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A new website devoted to architecture and architectural history in Wanstead has been launched.

“Wanstead is unique as a London suburb in having a wide variety of buildings of different types and from different eras. Most of the information is already in the public domain, but I wanted to bring it all together as a complete picture and make it easy to comprehend and analyse,” said local resident Ray Weekes, who has a master’s degree in Architectural History from Birkbeck.

Visit wansteadarchitecture.com

A planning application to build a block of flats on Evergreen Field was approved earlier this month, with developers looking to start work later this year.

The site – a patch of fenced-off land on Wanstead High Street, next to Christ Church Green – has not been used since 1967, when two homes that stood there were demolished.

The approval paves the way for the construction of a four-storey development, including a children’s day nursery on the ground floor and 24 flats above. A new public open space equating to just under half the total site area will also be created.

We would like to thank Redbridge Council officers, councillors and the public for their input into the planning process. Following clearance of any planning conditions, we are hopeful works will start later this year or early in 2025,” said a spokesperson for Caerus Developments.

The Wanstead Wildlife Weekend is the perfect opportunity to experience the fine array of butterflies and moths that Wanstead Park is blessed with during spring and summer, says Tim Harris from the Wren Wildlife Group

The reason butterflies thrive here is the rich variety of habitats. Chocolate and cream Speckled Wood butterflies can be seen flying low in sun-dappled woodland glades on warm days, while Purple Hairstreaks (bottom left photo) are denizens of the high oak canopy, often visible only when the sun catches their wings as they flit through the foliage. 

Wanstead Park’s untidy scrubby areas, especially where there’s plenty of brambles, attract Green Hairstreaks, Marbled Whites (centre photo), Gatekeepers (bottom right photo) and Ringlets. Then again, the open grassland between the tea hut and the Temple has its own suite of specialist species, including the skippers, Small Coppers and Small Heaths. Occasionally, a wanderer from further north in Epping Forest – such as a Silver-Washed Fritillary (top left image) – finds its way here in high summer. A surprise visitor is always possible if you keep searching. 

This diversity has been recognised by the Big City Butterflies project, which is working with the Wren Wildlife Group to monitor these beautiful insects. Volunteers will go out every week over the summer months to count numbers and species, with the findings being fed into a national database. Over time, this information will contribute to finding out how our butterflies are faring nationally – and inform conservation measures to help them. 

Children are naturally drawn to the beautiful colours and graceful flight of butterflies and, with that in mind, the Wren Wildlife Group’s Wildlife Weekend this month (22 and 23 June) will feature a butterfly trail. Just turn up at our information tent by the Wanstead Park tea hut and ask for a children’s butterfly pack.

Wanstead Park is also renowned for butterflies’ close relatives, the moths. More than 700 species have been spotted locally, and for those prepared to leave the comfort of their beds early on the Saturday morning of the Wildlife Weekend, the contents of a light-trap will be revealed at 6am. We are hoping for a repeat of last year’s event when one of the moths lured to the light was a magnificent Large Emerald (top right photo) – the first ever recorded locally.

For more information on Wanstead Wildlife Weekend events, visit wnstd.com/wild24

Autism exercise specialist Julia Morgan will be taking part in an autism awareness event in Wanstead this month. Here, the former teacher explains why initiatives like this are vital for promoting inclusivity

As we strive towards a more inclusive society, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of autism. In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the importance of autism awareness in our communities. But despite the fact there are 700,000 autistic people in the UK – equating to approximately one in 100 people – misconceptions and stigmas still persist. 

Autism is a spectrum condition, often affecting people differently, and like all individuals, autistic people have their own strengths and difficulties. Some common traits include a highly focused and keen interest in particular things, noticing small details and patterns, sensory sensitivities, social interaction difficulties and more. Many autistic individuals have made significant contributions to the world, such as Bill Gates, Tim Burton and Albert Einstein, who was never diagnosed but is widely thought to have been autistic. It shows the potential of those with a hyper focus and dedication to their work.

Autism awareness goes beyond simply recognising the existence of the condition; it entails gaining insight into the unique strengths, challenges and experiences of individuals. This understanding is essential for creating environments that are accommodating and supportive of their needs. Education is key, as it helps dispel myths and stereotypes while promoting empathy and compassion. The world is moving in the right direction in terms of autism acceptance and celebration, but more needs to be done. Everyone deserves to live in a world where we embrace diversity, promote acceptance and empower individuals to thrive in both mind and body.

In addition to promoting understanding, the focus is to create communities where individuals with autism are accepted and valued. In doing so, we can help to create a sense of belonging and encourage those to contribute their unique talents to society… and simply be celebrated as people. 

The autism awareness event this month will further enhance understanding and awareness about autism and promises a range of activities, information and presentations led by experts in autism and advocacy. Local businesses and organisations specialising in autism support, therapy and education will be on hand to offer information and resources to attendees. The importance of initiatives such as this cannot be underestimated; they help to build a more supportive community for individuals with autism. All are welcome to join us and contribute towards fostering a more inclusive society.

An autism awareness event will take place on 23 June from 2pm to 4pm at Wanstead Works, 34–40 High Street, E11 2RJ. For more information, visit wnstd.com/autism

For more information on exercising with autism, visit fitnessforall.uk

Skies over the UK were turned shades of pink and green last month as the Northern Lights produced incredible displays. Deepak Dembla took this photo from Wanstead Flats

Sometimes, dreams turn into realities. Watching auroras from London was one of those dreams, and many of us witnessed this amazing spectacle on 10 May 2024. I am an IT professional by trade, but photography and stargazing are among my passions.

Our sun sends a lot of heat and light – along with other energy – our way via solar winds. Sometimes, we get solar storms (scientifically known as coronal mass ejection or CME for short), during which the sun sends out a huge bubble of electrified gas that can travel through space at high speeds. When a solar storm from the sun reaches earth, it creates geomagnetic storms. Here, energy from the sun interacts with gases in our atmosphere, resulting in a beautiful display of light in the sky known as an aurora (Northern Lights). Oxygen gives off green and red light. Nitrogen glows blue and purple.

The solar storm that hit earth on Friday, 10 May, travelled at speeds up to three million miles per hour, creating a long-lasting geomagnetic storm that reached a rating of G5 – the highest level on the geomagnetic storm scale, and one that hasn’t been seen since 2003. Usually, auroras are confined towards the poles, but this storm caused auroras to be seen all across the UK.

We are approaching the solar maximum, an 11-year cycle when our sun is very active. The best guess we have from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory’s space weather modelling is this will be in July 2025, but it could happen months sooner or later. As we approach that solar maximum, we can expect more geomagnetic storms to pop up. 

I started taking photos on Wanstead Flats from 10pm and finished at 3.30am. To the naked eye, I could see hazy patches of green and pink, but long exposures brought out the full colour. It was an epic show and hopefully there will be more to come in the future.

To view more of Deepak’s photos of the Northern Lights, visit wnstd.com/deepak

Organisers of the Wanstead Festival are looking for local bands, singers and musicians to complete the line-up for this year’s event, which will take place on Christ Church Green on 15 September.

“The Wanstead Festival offers a great environment to showcase yourself using a 30-minute slot. There is a backline to accommodate bands and a sound technician to support on the day… If you are interested, please send in your showreel,” said a spokesperson for Vision RCL. The application deadline is 21 June.

Email Redbridge-events@visionrcl.org.uk

In the fourth of a series of articles charting the challenges facing Aldersbrook Medical Centre, Paul Wildish reports on a tentative victory and the power of the patient voice

In February, patients of the Aldersbrook Medical Centre (AMC) received a letter from the headquarters of NHS NE London announcing a change in services that provoked alarm among our community. It proposed the Richmond Road practice from Hackney – which had successfully rescued AMC from decay over the past five years – would be leaving. Immediately, the AMC’s patient community came alive on social media with resistance to such an outrage.

The Patient Participation Group (PPG) sprang into action to organise a public campaign to guarantee our services and, ideally, retain the same providers. The success of our campaigning can be measured by the tenor of a second letter received at the end of April, which was of a far more conciliatory nature. One might even suggest it was an acknowledgement of the defeat of the NHS’s original proposals as it announced that “we have reached a mutual agreement with the Richmond Road Medical Centre to extend their contract for Aldersbrook Medical Centre until 31 March 2025.”

We had a win! Albeit not a complete one. But by dogged campaigning, listening to the patients and focused political lobbying, we negotiated directly with NHS managers, demonstrating that no solution could be won without them paying attention to the patient voice. The PPG wholeheartedly recognises the significant contributions made by Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of NHS Confederation and an Aldersbrook resident and AMC patient, our local MP John Cryer who responded quickly and positively to our requests for support and our local councillors, particularly Councillor Sheila Bain, who stood with us from the beginning and opened the doors of Redbridge Council’s Health Scrutiny to us. Also, Councillor Paul Donovan, who wrote supportive articles for the local press. Their commitment to the PPG’s case meant we could not be ignored.

What happens now? We have an undertaking from NHS Primary Care managers to work with the PPG over the course of Richmond Road’s extended contract to achieve a permanent solution for AMC’s future. Due to the legal framework, a competitive bidding process is required and Richmond Road has confirmed they will be bidding. We have also won the concession that our ‘island practice’ status will always be considered as a stand-alone, staffed GP practice and never an adjunct to another local practice. All in all, we have won far more than we expected when we took on the opaque bureaucracy of the NHS. We understand that no other PPG has ever mounted a campaign in defiance of bureaucratic decisions from on high and we are determined to stick to scrutinising NHS managers until we have achieved an equitable settlement we believe all patients rightfully deserve.

For more information about the Aldersbrook Medical Centre Patient Participation Group, visit wnstd.com/amc

Volunteers are needed to help map and assess the condition of public ponds across Redbridge as part of The Great London Pond Project.

“This project, which is supported by the Mayor of London, will take place from June to September. Volunteers can choose how many 1km grid squares they would like to survey and can conduct the surveys whenever suits them,” said Elizabeth Witcombe, Project Officer for ZSL.

A two-hour training session will take place at Wanstead Library on 10 June from 2.30pm.

Visit wnstd.com/pondproject

Hopes are high for another successful Skylark breeding season on Wanstead Flats.

“There appears to be a minimum of seven birds and at least three singing males. Assuming these males pair up, we are hopeful that the females will lay eggs and that these will successfully hatch, with the young going on to join the local population,” said Tim Harris of the Wren Wildlife Group.

Last year, three pairs of Skylarks raised four young on the Flats, which has been partially roped off to help reduce disturbance to the ground-nesting birds.

Councillor Jo Blackman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability, shares her journey of reconnecting with nature through local volunteer conservation work

The state of the world, degradation of the environment and climate doom can leave us feeling anxious and frustrated. Our busy lives and over-exposure to the digital world can also take its toll on our stress levels and mental health. But it is well documented that connecting to the environment can decrease stress and improve your mental health. Being in nature brings benefits, as does the physical exercise of the activity we undertake there. 

Whilst I spend a lot of time working on environmental policy as cabinet member for the environment on Redbridge Council, and through my work with environmental charities, too little of my time is spent actually in the environment. So, I recently dedicated two days to help two charities with local conservation work. 

I spent a day in waders with the river charity Thames21, an organisation helping to bring stakeholders together to look after our rivers. We helped enhance the habitat in the River Roding adjacent to Wanstead Park by installing deflectors, which are basically logs secured to the riverbed, providing a home for wildlife and slowing the flow of the river. I spent another day on dry land helping the Epping Forest Heritage Trust (where I am a trustee) conserve the acid grasslands – which also provide a vital habitat for nature – by removing saplings and clearing bramble. 

On both days we were joined by volunteers, some local and some from further afield, a mix of ages, backgrounds and professions. All shared the common desire to get out from behind their desks and do something to help the environment. Very few of us had any previous conservation experience and both charities provided all the equipment and advice needed. Whilst the work would have been very slow going individually, as a group, we made good progress. After several hours, we were able to look proudly at the contribution we had made to conserving these important spaces. It gave me fresh insights into the challenges facing nature in our urban environment – including climate change, litter, invasive species and pollution. And it renewed my resolve to do all I can in my work as a councillor, as well as with charities, to preserve and enhance our environment.

Many companies allow staff to spend one or two days a year volunteering, though many people don’t take advantage of this. There are also opportunities to volunteer with Vision in the Roding Valley and other Redbridge parks as part of their conservation work. And for those who can’t devote a whole day, there are plenty of opportunities locally to spend an hour or two helping out – with our amazing community gardeners or litter pickers.

Jo Blackman is Labour councillor for Wanstead Village ward.

For more information on conservation volunteering, follow the links below:

Epping Forest Heritage Trust

Thames21

Vision RCL

Litter picking sessions also take place in Wanstead on the third Saturday of each month. For more information, email Jo.Blackman@redbridge.gov.uk

Live animals will be on show in Wanstead Park next month as part of the annual Wanstead Wildlife Weekend.

“We have booked an exciting display from a company with a good reputation for animal welfare. They will be showing live British wildlife, such as rodents, a barn owl, a snake, invasive marsh frogs and even a rescue hedgehog,” said a Wren Wildlife Group spokesperson.

Taking place on 22 and 23 June, the weekend of free events will also include bushcraft workshops, a spider hunt and pond dipping.

For more information, visit wrengroup.org.uk

This year’s Wanstead Festival will take place on 15 September.

Exhibitors, performers and caterers are invited to apply to take part in the annual community event. “This popular event attracts thousands of people, who come together to enjoy a fun-filled day on Christchurch Green. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to showcase your business,” said a spokesperson for Vision RCL.

Visit wnstd.com/festival