbridge Council, together with charity partners One Place East, Uniting Friends and Redbridge Forum, as well as Vision, brings the annual Disability Awareness Festival to Christ Church Green in Wanstead. 

Supported by local estate agents The Stow Brothers, the festival aims to promote people’s abilities and talents, challenge stigma and raise awareness of the support available to those with disabilities and to help them live full and independent lives. It attracts people from across Redbridge and beyond.

The festival has grown in size year on year, and this year is looking to be bigger and better than ever. There will be information stalls from charities and other organisations who are here to help people with physical or cognitive disabilities or mental ill health. There will also be workshops including mindfulness, arts and crafts, circus skills and more. Alongside these will be sports, food stalls and our main stage, which will be filled with talented singers from local services and beyond. This year, there will also be a fashion show, featuring creative designs from people attending relevant day services. Festivalgoers will be able to contribute to the fashion show as well, by designing their own clothes along the theme of climate change, showcasing their work on Wanstead’s own catwalk in the heart of Christ Church Green.

What makes this festival different is that it is the only fully accessible and inclusive festival in the borough. No matter what a person’s ability, this is the only festival which truly understands what people need as it is designed by people with disabilities. It features comedians, artists and musicians with a range of different abilities and provides information on how people can live independent and healthy lives. It is also the only festival in Redbridge to feature fully accessible facilities, including toilets, hoists and washing facilities for those who need extra support. This year, based on feedback from previous attendees, there will also be a dedicated time out space for those who may need to take a break for a little while, which can be particularly helpful for those with autism or other forms of neurodiversity.

Margaret Summers, chief executive of One Place East, said: “This is an important event in the One Place East diary. People using our services look forward to taking part in the planning, preparation and delivery. It is truly an inclusive and lively event. Apart from people showcasing skills and talents, it also gives the opportunity to meet friends old and new, find out what is available in Redbridge, check out equipment and gadgets to aid independent living, to try out new activities, and most importantly, to have a fun-filled day where you can be yourself. Truly worth a visit.”

The Disability Awareness Festival 2023 will take place on Christ Church Green on 9 August from 12 noon to 7pm. For more information, visit wnstd.com/thisability

Held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7pm, the free ‘Keeping it Local Wanstead’ informal gatherings take place at various local pubs and eateries.

For more information, email helloapplesandpears@gmail.com

Suzanne Paterson from Tin in a Bin provides an update on their joint campaign with Redbridge Council, aiming to help feed 350 children across Redbridge over the summer holidays 

Earlier this year, Tin in a Bin joined forces with Redbridge Council to support young people in Redbridge whose families are struggling with increased costs of living. Many thousands of families are able to access free school meals but there are a number of families who are ineligible for this and are still struggling. So last Easter, over £4,000 was raised to provide support to 350 children in Redbridge through the provision of food vouchers.

The cost-of-living crisis hasn’t gone away and many families are still struggling to cope with increased costs of food, housing and everyday essentials. So, Tin in a Bin and Redbridge Council decided to find a way to support families during the six-week summer holidays. They have worked closely together to raise money through fundraising events and activities. 

To feed 350 children who are ineligible for free school meal vouchers during the holidays, Tin in a Bin and Redbridge Council set themselves an ambitious target of raising £30,000. This will pay for ingredients and recipes supplied by the Mayor of London’s office or food vouchers for each of the children throughout the holidays. Not only will families be able to eat nutritious and balanced meals, but they will also enjoy the opportunity to cook together and learn new skills as a family. 

For the last few months, there have been many events including quiz nights, bingo and a summer fair at Cranbrook Primary School and the Early Years Play and Development centre at the school. Thanks to the massive generosity of local residents and everyone who has attended the fundraising events, we raised around £20,000, but there is still some way to go to reach our target.

We will continue to raise funds throughout the summer holidays so that young people in Redbridge don’t need to go hungry this summer.

If you can, please donate via the GoFundMe page or contact Tin in a Bin directly to make a donation. A donation of £15 will provide a child with ingredients and recipes or food vouchers for a week.

We would also welcome food donations to Tin in a Bin. There are collection points across Wanstead, Woodford, Newbury Park and Forest Gate where you can drop off tins or packets of food including rice, pasta, cereals or long-life milk. Our volunteers will bring your donations to our sorting and distribution point at St Mary’s Church in Wanstead, where they are then distributed to a number of charitable organisations across Redbridge.

To donate, visit wnstd.com/feed350

To find your nearest Tin in a Bin collection point, visit wnstd.com/tinabsites

A local photographer and filmmaker has launched a multimedia art project – entitled Common Ground – about the people who use Wanstead Flats.

The images are part of my ongoing exploration of the Flats. It’s a collaboration between myself and the people that love the area and use this space on a daily basis,” said Annick Wolfers, whose images are displayed along Leytonstone High Road and linked to online videos in which her subjects talk about what Wanstead Flats means to them. “Researching this project has been a fascinating journey, and in a time of deep ecological uncertainty, it helped me reconnect to my local environment. The hope is that it will make more people aware of this amazing space they have on their doorstep and inspire us all to further protect the area in the future.”

Visit wnstd.com/commonground

James Heal, chair of the Wren Wildlife Group, reports on the success of the first Wanstead Wildlife Weekend, two days of exploring the wildlife on our doorstep through a range of family-friendly activities

The Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group is 51 years old, but we are keen to keep adapting and trying new things to ensure we see our 100th birthday.

Since 2016, the Wren Group has often organised an annual flagship weekend full of activities around the summer solstice – the purpose has often been to find as many species as possible: a ‘bioblitz’. This year, under the direction of Wren secretary, Gill James, we did something a bit different. We organised a weekend of activities again, but with more of a creative and even more of a family feel than previous years, and with a number of different partnerships. We even secured a small amount of funding. The first Wanstead Wildlife Weekend was born and held on 24 and 25 June.

There were some activities we have done before: a spider walk with expert David Carr (highlight was the nationally scarce jumping spider, Salticus zebraneus, found on some of the tree trunks in one of the copses); and two well-attended pond dips (where amongst many other things, a carp fry was netted). But there was also some new ground trodden. 

Particularly special were two art-themed activities, one of them led by Wren Group patron and international artist Dr Gayle Chong-Kwan. We partnered with the Newham-focused charity Ambition Aspire Achieve, and a small group of young people were able to explore their artistic creativity with Gayle’s help, and also explore the world of wasps, bees and other invertebrates with Wren committee member Dr Tony Madgwick. Watching the amazing bee-themed art pieces the young people created, or watching as they discovered one of the beautiful Jewel Wasps, Holopyga generosa, was wonderful.

The other art event was led by another local artist, Jo Wood, who helped a group of adults engage with nature-inspired art. We also had Vision RCL leading a popular wildlife walk in Wanstead Park, a climate picnic with various child-friendly activities and a macro-photography workshop on Wanstead Flats.

Watching children use a sweep net or look at an insect with a hand lens for the first time was magical. It was wonderful to see so many people come together and explore new ways they can embrace and support biodiversity. It was particularly encouraging at a time of such concern regarding biodiversity and the climate crisis. As Margaret Mead famously said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” 

Finding new ways to learn about the natural world will inevitably mean we can attract wider audiences, and I am immensely proud of how Wren Group volunteers stepped up to the challenge. It has certainly set a high bar for the future.

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

The London Fire Brigade unveiled new firefighting equipment on Wanstead Flats earlier this month.

The demonstration of the ‘holey hose’ was in response to the increasing risk of wildfires. “It is a type of fire service hose with pre-prepared holes that creates a curtain of water reaching up to two metres high. The holey hose can be rolled out by all our firefighters, who have been undergoing enhanced wildfire response training in preparation for what could be another challenging summer,” said a spokesperson.

Over 350 people attended a fun day at Wanstead Youth Centre earlier this month.

“The event was designed to show what an invaluable community asset the centre is. Attendees enjoyed a range of activities, from basketball to boxing, as well as sampling the state-of-the-art music studio. We would like to thank the community for their support,” said a spokesperson for the Save Our Wanstead Youth Centre Campaign group.

Redbridge Council is due to decide on the venue’s future next month.

Visit wnstd.com/sowyc

London City Airport’s expansion plans were unanimously rejected by Newham Council earlier this month, citing noise disturbance and environmental impact as major concerns.

The airport was looking to increase its annual passenger cap from 6.5m to 9m and to extend its cut-off time for flights on Saturdays from 1pm to 6.30pm all year round and 7.30pm during the summer months.

The airport has confirmed that it will appeal against the decision.

Lorna Paterson from Wanstead Climate Action encourages gardeners to get to know their friendly neighbourhood weeds and appreciate the vital role they play in London’s environmental corridors

To quote Pooh Bear creator, AA Milne: “Weeds are flowers too, when you get to know them.” On the other hand, many gardeners see weeds as problem neighbours encroaching on their space. This is a pity because private gardens make up almost a quarter of London’s green land, and when they connect with each other and public parks, they create environmental corridors for wildlife.

Many of the native garden plants we call weeds are invaluable sources of food for bees and butterflies. I am going to tell you about three common weeds I think deserve a place in our gardens. I will also describe a few ways to remove invasive weeds without using commercial weedkillers, which are lethal to pollinator insects.

Dandelions are one of my favourite plants. In early spring, their cheerful yellow flowers sustain honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bee species. Holly Blue and Peacock butterflies love them too.

Henbit or Dead Nettle is a low-growing hedgerow plant. It makes fine ground cover, and in March and April, its attractive purple flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees.

Green Alkanet keeps me busy pulling out seedlings, but I allow it to sneak into my garden because all kinds of bees feed from its pretty blue flowers in April and May.

Late spring and early summer is the best time to get rid of unwanted herbaceous plants, because they have not had time to set seed. Weed thoroughly at this time and there will be less to do later. Wear gloves to protect your hands. Grab the weed just above soil level. Grip the stem firmly, wiggle it and shake it about until the soil loosens, then pull it out, root and all. If the root of the weed is too deep to pull out easily, use a trowel or hand fork to loosen the soil around it. A digging fork can be used to lift the soil and make it easier to remove weed roots. Turn the surface of the soil over regularly with a long-handled hoe to uproot surface weeds.

Home-made salt and vinegar weed killer is one of many recipes available. You will need one litre of ordinary white kitchen vinegar, three tablespoons of table salt, one large tablespoon of washing-up liquid and a spray bottle. Put the mixture into the spray bottle and shake well. When the salt has dissolved, add the washing-up liquid and shake it again. The mixture must be applied on a dry, sunny morning. Being careful not to get it on your skin, apply it directly to the weed, because it will also kill surrounding grass and plants. 

Our friend Winnie the Pooh also said: “When you go after honey with a balloon, the great thing is to not let the bees know you’re coming.” Here, we must differ – let’s make sure the bees know they’re welcome here!

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

In the fifth of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Tushar Bala presents a montage of his shots of a Little Egret

My name is Tushar Bala and I’m a science teacher. I started my wildlife photography in earnest at Wanstead Park on day one of COVID lockdown. I would practice before and after work. I would take pictures of anything that moved! I love Wanstead Park because of its various wildlife. But it is the people who have approached me to have a quick chat that makes the park special, from lovely retired couples to TikToking teenagers, dog walkers and families.

I have gone on to inspire my students to visit Wanstead Park as well. Just a few weeks ago, one of my wheelchair-bound students insisted on going to the famous bluebell wood. So, his dad and brother pulled and pushed him through the quagmire. He took some pictures, and I will admit, they were brilliant and better than mine. He had a history of not wanting to go out and his parents were desperate to get him out of the house. He is now a regular visitor to the park.

Wanstead Park offers a plethora of wildlife experiences. I’ve played hide and seek with a fox, literally going around in circles. (The fox cheated and took a short cut through the bushes!) I’ve been stopped in my tracks by a heron wrestling with a two-foot pike. I’ve watched a Great Spotted Woodpecker tear off bark to get to grubs. And during one lunchtime walk, I was rewarded with a buzzard perched in the woods. I stopped a family and allowed the children to watch it through my camera lens.

At dusk, I like to sit down with a cup of tea and watch the beautiful terns hunt, swooping down, skimming the surface to catch fish. And I love to watch the Grey Heron do its… well, I call it a snake dance, using its neck to attract fish. Or watch the Little Egret do its shuffle dance to stir up the mud and catch its dinner.

I found the Little Egret quite tough to capture. These birds are usually found at the wooded part of the lake, so the background is very dark and you can easily overexpose the image. Little Egrets are very skittish and one has to approach very slowly. After a few minutes of observation, I decided to go for a set of three images; the dishevelled look, not so dishevelled and then looking quite smart. I call the sequence ‘having a bad hair day!’

Wanstead Park has a lot to offer, not least, for mental health well-being. It is wonderful to be humbled by the wildlife and their behaviour, to meet like-minded people who appreciate the sense of calmness that the park offers, a place to sit and rest one’s bones with a flask of coffee, to listen to the dawn chorus of the birds, a catalyst (I had to put a scientific word in the article!) to visit other places.

As I walk home with my unwieldy camera gear, I’m tired, hungry and thirsty; my joints ache; I’m sometimes euphoric that I may have taken a nice image, but I always have a big, fat cheek-to-cheek smile.

I now also visit lots of other places to get my wildlife fix, mainly RSPB sites and some Wetland Trust sites. My pictures (the decent ones) are emailed to the organisations responsible for looking after the habitats I have visited, just as a thank you. Some images have been published, and usually, the sites I visit will post them on their websites.

To view more local wildlife photos, visit wnstd.com/parklife

Derek Inkpin from local solicitors Axiom DWFM looks at how legal costs can spiral in cases like boundary disputes and urges the use of a mediator where possible

Unless you have won the lottery, the legal costs of getting involved in a dispute as either a claimant or defendant will be of great concern. Referring a dispute to a mediator can be a great boon, not least the court costs it saves on a successful outcome.

The parties concerned can feel fully engaged in the process. However, a mediator is not a judge and all they can do is encourage the resolution of the dispute by mutual agreement. A mediator does not make orders as does a court. A court decision in favour of a winning party can be a great outcome but can be a disaster financially for the loser. 

There is a 2021 case called Davis vs Winner involving a boundary dispute where the trial judge was informed that the combined costs of both parties were about £200,000. What was of great concern to the judge was that the case involved an allegation of 17 inches of boundary encroachment against a neighbour arising from the installation of two boundary garden fences. At an early stage, as in any civil court case, the district judge decides which ‘track’ is to be allocated and this is determined by the complexity of the matter. In the Davis case, this was allocated to the multitrack and in so doing affected the costs to be incurred. 

What the trial judge said was that to the outside observer, the extent of the boundary encroachment in terms of monetary value was not great. The judge made clear that where the value of the claim in monetary terms was unlikely to exceed £10,000, then if the parties both agreed, the case should be allocated to the small claims track where the costs to the loser would normally be restricted to court fees and witness expenses. 

The small claims track therefore minimises the financial risk to the parties, and in the Davis case would have concentrated the parties’ minds on not incurring the combined £200,000 fees.

However, boundary disputes can involve a complexity of facts, law and expert evidence, which may take two to three days to conclude and conventionally this will likely take it outside the small claims track to the multitrack, which incurs substantial costs. An important issue in these low-value cases is whether the court can save the parties’ costs by allocating it to the small claims track. However, if it is argued at an early stage that the legal and other issues are complex, then allocating the case to another track with no cost protection to the parties will likely be the outcome. And this is when a mediator could help save a fortune.

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

Cholesterol is a waxy substance, made in the liver and essential for the continuing health of every single cell in the human body. We need it, says Fiona Flaherty, a registered nurse and nutritional therapist 

The body makes around 80% of our cholesterol. The remaining 20% comes from food. Functions of cholesterol include the manufacture of hormones and bile salts to break down dietary fats, plus a transporter for Vitamin D. 

The body self-regulates the amount of cholesterol needed. If cholesterol consumption is too high, the liver cuts back on manufacture, unless the liver is damaged. But if inflammation is present in the body, then it produces more as a protective mechanism. Therefore, results from a blood sample showing a higher total cholesterol means you have excess inflammation in the body. 

So, what do the numbers means? Firstly, lipoproteins. These are like boats that take cholesterol from the liver to the tissues and back again to the liver to be reused. Cholesterol is like a family in which there are four players: HDL (high density lipoproteins), LDL (low density lipoproteins), triglycerides (additional energy stores) and VLDL (very low density lipoproteins). Each has a unique value, and total cholesterol is just that: the total of all the numbers added up. If elevated, it causes imbalances in the body.

HDL is rarely elevated. But when LDL becomes elevated and oxidises (like rust), it damages blood vessels and blood is more likely to clot, causing even more inflammation in the body. The liver responds by making more cholesterol in an attempt to repair the damage. Elevated cholesterol markers are associated with conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The current treatment in the UK is prescribed statins. They set the body back to zero and stop cholesterol being made in the liver. This initially lowers the LDL and triglycerides and may, coincidentally, raise HDL levels, as well. However, having no cholesterol in the body may account for early cell death, possible hair loss, muscle aches, low exercise tolerance, fatigue and reduced libido in adults. So, what can we do? The body needs to be rebalanced. We need to eliminate ‘triggers’ in our diet to reduce overall inflammation. Simple steps to help manage cholesterol levels include: 

Increase antioxidants with fruit and vegetables. Excess cholesterol binds to the fibres and is evacuated out of the bowels. 

Drink about two litres of water a day to keep your blood flowing efficiently. 

Exercise aerobically for 20 minutes every day to increase HDL and decrease LDL. 

Avoid or limit BBQs, smoked, burnt, deep-fried and shop-bought fried foods as these are inflammatory.

Fiona Flaherty is a registered nurse and nutritional therapist based in South Woodford and Harley Street. For more information, call 07973 601 862 or visit meducatehealthcare.com 

The battle between the common good and individual liberty has raged for centuries, but when it comes to car use, local resident Paul Canal believes the idealists are taking us in the wrong direction

Lord Sumption’s 2019 Reith Lectures explored the boundary between individual liberty and state control. Whilst France was built on ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’, in China, Russia, North Korea and most left-wing countries, the state reigns supreme. I fear that in Britain, we are moving too far from the French model.

In real democracies, the lines between liberty and control are blurred, and the tactics used to exercise state control more subtle.

At some point, a group of doubtless young idealists decided Britain’s overriding enemy was not Russia (I note the Stop the War Coalition have been noticeably absent on the war in Ukraine), or the threat of a nuclear winter, but the car. My elderly neighbour, who finds walking difficult, drives to the shops, but is viewed as a pariah by the ‘activists’. My colleague, who drops her first child at nursery, second at school two miles away and then drives to work, incurs Greta Thunberg’s wrath. 

The cult of “two wheels good, four wheels bad” seems to have infected TfL and our local council to such an extent they have effectively declared war on cars. Roads narrowed, car parking restricted, directly threatening the livelihood of shops and restaurants. In Wanstead, ironically, at the widest part of our High Street, a communal seating area takes up three car parking spaces, at an estimated cost to the local economy of over £120,000 per year. 

During the Covid emergency, traffic orders were misused to advance the creation of miles of double yellow lines, further restricting parking. The council has made no secret of its plans to turn the whole borough into a permit parking area. Locally, the Firs Estate in South Woodford will be forced to join a scheme, forcing cars into smaller and smaller areas, perversely creating further demand for such schemes. There is adequate parking for all if it was managed in the interests of all residents, and not as a cash cow for the council. The hidden cost is the increase in isolation and loneliness. Fears of a fine will restrict visits to elderly relatives and vulnerable friends. The forced move to smartphone parking will deter the elderly from visiting our High Street. These hidden costs will not appear on a balance sheet, but will doubtless appear in increased societal costs, as loneliness is a key factor in illness, depression and early death.

The idealists have yet to experience the challenge of being a parent or carer who needs to be in three different places within 30 minutes. Their joints have yet to creak after a lifetime of injuries. They have ambrosia for breakfast whilst the rest of us take Nurofen. We need to call a halt to the borough’s plans to force cars from the streets. We need to challenge the “four wheels bad” narrative and try to construct an environment that works for every user: pedestrian, cyclist and driver. “All for Wanstead, Wanstead for all!”

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

In the second of a series of articles, Revd James Gilder of Wanstead Parish talks about mental health and invites anyone affected by mental health issues to help him establish a new support group

I was chatting to someone the other day in the pub who proudly told me he was the only person he knew without ‘mental health’. Although it perhaps wasn’t the best way of expressing it, what I think he meant was that our mental health has become quite a hot topic in recent years, and people are more ready to address issues they have than perhaps they might once have been. 

The traditional British ‘stiff upper lip’ has many qualities, and of course, there are times when ‘just getting on with things’ can be its own remedy. However, there should be no shame for any of us in admitting to others when we do have problems, much as there is no shame in admitting to having twisted an ankle or to requiring a hearing aid.

One of the most interesting things about being a vicar is that we tend to move from one community to another, and so we can compare notes.

My last parish was a much less well-to-do place than Wanstead, and people I had never met before would often clap eyes on a dog collar when I was walking down the high street and freely come and tell me all their problems. This happens far less in Wanstead. I doubt it’s because people here don’t have problems, but that maybe we have all grown up in a world where we feel we ought to grin and bear it, and try to make a success of ourselves without troubling others with our issues, no matter how cathartic this can be. When everyone around us looks outwardly successful, it can, of course, be rather difficult to admit we are struggling in any way.

The truth is often we can achieve a great deal of worldly success but still have a feeling of emptiness or a great deal of stress and difficulty in life. This doesn’t make anyone a failure, although sometimes it’s easy to feel that way. 

Sometimes, having somewhere to chat about these things can be a real help. At Christ Church and St Mary’s, we are looking to set up a new group that will meet once a month on a Sunday afternoon. 

The group will be for the many of us who struggle with poor mental health to come and chat and to be a place of unburdening. What it won’t be is qualified therapy, although in time we hope to be able to find funding to signpost this for those who need it. 

We’re looking for volunteers to help us run this group. Maybe you are someone who has been affected by such issues and might be interested in helping out. If so, please get in touch.

To contact Reverend James Gilder, email wansteadparishadmin@uwclub.net

Vanya Marks of Wanstead Climate Action laments the area’s lost front gardens to driveways, but cites this positive example on Felstead Road. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

Confession time: six years ago, when my partner and I moved into our current house and couldn’t park anywhere near it, we removed the patch of grass that was our front garden and put in a small driveway. The guilt I have felt since has been profound. I could have used this space to plant a tiny wild flower meadow, a couple of fruit trees or gorgeous perennials to keep the bees and bugs happy. Now, I sit staring at the back of our car worrying about declining insect numbers.

You see the problem isn’t just our driveway. Everywhere I look, the good people of Wanstead are ripping out their vibrant front gardens and installing vast swathes of concrete that could accommodate eight or nine, even 10 cars. From the perspective of UK wildlife (the State of Nature report says that one in 10 UK wildlife species faces extinction), this is a devastating trend. But quite apart from that, the appearance of Wanstead is changing. 

When we first came to this pretty little pocket of London in 2009, the streets were blooming with trees and flowers. Cute cottage gardens all around the village, roses, wisteria and tendrils of ivy spilling over hedges, splashes of blossom and petals perfuming the air. It wasn’t just our splendid street trees providing this colour and scent and life and shade; it was our front gardens. 

Now, I walk around Wanstead and see soulless car parks devoid of life. Birdsong has ceased, the buzzing of bees replaced by the roar of digging machines. It’s little wonder that, according to another study, the UK has lost 60% of its flying insects in the past 20 years. This is terrifying for many reasons: without pollinators, we will have food shortages; without insects, we lose the animals that rely on them as food; without invertebrates that recycle nutrients, our soil will degrade. In other words, they are essential for the proper functioning of all ecosystems. Our gardens, front and back, provide much-needed sanctuary as these creatures are battered on all sides by industrial-scale pesticides, loss of habitat and climate change.

While the Wanstead Community Gardeners do a stellar job adding colour to our streets all year round, and Redbridge Council helps with schemes like tree pit adoption and ‘pollinator pathways’, some homeowners, landlords and developers seem bent on destroying every living thing in sight. Is it a desire for ‘tidiness’? A need to park a whole fleet of cars? Well, no offence meant to anyone from Ilford, but if we keep on replacing front gardens with concrete, we will end up with the barren grey streets of our neighbouring postcode. People of Wanstead, if you don’t do it for the insects and birds, please do it for your house prices! 

And if you must put in a driveway, consider an eco-friendly option such as the one pictured here on Felstead Road. Four strips of paving allow for the wheels of two cars, but keep space for a fabulous mix of easy-to-maintain perennials and pollinator-loving wild flowers.

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

Redbridge Council and Wanstead-based charity Tin in a Bin have launched a campaign to raise money to ensure children don’t go hungry during the summer holidays.

“The fundraising aims to provide children who don’t qualify for free school meals but are struggling with the cost of living with food boxes containing ingredients and recipes for meals that can be made together as a family. The aim is to raise at least £30,000, which will help 350 children across Redbridge,” said a spokesperson.

Visit wnstd.com/feed350

Drain sensors have been installed in flood-prone parts of the borough to create a smart drainage system that monitors gully drains for blockages.

Nearly 100 sensors have been put in place across Redbridge, with 46 in the Wanstead and Woodford area, including one on Wanstead High Street. “Providing real-time data and alerts to identify potential problem drains, the sensors enable us to react quickly to blockages or rising water levels, helping to reduce the risk of flooding,” said a Redbridge Council spokesperson.

In the second of a series of articles by those who have benefitted from the existence of Wanstead Youth Centre – which is under threat of closure – Zaida Hussain reports on the work of REAL Initiative

REAL Initiative is an organisation for home-educated children and their families. It is a community voluntary group dedicated to promoting active lifestyles and fostering a sense of camaraderie among children and adults in our neighbourhood.

We provide team sports for children who are not in mainstream schooling for varying reasons, so as to ensure they are still able to have a physical education and interaction with their peers. We organise sporting sessions at Wanstead Youth Centre, and we’ve been doing so for over 10 years now. We also set up sessions for parents to give those who are educating their children at home the opportunity to meet others and keep their own mental and physical health in good form.

So, Wanstead Youth Centre is an integral part of allowing us to continue doing what we do. We have tried other halls and facilities in the past but none offer the value and service that Wanstead Youth Centre provides.

It has been a vital hub for our sporting activities, providing a safe and inclusive space where people of all ages can come together to participate in various athletic endeavours. The closure of the centre would be devastating to our group and the wider community we serve.

Wanstead Youth Centre is more than just a building; it is the heart of our group. It has witnessed countless moments of growth, joy and personal development for the children and adults who have participated in our programmes. It has become a place where friendships have blossomed, aspirations have been nurtured and talents have been honed.

The loss of Wanstead Youth Centre would not only affect us as a group, but it would also leave a significant void in the lives of the children and adults who have come to rely on this vibrant community space. It would rob them of the opportunity to engage in healthy physical activities, learn important life skills and build meaningful connections with their peers.

We firmly believe investing in our community’s future means investing in the spaces that allow us to come together, learn and grow. The closure of Wanstead Youth Centre would send a disheartening message about the value we place on the well-being of our residents, particularly our children.

It is vital to consider the immense positive impact this invaluable centre has had on our community and the potential consequences of its closure. We must ensure future generations can benefit from the opportunities and experiences it offers.

Wanstead Youth Centre is located at 144 Elmcroft Avenue, Wanstead, E11 2DB. For more information on the Save Our Wanstead Youth Centre campaign, visit wnstd.com/sowyc or call 07403 649 306

An independent publisher and events business based on Wanstead High Street has been named Small Digital Publisher of the Year at the annual Digital Publishing Awards, held in London last month.

“This marks an important milestone in our programme of digital transformation for our brands Building Magazine, Building Design, Housing Today and Venuefinder, and is a fantastic achievement for our committed team. I could not be prouder,” said Tom Broughton, Wanstead resident and managing director of Assemble Media Group.

Redbridge Libraries will launch the Fabula Reading Challenge this month, open to all two- to 12-year-olds in the borough.

“Read whatever you enjoy. We’ve got thousands of books and comics for kids to discover at your local library or from home in our virtual library. Participants will get a certificate and be entered into a prize draw,” said a spokesperson.

Designed to encourage reading over the holidays, the challenge will run until September, with a number of creative workshops planned.

Visit wnstd.com/fab23