January 2025

News

Residents invited to help plan local events for 80th anniversary of VE Day

L1160875Wanstead War Memorial. ©Geoff Wilkinson

Wanstead residents are invited to help plan how the community can best commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which marked the end of World War Two in Europe on 8 May 1945.

“My hope is for Wanstead to come together to do something special. One idea I’ve had is to host a concert which could raise funds for the restoration of the Wanstead War Memorial. If you would like to get involved and be part of planning ways to mark this important anniversary, do get in touch,” said Rev James Gilder of Wanstead Parish, who will be holding an open meeting at Christ Church on 19 February from 7pm to discuss ideas.

Royal Pageant Master Bruno Peek is encouraging a “shared moment of celebration” across the country, with communities asked to light beacons, fly VE Day flags and host street or garden parties.

Email wansteadparishadmin@uwclub.net

Features

Reed all about it

_DSF3615-copy©Geoff Wilkinson

A floating reedbed has been launched on Heronry Pond in Wanstead Park to create an additional habitat for wildlife and help improve water quality. Thames21 River Restoration Officer Tyler Randall reports. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

The launch of the 160-square-metre floating reedbed is part of a £100,000 project to improve overall water quality in the 44,500-square-metre Heronry Pond in Wanstead Park.

As an environmental charity, Thames21 is working closely with The Rivers Trust and the City of London Corporation – which manages Wanstead Park – on the project. The project was funded by soft drinks manufacturer Britvic. In addition to this, FiveRivers was the main contractor that supplied and installed the floating reedbed.

Although ponds and other blue spaces and lakes can be an oasis for wildlife and places for the public to enjoy, they can suffer from many environmental challenges, including road run-off pollution.

Road run-off occurs when pollutants settle on the surface of the road, such as residue from oil spills, as well as tyre and brake wear from vehicles. These build up during dry weather and are then washed into rivers and streams when it rains. Natural barriers, such as floating reedbeds, can act as sponges and can filter these pollutants before they flow into rivers.

Native species, such as Purple Loosestrife, Yellow Flag Iris and Common Reed, feature on the new floating reedbed. These species are a typical standard mix of wetland species that come in pre-established coir mats – materials crafted from coconut fibres and tightly packed together. They also help to enhance biodiversity by helping to support a range of wildlife, providing essential habitats and food sources.

Separately, Thames21 has been working with local volunteers in carefully managed river restoration activities within the River Roding – London’s third-longest river which flows through the east of Wanstead Park. River restoration activities include using woody matter in some parts of the river to help maintain its natural curves, which provides a diverse flow to the river and creates more room for wildlife to thrive.

It is fantastic to work on this project, which is not only helping to transform the lakes of Wanstead Park into healthy environments for wildlife but helping to improve water quality in this area whilst enhancing blue and green spaces. It’s truly inspiring to work with our volunteers and partners and witness how we can breathe life back into our lakes and leave a positive legacy for future generations.

Ben Murphy, chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, added: “We welcome this collaboration to improve the water quality in our Grade II listed landscape. Wanstead Park is a natural haven, loved by millions of people, but its lakes have experienced a number of challenges in recent years. As a charity, we rely on community volunteering partnerships, enabled by private investment, to conserve over 8,000 acres at Epping Forest. This project also complements a range of other initiatives underway to improve the water quality and resilience at Wanstead Park.”


For more information on Thames21, visit thames21.org.uk

News

Over 300 species of butterflies and moths recorded locally in 2024

Acr6013208971264-23020507Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)

The Wanstead Butterfly and Moth Report 2024 has been published.

“There is a long tradition of observing and recording butterflies and moths in the area around Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park. The total number of species recorded last year was 366, the second highest since our records began in 2012… That headline figure masks the fact numbers of many species were down, but there was much to celebrate, including the addition of 30 new species to the patch list,” said Tim Harris of the Wren Wildlife Group.

News

Construction of new Whipps Cross Hospital delayed until 2032

Acr46316289197504-61918Initial proposed design for the rebuild

The government has confirmed construction of the new Whipps Cross Hospital will be delayed until 2032 at the earliest.

It follows a review of the New Hospitals Programme, which was announced by Boris Johnson in 2020. “When I walked into the Department of Health and Social Care, I was told that the funding for the New Hospitals Programme runs out in March 2025. We were determined to put the programme on a firm footing so we can build the new hospitals our NHS needs,” said Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP.  

News

Council statement on application for High Street digital advertising units

IMG_8701An existing digital advertising unit outside Lighthouse Fish Bar

Redbridge Council has issued a statement following an application for two new digital advertising units on Wanstead High Street.

“The council has an agreement with a third party provider for freestanding digital advertising units across the borough, subject to that provider securing the necessary consents from the Planning Department… The local planning authority will take into account the impact on visual amenity and public safety before deciding whether to approve or refuse the applications.”

Features

Safety in numbers

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Combining the Wanstead Park and Wanstead Village Safer Neighbourhoods Team meetings will boost attendance and create a more effective approach to tackling local crime, hopes Terilla Bernard

Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT) ward panel meetings are held on a quarterly basis, with each ward in the borough holding their own events. Wanstead Park SNT and Wanstead Village SNT each hold their meetings at Wanstead House.

As you would expect, these meetings discuss local crime and issues that affect the respective wards. They last about 90 minutes and, in addition to SNT police officers and community support officers, they are open to local residents, local councillors and Epping Forest rangers.

Data (crime statistics) is shared with attendees who are also invited to share intelligence about what is happening in their neighbourhoods, along with any concerns they may have. A key part of the meetings is to agree on three key areas of concern to residents as initiatives the SNT will tackle over the coming three-month period, with one of the key initiatives being identified as part of a wider Metropolitan Police initiative.

I have been attending the Wanstead Park SNT meetings for approximately two years, and I have noticed that it is usually the same six or seven residents who regularly show up. The more widespread approach seems to be one where residents express their opinions, report crime and raise concerns on social media platforms rather than face-to-face at SNT meetings.

This approach, in my opinion, isn’t a very productive way of enabling and supporting the police to tackle crime. Many members of the community believe crime is not being dealt with and have a ‘what is the point in reporting crime because the police don’t bother to turn up’ attitude. But it would be more beneficial in terms of tackling local crime if more residents attended these meetings.

In terms of the Wanstead Park SNT meetings, we are in need of a chairperson. We did have one, but unfortunately, they had to step down due to ill health. So, we are now amalgamating the Wanstead Park and Wanstead Village SNT meetings on the basis that Wanstead Village has a chairperson and with the hope this will boost the number of residents attending the events. There are also similar trends in crime across both wards, so a combined approach makes sense. Another issue is that our meetings have sporadic attendance by local councillors, so this too needs to be improved.

I have regularly tried to encourage more residents to attend SNT meetings but with little or no success. I do hope this article will do the trick and we see more people getting involved in improving our community’s safety.


A joint Wanstead Village and Wanstead Park SNT ward panel meeting will take place on 7 February from 7pm at Wanstead House, 21 The Green, E11 2NT.

To contact your local SNT, visit wnstd.com/snt

News

Bakers raise funds for hospice

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The Haven House Christmas Cake Appeal raised over £1,100 in December.

Now in its fifth year, the fundraiser involved 10 volunteer bakers, whose festive cakes were delivered across Wanstead and Woodford in exchange for a donation to the Woodford Green hospice.

“We are humbled to play a small part in fundraising for Haven House, an essential and much-loved local charity,” said organisers Paul Canal and Sarah-Jane Hogg.

News

Watch MP present parliamentary petition urging TfL to reconsider local bus route changes

mpCalvin Bailey MP with campaigners at Parliament

Calvin Bailey MP presented a petition to Parliament on 21 January in support of the Save Our Local Bus Services Campaign opposing TfL’s changes to the W12, W13 and W14 bus routes.

“The changes have had significant negative impacts on local people, including disabled and elderly constituents, who are finding it hard to access Whipps Cross Hospital due to the new routes,” said the Leyton and Wanstead MP. It follows the campaign group’s own petition, which has collect over 6,000 signatures to date.

Campaigner Liz Martrins said: “TfL’s response that no changes can be made until six months of usage data has been analysed is unacceptable. It is a travesty to see buses go by practically empty, or too full, or run late. This demonstrate TfL’s focus on the profitability of bus routes rather than the needs of the local community.”

The changes came into force on 7 September 2024.

Are you affected by the local bus changes? Visit wnstd.com/busform

View the campaign’s petition: wnstd.com/bus

Watch Calvin Bailey present the petition

 

 

 

Features

Sir Patrick Spens

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Local artist Christopher Thomas will be holding an exhibition of drawings at Wanstead Library this month, celebrating the ballad of Sir Patrick Spens

Sir Patrick Spens is among many English and Scottish ballads to have made their way to North America with the early settlers. The story tells of a reluctant sea captain, Sir Patrick Spens, who’s enveigled into sailing to Norway in midwinter to bring the Scottish king’s new bride home.

A winter voyage in the North Sea is bound to be hazardous, but our hero convinces his crew that it’s for their king, and so they are under an obligation. Indicating the inevitability of stormy weather, one of the crew points out:

I fear, I fear, my captain dear,
I fear we’ll come to harm.
Last night I saw the new moon clear,
With the old moon in her arm.

They set sail with a diplomatic mission of Scottish lords on board. As the narrative progresses, the weather worsens, the drama grows and the ship goes down in the mountainous waves.

The lyrics were first collected and published in the United States by the American academic Francis James Child in the mid-19th century. In the early 20th century, Cecil Sharp and Maud Karples made often tortuous journeys in the Appalachian mountains to collect songs and their tunes. In the 1960s, the Child ballads had a resurgence of interest in the English Folk Song Revival and many wonderful recordings have been made of them by Anne Briggs, Sandy Denny, Fairport Convention, Martin Carthy and many other talented musicians.

My exhibition in Wanstead Library is a section of an ongoing piece of work based on the Child ballads and their legacy. My work is primarily concerned with observational drawing, which I apply to portraiture, narrative and landscape.


Christopher’s images will be on display at Wanstead Library from 13 January until 1 February. For more information, visit christhomasart.co.uk

Features

Constructing justice

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Construction site accidents can result in serious injuries, but taking the right steps after can help secure the compensation you deserve, says Bradley Wright from local solicitors Edwards Duthie Shamash

Accidents at work can happen to anyone. When it comes to the workplace, building sites are unfortunately environments where the chances of suffering an injury are higher than that of many other workplaces. Some 61,000 workers are injured on average per year whilst carrying out their duties on building and construction sites.

Accidents on construction sites can have serious consequences and usually involve life-changing injuries, such as spinal injuries, brain injuries, electrocutions, burns and, in the worst-case scenario, fatalities. The most common types of injury that take place on building sites are falls, usually from ladders or scaffolding that has been erected negligently. 

Employers and site managers have a duty of care to ensure all reasonable steps are taken to avoid accidents on building sites, but unfortunately, they can fail in the following ways:

  • Failing to carryout an appropriate risk assessment on the building site.
  • Failing to provide employees and subcontractors with sufficient personal protective equipment.
  • Failing to maintain equipment and machinery efficiently.
  • Failing to ensure scaffolding and ladders are erected safely and maintained in an efficient state.
  • Failing to enforce health and safety regulations and failing to train employees appropriately.

If the employer or site managers do not fulfil their duties to provide a safe workplace, then you can make a personal injury claim for compensation.

If you have suffered an accident on a building site, it is vital you seek medical attention. There should be a first aider on site and it is imperative you obtain treatment from them immediately. You must report your injury to your employer or site manager. If they have an accident book, make sure you complete an entry and keep a copy of this. You should take photos and videos of your injury and, more importantly, of the accident site and any defective equipment you were using at the time. Lastly, obtain witness information. 

If you are self-employed, you will still be able to pursue compensation as a claim can be made against the site manager or main contractor for whom you have performed duties.


Edwards Duthie Shamash is located at 149 High Street, Wanstead, E11 2RL. For more information, call 020 8514 9000 or visit edwardsduthieshamash.co.uk