January 2026

At this month’s Wanstead Climate Action meeting, Redbridge Council’s Arboricultural and Horticultural Manager Peter Marshall will be explaining the work his team does to care for trees in Wanstead and across the borough

The London Borough of Redbridge is proud to be recognised as part of the Tree Cities of the World for the fifth consecutive year, with over 40,000 council-maintained trees and 128 hectares of woodland forming a vital part of our green urban landscape.

On 19 January, join Wanstead Climate Action at Wanstead House to hear from Redbridge Council’s arboricultural team for an important presentation and discussion on how we care for these trees and explore the feasibility of a pesticide-free future.

Redbridge’s arboricultural team inspects council trees on a three-year cycle to ensure their safety and health and to consider pruning works. This includes pollarding, a traditional pruning method that helps maintain large species within urban spaces and is carried out on a two- to six-year rotation.

However, some trees die due to disease, structural weakness or environmental stress.  As part of our discussion at Wanstead Climate Action, we’ll be talking about tree survival, reasons for losses, tree planting and how local people can also help to improve outcomes.

The arboricultural team also manages weed maintenance. Currently, highway weeds are managed through four annual herbicide treatments. Although effective, chemical weed spraying has raised environmental concerns, prompting a 50% reduction in herbicide use in Redbridge in the last 15 years. Innovative schemes such as Pollinator Pathways have also helped further reduce herbicide use. Under the scheme, neighbours can join together to adopt tree pits on their street, eliminating the need for chemical weed spraying on their street entirely. This is just one example of how residents can play a vital role in tree care. Our newly planted street trees also carry blue labels inviting neighbours to water them. These simple actions help young trees thrive and help boost biodiversity in our borough.

Redbridge has planted over 50,000 new trees in the past six years, with a further 6,000 planned this winter. These trees are critical for climate resilience and biodiversity. They absorb carbon, reduce urban heat, improve air quality and create habitats for pollinators and wildlife, helping us meet canopy cover and sustainability goals.

The borough is also home to remarkable heritage trees, including the veteran Sweet Chestnuts on George Green as shown here, a living link to Wanstead’s history and a symbol of resilience. Preserving such trees is as important as planting new ones, so join me at Wanstead Climate Action’s January meeting to find out more about the importance of our trees and what we can do together to help protect them.

Peter’s presentation will take place on 19 January from 7.30pm at Wanstead House, 21 The Green, E11 2NT. For more information, visit wnstd.com/climate

For more information on council trees, adopting a tree pit and Pollinator Pathways, visit wnstd.com/trees

The developer of an HMO conversion at 125 Hermon Hill has issued a statement.

“Developing an HMO was not our original intention. But now, the only logical tenants for us are working professionals. For example, an HMO previously developed by us houses five NHS nurses, none of whom have ever caused any issues for the neighbours. Yet the underlying ‘not on my street’ sentiment persists. We have been in contact with the council for several months to ensure that every legal requirement is fully satisfied.”

Redbridge Council has issued a statement regarding the HMO conversion of 125 Hermon Hill.

“We have inspected the property. It is currently under renovation and is unoccupied. We have advised the owner that using it as an HMO would require planning permission and a licence. They have committed to applying and any proposals will go through the proper planning process, with residents given the opportunity to comment. The council will continue to monitor the site to ensure compliance.”

Residents have launched a petition urging the council to reject any House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) application for 125 Hermon Hill.

“The developers originally said the house was being refurbished as a family home. Once work was almost complete they changed their plan to operate a six-room HMO instead… Hermon Hill is in an Article 4 protected area, which is meant to stop uncontrolled HMO conversions. If this is allowed, Article 4 becomes meaningless across Redbridge,” said a neighbour.

Visit wnstd.com/125hh

Wanstead Mental Health Clinic will receive funding from the National Lottery Community Fund in 2026.

“This money will aid our efforts to support the local community through our peer support groups. We are also grateful to City Place and Tesco Express for their contributions, and a special thank you to the professionals who have facilitated these groups voluntarily for the last year,” said non-clinical director David Sleet.

isit wnstd.com/mhc

When local resident Amanda Green lost her dad a year ago, Saint Francis Hospice enabled him to die peacefully at home. It was Amanda’s second experience of the hospice, which also cared for her mum in 2016

Howard Bennett, my dad, died in 2024 on my birthday, 21 December, which I see as an honour. We were very close, and that afternoon, I felt our souls blend and our connection deepen.

Dad lived with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema for years. Breathing was a struggle, but he rarely let it stop him living. He was stoic, funny, clever, kind and generous. He adored Salli, his wife – my mum, who died in 2016 – his children, grandchildren and, in 2023, becoming a great-grandad.

In 2024, his lung consultant referred him to Saint Francis Hospice as his condition worsened. A member of the hospice community team visited and offered breathing advice and techniques. But the best part about having the hospice involved was knowing that when the time came, I could ask for help. That eased my fear of what lay ahead.

After a difficult night a few months later, Dad said: “I think I need to go to the hospice now.” He was living in a purpose-built extension we had added to our house. I explained the Hospice at Home team could care for him there alongside myself and carers. He hadn’t realised this was an option and was relieved to stay in his own pad, knowing how lovingly Saint Francis had cared for my mum. We agreed he would only go into the hospice if absolutely necessary, and because of the nurses’ support, that wasn’t needed.

As he neared the end, the Hospice at Home team visited more often. It was amazing how the care stepped up. They knew just how to keep him comfortable in a dignified way. I remember the first Hospice at Home nurse arriving. I had the same feeling I had experienced eight years previously, when my mum arrived on the ward at the hospice. It felt as if an angel had descended and taken all the worry off my shoulders.

The night before Dad died, we gathered at his bedside and toasted him. The nurse suggested a taster of gin and tonic on a swab. The next day, on my birthday, we repeated the gesture with champagne after a friend suggested he might be waiting to celebrate. I think she was right; he passed away shortly afterwards, with champagne on his lips and Nat King Cole playing. He would have loved that ending!

In my opinion, it would be impossible to experience the care I received for both my parents without feeling forever indebted to the hospice and it becoming such an important part of our lives. It is so important to give back as the hospice is only 28% government-funded and relies on fundraising and donations for the remaining 72%. How different both my parents’ endings would have been without the hospice. I have also found that fundraising in their honour really helps me on the grief journey.

Located in Havering-atte-Bower, the Saint Francis Hospice catchment area includes Wanstead and Woodford. Visit sfh.org.uk