March 2025

From The Bill to Hamlet, local actor Ashley Gunstock has a theatrical career spanning 45 years. This month, he will be taking to the stage much closer to home for the launch of Theatre at The Bull

My theatre company, Poetic Justice Productions, in association with The Bull on Wanstead High Street, will open a new London Fringe venue this month called Theatre at The Bull. Our premiere production will be the play Isosceles by Lorraine Forrest-Turner.

The idea for this project came about by pure chance. My wife saw a show at The Bull during the Wanstead Fringe a couple of years ago and suggested it would be a good space for my shows. So, I got in touch with the management to see if they’d be interested. They informed me, coincidently, that this was exactly what their company was looking into and put me in touch with Giles Wilson, one of the leading organisers of the Wanstead Fringe. At a subsequent meeting, the committee informed me residents were very keen to have regular theatre shows in Wanstead and offered assistance.

The choice of the play Isosceles was also fortuitous. This sophisticated plot, written 20 years ago, was randomly chosen from a host of other plays. On enquiring about its availability for production, I realised I had worked with the writer, Lorraine, 10 years previously! But, as I was unable to stage Isosceles at the time, the play lay shelved and unperformed ever since. Yet, such is the nature of the theatrical industry, the opportunity eventually arose to stage it. So, the dilemma of the right time and the right place has been resolved, the combination code has been cracked and we have a spring launch at The Bull this April.

As an actor, I am truly proud to have had the opportunity to play PC Robin Frank, an original cast member of the iconic television series The Bill, and highly privileged to have performed Hamlet three times! I also consider myself very fortunate to have been involved in a West End production with Alison Steadman; to have had leading parts in national tours; to appear in sitcoms and dramas for the BBC and ITV and to have had featured roles opposite John Thaw in Morse and Suggs in his biographical film, My Life Story. Featuring in the Hollywood movie The Man Who Knew Too Little with the brilliant Bill Murray and renewing my acquaintance with the fabulous Joanne Whalley-Kilmer was a professional highlight as well as a total thrill. And not many actors can say that besides performing as the magistrate in Call the Midwife, they’ve also played a murderer, the Devil and God.

For this show, I will be teaming up again with Natalie Roles (who was also in The Bill). We play a husband and wife in a rocky marriage whose relationship is further tested by the appearance of a mysterious figure. In volatile territory, we are then plunged into a perilous predicament in a fascinating and intriguing thriller.

Isosceles will be performed at Theatre at The Bull (129 High Street) from 15 to 20 April. For more information and to book tickets, visit wnstd.com/isosceles

A date for the third annual Wanstead Beer Festival has been set.

It follows the success of last year’s event, which was attended by over 700 people, who sampled over 60 different types of beer and cider, raising over £4,000 for local charities.

“The next Wanstead Beer Festival will take place in the halls of Christ Church on the evening of 4 October 2025. The bar has been rising each year, but everyone involved is determined to deliver an even better event this year,” said organiser Paul Donovan.

Visit wnstd.com/beer

Aldersbrook Medical Centre will be hosting a breast cancer awareness talk.

Taking place at St Gabriel’s Church on 8 April from 2pm, the free event is open to both men and women (a donation to Tin in a Bin is encouraged). “A breast care nurse will be leading the event and making people aware that regular home examinations are crucial to catching breast cancer early. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available, so please come along and support this important initiative,” said a spokesperson.

Call 07811 662 297

At the end of February, Epping Forest staff and 20 volunteers from the Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group re-erected a rope fence around two areas of Wanstead Flats in anticipation of the Skylarks’ new breeding season.

“It is hoped this will deter dog owners from allowing their pets to enter these patches of grassland, where the larks nest on the ground,” said Tim Harris.

The rope will be taken down again at the start of September.

Wanstead Flats is the nearest Skylark breeding site to central London.

Residents have until 6 April to take part in a consultation over the expansion of the Wanstead Zone D permit parking area.

“Following an earlier consultation, some roads have been taken forward to the next stage of the consultation process… It is important to note, a final decision has not yet been made on which roads will be protected by new parking controls. Any objections received will be fully considered and may result in changes to the proposals,” said a Redbridge Council spokesperson.

Visit wnstd.com/wd

Residents have until 4 April to apply to host a street party for the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

“The council will support you by closing off the road and supplying any necessary road closure signage and cones. You will even be given branded VE Day kits, including bunting and flags, to help you celebrate!” said a spokesperson. During the King’s Coronation, almost 100 street parties were held across the borough, the second highest in London.

Visit wnstd.com/pty

As the nation prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Redbridge Museum Officer Nishat Alam reflects on the wartime diary of former Aldersbrook resident Fred James 

“A hush of expectance has stilled the whole day. Expectance of peace in Europe.” These are the words written in the diary of Wanstead man Fred James on 7 May 1945, just one day before Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

A resident of Herongate Road, Fred and his wife Daisy signed up as volunteer Air Raid Precaution (ARP) wardens in the Aldersbrook area even before war broke out in 1939. Fred would sound sirens to warn local residents of air raids, enforce blackout protocol, and report on bomb damage, all the while documenting his duties in diaries and photographs. A selection of these is on display in Redbridge Museum.

You’ll find funny photos, poems and jokes in Fred’s collection, but also present are the insights and devastating testimonials of war. Being so close to the capital, Wanstead and Woodford were bombed heavily during the Blitz between September 1940 and May 1941, and were hit by 25 V1 and 14 V2 bombs between June 1944 and March 1945. In one diary entry, Fred reports on two bombs that fell on Belgrave Road at 4.30am on 10 September 1940: “Two houses were demolished and 30 or 40 badly damaged… I did some traffic control with my lads. When we left, rescue parties were excavating for the casualties under the wreckage. Poor blighters.” In total, 802 people in Redbridge were killed, 4,000 injured, 50,000 homes were damaged and 822 destroyed.

2025 marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War and six years of fighting, demolition and death. On VE Day, the wartime Prime Minister and local MP Winston Churchill made a radio broadcast to the nation, reminding people that: “We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing; but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead.” 

The “brief period of rejoicing” was spent well, of course. Residents of Wanstead and Woodford celebrated by holding a total of 43 street parties across the borough, lining the streets with Union Jack flags and bunting. Tables were set out laden with food, games were organised for children and there was singing and dancing for all. Official celebrations by the Borough were then held over four days the following year with entertainment, a fair, Punch and Judy shows and a gala on Woodford Green opened by Churchill himself.

Though the war on Japan lasted until August, Brits were still able to breathe a sigh of relief that life would soon go back to normal. As for Fred, war seemed truly to be over when on 18 June he wrote: “The bowling club fence is again up around our post. It is finished!”

Redbridge Museum is located at Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road, Ilford, IG1 1EA. For more information, visit wnstd.com/rm or call 020 8708 2422

In the fifth of a series of articles charting the experiences of a Wanstead-based travel writer, Carole Edrich recalls how terror turned to euphoria during a trip to Colombia

So long that I can barely see its end, the fourth of six ziplines stretches over the rich greens and browns of a huge tropical rainforest canopy. We’re on what they call a platform, but it’s more like a perilous topsail perch on an elderly pirate ship.

I’ve never been scared of heights. I can look up at trees, tall buildings, even skyscrapers. I didn’t bat an eyelid covering a Sears Tower stair race in Chicago or the views from Seattle’s Space Needle, and I loved the Eiffel Tower.

Chronic fatigue permitting, I can always get to whatever high place I’m going. Up is never a problem and there was a lot of ‘up’ to get here. A steady climb (or scramble or walk) through trees and bushes, then one of those twist-around-a-telegraph-pole style climbs to get to the platform. 

What I am afraid of – I’ve just this minute realised – is down. We barely fit on the stand together and I am afraid that this whole precarious perch of a platform won’t take our weight. I am afraid the pole will topple. I’m afraid of being taken on an uncontrolled downward trajectory through the forest canopy all the way down to the rough rainforest terrain. I am afraid of getting torn by tree branches, of dropping such a long way down that I’d have time to run out of breath from the shock. I’m afraid of hitting the ground so hard that my bones would turn to jelly. I am afraid of down.

Having arrived with the suddenness of the shock of a plunge into ice-cold water, my terror is growing. To manage it, I try to chat. “What’s the maximum number of people you get on one of these platforms?”

“We used to let on six people. Then the pole fell down with the weight so now it’s only five.”

We are five; photographer, interpreter, driver, zipline guide and me. Down the pole on my own is not even an option. I didn’t even want to do this, but the lads in my team were desperate to do it and would only be permitted to do it if they were accompanying me.

I have no choice but to continue. I get on with the next zipline and it’s fine. Canopying in the truest sense, I need to hold my legs straight ahead to stop them brushing the treetops. I begin to love the feeling as it’s the best abs workout ever and my terror is replaced with clear-headed euphoria. Flying over the forest canopy, I can now wonder at the richness of the sights, sounds and smells of the nature below me, so close to the big Colombian city of Medellin.

That was 10 years ago. Some time between the fourth and final ziplines, I decided to zipline around the world for a book, which is a whole story of its own.

To read more of Carole’s work or to listen to her podcast, visit wnstd.com/edrich

Ahead of the Friends of Wanstead Parkland’s AGM in April, chairman Peter Brimson provides an overview of some of the improvement works that are likely to take place in the park in the near future

Last year saw a drive in Epping Forest recruitment, providing new staff to carry out much-needed tasks. The year also saw the setting out of plans for projects, with budgets assigned to make them happen, which the Friends have actively supported. 

The prominence given to Wanstead Park’s lakes in project proposals is especially welcome given our recent survey of user priorities showed the state of the lakes was the major concern. I am pleased to say there are a number of projects likely to happen in the park in 2025/2026.

Lake dams: the Environment Agency requires the City of London Corporation to strengthen the earth-retaining dams that keep the lakes in place, and £1.15m has been allocated to this task. Work could start late 2025 or early 2026.

Perch Pond and Heronry Pond: a future potential risk to the dams is failure resulting from summer dry-out, leading to cracking and leaking. It is therefore necessary to keep the dams wet. This will be achieved by up-pumping water from the Ornamental Waters into Perch Pond and up-pumping from there into the Heronry Pond. At present, low levels of water in the two lakes are topped up by water extracted from a deep borehole near the Heronry. Thames Water requires the extraction to be substantially reduced and the up-pumping scheme is designed to do this.

Ornamental Waters: this is currently dried out, marshy in places and full of weeds in some parts. The City of London has allocated £150,000 to reinstate winter pumping from the River Roding into the Ornamental Waters to refill the lake. Once filled, the up-pumping into the Perch and Heronry Ponds will become viable. If approved by the Environment Agency, works could begin in winter 2025.

The Grotto: the City of London is keen to see this romantic ruin removed from the Heritage at Risk Register. The building needs substantial repairs and there is a risk of partial collapse. Plans have been drawn up to repair and stabilise the structure and £464,000 has been allocated. Work could restart this summer.

The Temple: £30,000 has been allocated to carry out essential external building repairs, which could start soon. Consultants have drawn up various options for the future of the building, including an indoor café area. No funding is allocated for this at present.

Woodland play area: further works will be undertaken in 2025, including installing a firm path for wheelchair users and buggies, a swing for disabled children and new play equipment. There is a budget of £29,000.

Past experience indicates the above view of park investment may be optimistic. Timetables may slip and finance is not all guaranteed.

For more information on the Friends of Wanstead Parklands, visit wnstd.com/fwp

The Renters’ Rights Bill will make several significant changes to the private rented sector, explains James Harrison from local solicitors Edwards Duthie Shamash

Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) – the most common type of tenancy – are soon to become extinct under the Renters’ Rights Bill in 2025. Upon commencement of the Act, all existing ASTs will become assured periodic tenancies, save for those that are already the subject of possession proceedings under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

Subject to compliance with various requirements, a landlord can currently terminate an AST by serving two months’ notice under section 21. This is known as the ‘no-fault’ ground for possession. The Renters’ Rights Bill provides for section 21 to be abolished. If by the time the Bill becomes law the landlord has served a section 21 notice and has commenced possession proceedings relying on that notice, the AST will continue, pending the conclusion of those proceedings. If not, the notice will be of no effect.

The Bill provides for several new grounds for possession and amends others. 

Ground 1 is available where the landlord or close family member wishes to move into the property. Ground 1A can be relied on where the landlord wishes to sell the property. In both cases, four months’ notice is required and the landlord cannot rely on these grounds during the first 12 months of a new tenancy. 

These are both mandatory grounds for possession, so the court must make a possession order if it is satisfied the grounds are proved. In order to discourage abuse of these grounds, a landlord cannot re-let a property within 12 months of serving notice, or commencing court proceedings, on these grounds. There is a fine of up to £7,000 for breach of this.

There is also Ground 4, which applies to a property let to full-time students, where the property is required for a new group of students in line with the academic year. Four months’ notice is still required. 

The mandatory rent arrears ground (Ground 8), has been amended in two respects. Firstly, four weeks’ notice rather than two is required. Secondly, the landlord must show that the tenant is three months in arrears (or 13 weeks in the case of a weekly or bi-weekly rent), both at the time the notice is served and at the time of the possession hearing, rather than two months (or eight weeks) as at present. 

There are other grounds for possession which are beyond the scope of this article. 

The Bill is currently being considered by the House of Lords and is unlikely to become law until the spring or summer of this year.

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

Local artist Leia Darla Davies had a connection with art from a very early age and is now looking to collaborate with other creatives in the local area as part of a new artistic hub she is launching

Born and bred in East London, my journey as an artist mirrors the vibrant community around me. I have always found inspiration in local landmarks, particularly Hollow Ponds, which often features in my paintings and animations. These familiar settings and landscapes serve as both a backdrop and a foundation for my creative exploration.

Alongside my practice as an artist, I am an events creative, workshop provider and the founder of ArtEast, a community interest organisation that provides a platform for artists to offer creative workshops, exhibitions and events to the community. ArtEast is rooted in the belief that creativity should be accessible to everyone, promoting collaboration, education and engagement through artistic expression. 

My connection with art began at an early age. My mother, Ashley Davies, an abstract artist, had me while studying at the Royal Academy. From as early as I could hold a paintbrush, I would paint beside her in a playpen – a beginning that, she jokes, makes me the youngest unofficial attendee of the Royal Academy! This early exposure to art ignited a lifelong passion, giving me an outlet for self-expression and a means to escape into other worlds through my creativity. I later went on to study at Central Saint Martins, UAL, where I discovered art was so much more about business and art-fashion than it was skill or passion than I had ever realised – a moment of disillusion all artists undergo. I became fascinated with human evolution, consumerism and global resources, which are still common motifs in my work.

My figurative works, such as Head in the Clouds (above right) and What Lies Beneath (above left) exemplify my focus on sociopolitical themes and psychological concepts. 

My recent solo exhibition at Wanstead Works underpinned these ideas and the essence of ArtEast – bringing creatives together to network, interact with immersive art and experience performance-infused exhibitions. This was just a glimpse into what I aim to bring to my new artistic hub, a space dedicated to exhibitions, workshops, community-led initiatives and immersive events. I will be announcing more details about the space soon and am actively looking for local talent to showcase and collaborate with. Watch this space.

For information on creative opportunities and workshops, visit art-east.co.uk or email leiadarla@outlook.com