Features

There’s a team of dedicated Wanstead folk working on a daily basis to help local rough sleepers and those less fortunate than many of us. Could you help them? Samantha Earl reports John Wagstaff of Petty Son and Prestwich is one of these dedicated folk who can often be found sorting, organising and distributing various donations to different shelters and food banks. And until recently, John was helping out Wanstead charity worker Frank Charles and T-Space’s Jason Harris every Friday by giving out clothes, sleeping bags and other much-needed items at the Stratford Centre. Every week, John, Frank and Jason would arrive at the Stratford Centre at 6am – early because those sleeping rough are moved on by security. But out of sight shouldn’t ever be out of mind, so the team arrived with a large estate SUV full to the brim with bags of donations, generously provided by the amazing Wanstead community. Frank brought a huge bag of food to hand out, while John and Jason set up a large table of the clothes. The team encountered 20 to 40 rough sleepers each week, and one in 10 were female. In the team’s experience, these people were often timid...

As the Wanstead Winter Night Shelter project comes to an end, Revd Canon Ann Clarke reflects on 13 weeks of community generosity, local business support and numerous grateful guests The Wanstead Winter Night Shelter closed its doors at the end of March after a successful inaugural season. This is down to the excellent organisation and experience of the Forest Churches Emergency Night Shelter (FCENS) model, and the wonderful number of local volunteers who ran the shelter each week. The volunteers came from many different backgrounds, some of faith and some of none.The amazingly generous donations, both financial and in kind, made it possible to give the very best we could to our guests. We gave a warm welcome, food, shelter, clothing and toiletries to up to 30 guests each week (mostly men, but a few women). We have also discovered that Jenga, Connect 4 and chess were very popular with our guests! Local support has been exceptional; businesses turned up with bread, pastries, savouries, even complete meals for 30. Among those who have donated are Horizon Patisserie, Leytonstone; The Duke, Wanstead; La Bakerie, Wanstead; The Rotisserie Company; and Luppolo, Wanstead. When we had excess, guests were able to take ‘packed...

Paul Kaufman, Chair of East London Humanists, introduces Leo Barasi, the speaker who was scheduled for the group’s April event and who would have been explaining why climate change apathy matters, and how it can be beaten Leo Barasi is a leading thinker, speaker and writer on climate change, politics and public opinion. Broadcast appearances include Radio 4’s The Moral Maze and World Tonight, Radio 5 Live, Channel 4 and Sky. His acclaimed book, The Climate Majority: Apathy and Action in an Age of Nationalism, addresses one of the greatest challenges we face today. Writing in The Guardian last October, Leo paid tribute to Extinction Rebellion for succeeding in using protest earlier in the year to transform public debate. But he predicted challenges for the next round of mass protest about to take place that month. The novelty of such actions would have worn off and the police would move more decisively. Perhaps the biggest challenge Leo identified is the public attention span. He points out that the overwhelming majority do now support the aim of zero net emissions. Many believe the argument is won and that blocking the streets serves little purpose. But few pay attention to policy detail or punish...

Local resident Rachel Jarvis is a business coach for ActionCOACH and is keen to make Wanstead’s business owners aware of the support available to them during the current crisis As you know, the UK is in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak and many small and medium-sized businesses are already feeling the effects. I encourage all business owners to read HMRC’s guidance for employers and business owners, which can found at gov.uk. Some of my clients have already contacted HMRC, who have been very understanding and have offered to defer all tax payments (including VAT) for two months. In effect, this is free credit to help with potential cash flow issues. Many businesses are following suit, and I would encourage others to do the same. The simple principle here is: once you’ve paid it, you won’t get it back! HMRC are likely to have to give further concessions if the effect of coronavirus is as severe as expected. Banks are also said to be increasing credit lines and overdrafts, and in some cases, they may even offer repayment holidays on loans. And many of my clients are contacting all of their suppliers to ask about relaxing payments. The government has...

In the ninth of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, Janet West summarises the impact of coronavirus on their services and explains what they can still offer Due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, here at Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering we are busy adapting our services so we can continue supporting older people in the three boroughs we serve. Whilst some services will continue as near to normal as possible for the time being, some will inevitably be more affected as we strive to follow the government’s advice to help keep people safe. Unfortunately, this means that since 17 March, we have had to close the Allan Burgess Centre – our activity hub in Wanstead – to comply with the current guidelines, meaning we cannot provide lunch or activities for the foreseeable future. The activities carried out at the Cherry Tree Cafe (Zumba and art classes) will also cease as the centre has to close its doors as well. We will be offering telephone communication to service users affected if they would like it, so we can at least give them someone to talk to and offer advice if they...

Volunteers across Wanstead have been delivering leaflets to their neighbours, offering help and support during the uncertain times ahead. Charlie Renwick explains why she got involved. Pictured here is fellow volunteer Mei Moore (Charlie was self-isolating and unable to be photographed at the time of writing). Photo by Andy Nutter By mid-March, I started to feel anxious about coronavirus; initially what it would mean for my family and me, but more importantly, what would happen to those older people who don’t have a support network in place. I knew other people must be feeling the same way, so I turned to Facebook and within minutes found the Redbridge COVID-19 Mutual Aid group, an organisation set up by three others to connect us all at this time. At the time of writing, the group has over 1,500 members and is growing daily. It offers clear information on Redbridge wards (areas within the borough) and recommendations on how we can all get involved in supporting our local community. I live in Wanstead Village, where we now have a WhatsApp group with 135 members and counting. Our priority to date has been reaching out to the elderly and those considered to be at increased risk of severe illness...

Classically trained soprano Nicola Cain is leader of the Wanstead and Woodford Rock Choir. With scientific proof singing makes you happier, is it time to open your mind – and vocal cords – to the power of music? Rock Choir has over 30,000 members participating in approximately 400 local communities. We offer all ages an alternative experience to the traditional classical or community choir, introducing members to feel-good pop, rock and contemporary chart songs.  Rock Choir has an uplifting ethos of fun, and friendship and community spirit is a huge part of our attraction, with members enjoying a dynamic and busy new social life whilst connecting with their community. At an individual level, it helps improve people’s wellbeing by building their self-confidence, self-esteem and, in turn, improving their mental and general health. This was scientifically proven in 2018 when the BBC programme Trust Me I’m a Doctor used members of Rock Choir for an experiment to find out if singing, cycling and dancing boosted our levels of endocannabinoids – neurotransmitters thought to be the cause of the ‘natural high’. These chemicals are similar in structure to the chemicals found in the cannabis plant. As well as giving a ‘buzz’, they are also...

Conveyancing is a vital part of the process of buying or selling a property. Here, Debra Rose from Wiseman Lee Solicitors explains the steps and why it is important to choose a professional to do the job Conveyancing refers to the legal work that is carried out when ownership of a property is transferred. Most conveyancing is carried out professionally, but sometimes, buyers and sellers ask whether it is possible to do it themselves. Conveyancing without the use of professional help is risky because you may not be protected in the event you miss something which could have been revealed by conveyancers, meaning your property is not worth the purchase price. The other party to the transaction may demand you use a professional for the transfer of funds to ensure the appropriate money laundering checks are carried out and they have the protection afforded by the Law Society’s Completion Code. Additionally, many mortgage lenders will require you use a conveyancer to protect their investment. Once you decide you want to buy or sell, you will need to instruct a conveyancer. The estate agent will prepare a memorandum confirming the terms of the sale, which will be sent to the person...

In the second of a series of articles documenting the thoughts of local anti-bullying ambassador Elsa Arnold, the founder of the Spreading Kindness Through E11 initiative explains how dance has helped her I battled with myself for a long time after being knocked down by bullying and I didn’t see myself getting back up again. Bullying knocked my confidence and made me feel worthless. I honestly didn’t see a very bright future for myself. But something changed for me. I have always loved to dance, starting ballet and tap at the age of three and dreaming of being a ballerina. But this was always just a childhood dream. I never thought after losing my passion for years that I would find it again during the most difficult time of my life. I never liked dance from Year 7 to 9 (we studied it at school as a compulsory lesson), and I couldn’t wait to get rid of it. When I started secondary school, it was a lot easier to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others and I always feared being judged. But at the end of Year 9, I decided to join our school’s dance club and ended...

Residents are invited to join the audience as eight professional singers take part in a masterclass with Royal College of Music vocal studies professor Alison Wells at St Mary’s Church this month This month, I will be giving a masterclass to eight professional and advanced student singers at St Mary’s Church in Wanstead. The event last year was a great success. Over 170 people came along to watch what is a fascinating process. I worked with each singer for 30 minutes to help them find more technical ease in their singing, and also to help them develop an imaginative approach to the interpretation of the pieces they were singing. Several people remarked they had thought the singers were brilliant anyway, and how wonderful it was to see that there was always a little bit more magic they could find. For me, this is such a rewarding process. These singers are already out there in the profession, or at an advanced stage of study, but even in 30 minutes, they can gain a lot of confidence from working with an experienced teacher, and, crucially, from singing to a lovely audience in a beautiful environment. So, do please come along! Entry is free for audience...

In the eighth of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, Janet West introduces Di’s Diamonds, which is now offering a social calendar of events for local over-50s Di’s Diamonds is a group of men and women, single or partnered and aged 50-plus, from all walks of life and backgrounds, who want to get out and about, socialise and make friends. We understand that doing these things on your own can sometimes be daunting, especially if you haven’t socialised in a while. The group was originally set up by two ladies – Diane and Cathy – on a voluntary basis in Havering, organising coffee mornings, lunches and outings, but as the numbers grew, it became difficult to manage. Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering took it over and, thanks to funding from the London Borough of Havering and the Big Lottery Community fund, we have been able to employ three coordinators, Kim, Fiona and Kate. This means we can now organise activities in Redbridge, Havering and Barking and Dagenham. We offer a number of opportunities, including: Coffee mornings Lunches Bowling Irish dancing Museum and exhibition outings Creative arts and crafts Chair exercise and...

An emerging home trend could change the quality of your life, explains local interior designer and Art Group Wanstead member Anna Wicslo It might not trip off your tongue yet, but the word on the lips of the biggest movers and shakers in home design is biophilia. And it’s fast becoming one of the most important factors in the worlds of interior design and architecture. Biophilic design aims to increase our connection with nature, contributing to good health and wellbeing. Countless studies show its effects can be relaxing, while in home workspaces it can be stimulating, boosting focus and productivity, and helping to spark creativity while lowering stress hormones and blood pressure. Humans are understood to have an innate connection to nature and natural processes, built through genetic processes over hundreds of thousands of years. Biophilia was popularised by American biologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980s when he observed how increasing rates of urbanisation were leading to a disconnection with the natural world. There is now a stream of endless ideas to connect interior design with nature.  Here are some that you’ll notice: Furniture and lights mimicking nature in their shapes and forms of design. Spaces becoming more open...