featured

In the seventh of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Deepak Dembla presents his festive feel-good image of a Robin

My name is Deepak Dembla and I’m an IT professional. Photography, stargazing, fitness and dancing are my passions. Covid lockdowns made me explore Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park more than ever with my camera. And ever since, nature has always surprised me with something amazing: wildlife, beautiful sunsets and sunrises or something amazing in the sky, like a beautiful rainbow or a comet, the moon and planets. I must say, it’s a treasure!

I never had any formal education in photography. While in college, I joined an astronomy club called ABAA. This is where I met Dilip Kumar, former president of the club. I was inspired by his amazing astrophotography, landscape and wildlife photography skills, and bought my first camera and started playing with it. When I moved to London 16 years ago, I always made sure I lived close to a park or a forest to enjoy nature and practice my photography skills.

I love that Wanstead Park is just a few minutes’ walk from where I live. I try to visit the park every week if I can. I can easily spend four hours or more just trying to see and capture something new in the park.

While shooting birds, I use a 500mm zoom lens so I can shoot from a distance and not disturb them. The UK’s favourite bird is pictured here, the European Robin, known simply as a Robin or Robin Redbreast. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa. Robins are small, insectivorous birds, around 12cm to 14cm in length. Unlike other small birds, Robins are not so shy, and one can get really close to them if they don’t feel threatened.

As a non-migratory species, Robins can be seen throughout the year, although there are quite a few legends surrounding their relation to Christmas. One legend goes back to Victorian times, when the tradition of sending Christmas cards started. They were delivered by postmen wearing bright-red coats. These postmen were nicknamed ‘Robins’ or ‘Redbreasts’ with the popular early cards of the era displaying the Robins who characterised them. A theme which continues to this day. 

But legend also has it that the Robin’s redbreast has a direct link to Christianity. One fable suggests that when the baby Jesus was in his manger, the fire which had been lit to keep him warm started to blaze up. A brown Robin, noticing that Mary had been distracted, placed himself between the fire and the face of baby Jesus. The Robin fluffed out its feathers to protect the baby, but in so doing, its breast was scorched. This redness was then passed on to future generations of Robins.

To view more of Deepak’s wildlife photos, visit wnstd.com/deepak

With former members having served in two world wars, Eton Manor RFC is now planning to build a memorial wall to honour its fallen heroes. Michelle Linaker reports

In 1909, a philanthropically-minded group of Old Etonians: Arthur Villiers, Gerald Wellesley, Alfred Wagg and Sir Edward Cadogan, set up a charitable mission to give the children of London’s East End the opportunity to try out all kinds of sports and leisure activities. In 1912, the site of the previous Manor Farm in Hackney Wick was purchased to build a new clubhouse and sports ground, and the Eton Manor Boys’ Club was established. 

Activities at the Eton Manor Boys’ Club included boxing, amateur dramatics, debating, drawing, squash, tennis, football, cricket, rugby, billiards, table tennis, photography, badminton, athletics and rifle- shooting. In 1923, the club moved to 30 acres of waste ground known as ‘The Wilderness’ at the eastern end of Hackney Marshes. The Wilderness remained the home of Eton Manor until its closure in 1967.

Eton Manor RFC continued to play on Hackney Marshes before moving to our current home at the ‘New Wilderness’ in Wanstead in 1996.Eton Manor RFC is one of the last sporting clubs still existing to have grown out of the Eton Manor Boys’ Club. Eton Manor Athletics Club continues in Leyton, while Eton Manor Football Club was based in Hertfordshire until closing in 2017.

Many members are still in contact with one another today and all acknowledge the profound impact the Eton Manor ‘family’ has had on their lives. The club now holds mixed teams up to the age of 12, and we are proud to have under-12s, under-14s, under-16s and under-18s girls’ rugby, as well as a thriving women’s team. We still hold true to our values of inclusivity and keep fees low to ensure rugby is available for all to play. We even have bursaries and support for those who do not have the funds to play. 

A total of 22 members of Eton Manor died in the First World War, and out of 600 that served, 59 died in the Second World War. ‘Lest we forget’ is a term often used, and at Eton Manor, we are keen to ensure we give those who gave their lives the respect and honour they deserve. So, to this end, we propose to build a beautiful memorial wall. It will be 15 metres long and formed of a board-finished concrete (to remember the shoring of the trenches), consisting of 15 facets on a 15m radius. It will feature the names of Eton Manor’s fallen, with space for 280 plaques available for purchase by members to remember their loved ones. Up to 15 benefactors will also have the opportunity to have their names engraved in perpetuity as those who helped build the wall.

We plan to involve the local community and will be hosting an open event to talk in more detail about the history of some of our local lads who gave their lives for our freedom.

For more information on the project, email michellelinaker@mirror.co.uk. To donate, visit wnstd.com/emwall

When you support a small business, you are supporting someone’s dream, says Wanstead resident Paul Canal, who urges us all to enjoy the High Street and shop local this Christmas

The sight of our bustling High Street thronged with Wansteadians, their friends and visitors gladdens the heart and quickens the pulse. Our High Street is the heart of our community, with an eclectic mix of independent shops, cafes, bars and restaurants that is the envy of our neighbours.

Our local businesses are the backbone of our community in Wanstead, both culturally and economically. The knowledge, expertise, products, services and sense of camaraderie we get from our local independents is something we cannot mimic elsewhere. Put simply, local is our past, present and future.

Our local entrepreneurs emerged from Covid bruised but defiant, and were then hit by the Ukraine tsunami with rocketing fuel costs and tighter domestic budgets. Many are still paying back Covid loans or dipped deep into personal savings. They need our help to survive and thrive. Ghost towns happen when we don’t shop locally. It is time for us all to step up and spend more of our hard-earned cash in our local shops.

This Christmas, Britons will spend over £80bn. Here in Wanstead, the average family will spend over £2,000. Collectively, we will spend over £26m. Imagine the impact if we all pledged to spend a proportion of that here in Wanstead with our local independents.

When you support a small business, you are supporting someone’s dream. 

Environmental sustainability is another key advantage of shopping locally. Our local independents invariably have a smaller carbon footprint compared to larger chains and e-commerce giants. 

That is why I am challenging every reader of the Wanstead Village Directory to spend more locally. Buy your wine from Daygustation, your fish and smoked salmon from Wanstead Fish, the best panettone from More Italy. Get your cards and gifts from The Art Shop and Moments, your books from Wanstead Bookshop and make sure your Christmas flowers come from Lillies and Daisy florists, who beautifully bookend our High Street. Adorn your loved ones with jewellery from Keatings and perhaps some festive fashion from Azzurra. Laden with bags, put your feet up at City Place, enjoy a coffee at Bare Brew, sip a glass of wine at The Cuckfield or lounge at The Larder, as no High Street has our range of amazing bars and cafes.

And as you relax, let’s not forget those who are less fortunate; let’s spread the love. Please buy some extra food for the Tin in a Bin foodbank network (wnstd.com/tinabsites) or make a donation direct to The Wanstead Charity (wnstd.com/charity), who support the homeless. That way, we can all have a happy and healthy Christmas.

Paul Canal is a Wanstead resident and Conservative councillor for Bridge ward. 

Cattle warden volunteer Gill James reflects on the recent return of cows to Wanstead Park. Photo by Tony Morrison

When three large mammals with massive curving horns appeared in Wanstead Park recently, there was shock. We did not expect to see cows here so late in the year. We had no cows at all in 2022, due to the long drought ruining the grazing. 

So, the cattle warden volunteers rushed into action, sporting smart new City of London high visibility jackets. Our main aim was to tell people why the cows were there and to discourage them, and their dogs and children, from getting too close, especially keen photographers and small children. Ten metres was the rule. Some people had never seen a live cow before. Most dogs and their owners wisely decided to keep a healthy distance. A few owners had not trained their frisky dogs to come when called, but soon learned to keep them on a lead when near the cows.

We expected a few people to be angry. “Do you think you own this park?” “What about my dog’s right to roam?” “Why were there so few warning signs up?” But most people were delighted to welcome ‘our’ cows back, and many people remembered them from 2021. A surprising number were well informed already. 

They asked questions. “What happened to the calves they had?” “What are their names?” “Are they pregnant?” “Why are they here so late in the year?” “How long will they be staying?” “What about all these cowpats?” “Where do they go at night?” 

Answers: Quinine, Nina and Mara (new girl). They were delayed by the requirement for bovine TB testing as a nearby farm tested positive. None pregnant. They will stay until the grazing gives out in January or February. They stay out all night. Cowpats are very good for improving the soil and overwintering these hardy cattle encourages certain insect species. The grazing clears the habitat of encroaching scrub and biodiversity is improved.

“The cows have an important job to do grazing the main acid grassland to remove course vegetation and young scrub, which improves the biodiversity of this special area of Epping Forest. Grazing is particularly important for Wanstead Park because to mow with machinery would destroy one of the main features of wildlife interest, the Yellow Meadow Ant hills,” explained a spokesperson for the City of London Corporation, which manages the park.

Mara, Nina and Quinine are magic in an unexpected way. Calm down, you frantic urban creatures, they say. Though not in so many words. And just a few days after that first excitement, the park went quiet. The cow-gazers still came, but now there was acceptance that this was a special space to share and enjoy. Dog walkers, strollers, cyclists, joggers, we all have to make space for each other. And smile. And look.

A heartfelt thank you to Epping Forest from the volunteer wardens for this wonderful opportunity to engage with the public in the park, to hear so many stories about cows in people’s gardens or back home in India or Ireland or Iran, and to enjoy the park we know so well from a new perspective.

For more information about the cows in Wanstead Park, visit wnstd.com/wpcows

The Cuckfield is inviting residents to help decorate its charity Christmas tree.

“Buy a special decoration to add to the tree for £1 and help us raise money for The Wanstead Charity, a local initiative that supports the homeless in East London. This will be a great way to get into a community festive spirit, and every decoration hung will mean extra support for someone in need,” said pub manager Lizi Arnold.

The decorations are available from Daisy the florist (121A High Street) or direct from The Cuckfield (31 High Street). 

Wanstead’s temporary Christmas tree may become a permanent feature if the idea proves to be economically viable.

“It costs approximately £2,000 to buy and light the temporary tree. We are looking into the possibility of planting a tree in future years, but there are a range of things to consider, including maintenance costs,” said a council spokesperson.

The annual switch-on of the lights took place on George Green earlier this month, but if approved, the location of a permanent tree is likely to be the subject of debate.

There’ll be plenty of festive cheer in and around Wanstead this December, with a number of events on offer for all the community to enjoy. Kris Kringle reports

Now that Wanstead’s Christmas tree is aglow, it’s officially time to feel festive. So, as the winter chill settles in and the scent of cinnamon lattes fill the air, take a moment to enjoy the spirit of togetherness and community celebration in and around Wanstead. 

Sneak and Peek
1, 2 and 9 December; various times (tickets: £12)
Redbridge Drama Centre, South Woodford
This endearing and entertaining musical for children of all ages will capture the magic of Santa’s world while showcasing the determination and heart of two young elves striving to become real undercover agents.

Wanstead Christmas Markets
3 and 16 December; 10am to 4pm
High Street, Wanstead
Wanstead’s monthly market (first Sunday of the month) will be joined by an extra event on Saturday 16 December, both with Christmas fayre, activities and entertainment.

The Duke Christmas Market
9 December; 12 noon to 6pm
The Duke, 79 Nightingale Lane
Stalls, food, drink and community fun with a festive twist.

Carols on the High Street
13 December; 6.30pm
Wanstead War Memorial
Led by the Parish of Wanstead and the Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts, this community event will get everyone singing and in the festive mood. Raising money for homeless charity Centrepoint.

Sparkle Christmas Fair and Vintage Fair
16 December; 11am to 4pm / 10.30am to 4.30pm
Wanstead Library and United Reformed Church
Creative and retro, two unique shopping events just nine days before the big day.

Santa’s Christmas Workshop
16 and 17 December; various times (tickets: £15)
Redbridge Drama Centre, South Woodford
Come and visit Santa’s workshop, where Santa and his hard-working elves are busily getting ready for the big day. Santa will be on hand to join in the fun and give every child a gift.

Santa’s Wanstead Drive-By
20 December; 4pm to 7pm
Santa will embark on a pre-Christmas tour of Wanstead, chauffeured through the streets by Elf Steve Hayden aboard his Parker Dairies milk float.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
21 December; 6.30pm (tickets: £7)
St Mary’s Church, Wanstead
A Christmassy hour brought to you by the Woodhouse Players, telling the famous story of Mr Scrooge.

Cakes and Carols
23 December; 1.30pm to 4pm
United Reformed Church
A free event for our senior community (over-65s), with home-made cakes and performances by young musicians. 

Wanstead will welcome Santa early this month as he embarks on a pre-Christmas tour of local streets on 20 December from 4.30pm.

“You can’t beat seeing how much children enjoy seeing Santa. It’s a fun community event that injects a bit of extra magic into Christmas. Please have some change ready for the elves’ charity collection buckets,” said organiser Amy Moore.

In what is now an annual Wanstead tradition, Santa will pass through the streets aboard Elf Steve Hayden’s Parker Dairies milk float.

The route is as follows:

4.30PM-5:00PM
Gordon Road, Cambridge Park Road, Dangan Road,Addison Road, Spratt Hall Road

5:00PM-5.30PM
Wanstead Place, Wanstead High Street, The Avenue,Gloucester Road, Buckingham Road, Hereford Road,Leicester Road

5.30PM-6:00PM
Warwick Road, Rutland Road, Grosvenor Road,Nightingale Lane, Rodney Road

6:00PM-6:30PM
Elmcroft Road, Deynecourt, Eaton Rise, LorneGardens, Cowley Road, Wellesley Road, HalsteadRoad

6:30PM-7:00PM
Nelson Road, Wellington Road, Wanstead HighStreet, Herman Hill, Alexandra Road

Local resident Delia Ray, a volunteer for countryside charity CPRE London, explains how the people of Wanstead and Woodford can help with a bold plan to mitigate the impact of climate change on the capital

Imagine a ring of trees providing shade and tranquillity in a seamless circle around London. Linking with existing areas such as Epping Forest, the woodland would absorb pollution, cool the environment and provide safe passage for local wildlife. 

It sounds like a dream, but countryside charity CPRE London is working with expert partners (such as The Woodland Trust) to make this ‘M25 of trees’ a reality. By planting saplings or reforesting neglected sites, gaps will be filled and access enhanced across the green belt.

We now need help from people in outer London areas such as Wanstead and Woodford with the first step: mapping areas which offer potential for planting. These places could include overlooked plots of land near existing woods, empty borders of a park, or fly-tipped scrubland. They could be council land, privately owned or part of the estate of schools or churches.

One site already highlighted to the team in Redbridge is the stretch of the River Roding near Chigwell Road (as pictured here). Borderland such as this could host new trees linked to neighbouring woodland, reducing run-off and flood risk. Other possible locations are the patch of overgrown land behind Eagle Pond, within the grounds of Snaresbrook Crown Court, and the land between Wanstead Park and Valentines Park, especially the overgrown spaces adjacent to the Roding. Can you identify any more locations? At this point, we’re simply mapping possible sites, and we will find out who owns them in follow-up stages. 

The next step will be planting. Like a natural forest, the new tree ring community forest will contain native trees, but also hedgerows, open plains, and even cultivated areas such as orchards, areas of nut trees and wooded margins for nature-friendly farming.

The forest will build on existing woodland in the green belt. The project directly addresses key requirements of the London Urban Forest Plan to create more woodland, especially species-rich woodland, in London. It encourages biodiversity, supporting vulnerable species such as the hedgehog and Pipistrelle bat. It will also help residents to enjoy access to nature – essential for the 1.8m Londoners with no garden, including an estimated 100,000 in Redbridge.

Currently, swathes of London’s green belt are under threat. The tree ring will therefore also help the green belt do its job. Without it, London could have spread out like Los Angeles, potentially sprawling across an area from Cambridge to Brighton.

Can you help bring this vision to life? If you know of possible locations for new woodland creation, please get in touch. There are also lots of opportunities to donate or get involved in other ways.

For more information and to submit your ideas, visit wnstd.com/treering

Wanstead resident Frank Charles BEM is collecting gifts for his annual appeal.

“This year marks 20 years since I began delivering Christmas presents to children at Whipps Cross Hospital who are too sick to go home over the festive period. As usual, I welcome your support with donations of new toys, books or games. I would like to thank all Wanstead residents who have donated over the last 20 years,” said Frank.

Unwrapped presents can be left at Wanstead Pharmacy (75–77 High Street) until 6pm on 13 December.

The Friends of St Gabriel’s has invited local historian Jane Skelding to host an event exploring the history of the Aldersbrook and Lake House estates. Georgina Brewis finds out more. Photo looking across Alexandra Lake, Wanstead Flats (circa 1910) courtesy of The Wanstead Image Archive

How many servants lived on the Aldersbrook or Lake House estates in 1911? What sorts of ‘modern’ jobs were residents doing in 1921? Why were there so many teachers? And what on earth was the Aldersbrook Parliament? These questions, and many more, will be answered at an event entitled Who Do We Think We Are? 

Jane Skelding is an Aldersbrook resident whose long volunteer involvement with heritage organisations, including the East End Women’s Museum, Redbridge Heritage Centre and the National Trust, has now led to a PhD funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council in collaboration with the genealogy website FindMyPast. Her research explores language use and marginalised histories in the census. For this event, Jane has been delving into local history, using the 1911 and newly-released 1921 censuses to discover who we were then. 

When were the Aldersbrook and Lake House estates built?
Houses in Aldersbrook were built on farmland on the edge of the former Wanstead House estate between 1899 and 1910. The school, parade of shops (pictured here, circa 1910), children’s home and two churches were developed over the same period, and by the outbreak of the First World War, the estate looked much as it does now. Controls on house design, such as a requirement for brick walls between front gardens, resulted in its unique character. The Lake House estate was developed between 1907 and 1916 with a slightly different feel.

What was the social make-up of Aldersbrook and Lake House?
The estates were mainly populated by a class of better-off tradesmen and business owners working in West Ham, Ilford or as far as the City. By 1921, more residents – both men and women – were clerks, but there was also a notable number of teachers. Reflecting the ‘modern’ world of the 1920s, people were taking jobs in cinema, motoring and even advertising. 

What strikes you about the estates in the 1920s compared with life today?
Many things are surprisingly the same, with the school and churches still the hubs of the community. Although we don’t seem to have the same mania for whist drives as they did in the 1920s, events from birthday parties to live music keep the halls booked up. The most striking change can be seen on the parade of shops, with its smart matching awnings housing a bakery-cafe, butcher, post office, bootmaker and draper. Back then, there was probably little need to travel into Wanstead at all, although the 101 bus was ever-present if you did.

Jane’s talk will also offer some top tips for researching your own house history and will be held at St Gabriel’s Church, designed in 1913 by Charles Spooner, an architect heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement. There will be stalls by local history groups, including the Leyton and Leytonstone Historical Society, alongside a display of archive materials, self-guided trails exploring architectural features of the church, and refreshments. 

All proceeds from the event (which has been kindly sponsored by The Stow Brothers) will go to the church hall refurbishment fund. Plus, there will be chances to win some great history-related prizes, including two hours of family history research and a subscription to Who Do You Think You Are? magazine.

The event will take place at St Gabriel’s Church, Aldersbrook on 9 November from 6pm (tickets: £5). Visit wnstd.com/weare

A small herd of English Longhorn cows returned to Wanstead Park in October to graze over the winter months.

“The cows will have an important job to do grazing the main acid grassland to remove course vegetation and young scrub, which improves the biodiversity of this special area of Epping Forest. Grazing is particularly important for Wanstead Park because to mow with machinery would destroy one of the main features of wildlife interest, the Yellow Meadow Ant hills,” said a spokesperson for the City of London Corporation.

It follows a successful trial in 2020 when cows made a historic return to grazing in the park. The project was halted last year because of drought conditions.

“Please walk and act calmly around cattle; sudden movements can scare them. Keep your dogs under control, do not allow them to chase or harass the cows in their temporary home,” advises posters in the park.