Features

Jonathan Diamond, a partner at Wiseman Lee Solicitors, explains why divorce proceedings tend to spike in the New Year and how couples can avoid falling into the trap of the marital ‘blame game’. Sadly, January is one of the busiest times for couples to consider divorcing. Some researchers have suggested the stress of spending time together at Christmas can be the final straw for some relationships that have already been under strain. Whatever the reasons, as the law currently stands, the quickest way to obtain a divorce is to apportion blame on your spouse. In this day and age, it may seem grossly unfair to resort to finger-pointing to end a marriage that has irretrievably broken down. In fact, earlier this year, the government heralded an end to such practices and instead promised new ‘no fault’ divorce laws. That was back in April 2019 but, sadly, parliament ran out of time to pass the new legislation, and although it could still become law in the future, as things stand, the old – and some would argue antiquated – law remains. In order to divorce, one spouse must petition the court and demonstrate the marriage has broken down irretrievably as a...

In the third of a series of articles by members of the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society, Robert Gibbons tells the story behind this image taken on the South Bank A few years ago, I had booked to see The Wizard of Oz at the Festival Hall on the South Bank and had arrived early for the afternoon matinee, which was due to start at 2.30pm. I always carry a small compact camera with me and decided to kill time by wandering around on the off-chance of seeing any photos worth taking. Squeals of laughter drew my attention to an area where multiple jets of water were squirting from the ground at random intervals with children running in and out, trying to guess the right timing in order to avoid a soaking. None of them were successful. After a while, a couple of young guys spontaneously started to do handstands in the waterjets, and it seemed this might make an interesting shot. However, within a moment, a mother and her small son entered the scene, beyond and between the two handstanders, and I could see that the child was completely enthralled with the action and mesmerised with innocent joy. As...

Residents of all faiths and none are invited to a street party this month, organised by Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue, in celebration of the Jewish festival of Chanukah. Martin Gaba reports On Sunday 29 December, there will be a bracing diet of free latkes (potato pancakes), doughnuts and hot chocolate as Leytonstone rocks to the live music of Menasche and the Shulhoppers in a street party to mark the eighth night of the Jewish festival of Chanukah (Festival of Lights). This will take place opposite Leytonstone bus station on the planting area at the junction of Fairlop Road, Fillebrook Road and Grove Green Road. All are welcome! This street party is organised by Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue (LAWS). It will begin with the lighting of a huge candelabra, the Leytonstone Menorah, with nine stems, for the Jewish festival of Chanukah, which runs from 21 to 29 December this year. Starting with two lights, an additional light is lit every night until all nine are switched on, when there will be a splendid spectacle of them all shining forth. After the event, the party will continue with music and refreshments at LAWS. Chanukah marks a miracle which took place in 167...

In the fifth of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, Priti Mistry offers advice on how older people can prepare themselves for the winter season It is that time of the year again. Winter is upon us and already it is cold, and in most homes, the heating has been switched on. However, for some older people who are on a low income, they sadly end up leaving their heating off to make ends meet and to be able to manage their money. Therefore, I want to share some tips that will help us all to get through the colder days and months. Test your heating You don’t want to find out your heating isn’t working when you need it most, so it’s a good idea to get your heating system serviced every year in the build-up to winter to make sure it’s running safely and efficiently. Make sure gas heating is serviced by a qualified Gas Safe-registered engineer. If you’re a tenant, your landlord should check your heating system and appliances are safe at least once a year. If you own your home and are on means-tested benefits, you may...

The death of a loved one is something most of us will experience at some point in our lives, so it is important to understand your duties as an executor of a will, says Hollie Skipper of local solicitors Wiseman Lee If you have been named as an executor in a will, there will be many practicalities that need to be dealt with which fall to you. At such an emotional time, you may be unsure of what needs to be done. It’s a common misconception that you cannot act as an executor if you are a beneficiary of the will. In fact, an executor is very often a spouse, child or other family member who will inherit from the will. As executor, your role is to deal with the assets of the person who has died. The assets often include a house, bank accounts, investments and belongings. The assets are collectively known as the Estate. Once you have obtained the Grant of Probate and the assets of the Estate have been collected in, it will fall to you to distribute the Estate in accordance with the terms of the will and ensure that each beneficiary receives their inheritance. As...

In the second of a series of articles, local photographer Geoff Wilkinson discusses his new exhibition – entitled ‘Quick! Before it goes’ – depicting London’s East End, an area which resonates with many residents here. Pictured here is Ezra Street in Bethnal Green Although I have, during my lifetime, continued to be aware of the changing East End, it is only since opening Gallery 84 in 2008 and spending more time exploring the vast area for photographic opportunities that I have realised how much of it has actually disappeared. Huge swathes of tenement buildings have been replaced by modern dwellings, much better living conditions for the residents, I’m sure, but the loss of the architecture leaves a void not filled by the modern equivalent. Or is that just nostalgic thinking? Some gems still survive; the Georgian town houses at the southern end of Bethnal Green’s Paradise Row are a fine example. They have survived and live in harmony with the fashionable restaurants and bars that have taken over the railway arches at the northern end. The shops and houses of Columbia Road remain unchanged since the Victorian era. Its Sunday flower market attracts tourists and shoppers from all over London searching for...

Wanstead Society chairman Scott Wilding explains why the group’s social events are just as important as their work to protect, preserve and improve the local area The Wanstead Society was formed in 1997 with the aim of protecting and enhancing the built environment in Wanstead, Snaresbrook and Aldersbrook. But for a long time now, we have aimed to bring the community together through a series of annual social events in local businesses. We have long sought to enhance the local environment by working with developers to ensure good design in new buildings, by planting trees in public spaces and funding gardening schemes across the area. But there is little point in improving the area if we don’t bring the people who live in it together. This year, we held a summer social in the Nightingale pub, and a winter one in More Italy. Both laid on great food and a welcoming atmosphere, and we would like to say thank you to every pub or cafe that has held one of our socials. We are lucky to be spoilt with such good choices in such a small area. These are informal events with free nibbles and a drink provided by us. We have...

In the seventh of a series of articles looking at the developing plans for restoring Wanstead Park, John Meehan, chairman of the Friends of Wanstead Parklands, looks at what has been achieved in the park so far and explains what is still to come, and invites anyone who cares about the park’s future to become a member. Ornamental Waters photo by Christian Moss The present campaign for Wanstead Park was started in 2005. Initially an ad hoc committee of concerned local people, the founders delivered a successful lottery-funded project to raise awareness of the park. About a decade ago, we reactivated a membership-based group called the Friends of Wanstead Parklands, which had been dormant for some time. The Friends has grown into a dedicated group of volunteers, which works tirelessly with the City of London and other stakeholders to improve the Wanstead Park experience – both for its human users and resident wildlife! The Friends has constantly been implementing small, much-needed projects to improve the park, for instance, a successful bid for £8,000 of Tesco funding to pay for new picnic tables and benches by the tea hut. They also paid for the restoration of the antique tables in the...

Visiting a Christmas market is the perfect way to get into the spirit of things, says Rosie Nolan, organiser of Local Makers Market. Christmas card illustration by Katie Clement The first event I organised in Wanstead was a Christmas market in 2013. I called it Wanstead Makers Market at the time. I’d just moved to the area and had organised craft markets previously, so thought maybe I could do the same here. It became a popular and well-attended event, so I then started to find other venues around east London to hold the market. This is when I decided to change the name to Local Makers Market so it was not tied to one location. It has since taken place in Dalston, Hackney Wick and Stoke Newington. Wanstead is the place we hold the most events though and it’s our favourite location! Wanstead is such a great place for artisan markets as the local community really appreciate handmade products. Many of the visitors to the market comment on the exceptional quality of the stalls and the variety of items on offer. I think the other great thing about Wanstead is that it has a village-like feel and the people here love...

John Cryer is the Labour Party candidate standing for the Leyton and Wanstead constituency at this month’s General Election. Here’s why he thinks he deserves your vote on 12 December So, the country is going to the polls again. With Brexitmania dominating everything, you could be forgiven for forgetting that General Elections are about more than just one issue. However, the winning party will govern for the next five years and will be responsible for our health, our children’s education, our rights at work, transport and so much more. Brexit, of course, touches on all of these issues, and it will quite rightly be high up on every voter’s agenda when they decide in which box to put their cross. The Labour Party is the only one of the major national parties pledging a second referendum, with an option to remain. Even as an outspoken Eurosceptic, the experience of the last three and a half years has convinced me that the only way for us to come back together as a country is to ask the public to vote again. Beyond the end of this interminable debate, the next government will be stewarding the institutions we all rely on. The...

Henry Scott is an independent candidate standing for the Leyton and Wanstead constituency at this month’s General Election. Here’s why he thinks he deserves your vote on 12 December I am the UK’s youngest candidate taking part in this General Election and I have decided to stand as an independent candidate for Leyton and Wanstead. I turned 18 in November, having grown up in Leytonstone with my older brother and younger sister. My parents, Peter and Victoria, are both musicians. Victoria currently teaches music at Riverley School in Leyton, while Peter is the organist at St John’s Church and runs a business in London. My education began at the Kids-R-Us nursery at the Welsh Church and I now attend David Game College in London. “How on earth did you come to the decision to stand as a candidate?” I hear you ask. Well, I remember being in my politics lesson and my teacher saying: “Henry, now that you’re 18, are you looking forward to voting in your first election?” I replied that I wasn’t sure I wanted to vote for any of the current main parties. As I went home, I realised I wanted a candidate who would represent the...

Ashley Gunstock is the Green Party candidate standing for the Leyton and Wanstead constituency at this month’s General Election. Here’s why he thinks he deserves your vote on 12 December The Green Party will be standing to promote solutions to the important matters of the day and through the eye of the climate emergency storm. There may be doubters, deniers and downright liars who challenge the science that says we are, at the very least, causing the quickening of our own extinction. Yet, we will address all issues from an integrated environmental perspective, as follows. Education: would be comprehensive in the truest sense of the word (no division of intakes on the grounds of religion, race, gender, disability or social status). University fees would be greatly reduced and Ofsted scrapped. Pupils, alongside the core subjects, will be taught an eco-curriculum, to encourage them to respect and protect all forms of life in the world about them. Healthcare: provided by fully funded centres, would be holistic, being based on prevention, a good diet and regular exercise as well as cure. With guidance on how to take personal responsibility for ourselves, we would also ensure the need for medication is kept to...