Features

Wanstead resident Jean Medcalf published her first poetry book last year. To Everything There is a Season is a collection of lyrical, spiritual poems about nature. In the 11th of a series of articles, Jean – who celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this year – recalls some local coincidental link-ups. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson Last month, I talked about how Wanstead feels like a village where everybody seems to know everybody.  There are so many times when the people I know seem to link up with each other in unexpected ways. I first noticed this when my husband and I moved onto our street 60 years ago. We found that Mrs Rawlings across the road had been in my husband’s class at Wanstead High School. Harold, who lived opposite, was the son of my husband’s boss at Waltham Forest College, and just around the corner lived Ted Smith, the landscape gardener who used to be the gardener when I went to Leyton County High. Some years later, a young man moved into the end house with his family – he greeted me in the street with: “You must be Sally’s mum!” It turned out he had been in my daughter’s class at art...

Wanstead Fringe 2021 will include a number of stand-up comedy shows aimed at kids. It’s a genre that has become increasingly popular, says Wanstead Comedy Night organiser Jon Fentiman

Giles Wilson, chair of the Wanstead Fringe – which returns this month for a 16-day calendar of cultural events – explains why despite everything, getting stuck in is the best option

Mediation is available for many types of cases, from the Small Claims Court to the High Court. It is a flexible form of dispute resolution, says litigation solicitor Serhat Sik from local solicitors Wiseman Lee

In the third of a series of articles by plot holders at the Redbridge Lane West allotments – which are under threat from the adjacent gas works – Geoff King explains why his fruit and veg is unsurpassed

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award will broaden a young person’s future prospects, says 15-year-old Wanstead resident Marnie McPartland, who completed her Silver Award last month

Every Saturday morning, a group of walkers depart Christchurch Green for an hour’s stroll in and around Wanstead. The social reward is as important as the health benefits, says Paul Turner

As the Wanstead Society prepares to celebrate its silver jubilee, the group’s chair Scott Wilding reflects on their work to date and looks forward to the next 25 years of ‘protecting and enhancing Wanstead’

Wanstead resident, hypnotherapist and emotional freedom technique master practitioner Loveleen KPS encourages us to leave our stresses and anxieties in the past and lead a life filled with inner peace

The Wren Wildlife Group, London Wildlife Trust and Wild Wanstead have compiled a list of 10 species at risk of local extinction. In the sixth of a series of articles looking at each species in turn, Alex Deverill reflects on Wanstead’s skylarks

In the first of a series of articles providing an update on the Cleaner Greener Wanstead initiative, Councillor Paul Donovan (Wanstead Village, Labour) looks at how local biodiversity is being improved

Wanstead resident Jean Medcalf published her first poetry book last year. To Everything There is a Season is a collection of lyrical, spiritual poems about nature. In the 10th of a series of articles, Jean – who celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this year – recalls some well-known Wanstead people, past and present. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson