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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

At the end of February, Epping Forest staff and 20 volunteers from the Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group re-erected a rope fence around two areas of Wanstead Flats in anticipation of the Skylarks’ new breeding season.

“It is hoped this will deter dog owners from allowing their pets to enter these patches of grassland, where the larks nest on the ground,” said Tim Harris.

The rope will be taken down again at the start of September.

Wanstead Flats is the nearest Skylark breeding site to central London.

As the nation prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Redbridge Museum Officer Nishat Alam reflects on the wartime diary of former Aldersbrook resident Fred James 

“A hush of expectance has stilled the whole day. Expectance of peace in Europe.” These are the words written in the diary of Wanstead man Fred James on 7 May 1945, just one day before Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

A resident of Herongate Road, Fred and his wife Daisy signed up as volunteer Air Raid Precaution (ARP) wardens in the Aldersbrook area even before war broke out in 1939. Fred would sound sirens to warn local residents of air raids, enforce blackout protocol, and report on bomb damage, all the while documenting his duties in diaries and photographs. A selection of these is on display in Redbridge Museum.

You’ll find funny photos, poems and jokes in Fred’s collection, but also present are the insights and devastating testimonials of war. Being so close to the capital, Wanstead and Woodford were bombed heavily during the Blitz between September 1940 and May 1941, and were hit by 25 V1 and 14 V2 bombs between June 1944 and March 1945. In one diary entry, Fred reports on two bombs that fell on Belgrave Road at 4.30am on 10 September 1940: “Two houses were demolished and 30 or 40 badly damaged… I did some traffic control with my lads. When we left, rescue parties were excavating for the casualties under the wreckage. Poor blighters.” In total, 802 people in Redbridge were killed, 4,000 injured, 50,000 homes were damaged and 822 destroyed.

2025 marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War and six years of fighting, demolition and death. On VE Day, the wartime Prime Minister and local MP Winston Churchill made a radio broadcast to the nation, reminding people that: “We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing; but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead.” 

The “brief period of rejoicing” was spent well, of course. Residents of Wanstead and Woodford celebrated by holding a total of 43 street parties across the borough, lining the streets with Union Jack flags and bunting. Tables were set out laden with food, games were organised for children and there was singing and dancing for all. Official celebrations by the Borough were then held over four days the following year with entertainment, a fair, Punch and Judy shows and a gala on Woodford Green opened by Churchill himself.

Though the war on Japan lasted until August, Brits were still able to breathe a sigh of relief that life would soon go back to normal. As for Fred, war seemed truly to be over when on 18 June he wrote: “The bowling club fence is again up around our post. It is finished!”

Redbridge Museum is located at Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road, Ilford, IG1 1EA. For more information, visit wnstd.com/rm or call 020 8708 2422

Local artist Leia Darla Davies had a connection with art from a very early age and is now looking to collaborate with other creatives in the local area as part of a new artistic hub she is launching

Born and bred in East London, my journey as an artist mirrors the vibrant community around me. I have always found inspiration in local landmarks, particularly Hollow Ponds, which often features in my paintings and animations. These familiar settings and landscapes serve as both a backdrop and a foundation for my creative exploration.

Alongside my practice as an artist, I am an events creative, workshop provider and the founder of ArtEast, a community interest organisation that provides a platform for artists to offer creative workshops, exhibitions and events to the community. ArtEast is rooted in the belief that creativity should be accessible to everyone, promoting collaboration, education and engagement through artistic expression. 

My connection with art began at an early age. My mother, Ashley Davies, an abstract artist, had me while studying at the Royal Academy. From as early as I could hold a paintbrush, I would paint beside her in a playpen – a beginning that, she jokes, makes me the youngest unofficial attendee of the Royal Academy! This early exposure to art ignited a lifelong passion, giving me an outlet for self-expression and a means to escape into other worlds through my creativity. I later went on to study at Central Saint Martins, UAL, where I discovered art was so much more about business and art-fashion than it was skill or passion than I had ever realised – a moment of disillusion all artists undergo. I became fascinated with human evolution, consumerism and global resources, which are still common motifs in my work.

My figurative works, such as Head in the Clouds (above right) and What Lies Beneath (above left) exemplify my focus on sociopolitical themes and psychological concepts. 

My recent solo exhibition at Wanstead Works underpinned these ideas and the essence of ArtEast – bringing creatives together to network, interact with immersive art and experience performance-infused exhibitions. This was just a glimpse into what I aim to bring to my new artistic hub, a space dedicated to exhibitions, workshops, community-led initiatives and immersive events. I will be announcing more details about the space soon and am actively looking for local talent to showcase and collaborate with. Watch this space.

For information on creative opportunities and workshops, visit art-east.co.uk or email leiadarla@outlook.com

The latest Wanstead Butterfly and Moth Report celebrates the diversity of moths recorded in the area, including only the fourth Light Crimson Underwing (pictured here) ever seen in Essex. Tim Harris reports

Last summer was hardly a classic and people probably don’t want to be reminded of long periods of cloud, rain and chilly winds. Reflecting this, many people commented on how few butterflies they were seeing. Their near absence wasn’t all down to the weather – the decline in butterfly numbers has been going on for years and is also due to changes in land use and pesticides. Nevertheless, the 2024 Wanstead Butterfly and Moth Report documents 26 different species of butterfly recorded, the same figure as in 2023.

However, for their night-time cousins, things weren’t so gloomy. Local naturalists observed 340 species of moths in 2024, mostly by using special ultraviolet lights to attract them. In so doing, they opened a window on a usually unseen world. 

Moths are vital for the natural world. Adults pollinate plants and are an important source of food for our area’s bat population and moth caterpillars are a key component of many birds’ diets. A diversity of moths reflects a diversity of food for their caterpillars to eat. Broadly speaking, the more different types of native plants an area is blessed with, the more varieties of moth will live there. And while clothes moths are a nuisance, 99.9% of moth species have no interest in eating woollen fibres. They eat leaves, buds, lichen and fungi in their larval state (caterpillars) and may feed on flower nectar as adults. So, a varied moth population indicates a healthy environment. 

There is a long tradition of observing and recording butterflies and moths (collectively known as the Lepidoptera) in the area around Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park, which stretches back to the early 1980s. All the data collected is fed into the National Moth Recording Scheme, which has collated more than 34 million sightings to date – vital citizen science data to show which are doing well and which are struggling, and so guide conservation decisions.

In 2024, notwithstanding the weather, the total number of species recorded on our patch was the second highest on record, although that headline figure masks the fact that numbers of many species were down. Despite this, it was an extraordinary year in terms of quality. There was much to celebrate, including the addition of an impressive 30 new moth species to the patch list. These included only the fourth Light Crimson Underwing ever seen in Essex. 

But, of course, it’s not only about rarities. Our varied matrix of grassland, scrub, woodland, fresh water and leafy suburban gardens provides food and shelter for a great range of commoner species, all crucial pieces in the jigsaw puzzle that makes up our local ecosystems. And we should never take even the most common for granted; the environment is changing so rapidly at present – mostly for the worst – that we should treasure them all.

To view the 2024 Wanstead Butterfly and Moth Report, visit wrengroup.org.uk

For information on the National Moth Recording Scheme, visit wnstd.com/nmrs

Recent changes to local bus routes have impacted the lives of many local residents. In the third of a series of articles, 14-year-old Riku Fryderyk reflects on the day ITV News came to Wanstead to pick up the story

The Save Our Local Bus Services campaign made great progress in just the first month of 2025. I was first introduced to the group by my friend and joined one of their regular meetings at Christ Church in Wanstead out of curiosity. As a local video producer who covers all topics transport-related, I have, since that meeting, been working on a documentary to inform people across London about the impact of TFL’s bus route changes here and help residents’ voices to be heard.

And so, the moment I heard that Liz Martins, the founder of the campaign, had organised for ITV News to come down to Wanstead on the last day of January, I made sure I was there on that rainy Friday morning to film the entire event. The turnout was fantastic, with a crowd of concerned local residents listening to a panel of varied speakers, including Calvin Bailey MP, a director of the Wanstead Mental Health Clinic and many others. It felt incredibly powerful for the community to come together and speak their mind. Many will agree people’s horrible stories and experiences shouldn’t be diluted by the press and media – people want to know the truth.

The weather hadn’t permitted the gathered crowd of residents to walk all the way down to Wanstead Tube station, but we did get as far as Wanstead Place. The peaceful protest went brilliantly. We stopped traffic to cross the road safely, placards with messages like ‘Shame on TFL!’ and ‘Local Buses For Local People’ being held high in the air, with honks of support from car and bus drivers as Liz made our concerns heard through a megaphone.

After making it back, the ITV crew had a chance to interview a few people, myself included. In their report, which was aired that evening, there was a statement from the TFL press office which claimed that “26,500 more people now live within one bus journey of Whipps Cross Hospital.” We are well aware, though, of the countless disadvantaged people who no longer have simple access to the hospital.

It is so important that you make even a small contribution to this campaign by signing the petition, which takes very little time. Every name counts as we slowly but steadily progress to the goal of 10,000 signatures, which will permit a government response.

Each of the three routes (W12, W13 and W14) should run every 15 minutes in peak hours, and every 20 in off-peak. However, the concern is important nationwide – our campaign wants the government to agree on the fact that local residents must be meaningfully consulted prior to any changes that are made across the UK.

If you are affected by the local bus route changes, submit your experiences to the Save Our Local Bus Services campaign. Visit wnstd.com/busform. To view the campaign’s petition, visit wnstd.com/bus

A young filmmaker has created a documentary about TfL’s recent changes to the W12, W13 and W14 bus routes.

“My film features interviews with campaigners, bus trips with affected members of the public and footage from the middle of the campaigning action. I’ve tried to give a full explanation of TfL’s route design flaws, as well as a hopeful message for the campaign group’s success,” said 14-year-old Riku Fryderyk. A Bus Route Change Disaster is available to watch on Riku’s YouTube channel.

Visit wnstd.com/rfyt

A decision on the application for a development at Holy Trinity Church on Hermon Hill is expected this month.

If approved, Project Arclight will see the church’s 100-year-old Trinity Hall demolished to make way for a three-storey apartment building and nine houses. A new hall, playground and café are also part of the plans, which the church hopes will benefit the wider community. A number of local residents who believe the current hall is a vital piece of local heritage have opposed the plans.

Visit wnstd.com/pa

Acting Inspector Reshma Sher celebrates the opening of a new police hub in Woodford, which she says will improve local policing. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

In partnership with Redbridge Council, a new police hub has opened in Woodford, within the heart of the community in the Orchard Estate, off Broadmead Road. There will be up to 20 officers based there, covering six wards: Bridge, Churchfields, Monkhams, South Woodford, Wanstead Park and Wanstead Village.

The opening of our police hub in Woodford provides Safer Neighbourhood officers with a dedicated base, which means officers will be stationed within walking distance of their wards and able to respond more effectively to issues such as antisocial behaviour, theft and vandalism.

The hub will also help to improve police response times across the west of Redbridge by reducing the current travel time from Ilford and Barkingside, giving officers more time for local patrols and tackling issues.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “We are totally committed to making neighbourhood policing stronger than ever before so we can focus on tackling the crimes that matter most to Londoners. It’s an important step towards the Met’s mission of delivering our strongest-ever neighbourhood policing, which has already seen an additional 500 officers dedicated to working in communities across London, ranging from Superintendents to PCSOs.’’

I hope to provide you with some great results from the hub in the near future, but for now, I would like to share some good news stories from across Redbridge. There has been an almost 13% reduction in the number of offences in the previous 12 months, including fewer reports of violence, drug offences and violence against women and girls.

Some of our recent local operations have seen:

• 65 bags of cannabis and nine wraps of white powder – along with approximately £2,000 – seized when a car was stopped on Goodmayes Lane.
• A man, later found to be wanted for three other burglaries, pursued and arrested after officers noticed an alarm at a commercial premises near Ilford station.
• Officers on routine patrols around Churchfields recovered two machetes and a hunting knife from a building known to be used as a squat.
• Four arrests as part of an operation focused on offenders targeting victims making ATM withdrawals in Ilford town centre.
• Three machetes, a firearm, white powder and brown substance found in a property in Mayfield Ward as part of an intelligence-led operation. A man ran from the property, was located by a dog unit and arrested.
• Three vulnerable women rescued from a brothel by neighbourhood officers in Ilford.
• Two robbery suspects arrested by officers in the Orchard Estate after they stole a victim’s coat and recorded the attack on a phone.

The Woodford Police Hub is located on the Orchard Estate, Broadmead Road. For more information and to contact your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team, visit wnstd.com/snt

Work to improve Chestnut Avenue in Wanstead Park has been completed.

“This double avenue of chestnut trees, with an iconic view towards the Temple, is an important feature in the park… By removing lower branches and opening up the northern side of the avenue adjacent to Chalet Wood, we are helping improve the avenue’s health and ensure definition to the park’s heritage features,” said a spokesperson for the City of London Corporation, which manages the park as part of Epping Forest.

Mark Gorman is co-author of a new book exploring the almost forgotten work of unemployed labourers who transformed the local landscape in the late 19th century

Epping Forest is far from being a natural landscape. For centuries, people have been making use of the forest, and in doing so, have continually altered ‘the natural aspect’. The southern forest is no exception – from the 1880s to the first decades of the 20th century, the terrain we know today was created largely by unemployed workers.

When the City of London Corporation took over Epping Forest in 1878, they set about altering the landscape of Wanstead Flats, Wanstead Park and Leyton Flats. There was an economic depression in the late 1880s and 1890s and local worthies formed committees to support unemployed labouring men and women. There were public appeals for money and later, government grants began.

Local Distress Committees organised public works projects and all the lakes on the Flats, and several in the Park, were created or much altered. Heronry Lake was enlarged, the island created and the bottom concreted by hundreds of unemployed labourers working only with hand tools. The Ornamental Waters were de-silted and restored. Meanwhile, on Wanstead Flats, Alexandra Lake was created from scratch, and West Ham labourers built the Model Yacht Pond (now Jubilee Pond). Sports fields were laid out on the Flats and drained. The Hollow Ponds at Whipps Cross were also enlarged and a swimming lake created.

The conditions the men faced were back-breaking, involving levelling uneven heathland, planting and tilling, as well as digging and draining the areas that were to become the lakes in the southern forest. A Forest Gate resident, observing the work on Wanstead Flats in the late 1890s, commented that “it was positively distressing to see the poor ‘unemployed’, mostly men of miserable physique, engaged in the useless labour of turning over the heavy frozen clay.”

Not all the men worked willingly, but quite minor offences could lead to dismissal. Half a dozen men were removed in March 1907 for offences ranging from refusing to stop smoking and abusive language to “being absolutely lazy.” The works foreman declared: “We are drifting into the casual labour class,” comparing them unfavourably with previous batches of men. Although those dismissed could appeal against the decision, most appeals were rejected.

The work of these men is now almost forgotten, but we owe the modern-day environment of the southern forest, with its playing fields, lakes and copses, to the unemployed labourers of East London who, in the space of 25 years, transformed the face of this landscape.

Changing the Face of the Forest by Mark Gorman, Peter Williams and Andrew Cole is priced £6 and available from a number of local outlets. For more information, visit wnstd.com/ctfotf

Wanstead’s Laugh-Able comedy night returns with an all-LGBTQ+ line-up, including a UK Pun Championships finalist. The accessible event simply asks the audience to pay what they can afford, says Mark Nicholas

Hello Wanstead locals! This month, the only award-winning disability and mental health-themed comedy night will opens its doors once again for another fantastic showcase of talent! And you only need to pay what you can afford to be in the audience; you can even reserve for free if you need to!

For February’s performance, there is an additional theme. I am very proud to be working with Redbridge Rainbow, One Place East and Vision RCL to be showcasing the most up-and-coming and best LGBTQ+ acts on the UK comedy circuit. What a fantastic way to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month with immense pride!

LGBTQ+ causes have always been close to my heart. I have learned so much from close friends in my life who identify as LGBTQ+ and have witnessed the trials and tribulations they have faced because of their identity. And so it is an honour to be with them as they celebrate who they are. I am, and always will be, an ally to such an important cause. So, when Rhonda from Vision RCL came to me a few years ago at the very start of this Laugh-Able venture with an idea to include an LGBTQ+ night as part of our monthly event, I embraced it with open arms. Over the years, so many incredible LGBTQ+ comedians have graced our Laugh-Able stage including Jen Ives, Andrew O’Neil and Rosie Jones. 

This month, we have Leicester Mercury Comedian Of The Year finalist Stephanie Laing closing the show. Stephanie began on the Scottish comedy scene in 2007 and since then has performed at the most prestigious comedy clubs in the UK, including The Laughterhouse, Frog and Bucket, The Stand, Komedia and The Comedy Store.

As this will be an all-LGBTQ+ line-up, I will be temporarily stepping back from my regular duties as MC to give a guest host the chance to shine. I will, of course, be there cheering everyone on (and helping Rhonda, Paul and Albert with all the amazing behind-the-scenes work they do to make this show run so smoothly). So, for this month, you will be left in the very capable hands of US comic Rabiah Coon, who is now based in London. After beginning her stand-up career in San Diego, she quickly developed a reputation for her unique style, blending storytelling with dry humour and a dash of self-deprecation. And last year, Rabiah was a finalist in the UK Pun Championships. 

Special thanks go to Vision RCL, One Place East and Redbridge Rainbow for supporting this month’s show and to Wanstead Village Directory for giving me the space to publish this article. See you in the audience!

The Laugh-Able LGBTQ+ comedy night will take place at Wanstead Library on 19 February from 7.30pm to 9.30pm (pay what you can afford). For tickets and details of future events, visit wnstd.com/laugh2025

Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the draft designs for a new education and youth hub on the site of the former Wanstead Youth Centre, which closed in October 2023 for repairs.

The £6.5m project will see the facility remodelled, with the addition of classrooms, a café, playrooms and office space. Under the plans, the centre’s rear gymnasium will be converted into a dining hall and multipurpose space, which has sparked concern among campaigners.

The hub is expected to open in September 2025.

Visit wnstd.com/hubplans

Residents are invited to contribute to a series of Wanstead Village Directory articles documenting local memories, thoughts and feelings about World War Two.

“Calvin Bailey MP explored the importance of Remembrance in the January 2025 issue and Rev Gilder outlines his hopes for local VE Day celebrations in the February 2025 edition. With 2025 marking 80 years since the war’s end, I’d like to continue this theme. If you have a story to tell – yours or a relative’s – do get in touch,” said editor Lee Marquis.

Email editor@wnstd.com

Ingrid Howarth has transformed Wanstead Place Surgery’s backyard into a wellbeing garden much appreciated by doctors and staff

The Wanstead Place Surgery Patient Participation Group (PPG) decided last summer to create an outdoor space for wellbeing activities by improving the surgery’s backyard. The yard resembled a concrete jungle, invaded by weeds one metre high. The storage shed and timber fence panels were showing signs of rot and junior maple trees had begun life in the gutters of the shed. To make matters worse, there was no outside garden tap and therefore no direct access to water, vital for any garden.

As a Wanstead resident and patient of the surgery, I offered to take on the challenge and create a welcoming outdoor space suitable for the doctors, trainees and staff.

My work began in early June, lifting five-dozen concrete slabs to create an outline shape. Roughly two thousand wild garlic bulbs (half of which are probably still there) were lifted; weeds, old tree stumps and various other bits were bagged up for the fortnightly waste collections.

Once the areas for planting were established and cleared, a trip to Redbridge Garden Centre ensued to buy soil, compost and a host of plants and shrubs. Some patients and other Wanstead residents, encouraged by the project, kindly donated plants from their own gardens. A big thank you goes to a friendly neighbour who offered to remove over 200 kilos of rubbish and then installed a very useful garden tap.

Planting continued in earnest over a two-month period. The panels and gates were wood-filled and painted to add colour to what was a drab area. The storage shed was cleaned and painted brilliant white and an old bookcase, shoe stand and beer drum were upcycled and now act as plant stands for colourful potted plants.

The once dull outdoor space is now flourishing with colour and happiness, and with seeds and bulbs in place for the spring, the future is looking even brighter. The first summer has already provided a wonderful space for lunch breaks, staff and PPG meetings, as well as training sessions for GP trainees and medical students. There are growing ideas of offering the garden for wellbeing and other outdoor activities for patients in the coming years. 

Wanstead Place Surgery is a large practice with a vibrant clinical team of six senior GPs, four GP trainees, three nurses, two physiotherapists and a clinical pharmacist. This is a surgery of family doctors; some of them have been resident for over two decades and have witnessed previous youngsters become parents themselves.

The surgery is located at 45 Wanstead Place, Wanstead, E11 2SW. For more information, call 020 8989 1968 or visit wnstd.com/wps

There was much excitement about recent sightings of otters in the River Roding. It was particularly astonishing given the state of the river, but is a reassuring sign of nature’s resilience, says Councillor Jo Blackman

The River Roding and its tributaries are critical features of Redbridge’s environment and a vital haven for a range of wildlife and biodiversity. They are also valued by residents and form a distinctive part of Wanstead Park and Roding Valley Park, as well as plans for the Ilford Arrival scheme, a Greater London Authority part-funded programme to open up access to the Roding near Ilford, and wider regeneration.

Sadly, the River Roding has suffered similar challenges to other waterways across the country and has some of the highest number of sewage discharges in London, after the Thames. Information on permitted sewage outfalls is now made publicly available on the Thames Water website. 

Recent testing undertaken by Thames21 and the River Roding Trust in collaboration with local citizen scientists shows levels of E. coli and intestinal enterococci bacteria regularly exceeded safe limits during dry weather conditions (sometimes by a factor of over 20). These results are likely evidence of Thames Water spilling untreated sewage in addition to the outfalls authorised by the Environment Agency. Thanks to the work of the River Roding Trust, we are aware of at least two unpermitted sewage outfalls (located on the Aldersbrook and at Little Ilford). Further work is needed by Thames Water to identify any other unknown outfalls in the Roding. 

Thames Water and Environment Agency officials recently appeared in front of the Redbridge Council’s External Scrutiny Committee, chaired by Wanstead Village Councillor Daniel Morgan-Thomas. The real special guest at the committee was the Roding itself. Paul Powlesland from the River Roding Trust brought a container of water from the Roding with him – a powerful reminder that we need to ensure all agencies are acting in the best interests of the river, which has too often been neglected.

Whilst some progress has been made by Thames Water, officials at the meeting were unable to provide the committee with much detail, nor was the Environment Agency able to tell us if they had taken any action against Thames Water for the pollution of the Roding. I have therefore joined forces with Calvin Bailey MP, Chairman of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee Ben Murphy and Redbridge Council Leader Kam Rai in a letter to Thames Water and the Environment Agency demanding urgent action in the interests of the environment, public health and our residents. 

If we want the otters and other wildlife to thrive in the Roding, we need Thames Water and the Environment Agency to step up and take action to address the sewage scandal.

Jo Blackman is a Labour councillor for Wanstead Village and Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability. Visit wnstd.com/blackman

Drivers in Wanstead are reminded to stay alert following the installation of new yellow box junctions on the High Street.

“We train learner drivers to read pedestrians’ body language before we reach zebra crossings, ensuring they are ready to stop if someone is close to the edge of the road. If you have followed us without being aware, you may end up in the yellow box and be fined. It is not our fault there is only room for one vehicle between the crossing and the yellow box,” said local driving instructor Diane Ward.

Construction of the new Wanstead Leisure Centre is scheduled for completion at the end of 2025.

The new facility – which began building work in 2022 – will feature a 25-metre swimming pool, dance studios, new reception area and accessible changing rooms. As part of the development, Wanstead High School pupils will also benefit from new classrooms and improved dining spaces. “It’s great to finally see some light at the end of the tunnel,” said Sarah Williams, business manager at Wanstead High School.

Visit wnstd.com/wlc2

Benjamin Murphy, Chairman of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, provides an update on the health of Wanstead Park’s historic Map Tree, and explains plans to plant a replacement. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

I wanted to provide an update on the health of the British Isles-shaped Cedar, known as the ‘Map Tree’, in Wanstead Park. The pronounced lean of this tree has been the subject of discussion and a cause of concern to park visitors. 

Firstly, the safety of Epping Forest’s visitors and staff is our number one priority. To achieve this, our arborists carry out tree inspections as part of a rolling programme to identify vulnerable trees and put measures in place to keep them safe. The rise of more extreme weather conditions, a result of climate change, is a significant challenge we face in our mission to protect them.

This issue was self-identified and the tree is deemed safe. However, there is damage to major structural roots caused by footfall near the base of the tree and the lean towards Ornamental Water continues to worsen. There remains a high degree of uncertainty around how long the tree may last, so our team are doing what they can to prolong its natural life whilst we create a succession plan. 

Our arborists explored a range of options with tree industry professionals, including:

• Propping, which would introduce rigid structures anchored in the ground that support tree branches or trunks from below.
• Introduction of static towers and steel cable braces to stop any further decline.
• Relocating the footpath from the base of the tree, reducing damage to buttress roots.

Unfortunately, these options cannot be implemented at this location or would not sustain the tree over the long term. Therefore, the recommended option is to plant a replacement tree nearby and establish knee-high fencing around the base in a horseshoe shape around the tree’s drip line. 

The tree is considered healthy and, as such, it is a self-optimising structure. It has the ability to identify stresses and adapt to them. In this case, the stress is the lean, which trees adapt to through additional structural roots and the production of reaction wood.

I recognise the connections people feel towards this iconic tree, which is of historical significance to Epping Forest. There remains some optimism the tree may surprise us and continue for decades to come, but it seems sensible we make plans now for its eventual replacement. This project is likely to cost around £4,000 for the new tree, fencing and its installation and we will work with the partners to raise funds for this ahead of planting next September.

For more information on Wanstead Park, visit wnstd.com/park