June 2024

A variety of nature-themed events will take place in Wanstead Park and on Wanstead Flats this month for the annual Wanstead Wildlife Weekend.

“The Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group was founded in 1972, and we’ve spent the last 52 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 nature. This month, we continue that tradition by inviting you to discover what’s living on your doorstep!” said a spokesperson.

The weekend of activities begins on 22 June, with an early morning moth trap reveal, followed by a workshop on bees, a lichen walk, a spider hunt, pond dipping and a butterfly trail for children. A live display of British wildlife will also be on show at an information tent by the park’s tea hut.

For a full itinerary, visit wnstd.com/wild24

Autism exercise specialist Julia Morgan will be taking part in an autism awareness event in Wanstead this month. Here, the former teacher explains why initiatives like this are vital for promoting inclusivity

As we strive towards a more inclusive society, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of autism. In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the importance of autism awareness in our communities. But despite the fact there are 700,000 autistic people in the UK – equating to approximately one in 100 people – misconceptions and stigmas still persist. 

Autism is a spectrum condition, often affecting people differently, and like all individuals, autistic people have their own strengths and difficulties. Some common traits include a highly focused and keen interest in particular things, noticing small details and patterns, sensory sensitivities, social interaction difficulties and more. Many autistic individuals have made significant contributions to the world, such as Bill Gates, Tim Burton and Albert Einstein, who was never diagnosed but is widely thought to have been autistic. It shows the potential of those with a hyper focus and dedication to their work.

Autism awareness goes beyond simply recognising the existence of the condition; it entails gaining insight into the unique strengths, challenges and experiences of individuals. This understanding is essential for creating environments that are accommodating and supportive of their needs. Education is key, as it helps dispel myths and stereotypes while promoting empathy and compassion. The world is moving in the right direction in terms of autism acceptance and celebration, but more needs to be done. Everyone deserves to live in a world where we embrace diversity, promote acceptance and empower individuals to thrive in both mind and body.

In addition to promoting understanding, the focus is to create communities where individuals with autism are accepted and valued. In doing so, we can help to create a sense of belonging and encourage those to contribute their unique talents to society… and simply be celebrated as people. 

The autism awareness event this month will further enhance understanding and awareness about autism and promises a range of activities, information and presentations led by experts in autism and advocacy. Local businesses and organisations specialising in autism support, therapy and education will be on hand to offer information and resources to attendees. The importance of initiatives such as this cannot be underestimated; they help to build a more supportive community for individuals with autism. All are welcome to join us and contribute towards fostering a more inclusive society.

An autism awareness event will take place on 23 June from 2pm to 4pm at Wanstead Works, 34–40 High Street, E11 2RJ. For more information, visit wnstd.com/autism

For more information on exercising with autism, visit fitnessforall.uk

James Paterson from Tin in a Bin explains the charity’s connection to Redbridge Foodbank and appeals to residents to support their warehouse fundraising campaign

Tin in a Bin (TinaB) is a network of foodbank collection points across Wanstead, Woodford and beyond. It was established in April 2020 to provide replacement donations for Redbridge Foodbank (RFB) that had previously been collected at venues closed during lockdown. It was so successful that, by December, we had delivered over a tonne of food and essential supplies to RFB. 

Due to an acute shortage of storage space, however, RFB asked us to reduce our volumes, which is why we now distribute to around 10 organisations every week from the generous donations we continue to receive. But after six years of searching and lobbying, RFB now has the keys for a new 600 square metre warehouse space from the local authority; it needs extensive renovations to repurpose it as the new RFB HQ but work has already started.

RFB’s mission has two key parts. Firstly, emergency food relief: RFB collects donations from the community, then sorts, stores, prepares and distributes a three-day supply of nutritionally balanced food to its clients. Secondly, empowering clients onto a path of security: utilising partnerships with trusted organisations, RFB facilitates immediate access to a range of professional advice, providing long-term solutions and preventing further decline into poverty.

Since 2017, RFB’s work has grown exponentially, with referrals for emergency food rising by 220%. RFB gives an average of 67 parcels each day. The cost-of-living crisis means the foodbank gives out 28% more parcels now than at the height of the pandemic. It is able to do this through the support of other incredible local organisations, such as TinaB.

The Warehouse Project is a key part of RFB’s long-term sustainability plan. It will reduce running costs (an estimated saving of £250,000 over five years), streamline and centralise operations and create more capacity within the system to serve our shared community better. The project has already completed phase one, including an electrical upgrade, replacement of heating and installation of fire alarm systems. The current phase two includes the installation of new ventilation, volunteer bathrooms and kitchen. So far, this project has been funded through grants and local appeals. They are now fundraising for the final phase of the project, which includes the purchase of essential safety and operational equipment and will enable internal access for electric vehicles.

It is only through the generosity of our local community that we are able to continue our work of supporting our neighbours who have hit hard times and empower them back onto a pathway of resilience and security. Please take a moment to watch the campaign video and donate if you can.

To watch the RFB’s warehouse fundraising campaign video and to donate, visit wnstd.com/rfbwarehouse

Is it safe to swim in the River Roding? Thames21 is looking for citizen scientists to help test the water quality of the river between Wanstead and Loughton to find out. Agnes Hodges reports

The River Roding is London’s third-longest tributary of the Thames. It rises at Molehill Green in Essex before flowing 50km south, passing through the Wanstead and Woodford area and meeting the Thames at Barking.

The Reclaim Our Roding project is a citizen science-led investigation into the water quality of the River Roding, run by environmental charity Thames21. While awareness is growing about the threatened state of our rivers, there is currently very little data showing pollution levels in rivers such as the Roding. Meanwhile, more and more people are connecting with their local waterways and green spaces, especially as temperatures rise and people need places to cool off.

While there is some data available about the levels of ammonia and phosphate in the Roding, the evidence gap is especially prominent when it comes to levels of harmful bacteria – E. Coli and Intestinal Enterococci – which are indicators of sewage pollution. Although commonly found in the gut and intestinal tracts of humans, when water contaminated with these bacteria is ingested or allowed to enter the bloodstream through open uncovered wounds, it can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses, infections, headaches, fever and, in severe cases, kidney and organ failure. Currently, the only places in the country regularly tested by the Environment Agency are at sites that have received bathing water status from Defra. 

With this project, we will train and engage citizen scientists local to the Roding in water-quality sampling. We have a number of pinpoint sampling locations – between Wanstead Park and Loughton – which are all downstream of potential pollution sources, meaning we’ll be able to better identify where further investigation and improvements would need to be made to improve water quality if it’s found to be poor. All samples will be analysed in a professional water-quality lab and tested for the bacteria linked to sewage pollution. All the results will be made publicly available and will allow us to see the impact that sewage pollution is having on the river. If you’ve got spare time this summer and could give a few hours between Monday and Thursday, we’d love to hear from you. 

This water-quality monitoring programme will run weekly until the end of September, after which a technical report will be produced where bacteria levels will be correlated with rainfall and Thames Water’s sewage spills. All this will help Thames21 and our partnering community groups, stakeholders and citizen scientists answer the question: is the Roding fit to swim, paddle and play in?

A free water-quality training event will take place on 25 June from 10am to 4pm (meet at the Temple in Wanstead Park). For more information and to take part, visit wnstd.com/watertest

A local business networking group will be celebrating its first anniversary this month.

“Keeping it Local Wanstead was launched in June 2023 and provides free meet-ups for individuals who live in or have their business in E11 or E18. The events are going from strength to strength, with 30-plus business owners attending each month to forge new associations,” said founders Anna Potts, Carlos Gonzalez and Clare Hughes.

The anniversary event will take place at MUST Wine Bar on 11 June from 7pm.

Visit wnstd.com/kilw

Councillor Paul Donovan looks ahead to the second annual Wanstead Beer Festival and, with the future of The George uncertain, floats the idea of a micropub in Wanstead

The second Wanstead Beer Festival is set to take place in the halls of Christ Church on 12 October. And it is hoped it will be even bigger and better than the inaugural event last autumn. More space will mean more beers and, hopefully, increased numbers of visitors. Last year, the festival proved so popular that tickets sold out a week early. So, don’t miss out this time. The larger event this year should also mean more money for local charities. Last time, £3,000 was distributed between Tin in a Bin and the Wanstead Charity.

In terms of beers and ciders, it is hoped to bring in more varieties from around the country, as well as having many excellent local breweries represented. Indeed, a big vote of thanks was due last year for the support we got from the breweries and local businesses.

So, on we go. But these are challenging times for the pub trade. The rises in costs of living has hit the hospitality industry hard. This has meant the price of food and drink is also rising. In Wanstead, The George has been a steady bulwark of the pub trade. Owned by Wetherspoons, The George has, for many years, provided food and drink at affordable prices. And so local people have responded to Wetherspoons’ plans to sell up.

The George has played an important role in many Wanstead lives, so it would be a terrible tragedy if the pub were to cease operating. But unless Wetherspoons listens to local people and changes its mind about selling the venue, that will be the case. The strength of local support for The George is reflected in a petition opposing closure that has already gathered over 3,000 signatures. To date, though, Wetherspoons remain unmoved on their decision to sell. If the pub does close, then we need to look at alternatives for a reasonably priced pint and some food. Wanstead Parish vicar, the Reverend James Gilder, raised this very point in the Wanstead Village Directory last month. People have to be able to get a pint somewhere for less than £7.

One model is the micropub. In Rye, Sussex, they have developed just such a venture called The Waterworks, a small premises on the high street that provides around 10 locally based beers and 12 ciders. There is also wine and prosecco, gin and vodka, plus Scotch eggs and pork pies. Basic fare at reasonable prices. Everything is produced within 28 miles of the pub. The Waterworks has proved a great success since its launch in 2018. Could such a venture work in Wanstead?

The keen support for the Wanstead Beer Festival, as well as The George and other pubs over the years, suggests the potential customer base is there. The challenge now is how to make it happen.

For more information on the Wanstead Beer Festival, visit wnstd.com/beer

To view the petition to save The George, visit wnstd.com/savethegeorge

Skies over the UK were turned shades of pink and green last month as the Northern Lights produced incredible displays. Deepak Dembla took this photo from Wanstead Flats

Sometimes, dreams turn into realities. Watching auroras from London was one of those dreams, and many of us witnessed this amazing spectacle on 10 May 2024. I am an IT professional by trade, but photography and stargazing are among my passions.

Our sun sends a lot of heat and light – along with other energy – our way via solar winds. Sometimes, we get solar storms (scientifically known as coronal mass ejection or CME for short), during which the sun sends out a huge bubble of electrified gas that can travel through space at high speeds. When a solar storm from the sun reaches earth, it creates geomagnetic storms. Here, energy from the sun interacts with gases in our atmosphere, resulting in a beautiful display of light in the sky known as an aurora (Northern Lights). Oxygen gives off green and red light. Nitrogen glows blue and purple.

The solar storm that hit earth on Friday, 10 May, travelled at speeds up to three million miles per hour, creating a long-lasting geomagnetic storm that reached a rating of G5 – the highest level on the geomagnetic storm scale, and one that hasn’t been seen since 2003. Usually, auroras are confined towards the poles, but this storm caused auroras to be seen all across the UK.

We are approaching the solar maximum, an 11-year cycle when our sun is very active. The best guess we have from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory’s space weather modelling is this will be in July 2025, but it could happen months sooner or later. As we approach that solar maximum, we can expect more geomagnetic storms to pop up. 

I started taking photos on Wanstead Flats from 10pm and finished at 3.30am. To the naked eye, I could see hazy patches of green and pink, but long exposures brought out the full colour. It was an epic show and hopefully there will be more to come in the future.

To view more of Deepak’s photos of the Northern Lights, visit wnstd.com/deepak

Organisers of the Wanstead Festival are looking for local bands, singers and musicians to complete the line-up for this year’s event, which will take place on Christ Church Green on 15 September.

“The Wanstead Festival offers a great environment to showcase yourself using a 30-minute slot. There is a backline to accommodate bands and a sound technician to support on the day… If you are interested, please send in your showreel,” said a spokesperson for Vision RCL. The application deadline is 21 June.

Email Redbridge-events@visionrcl.org.uk

Vanya Marks of Wanstead Climate Action shares her experiences of Popular Assemblies and explains why she’ll be happy to see this new style of people’s politics established in Wanstead

There is something in the air. Citizens’ assemblies, democratic socialism, participative democracy, call it what you will, but the idea of people taking a stand when it comes to local affairs is gathering pace. 

I have lately been involved with Popular Assemblies or ‘Pops’, currently operating up and down the country, including Walthamstow and coming soon to Wanstead. The idea is locals get together to discuss the issues that are affecting them locally and nationally. We break some bread, form small groups, and then everyone gets a chance to have their say – this includes the problems they are facing but also actions, solutions and ideas. Notes are taken and, at the end, the people vote on which areas to focus on. 

So far, I’ve joined two Pop meetings in Walthamstow. It was a really welcoming space with a creche for small children and homemade soup, snacks and tea and coffee – all provided free. Concerns big and small came out of the meeting, from the price of renting to knife crime, cycling lanes to community allotments, smartphone addiction to NHS privatisation. The list goes on.

This month, a handful of delegates randomly selected from the E17 Pop and representatives from Pops all around the country will come together at Britain’s National Assembly. This will be a chance to amalgamate the issues decided by the people and bring together possible ways to fix things. The four or five most popular ideas will become the programme from this National Assembly. 

In my opinion, our tired, two-party system of government, which has been operating for hundreds of years, is no longer fit for purpose. With massive issues facing us, such as the cost-of-living crisis, war and the rapidly escalating climate emergency, we can’t count on this system to deliver the goods. Even well-meaning politicians are unable to do a decent job because the entire system is broken and unable to function in the modern world. 

Providing a space for people to connect and talk at Popular Assemblies creates a real sense of community, but also of empowerment. It is a fresh start, and we want people of all different personality types and ‘political colours’, who perhaps haven’t ever been involved in politics before, to jump onboard out of a genuine desire to change lives for the better.

We are hoping to bring a Popular Assembly to Wanstead soon with the help of former Redbridge councillor Shanell Johnson, who is a strong believer in the power of bringing about positive change from the ground up. With some truly daunting challenges on the horizon, both social and environmental, the time for everyone to come together – using real democracy – is now. Watch this space…

For more information, and to take part, visit humanityproject.uk

A number of local residents will be opening their gardens to the public this summer as part of the National Garden Scheme.

“Please, please continue to visit the open gardens, not only locally, but all over London. The library has a supply of booklets that detail locations and dates… I am also keen to hear from more people across Wanstead and Woodford who would like to open their garden next year,” said Teresa Farnham, a local organiser for the scheme, which raised over £3m for nursing charities last year.

Visit wnstd.com/ngs24

In the fourth of a series of articles charting the challenges facing Aldersbrook Medical Centre, Paul Wildish reports on a tentative victory and the power of the patient voice

In February, patients of the Aldersbrook Medical Centre (AMC) received a letter from the headquarters of NHS NE London announcing a change in services that provoked alarm among our community. It proposed the Richmond Road practice from Hackney – which had successfully rescued AMC from decay over the past five years – would be leaving. Immediately, the AMC’s patient community came alive on social media with resistance to such an outrage.

The Patient Participation Group (PPG) sprang into action to organise a public campaign to guarantee our services and, ideally, retain the same providers. The success of our campaigning can be measured by the tenor of a second letter received at the end of April, which was of a far more conciliatory nature. One might even suggest it was an acknowledgement of the defeat of the NHS’s original proposals as it announced that “we have reached a mutual agreement with the Richmond Road Medical Centre to extend their contract for Aldersbrook Medical Centre until 31 March 2025.”

We had a win! Albeit not a complete one. But by dogged campaigning, listening to the patients and focused political lobbying, we negotiated directly with NHS managers, demonstrating that no solution could be won without them paying attention to the patient voice. The PPG wholeheartedly recognises the significant contributions made by Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of NHS Confederation and an Aldersbrook resident and AMC patient, our local MP John Cryer who responded quickly and positively to our requests for support and our local councillors, particularly Councillor Sheila Bain, who stood with us from the beginning and opened the doors of Redbridge Council’s Health Scrutiny to us. Also, Councillor Paul Donovan, who wrote supportive articles for the local press. Their commitment to the PPG’s case meant we could not be ignored.

What happens now? We have an undertaking from NHS Primary Care managers to work with the PPG over the course of Richmond Road’s extended contract to achieve a permanent solution for AMC’s future. Due to the legal framework, a competitive bidding process is required and Richmond Road has confirmed they will be bidding. We have also won the concession that our ‘island practice’ status will always be considered as a stand-alone, staffed GP practice and never an adjunct to another local practice. All in all, we have won far more than we expected when we took on the opaque bureaucracy of the NHS. We understand that no other PPG has ever mounted a campaign in defiance of bureaucratic decisions from on high and we are determined to stick to scrutinising NHS managers until we have achieved an equitable settlement we believe all patients rightfully deserve.

For more information about the Aldersbrook Medical Centre Patient Participation Group, visit wnstd.com/amc

Volunteers are needed to help map and assess the condition of public ponds across Redbridge as part of The Great London Pond Project.

“This project, which is supported by the Mayor of London, will take place from June to September. Volunteers can choose how many 1km grid squares they would like to survey and can conduct the surveys whenever suits them,” said Elizabeth Witcombe, Project Officer for ZSL.

A two-hour training session will take place at Wanstead Library on 10 June from 2.30pm.

Visit wnstd.com/pondproject