March 2025

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

Residents are being alerted to the dangers of throwing away batteries in household waste bins and recycling boxes following fires at waste and recycling plants across the UK.

“When crushed, some types of battery, including those in vapes, can get very hot or ignite,“ said a Redbridge Council spokesperson.

Wanstead Library and several High Street shops provide battery recycling facilities.

Visit wnstd.com/battery

From the London Marathon in April to Warsaw Ironman in June, local runner Caroline Frith is taking on an incredible series of endurance challenges in aid of charity, and refusing to let cancer define her life

As a South Woodford resident for almost 20 years, I definitely call this part of London home. The sense of community and friends I have made are second to none – especially in hard times. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 when I was only 36 with two young children. Despite gruelling treatment, the disease recurred in 2022 and is now stage 4 or incurable. However, I refuse to let this scary diagnosis stop me living life to the full.

I have been a runner for over 25 years and am a long-term member of East London Runners, a brilliant, friendly running club based in Wanstead. My only regret since moving to the area was not joining sooner! We meet twice a week for club runs and always welcome new members. Since my second diagnosis three years ago, I have run two marathons, completed the Ride London 100-mile cycle ride, swum two miles in the Serpentine and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro – all with the help of my running club family. 

This year, I am raising money for the Maggie’s cancer centre at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, a haven of tranquillity that provides support to all cancer patients and has been a godsend to me and my family over the years. They have given me a place in the London Marathon in April, but being the kind of person I am, I decided to add some more events to the challenge! The first event, in March, is the notorious Orion 15 by Orion Harriers, a 15-mile cross-country race through Epping Forest renowned for its mud and hills. This will be quickly followed by the Camino Gratitude 25, a 25km race from Broxbourne to Stratford along the River Lea. Then, in May, I’ll be doing the Hackney Half Marathon with my 16-year-old daughter. It will be her first half marathon. And the grand finale will take place in Poland with the Warsaw Ironman 70.3 in June. This comprises a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile cycle and a 13.1-mile run. I also recently became an ambassador for 5K Your Way, which is a support group with a difference. We meet on the last Saturday of every month at over 100 parkruns nationwide.

I am doing all this whilst on chemotherapy and targeted cancer treatment, which is not without considerable side effects. I strongly believe exercising helps me cope with these as well as helping with my mental wellbeing. Too many people diagnosed with cancer do not receive the necessary information to maintain an active lifestyle during treatment and beyond. The benefits of exercise to those impacted by cancer are many and include better outcomes, reduced anxiety and fatigue as well as building confidence.

I would be extremely grateful for the support of my wonderful South Woodford and Wanstead community so I can raise as much money as possible for Maggie’s – and if you see me pounding the pavements, do say hi.

For more information and to donate, visit wnstd.com/frith

The latest Wanstead Butterfly and Moth Report celebrates the diversity of moths recorded in the area, including only the fourth Light Crimson Underwing (pictured here) ever seen in Essex. Tim Harris reports

Last summer was hardly a classic and people probably don’t want to be reminded of long periods of cloud, rain and chilly winds. Reflecting this, many people commented on how few butterflies they were seeing. Their near absence wasn’t all down to the weather – the decline in butterfly numbers has been going on for years and is also due to changes in land use and pesticides. Nevertheless, the 2024 Wanstead Butterfly and Moth Report documents 26 different species of butterfly recorded, the same figure as in 2023.

However, for their night-time cousins, things weren’t so gloomy. Local naturalists observed 340 species of moths in 2024, mostly by using special ultraviolet lights to attract them. In so doing, they opened a window on a usually unseen world. 

Moths are vital for the natural world. Adults pollinate plants and are an important source of food for our area’s bat population and moth caterpillars are a key component of many birds’ diets. A diversity of moths reflects a diversity of food for their caterpillars to eat. Broadly speaking, the more different types of native plants an area is blessed with, the more varieties of moth will live there. And while clothes moths are a nuisance, 99.9% of moth species have no interest in eating woollen fibres. They eat leaves, buds, lichen and fungi in their larval state (caterpillars) and may feed on flower nectar as adults. So, a varied moth population indicates a healthy environment. 

There is a long tradition of observing and recording butterflies and moths (collectively known as the Lepidoptera) in the area around Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park, which stretches back to the early 1980s. All the data collected is fed into the National Moth Recording Scheme, which has collated more than 34 million sightings to date – vital citizen science data to show which are doing well and which are struggling, and so guide conservation decisions.

In 2024, notwithstanding the weather, the total number of species recorded on our patch was the second highest on record, although that headline figure masks the fact that numbers of many species were down. Despite this, it was an extraordinary year in terms of quality. There was much to celebrate, including the addition of an impressive 30 new moth species to the patch list. These included only the fourth Light Crimson Underwing ever seen in Essex. 

But, of course, it’s not only about rarities. Our varied matrix of grassland, scrub, woodland, fresh water and leafy suburban gardens provides food and shelter for a great range of commoner species, all crucial pieces in the jigsaw puzzle that makes up our local ecosystems. And we should never take even the most common for granted; the environment is changing so rapidly at present – mostly for the worst – that we should treasure them all.

To view the 2024 Wanstead Butterfly and Moth Report, visit wrengroup.org.uk

For information on the National Moth Recording Scheme, visit wnstd.com/nmrs

Often cited as the nation’s most popular prime minister, Winston Churchill – who died 60 years ago – was one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. He was also our local MP. Emily Allen reports

The ‘British Bulldog’ Winston Churchill guided Britain through the Second World War, gave rousing speeches that have gone down in history… and also represented the areas of Wanstead and Woodford as an MP for over four decades.

Winston Churchill was born in 1874 at his family’s ancestral home, Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire. He first entered Parliament in 1900 as a Conservative MP for Oldham. In 1904, he switched to the Liberal Party and won the seat of Manchester North West. After holding several cabinet positions, Churchill was elected as MP for Epping in 1924, which incorporated Wanstead and Woodford. He won the seat with a large majority and went on to rejoin the Conservative Party. 

Among Churchill’s supporters was Woodford Urban District Council chairman Sir Alfred James Hawkey, the namesake of Sir James Hawkey Hall in Woodford Green, which Churchill would open in 1955. In May 1936, Churchill spoke in favour of the Wanstead and Woodford District Council’s application to become a borough. It was a success, and he presented the new borough with a mace, which is still owned by Redbridge.

After succeeding Neville Chamberlain as prime minister in 1939, and leading Britain to victory in 1945, Churchill became MP for the newly-created constituency of Woodford, which also incorporated Wanstead, following a change to constituency boundaries. He held this seat until his retirement from politics in 1964. While serving as prime minister during the war, Churchill was unable to visit his constituency, but his wife Clementine did, and in 1941, she opened a restaurant in Woodford Green as part of a Ministry of Food initiative. Churchill supported many charitable functions to shore up the war effort. A War Weapons Week was held in 1941 with Churchill as president, which raised over £900,000. Later events, such as a Churchill Week in Woodford, raised £265,108 for the war effort, roughly the cost of 13 tanks at the time. During his time as MP, Churchill maintained a strong majority. He led the Conservative Party back to power in 1951, his second term as prime minister.

A statue of Churchill was erected in Woodford in 1959, with Churchill and his wife present at the unveiling. In 1968, a bust was erected outside the former local Conservative Association in Wanstead (now The Bull).

Churchill continued to represent Woodford even after stepping down as prime minister in 1955 and remained active in Parliament well into his 80s. Churchill died at the age of 90 in 1965, and thousands of people lined the streets to watch the funeral cortege travel to St Paul’s Cathedral. Many of them will have remembered him as the prime minister who won the war, but for residents here, he was the man who had served them and their constituency until the end.

Emily Allen is a freelance writer. For more information, visit wnstd.com/allen

In the 44th of a series of articles, David Bird discusses the work of Redbridge Music Society and introduces flautist Daniel Shao and pianist Simon Callaghan, who will perform in Wanstead this month

Two aims of Redbridge Music Society are to bring high-quality live chamber recitals to the people of Redbridge and to promote and support new generations of musicians. This month, Daniel Shao and Simon Callaghan will perform a diverse programme of music in Wanstead, including works by Mozart, Debussy and Bizet/Borne (Carmen Fantasy). 

Daniel Shao is a versatile British-Chinese flautist. He regularly performs with orchestras, ensembles and as a soloist and was praised by The Telegraph for his “virtuosity, charm and charisma in abundance.”

Daniel studied at the Purcell School, Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with first-class honours and an honorary DipRAM. He has performed with many major orchestras and his awards and recognition include winning the Royal Over-Seas League Competition Wind Prize 2024, being featured as a Classic FM Rising Star 2023 and being televised as a BBC Young Musician Wind Finalist in 2014. As a concerto soloist, Daniel has performed with the Royal Scottish National, Oxford Philharmonic and Czech National Symphony Orchestras. He is passionate about contemporary music and has worked with the London Sinfonietta and the contemporary collective Tangram (Associate Artists at LSO St Luke’s). He also regularly records scores for film and television.

Simon Callaghan is an internationally respected soloist, chamber musician and recording artist. He performs regularly in the UK’s major concert halls and on tours to Asia, North America and Europe; at a recent Husum Festival of Piano Rarities in Germany, his sell-out concert received rave reviews for “technical brilliance.”

As concerto soloist, Simon has collaborated with prestigious orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic, Ulster Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia. Simon’s broad repertoire encompasses the standard works of the 19th and 20th centuries and he is increasingly concentrating on little-known music by composers such as Rheinberger and Reinecke. Simon is deeply committed to British music and is currently recording a series of world premieres of British concertos with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has also made the first recordings of the complete piano music of Rebecca Clarke, George Dyson and William Busch. Simon is currently Artistic Director at London’s Conway Hall, Professor of Piano at the Royal Northern College of Music and an elected Steinway Artist.

Please do not miss this opportunity to hear these two outstanding musicians perform locally this month.

The recital will take place at Wanstead Library on 18 March from 8pm (tickets on the door; visitors: £12; members: £9). Call 07380 606 767. Redbridge Music Society is affiliated to Making Music.

Volunteers have been working to help otters thrive in a local stretch of the River Roding.

“We created a spacious otter holt for the Roding’s most recent new residents. We used big logs to create an entry chamber and a nesting chamber, and covered the whole thing in branches and earth,” said a spokesperson for the River Roding Trust’s Wanstead and Woodford local group.

The volunteers also created two hibernacula for amphibians and other small creatures to use.

Email river.roding@gmail.com

Recent changes to local bus routes have impacted the lives of many local residents. In the third of a series of articles, 14-year-old Riku Fryderyk reflects on the day ITV News came to Wanstead to pick up the story

The Save Our Local Bus Services campaign made great progress in just the first month of 2025. I was first introduced to the group by my friend and joined one of their regular meetings at Christ Church in Wanstead out of curiosity. As a local video producer who covers all topics transport-related, I have, since that meeting, been working on a documentary to inform people across London about the impact of TFL’s bus route changes here and help residents’ voices to be heard.

And so, the moment I heard that Liz Martins, the founder of the campaign, had organised for ITV News to come down to Wanstead on the last day of January, I made sure I was there on that rainy Friday morning to film the entire event. The turnout was fantastic, with a crowd of concerned local residents listening to a panel of varied speakers, including Calvin Bailey MP, a director of the Wanstead Mental Health Clinic and many others. It felt incredibly powerful for the community to come together and speak their mind. Many will agree people’s horrible stories and experiences shouldn’t be diluted by the press and media – people want to know the truth.

The weather hadn’t permitted the gathered crowd of residents to walk all the way down to Wanstead Tube station, but we did get as far as Wanstead Place. The peaceful protest went brilliantly. We stopped traffic to cross the road safely, placards with messages like ‘Shame on TFL!’ and ‘Local Buses For Local People’ being held high in the air, with honks of support from car and bus drivers as Liz made our concerns heard through a megaphone.

After making it back, the ITV crew had a chance to interview a few people, myself included. In their report, which was aired that evening, there was a statement from the TFL press office which claimed that “26,500 more people now live within one bus journey of Whipps Cross Hospital.” We are well aware, though, of the countless disadvantaged people who no longer have simple access to the hospital.

It is so important that you make even a small contribution to this campaign by signing the petition, which takes very little time. Every name counts as we slowly but steadily progress to the goal of 10,000 signatures, which will permit a government response.

Each of the three routes (W12, W13 and W14) should run every 15 minutes in peak hours, and every 20 in off-peak. However, the concern is important nationwide – our campaign wants the government to agree on the fact that local residents must be meaningfully consulted prior to any changes that are made across the UK.

If you are affected by the local bus route changes, submit your experiences to the Save Our Local Bus Services campaign. Visit wnstd.com/busform. To view the campaign’s petition, visit wnstd.com/bus