Features

From small spotty-eyed drone flies to a rare jumping spider and pink moth, chair of the Wren Wildlife Group James Heal reports on some of the highlights of the recent bioblitz in Wanstead

With the dry, cracked bed of the Ornamental Water once again on show, Benjamin Murphy, chair of the Epping Forest & Commons Committee, explains the inherent difficulties in managing the water levels of Wanstead Park's lake system. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

Pottery is the perfect way to combat the stresses of modern life, says Julia Dreher, who is excited to be launching her Wanstead Pottery business from her new garden studio during next month's Fringe

Redbridge Museum will open a new permanent exhibition later this year exploring 200,000 years of local history. In the sixth of a series of articles, Museum Officer Nishat Alam looks at some of the items on show

Darren Morgan from Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering highlights the importance of keeping active, and invites over-55s to take advantage of the charity’s activity centre in Wanstead

Wanstead resident Eileen Flinter documents her experience of sponsoring two Ukrainian refugees, and says she has nothing but admiration for the fortitude and pragmatism her guests showed

Following the success of the Aldersbrook Eco Fair in March, the Friends of St Gabriel’s are planning their next fundraiser, a pop-up fine dining event. Georgina Brewis talks to leading local chef Duncan Cruickshanks. Photos by Iain Smith

Following recent changes from Her Majesty’s Land Registry, Derek Inkpin from local solicitors Wiseman Lee looks forward to a new era of electronic signatures in the conveyancing world

Streets Apart – run by the charity Living Streets – arranges weekly walks for the over-65s. Here, project coordinator Tracey Chitnis explains why she is keen to see the initiative continue to grow over the summer

The Wanstead Park Liaison Group has identified three ways to improve protection for the park’s iconic bluebells, which have drawn increasing visitor numbers in recent years. Richard Arnopp reports

In the 13th of a series of articles by plot holders at Redbridge Lane West allotments – which are under threat from the adjacent gas works – Roger Snook explains the ongoing frustrations with Cadent

Handwriting is not an art of the past, says Maura Wilson, and this year’s Wanstead Fringe is giving Wanstead’s primary school children the chance to prove it with a handwriting competition