featured

From ugly hoardings to community attraction, Donna Mizzi reflects on the difference art has made at the Evergreen Field construction site

An unusual tree has popped up along the edge of Wanstead’s Christ Church Green – an oak adorned with artwork. Art Group Wanstead (AGW) members seized the opportunity to help beautify the hoarding fence surrounding the Evergreen Field, during construction work.

A wide range of artwork has been included in the branches, including subjects inspired by Wanstead such as landmarks, local scenes and a portrait of the area’s former MP, Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Members with their work displayed range from professional artists to keen adult amateurs of all ages, including an artist in her 90s and a remarkable member who learned to paint with her other hand following a stroke.

Graphic designer Fiona Eastmond sifted though all the artworks submitted while Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society member Arnie Göbel photographed the artwork to the high quality required for this special project.

The oak was chosen as a popular local symbol and as a natural edging for the popular open green space. And it is also the symbol for Wanstead House community centre, this year celebrating its 80th anniversary. The centre is used for many local art classes, art groups and for some AGW meetings.

AGW also put forward historical facts relating directly to Wanstead’s outstanding figures of the past, to contribute to some of the other work on the hoarding. These were kindly checked by Wanstead Historical Society, led by one of our local living treasures, Pearly Queen Doreen Golding. Details about the other works on the hoarding are being planned for future editions of the Wanstead Village Directory.

All those involved have succeeded in turning a building site into a beauty sight. The greatest delight comes from seeing passers-by looking surprised, then stopping and enjoying the art.

It’s difficult to find public spaces for showing local artists’ work, particularly for any length of time. The art tree is likely to stay up until at least autumn 2027 while the four-storey flats and children’s nursery are being constructed on the site.

We must also thank Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association for paying to reproduce the art tree for the hoarding.

1 Donna Mizzi / 2 Bernie Clarkson / 3 Carin Wright / 4 Marie Christie 5 Francesca Jaggs / 6 Teresa Witz / 7 Gill Farr / 8 Arnie Göbel 9 Elly Davies / 10 Sonia Cudd / 11 Lena Coombs-O’Brien 12 Janice Elgin / 13 Bernie Clarkson / 14 Arnie Göbel 15 Gina Wade / 16 Wiz Mansi / 17 Madeline Wong / 18 Janet Silver 19 Peter Cartwright / 20 Alison Stenhouse / 21 Carin Wright / 22 Donna Mizzi / 23 Alison Stenhouse / 24 Bal Ghataore

For more information on the artwork, email donnamizzi@btinternet.com

The grazing area for Wanstead Park’s three English Longhorn cows has been extended.

“We are hoping Nuru, Taylor and Veronica will graze not only the areas of grass we normally mow, but also the bramble in the woodland too. This picture shows the area they have previously been restricted to in green; each dot represents a location recorded by their GPS collars… The extended area is shown in orange,” said a City of London Corporation spokesperson.

The cows can be tracked online. Visit wnstd.com/cowtracker

Key dates for next month’s Wanstead Fringe have been announced.

Now in its 14th year, the annual celebration of culture will see the return of the Eve-of-Fringe Charivari on 4 September, with The Duke street party the following day. The ever-popular open-air Kinema will take place on 12 September, family book day on 19 September and the Wanstead jumble trail on 26 September.

Last year’s Fringe – which is coordinated by volunteers – featured over 100 events with some 4,000 tickets sold.

Visit wnstd.com/fringe

Wanstead has a new micro creative display space in the form of the Free Little Art Gallery.

“It’s a community project just like the little free book libraries, but for art. The idea is to drop off something you have made and take away something that calls to you. Everyone is welcome to join in. Paintings, drawings and handmade pieces are welcome; the only condition is your art needs to be small enough to fit inside the gallery!” said Laura Smith, who bought the display case on eBay and installed it on her garden wall.

“I’d love this idea to grow and expand to other locations. If anyone would like advice on setting one up outside their home, please get in touch.”

The Free Little Art Gallery is located on the corner of Nelson Road and Hermon Hill. People are encouraged to check the display regularly as the items on show will continually change.

Visit wnstd.com/littleart

A new book has been published charting the vast array of flying activities that have taken place on Wanstead Flats over the last two centuries.

“Many were purely recreational, from pigeon flying – the sport was actually launched on the Flats – to paragliding and model aircraft flying. But there have been more serious reasons for taking to the sky, including the bombing raids of two world wars. And then there are the utterly bizarre, such as Colonel Cody’s man-bearing kite,” said the authors.

The book is priced £6 and available from:

• Emporium 8, Sebert Rd, E7
• Newham Bookshop, Barking Rd E13
• V&A books and gifts (Highams Park Bookshop) 2A The Avenue E4
• Friends of Wanstead Parklands stalls on litter pick days in Wanstead park
• local history events in the Wanstead area
• or from the authors: email pows.wanstead@gmail.com

Climate anxiety can feel overwhelming, but Wanstead’s Climate Café Listening Circles offer a calm, supportive space to share feelings and build resilience around the climate and nature crisis, says Liz Bodycote

How can we face the seriousness of the climate and nature crisis without feeling overwhelmed by helplessness, anxiety for our children and grandchildren or anger at political inaction? Daily life is already demanding enough: there’s always more to do than time allows and the cost of simply getting by seems to rise every day. To consider the wider picture of our planet can feel like tipping into a sea of doom, when all we want is to keep our heads above water and remain positive for those we love.

Perhaps you are in a more comfortable position. You’ve worked hard to build a secure life for yourself and your family and you’re thankful not to have constant financial worry. There’s room now for more of life’s pleasures than when you were younger, and thinking about the state of the planet might feel like an unwanted burden.

Being in touch with the costs of our way of life on the Earth is profoundly difficult, maybe even impossible. As humans, we cope in many different ways. Some deny the science or turn a blind eye; others take bold action, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. There can be many staging posts along the way: experiences of shock, grief, anxiety, anger, despair, cynicism or hope; the wish for repair, resilience, collaboration, change.

The Climate Café Listening Circle offers a simple structure for expressing and hearing these complex responses to the climate and nature crisis in a supportive, collaborative setting. Inspired by Death Cafés, which provide a space to share feelings around bereavement, the Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA) and other organisations have adapted the model for climate concerns.

In a Climate Café Listening Circle, there are no speakers or action plans; just a warm, welcoming atmosphere where individuals can speak from the heart about what’s on their minds and be listened to.

Sharing in this way can bring relief, enable conversation and reduce the sense of taboo around discussing climate and nature in daily life. In this way, it can nurture both personal and, for some, political agency.

Two of us trained in the CPA approach began hosting Climate Café Listening Circles last year at Wanstead Quaker Meeting House, generously provided rent-free by Wanstead Quakers. Words that have emerged from participants about their experience include: gratitude, community, inspiration, solace, rejuvenation and balance. If you’d like to find out more or attend a future Climate Café Listening Circle, please get in touch.

Climate Café Listening Circles will take place on 25 July, 3 October, and 5 December at Wanstead Quaker Meeting House, Bush Road, E11 3AU (10.30am; free; booking required). For more information, email liz.bodycote@googlemail.com

Wanstead is home to one of London’s most welcoming running communities, says Jacob Stevens, chair of the East London Runners, which all started during a marathon-running boom in the early 1980s

East London Runners was formed in 1982 – following the success of the inaugural 1981 London Marathon – when an informal group of fewer than 20 novices began meeting for training runs at decorated athlete Roger Mills’ sports shop on Wanstead High Street. By 1985, the group had grown to 120 runners competing in the London, New York, Berlin and Amsterdam marathons, and the Hyde Park Fun Run and Great North Run, among others. Members soon elected to register as an affiliated club, choosing their signature red kit (beating yellow by a single vote!).

Today, East London Runners prides itself on being a welcoming community that opens its doors to runners of all levels, whether on the road, track or trail. No matter the pace or running goals, joggers and runners can find an activity to suit them, along with support and camaraderie from the club’s 250 members, whose ages range from 20 to 80-plus.

Casual and competitive runners alike come together to enjoy the sociable, weekly club run, meeting at Eton Manor Rugby Club on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. Runners join a group at a pace and distance based on their ability, exploring local streets through the winter and making use of a wide array of green spaces in the lighter months, from Wanstead Flats and the bluebells of Chalet Wood in Wanstead Park through to various parts of Epping Forest, which is also a popular destination for Sunday group runs.

Monday night’s track run at Ashton Playing Fields in Woodford is another popular session led by the club’s qualified coaches. Many of these leaders originally joined as regular runners or beginners whom the club proudly supported along their journeys.

The club’s members hail from all corners of Redbridge and neighbouring boroughs, and include athletes capable of winning long-distance trail running events, as well as extraordinary fundraisers and campaigners championing good causes. A strong contingent of members are also highly dedicated parkrunners, regularly running or volunteering on Saturday mornings at an array of local parks, including the ever-popular Wanstead Flats parkrun.

A highlight of the club’s calendar is its summer charity 5km race at Valentines Park, hosted as part of the East London Five Interclub Series (known locally as ELVIS!). In June, 280 runners from 17 different clubs took part. It proved to be a race of two halves: changeable weather meant runners started in calm, dry conditions, only to finish under cold, lashing rain while splashing through deep puddles before the finish line. All profits from the race and cake stall go to the Magpie Project, a local charity supporting women and young children.

New members are welcome and can try out the club’s Monday and Wednesday sessions for free. For more information, visit eastlondonrunners.org.uk

The Parish of Wanstead has launched Inspire Wanstead, a campaign to restore Christ Church and increase community use, although Revd James Gilder insists some parts of the building remain untouched

June was an exciting month for Christ Church, as the Parish launched its Inspire Wanstead campaign to restore the church building and make it more user-friendly for you, the local community. 

After much campaigning and work behind the scenes, we are delighted to say we were successful in achieving a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to develop our project. The NLHF is the largest grant-making body for heritage buildings in the UK and has chosen to provide initial funding for us to engage architects and project managers to take this project forward to the point where it is ‘ready to go’. In late 2027, the NLHF will make the final decision as to whether to fund the whole project, the cost of which is a staggering £3.6m (for which we must raise at least 10% ourselves).

Unfortunately, the Victorians didn’t do a great job of building Christ Church’s tower; its supports and buttresses aren’t big enough to hold its weight and they are gradually slipping away from the building. So, we need to make sure that this, and various other elements of the building’s exterior, are made secure to withstand the next century.

Christ Church is presently a somewhat dark and cold building, so the first thing we need to do inside is to install some better heating and lighting. We would also like to level the sinking floor and install proper toilets and a kitchen at the back of the church. Much like our friends at Wanstead United Reformed Church did some years ago, we would like to make the space in Christ Church usable by community groups during times when we are not holding services, so we need flexible but beautiful furniture to allow us to do that. However, much will also not be changing. The chancel and its wonderful oak choir stalls and pulpit, and the beautiful and unique English altar, are all gems – remove them over my dead body! As our esteemed architect (who is also architect for three English cathedrals) said at the project launch in early June, change is always a part of historic buildings; it’s about preserving the good and improving the rest. And we’ll be working closely with English Heritage, obtaining all the necessary permissions to ensure everything is done with the utmost care for the historic fabric of the church.

In addition to the above, we’ll be running a range of heritage activities and workshops for people to get involved in over the next few years. There’ll be lots going on and I’m excited at the opportunity to bring you further news as it happens. Thanks to those of you who’ve helped us thus far, and thanks too if you play the National Lottery! As a vicar, I shouldn’t endorse gambling, but even if you haven’t won the jackpot, you have at least helped preserve Wanstead’s heritage.

For more information on Christ Church and the Inspire Wanstead project, visit wansteadparish.org

A new strand of the Wanstead Fringe will launch this September.

The Family Fringe will feature a host of events designed for families, children and young people. “The idea of bringing together all the events suitable for families and children is to send a signal that the Fringe is for everyone, we want all of Wanstead to feel involved,” said Fringe chair Giles Wilson.

Among the Family Fringe activities will be the launch of Wanstead Youth Theatre. “Young people will spend two weeks in August taking part in workshops before performing a production during the opening weekend of the Fringe.” Now in its 14th year, the Wanstead Fringe will run from 5 to 26 September, bringing a diverse range of cultural events to local venues.

“If you’d like to be involved, we still need volunteers. From helping to run plays at the Wanstead Curtain and The Bull to screening films and checking tickets. And it’s not too late if you want to run your own event.”

Email info@wansteadfringe.org

In the third of a series of articles, Susan Allison reflects on a community project which created nearly 50 kneelers for Christ Church, each with a story to tell and each recording a snapshot of present-day Wanstead

This community project got underway at the Wanstead Festival in September 2024, when stitching began on the first kneeler. Over the following 12 months, another 40-plus kneelers were stitched by numerous members of the community, celebrating the diversity of people and experiences in our village.

Every kneeler (or hassock) tells a story. Working with a uniform deep-blue background, kneelers were either purchased directly from stock, modified or uniquely designed to mark a person, business or organisation in Wanstead. Some people chose to purchase and work on their own kneeler, some sponsored a kneeler for someone else to work on and some were purchased
through a generous bequest from John Sunley, a former member of Christ Church’s congregation.

The kneelers were presented to the church in October 2025, along with a guidebook that is available to purchase (£5; in aid of the church tower restoration fund), but the project is not over yet. We are now preparing an exhibition of the kneelers and their stories, which will be on show at this year’s Wanstead Festival. All project documents will then be collated and archived. This project demonstrates Christ Church’s community engagement, a vital component in securing funding for the refurbishment of the church and the restoration of the church tower.

Horse Chestnut Leaf
Sewn by: Claire Metcalfe
Dedicated to: Bert Hamilton

Bert Hamilton (1919–2005) grew up in Walthamstow before moving to Wanstead in 1952 with his wife, Gwen. A dedicated member of Christ Church, he was deeply involved in both community service and local government. During World War Two, Bert served in the RAF Technical Branch before transferring to the RAF Volunteer Reserve, where he remained until 1954. He later became an active member of the RAF Association, chairing the local branch for several years. A respected public servant, Bert served as a ward councillor for Wanstead for 25 years from the establishment of the London Borough of Redbridge in 1965. He was Mayor of Redbridge (1978–79) and served as Deputy Mayor three times. The design of this kneeler reflects the Redbridge borough logo. Bert was a strong supporter of numerous local charities and organisations. In 1993, he began organising coach holidays for the elderly of Redbridge, arranging hotels, outings and evening entertainment.

Time for Tea
Sewn by: Wanstead Women’s Institute
Dedicated to: Wanstead’s women

When the information about making new kneelers for Christ Church went out, Wanstead Women’s Institute members were asked if they would like to take part by funding a kit and taking part in sewing if they wished. They voted to do so. Once the kit had been chosen and purchased, it was passed around to those crafters who felt confident working on it alone. It was also worked on at meetings by novices, helped by experienced stitchers. ‘Time for Tea’ seemed an appropriate design for the WI, plus it had lots of small areas that different individuals could complete without being too daunting. Wanstead WI has a membership of around 100.

For more information on the project, visit wnstd.com/kneelers

Wanstead is home to one of England’s most successful amateur cricket clubs, boasting national titles, thriving juniors and a vibrant community, says Helen Pattington from the club’s volunteer team

Did you know one of the most successful amateur cricket clubs in the country in recent years is located at the end of a short path off Overton Drive? Wanstead and Snaresbrook Cricket Club has been based there for over 100 years.

The men’s first eleven won the National Club Championship in 2017, and have regularly reached the latter stages of that competition over the last 20 years. In the last season alone, the men’s first team reached the semi-final of the National Club Championship, the final of the National Club T20 competition (having won the Essex T20 Competition), finished third in the Essex Premier League and reached the final of the Essex League Cup. And that’s just the first eleven!

Wanstead Cricket Club was founded in 1866.  Its first ground was on a piece of land near George Lane Station behind the Fir Trees public house, when the club was known as Woodford. A decade before its foundation, the railway line from London to Stratford had been extended to Loughton to service the new estates being built in the area, which created a huge demand for sports clubs.

Wanstead now puts out six men’s league teams every weekend, as well as two women’s teams on Sundays and many junior teams (both boys and girls) ranging from under-9s to under-19s. Training for the juniors takes place on Thursday and Friday evenings during the summer under the guidance of qualified coaches, and on those evenings, whilst the juniors train, the parents are able to socialise in the clubhouse. Players come from Wanstead and other nearby areas and we are proud to be a diverse organisation with over 600 members across all levels.

Whilst most players just enjoy the ability to play socially, several from the club have attracted the interest of professional clubs, including Robin Das, who is currently on Essex’s books. Where juniors show they have a talent for cricket, the club’s links to the counties enables them to potentially find a career in the game.

Off the field, the club runs social events for members, and last year linked up with the Wanstead Fringe. Club members have also set up and participated in overseas tours, most recently to Pakistan last year. The club has a cricket week each year, normally in the first week of August, and a game against the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is often part of that. Although players contribute financially through membership and match fees, the club is grateful to its many local sponsors for their support, particularly our principal sponsors Bradley & Co. The club is run by volunteers, many of whom give considerable amounts of their time to keep it running so well, although more volunteers are always welcome!

For more information and to get involved with the club, visit wnstd.com/cricket

Wanstead milkman Steve Hayden has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London for his outstanding work in the doorstep dairy industry and for his contribution to the community. Here, Steve reflects on 42 years in a job he loves

I first caught the bug for being a milkman during my schooldays, helping out a local milkman at weekends and during school holidays. I loved every moment of it. People often say a milkman is born, not made, and perhaps that was true for me.

After finishing school, I worked in a factory. However, I soon realised it wasn’t the right fit for me. In 1984, I took up a job as a milkman. Over the years, I worked for three different dairies before joining Parker Dairies in 2006. I was fortunate enough to be assigned the Wanstead round, where the community welcomed me warmly and helped me settle in. Although my mornings begin at 2am, with a 3am start at the depot in Woodford Green and deliveries beginning at 4.30am, working in Wanstead makes the early hours worthwhile.

The Wanstead community has been incredibly supportive, especially during difficult times such as when my wife passed away 10 years ago. Residents have shown their appreciation by turning out in their hundreds to support me when I switch on the Christmas tree lights on the green by Wanstead Station, and when I raise money for charity by taking Santa around the streets of Wanstead on my milk float. I’d also like to give special thanks to Parker Dairies for their support, as without them, none of these events would be possible.

Over the years, I have witnessed some unusual events during my daily rounds. I saw a bird of prey snatch a pigeon, encountered a motorist in a fairly new car struggling to get up an icy Wigram Road while my 43-year-old milk float ascended effortlessly, and even saw burglars being chased by police on Preston Drive.

I regularly chat with dog walkers, pedestrians, joggers and others out and about. On two occasions, I noticed milk deliveries left untouched and managed to save two lives as a result; one individual was 83 at the time and went on to live until 101!

I enjoy plenty of fun and banter with local residents, often revolving around football teams. As a people person, I meet many individuals who wave or stop for a chat during my rounds.

After 42 years in the job, with four children and 10 grandchildren, I could never have imagined it would lead to a community award from the Mayor of Redbridge last year and now the Freedom of the City of London. I love my job and cherish the connections I’ve built within the Wanstead community. I am a proud Londoner and want everyone to share in my happiness. My job may not be for everyone, but receiving this award means the world to me. All in all, working in Wanstead is both special and rewarding. Watching children grow up, go to university, start their careers and build families of their own has been wonderful. Thank you, Wanstead. Here’s to many more years to come.

For more information on Parker Dairies, call 020 8520 5943 or visit parkerdairies.co.uk