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Open-air theatre will return to Wanstead Park this summer.

The new season will begin on 14 June with a performance of The Wind in the Willows by outdoor theatre company Illyria.

This will be followed by the East London Shakespeare Festival’s production of As You Like It on 5 and 6 July.

Illyria will then return with Pride and Prejudice on 22 July and HMS Pinafore on 8 August.

All shows take place in the park’s Temple enclosure and attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and a picnic.

Visit wnstd.com/wp25

TfL has confirmed the W14 bus will once again stop at Woodbine Place.

“We regularly review our services according to feedback… We are now working to change the W14 westbound service so it stops at Woodbine Place,” said a spokesperson.

It follows TfL’s review of the W12, W13 and W14 bus routes, which were restructured last September.

The review – published last month – concludes the services have not been good enough, with the arrival of new electric buses in the summer expected to improve performance.

Visit wnstd.com/wr

As part of VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations, local historian Davis Watson will give a talk about the impact World War Two had on Wanstead

Eighty years ago this month, Wanstead joined the rest of the country in celebrating VE Day. Amid the jubilation, Wanstead could also reflect on a trying time that had seen residents pushed to their limits.

By the time war had been declared in September 1939, Wanstead, like many other towns across the nation, had been preparing in case of conflict. The Borough of Wanstead and Woodford had founded a local Civil Defence Service in March 1936 and when war was announced, 43 wardens’ posts, spread across six districts, were quickly confirmed.

Locations of posts in Wanstead included the entrance to Wanstead Golf Club, the grounds of the Weavers’ Almshouses and Nutter Lane, opposite the junction with Buckingham Road. Other well-known local sites utilised during the war included Wanstead High School for use as a field kitchen, Christ Church Green as a home for a temporary shelter and Hermon Hill Methodist Church hall as a rest centre to provide accommodation for bombed-out families.

Wardens dashed between these sites night after night as reports of bombings and fires were reported to the posts. One of their most memorable call-outs occurred in August 1940 when a British plane crashed in Hereford Road, bouncing off two houses before landing in the road and sending stray bullets through nearby walls; the pilot having baled out successfully, the sole injury was sustained by a dog.

A week later saw the commencement of the Blitz and Wanstead suffered heavily on the first night, chiefly around the Nightingale Lane junction of the High Street. Roughly 500 incendiaries fell in that area alone, which destroyed several buildings, including two houses on Grove Road (since renamed Grosvenor Road) and a block of flats at the newly built Shrubbery. Several properties on the High Street itself were also badly damaged.

In the meantime, other important measures were seen to; guardrails were installed at Eagle Pond to prevent pedestrians falling in during blackouts, a siren was installed at Wanstead Police Station to signal the start of a raid and the all-clear, and Reverend Godwin Birchenough, rector of the parish, reluctantly cancelled Wednesday evening services as they were frequently interrupted by raids.

In the midst of such action on home soil, countless local residents also received news of the death of loved ones on active service. Wanstead residents to die serving their country included pilot Arthur Lowthian Barge of the RAF Volunteer Reserve, who, in April 1943, crashed his plane into a tree in Wiltshire. Barge’s father, also named Arthur, was a local councillor who played a huge role in civil defence in the borough throughout the war, at one point serving as chief warden. A fellow military casualty was Battle of Britain pilot David Edward Lloyd, who passed away in March 1942 when he collided with a Polish plane over Hayes. Both Barge and Lloyd, among many other Second World War military casualties, are buried in the graveyard at St Mary’s, Wanstead.

1. Wanstead High Street.
2. Rescue workers rest after a bombing on Lake House Road on 19 March 1941.
3. The Shrubberies following bombing in the early hours of 8 September 1940.
4. Lake House Road following a bombing on 19 March 1941.
5. The Hermitage, Snaresbrook Road, bombed in October 1940.
6. Snaresbrook Road.
7. 12–14 Hereford Road after a British plane crashed in the street on 31 August 1940.
8. Evergreen House on Wanstead High Street following a bombing on 7 September 1940.

A talk entitled Wanstead at War will take place at Christ Church on 5 May from 3pm (free; no booking required). For more information on other local VE Day anniversary events, visit wnstd.com/ve80

A planning application has been submitted to redevelop two single-storey shops on Wanstead High Street.

The proposal involves demolishing the existing buildings – currently home to The Wanstead Barber Shop (1A) and the now closed Simple ‘n’ Natural shop (3A) – and replacing them with a development featuring a ground floor retail unit and three flats above.

evelopers say the new building will complement the surrounding architecture and will in-fill the gap within the existing three-storey terrace.

Visit wnstd.com/1a3a

Wanstead Park’s annual display of bluebells has attracted thousands of visitors.

“The bluebells looked magnificent and have gradually spread over the years with a helping hand in the winter from the Wren Wildlife Group, who maintain the pathways that protect these delicate plants. Thankfully, we haven’t noticed any new unwanted paths being created through the flowers. The stems, however, look shorter this year, possibly due to a lack of rain this spring,” said Gill James of the Friends of Wanstead Parklands.

Calvin Bailey MP has launched a petition calling for step-free access to Snaresbrook station.

“Step-free access is so important for our disabled and elderly residents and families with young children. Currently, people with mobility challenges struggle to make quick, everyday journeys from this station. Improving accessibility would not only support these residents but also boost local businesses by encouraging more people to visit Wanstead,” said the Leyton and Wanstead MP.

The petition – which is also gathering personal accounts of station use – will be presented to TfL and the Mayor of London to show why Snaresbrook is in urgent need of step-free access.

The station was used for over 1.8m journeys in 2024, whereas nearby South Woodford station – which was made step-free in 2019 – facilitated over 4m journeys.

Visit wnstd.com/stepfree

Art Group Wanstead member Heidi Stutt enjoys exploring the beauty of insects and the changing seasons through watercolour paintings

I began my journey as an artist in 2020, a time of uncertainty that led me to explore creativity as a means of expression and connection. Since then, my work has evolved into a deeply personal exploration of nature, nostalgia and emotion, often blending soft, dreamlike elements with darker, grungier undertones.

Watercolour has become my primary medium, allowing me to work with fluidity and unpredictability – qualities that reflect the themes I explore in my art. I enjoy the balance between control and spontaneity, often letting the paint guide me rather than imposing a rigid structure. Textural elements and layered washes help me create depth, while delicate details bring my pieces to life.

Wanstead’s landscapes and green spaces are a constant source of inspiration. I often paint Wanstead Park, its woodlands and the surrounding ponds, observing how the seasons transform familiar scenes. The soft haze of summer, the golden hues of autumn and the first greens of spring all find their way into my work.

My recent collection focuses on the intricate beauty of insects – particularly butterflies, wasps and bees. These creatures, so small yet vital to our ecosystems, hold a quiet significance in the landscapes I paint. I wanted to highlight their presence, capturing their fragility and resilience in equal measure.

For me, painting is about connection – both to nature and to those who view my work. I hope my art encourages people to pause, look closer and appreciate the small, ever-changing wonders around them. As I continue exploring Wanstead’s landscapes through watercolour, I look forward to sharing more of my interpretations of this beautiful, ever-changing environment.

For more information on Art Group Wanstead, visit wnstd.com/art

To view more of Heidi’s artwork on Instagram, visit wnstd.com/stutt

Haydn Powell from the Redbridge Cycling Campaign encourages you to get on your bike and head down to Wanstead Park next month to take part in Redbridge’s festival of cycling. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

On Sunday 11 May, Redbridge Cycling Campaign and other local cycle groups, including Cycle Sisters and Joy Riders, are organising a festival of cycling, suitable for all ages, abilities and styles of bike. This is part of the London Cycling Campaign Sunday Streets programme.

If you travel to many parts of London by any means of transport, you have probably noticed the number of cyclists moving swiftly between places, keeping healthy, fit and smiling. On seeing these happy cyclists, how many of you have said, ‘one day I am going to get my old bike out and start cycling again’? Over the last few years, several Redbridge cycling groups have encouraged people to do just that, getting them back into the saddle by offering:

• Free, one-to-one buddying to get you started.
• Gentle, sociable, marshalled group rides to help you gain confidence.
• Women-only rides.
• Advice on bike maintenance and purchase.

Next month’s Ride Redbridge will be a chance to get out the bike, pump up the tyres, oil the chain and go for a ride with other local cyclists. Bring along your family and friends. It doesn’t matter where in Redbridge you live, one of the nine starting points of the five marshalled rides will be near you (including Wanstead Park). The rides are designed for every cyclist in Redbridge. All rides will then converge at Fairlop Waters for a picnic.

Redbridge Cycling Campaign and Redbridge Council are encouraging us all to think about travelling sustainably. Most of us want to use sustainable forms of transport, but many of us are put off walking and cycling near busy, car-filled roads. Once we find quiet routes to use, walking and cycling become realistic options for shorter journeys.

We work with Redbridge Council to improve the cycling infrastructure in Redbridge and enable people to enjoy cycling safely. The social and environmental improvements that change can bring are clear to see in the low-traffic neighbourhoods and cycling infrastructure of Newham, Hackney, Walthamstow and central London.

Ride Redbridge will be a great way to explore leisure routes in all parts of the borough. All five routes will use parks, cycle paths and side roads as much as possible. We’re prioritising your safety by avoiding main roads and marshals will be present to help guide you across any challenging junctions.

The details of all the Ride Redbridge rides – along with future events – can be found on our website. Simply choose the ride and starting point which is most convenient for you. Bring your picnic and come and join us to feel the joy and freedom of cycling.

For more information on Redbridge Cycling Campaign and upcoming rides, visit wnstd.com/rcc

Step into spring with a visit to a local open garden. With so many wonderful National Garden Scheme gardens to explore, there’s something for everyone, says local volunteer organiser Teresa Farnham

With spring here, please think about visiting National Garden Scheme (NGS) gardens to get fresh ideas for planting or design; contribute funds to cancer charities; enjoy meeting new people; eat delicious cakes or buy new garden plants.

In 2024, the National Garden Scheme raised over £3.5m for cancer charities such as Marie Curie, MacMillan Cancer Support and Hospice UK. All from willing volunteers who open their gardens to the general public.

The nine gardens that were open locally last year raised over £5,000. Not bad going for opening on one day each! This year, locally, there are 18 gardens taking part. They are all very different and range from the tiny (Wanstead gardens) to an extensively planted two-thirds of an acre (College Gardens in Chingford, with plants and birdhouses for sale; my nesting robins were very grateful last year!) Another opening in Aldersbrook features a ceramicist who uses the plants in her garden to produce beautiful ceramic items.

As an NGS volunteer area organiser for 30 years, I am always amazed by the variety of the gardens I am privileged to help open. It is a treat to visit the gardens and see how much the visitors, as well as owners and helpers, enjoy the day.

Some garden owners have opened for many years, and after a break, Latimer Road in Forest Gate will once again open this year to stun visitors with its exuberance and diversity of plants. Harold Road in Leytonstone are looking forward to their 10th year and have made delicious jams, chutneys and cakes for sale as well as looking after a collection of 30 daphnes. Garden visitors are often amazed when they go through ordinary-looking town houses to view exuberantly planted gardens.

Both Tweedmouth Road in Plaistow (tiny and tropical) and Higham Street in Walthamstow (large and wildlife-friendly) gardens have been featured on BBC TV. New gardens open locally this year include a set of three gardens in Wanstead on Greenstone Mews and Voluntary Place, plus Rokeby Gardens in Woodford Green and Betoyne Avenue in Chingford. I hope they will add to the list of London open gardens for years to come.

So, please visit at least one of the local NGS gardens this year, or if you’re planning a holiday in the UK, why not look up a garden near your destination? Wanstead Library has free copies of the NGS booklet to take away or browse all the gardens online. And perhaps you will consider opening your own garden next year. If you do, I am happy to visit.

The gardens of 17 Greenstone Mews and 28 and 32 Voluntary Place in Wanstead will be open on 27 April from 2pm to 5pm (tickets: £5). Visit wnstd.com/ngs25

To contact Teresa for more information, email teresa.farnham@yahoo.co.uk

As the bluebells begin to make an appearance in Wanstead Park and across Epping Forest, the City of London Corporation is again reminding visitors to respect the iconic and delicate flowers.

“To enjoy the annual spectacle of the woodland floor carpeted in blue, it’s really important not to trample these fragile plants. Please keep to the designated pathways, even before the flowers bloom. Do not step on the bluebells and do not pick the flowers, so they can continue to be enjoyed by visitors and wildlife, this year, and beyond.”

Wanstead boasts a thriving swan population and with nesting season underway, local Swan Sanctuary volunteer Louisa Green urges the public to respect the swans’ space

Swan nesting season is upon us. It takes around one to two weeks to build the nest, and then the females will lay an egg every 24 to 48 hours until finished, incubating them for between 36 and 42 days. The average number of eggs is six or seven, but we do have females who regularly lay 10.

Wanstead is home to many swans, in Wanstead Park, on the Flats and on Eagle Pond in Snaresbrook, so here are a few things to be aware of during this important time of the year.

Never throw food onto a nest. The females will have gained several kilos prior to the laying process and will not eat very often during the six-week incubation period. By the time her eggs hatch, she will be close to her original weight. She knows what she’s doing! Food thrown onto nests can attract rats and other predators who can eat the precious eggs.

If you are taking photos, please keep your distance; use a zoom lens rather than getting up close.

Please, please, please keep dogs under very close control during this time (and all year round). Even if your pet is ‘great with children’ or ‘wouldn’t hurt a fly’, you have absolutely no way of knowing how your dog will react to a 12kg bird with a two-metre wingspan protecting their nest in their own environment.

Females do not deserve to be spooked on their nests and there have been national cases in the past of females who remain loyal to their eggs, refuse to leave their nest when challenged by a dog and are then killed. Males will be hyper-aggressive during this time too, and large cobs will not think twice about defending their waters from dogs.

Respect the swans and do not get too close to their nest. It is their environment and we would not think lightly of someone trying to encroach on our space, or hanging over the garden fence with a camera phone! Again, a pen will not abandon her eggs and will remain on her nest, feeling threatened and scared.

Never, ever share the specific location of nests and eggs on social media. There are folks out there who will target these nests for eggs and wildlife crime, and even if you think the swans are safe behind fencing or other barriers, this will not stop a determined criminal. Similarly, please do not share the locations of cygnets, ducklings or goslings. Not everyone is kind.

For more information on The Swan Sanctuary, visit wnstd.com/swans

To report a local injured swan or waterbird, call 07970 404 866 or 07527 750 277

A documentary about TfL’s recent ‘disastrous’ changes to local bus routes by 14-year-old Riku Fryderyk has received much praise. Here, the young filmmaker tells the story behind the story

During my time on YouTube, I’ve had a chance to explore the various systems that make up the UK’s transport network. The release of my documentary‚ A Bus Route Change Disaster, has been a major turning point for my channel’s development.

In the first week since the film was published, I found myself replying to 100-plus extensive comments. People have been sharing their personal experiences, expressing their outrage at the issues my documentary discusses and encouraging me to send the film to ITV. I’m very happy to see so much positive feedback on this film, as the production, which commenced on 31 January, took me through a difficult emotional journey; the weight of the problems I was uncovering day by day started bearing down on me, leaving me exhausted as I grew closer to the final edit.

When I attended one of the Save Our Local Bus Services campaign meetings at Christ Church in Wanstead, I never intended to create a documentary. At the time, I was recording content for a film about bus route 347, which was being withdrawn the following day. I became interested in the campaign and eventually proposed to make the film; the rest is history.

Throughout February, I could often be seen running around the area with all sorts of camera equipment. This was the largest project I’ve ever undertaken, and though it was fully self-produced, much of what you see was a collaborative effort between myself and local residents to highlight the most important issues. There were many moments of shock, such as when I got stranded at Whipps Cross bus stand, when Dave Sleet made me aware of the harsh truths of the changes’ impact on people’s wellbeing and the imminent introduction of shorter buses on the dangerously busy W12 route. The most memorable part of the entire production process was the moment in which I was screaming internally out of appreciation as I wrapped up my interview with Wes Streeting MP, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, at an event in Parliament. His contribution to the documentary was invaluable.

When I first sat down at my laptop to begin cutting down seven and a half hours worth of recording, I realised there was still much more footage to record to be able to tell the full story.

This project has taught me there is, indeed, a way to report on such issues and remain neutral of opinion. I have met many lovely people, picked up new filmmaking techniques, become more efficient in organising large loads of information and strengthened my storytelling skills. But above all, I can now call myself a documentary producer.

To watch the documentary, A Bus Route Change Disaster, visit wnstd.com/rfyt