Artist David Sawyer – who travelled with the Prince of Wales to the Caribbean as an official tour artist earlier this year – will be demonstrating landscape painting in oils at Wanstead House this month. “One of the many tips David will be giving at the demonstration is to paint or sketch en plein air, because you will learn what to leave out of the painting and what to leave in,” said a spokesperson for Essex Art Club, which is hosting the event on 24 November from 2.30pm to 4.30pm (visitors: £5). Visit wnstd.com/eac...

In the first of two articles by former local resident David Williams, the journalist-turned-tour guide and lecturer explains why he often returns to the area to give talks to local groups. Whether I am talking to a genealogy group or local history enthusiasts, I know that at some stage there will be a discussion with someone who wants to tell me how far back they have traced their ancestors. The common factor here is their enthusiasm. I suppose we have to thank the TV programme Who Do You Think You Are? for encouraging family history research and I can only imagine how long people spend trawling through census forms, parochial documents, workhouse records and the Old Bailey online. Without access to the mass of information available now on the internet we would all face hours travelling to libraries large and small, trying to decipher the handwriting...

Amateur dramatics group the Highams Players are celebrating their 80th anniversary with a production of the Alan Ayckbourn comedy Life and Beth at Wanstead House on 21, 22 and 23 November. The group was founded in 1939, performing at Highams House before moving to the Memorial Hall in South Woodford and then to Wanstead House in 1973. “We are a friendly, close-knit group who delight in rehearsing in each other’s homes, and are always keen to welcome new members,” said Susan Walters. Call 020 8924 6987...

In the sixth of a series of articles looking at the developing plans for restoring Wanstead Park, John Sharpe from the Friends of Wanstead Parklands takes a look at the recently published Parkland Plan. Photo of Perch Pond by Christian Moss In the October edition of the Wanstead Village Directory, in his article on the lakes of Wanstead Park, Friends of Wanstead Parklands member Richard Arnopp referenced the development of the Parkland Plan, which sets out in detail the vision for future restoration and management of the park. The latest version has now been published and sets out how the work aspires to improve the park environment and the user and visitor experience. The intention of this article – and the next instalment planned for the December edition – is to summarise these planned developments, which aim to regenerate Wanstead Park (which since 2009 has been...

Wanstead resident Colin Cronin started organising local Remembrance services several years ago. Here, the former councillor explains why he continues to do so and why such events provide a valuable lesson. In 1922, local residents gathered for the unveiling of the Wanstead War Memorial next to Tarzy Wood. Designed by Forest Gate resident and sculptor Newbury Abbott Trent, it has stood as a permanent reminder for Wanstead residents of those members of our community who have given their lives selflessly during times of conflict. Seventy-five years later in 1997, Snaresbrook’s Garden of Remembrance (off Snaresbrook Road) opened to honour all victims of war. Now we are in the Remembrancetide period, members of the Wanstead community, young and old alike, are once again ready to stand together at the war memorial on Remembrance Sunday and in the Garden of Remembrance on Armistice Day to pause, reflect...

Parker Dairies milkman Steve Hayden will be switching on the George Green Christmas tree lights on 22 November at 4.30pm. “The theme will be that of a cleaner, greener, plastic-free Christmas. There will also be local school choirs, a band and some panto characters,” said Councillor Paul Donovan. Last year, more than 150 residents attended the event, at which milk and treats were distributed to the children. “It’s great when the community comes together to celebrate in this way… Christmas is also a time to reach out to others.”...

A public workshop took place last month in Redbridge Council’s first steps towards preparing a management plan for the Aldersbrook Conservation Area. The ideas put forward will help develop an up-to-date appraisal, and identify how best to preserve and enhance the character and significance of the area. “A full and formal consultation will take place to further enable residents to express their views. This will include drop-in sessions, which will take place towards the end of the year,” said a council spokesperson....

A Wanstead butchers has been remembered in a new book celebrating London shops. “I painted AG Dennis in 2015, and I’m pleased now that I did, as I wasn’t to know it would close the following year… All the shops in my book are painted because they had wonderful shop frontages with beautiful lettering and design, but also because they were or are excellent neighbourhood businesses,” said artist Eleanor Crow. Shopfronts of London is published by Batsford and Spitalfields Life Books (£14.99). Visit wnstd.com/crow...

A packed hall gave London City Airport representatives a tough time over their expansion proposals at the public meeting in Wanstead last month. John Stewart of campaign group HACAN East reports London City is proposing to almost double flight numbers from their current level, end the 24-hour weekend break and operate more planes in the early morning and late evening. Airport representatives came under particular fire during October’s public meeting for not knowing the noise impact for Wanstead if the plans went ahead. The proposals are part of London City’s Master Plan, which sets out its vision for the airport until 2035. Tim Halley, Director of Planning at London City, argued the airport believed the demand would be there to justify its expansion proposals. But he was at pains to stress they were only proposals and that the airport would take account of responses to...

Housebound residents need not have their reading material confined to free magazines that drop through their letterbox, says Rose Meredith, Home Library Service Volunteer Co-ordinator for Redbridge Libraries Now the autumn is here, it’s that time of year when we start thinking about the gradual approach of winter and spending more time in the comfort of our own homes. Some of our residents may start thinking about having falls and slips in icy winter weather, and this can make winter a time of staying at home a lot more, perhaps not having much of an opportunity to socialise. This can happen at any stage of our lives, especially if we are recovering from illness or perhaps a fall, which has resulted in a temporary disability keeping us indoors. The Redbridge Library Service – which is managed by Vision RCL on behalf of Redbridge Council – can...

Wanstead residents Dennis and Paul Weeks of North London Loft Rooms were delighted to receive an invitation for inclusion in The Parliamentary Review. Michelle Harris reports Being featured in the government’s Parliamentary Review is an accolade reserved for companies at the pinnacle of their industry. The purpose of the publication is to support the sharing of experience within various sectors and the subsequent raising of industry standards. Companies featured also have the facility to raise their profile as a respected company within their industry. A company’s presence serves on multiple levels, whether to share a ‘best practice’ or to even criticise the government (from their professional perspective) if deemed relevant and in the national interest. Dennis and Paul Weeks of North London Loft Rooms were keen to participate and humbled by the invitation for inclusion. Despite being a relatively new company (founded in 2015), they have...

Councillor Jo Blackman explains why Wanstead’s Woodbine Day Centre is so important, and encourages anyone interested in volunteering at this adult social care venue to pop in. Bins and roads – that’s often what springs to mind when people think about how their council tax is spent. However, the biggest proportion of the council’s budget actually goes on children’s services and social care. In 2019/2020, the council will spend more on adult social care than roads and the environment combined. With an ageing population, the demand for adult social care continues to increase, and this is sadly not being met by central government funding, with cuts of £166m to the council’s overall budget since 2010 and continued uncertainty about future funding. Faced with these pressures, the council was forced to implement the social care charge levy introduced by the government to support and protect vulnerable...