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New permit parking controls have come into force in Wanstead.

The restrictions are an extension to the WD permit zone – operational from 8.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday – which now includes Grove Park, The Avenue, Grosvenor Road, Stansted Road and Eastway.

There are approximately 65 new visitor and shared-use parking spaces within the extended zone, which are available with one hour of free parking under the RingGo service.

The changes follow a consultation by Redbridge Council earlier this year.

Redbridge Council has launched a consultation on the expansion of permit parking in Wanstead.

“We appreciate there are still many roads close to the High Street and station that have no parking protection… Local requests have been received to introduce parking controls into further roads to address complaints about non-residential parking,” said a spokesperson.

The proposals would see additional streets added to the existing WD zone.

The consultation closes on 18 August.

Visit wnstd.com/parking24

In the sixth of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Diane Dalli presents her macro shot of a Batman Hoverfly

Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park are havens for all forms of wildlife and are ideal places to find subjects to photograph. There is an ever-changing bird population as many species stop off here during migration as well as the resident population of birds of all sizes, including Skylarks, Dunnocks and Kestrels, in addition to the many types of finches and warblers, and many species of waterbirds on the ponds and lakes – too many to list!

During the summer months, the many areas of long grass are alive with butterflies, moths, spiders, grasshoppers and all sorts of other bugs. They are challenging to photograph due to their size and speed. It can take a while to focus on them and often before I can press the shutter they hop, jump or fly off!

It is fascinating to see the amount of detail that is revealed when you look at an image which is larger than life-size, much more than can be seen with a fleeting glance of the naked eye.

I use the long end of a telescopic lens for the larger subjects, such as butterflies, and a macro lens for the tiny creatures, such as ants, crickets and beetles. They are very easy to spook, especially if your shadow falls across them, so better to try to keep a distance. They can be elusive, so it is sometimes worthwhile lifting a leaf or looking closely at the area near a spider’s web to discover tiny creatures hiding away. Sitting still for a while in a patch of grass can also be rewarding as you can spot little insects moving around as they get used to your presence.

Hoverflies are one of my favourite subjects as their habit of hovering in the same spot for a while gives me a chance to focus and snap them. This Batman Hoverfly, so-called because of the shape of the marking on its back, feeds on pollen and nectar from many different plants and is common in the area. There are over 280 species of hoverfly in the UK, about 30 of which can be found in Wanstead Park. As well as their long Latin names, they are often given common names such as Marmalade, Banded, Pied and Long Hoverfly, according to their characteristics.

Insects both flying and crawling can be found all over the Park but the area near the stables known as the Old Sewage Works (so-called because it was a parcel of land that used to belong to a water company) is particularly rich in butterflies, spiders and grasshoppers in the summer months. Even grass snakes have been seen there, although they tend to slither away as soon as they feel the vibration of approaching footsteps!

I really enjoy my visits to Wanstead Park and will continue to explore the area regularly as there is a huge variety of species which is constantly changing with the seasons, and there is always something new to photograph.

To view more of Diane’s wildlife photos, visit wnstd.com/dalli

Wanstead Park swan couple Bonnie and Clyde were separated over the summer following an incident in which Clyde broke his wing. Helen O’Rourke updates on the sad separation 

After Clyde was admitted to The Swan Sanctuary with a broken wing, the vet went to great efforts to set the bone in an attempt to try and save the wing. However, it was not healing, and an amputation was necessary. He is still recovering but making good progress.

Over the season, many cygnets receive treatment for illness or injury at The Swan Sanctuary and are unable to return to their family if they have been away too long. When well enough and of a suitable size, these cygnets move to an outside, small ‘natural’ lake to prepare them for a return to the wild. This is called the Nursery Pond, where several long-term or permanently disabled adults accompany them. It was expected Clyde would be one of these adults, but instead, he was moved to a permanent home on the sanctuary’s large lake. He was getting bored being with rehabilitating birds, and a bit aggressive with other patients, so he now has plenty of room to socialise and make bonds with other permanent residents.

Bonnie and her two cygnets have remained on Perch Pond in Wanstead Park. They do not require lifetime care, and although these decisions are never easy, it was considered in their best interests to leave them in their territory and monitor them. We have a team of volunteers who visit twice a day to do this. We believe one of Bonnie and Clyde’s cygnets is male and one is female. The male cygnet is affectionately known as Clyde Junior. Bonnie remains very vigilant and the family is doing well. Although swans do mate for life, it is possible for them to find love again.

We are always grateful for donations to keep the swan ambulance on the road and The Swan Sanctuary also relies on donations to treat and care for admissions. Whilst every effort is made to return patients to their homes, it’s not always possible. And it is illegal to release disabled swans back into the wild. 

There are currently six of our local swans under lifetime care at The Swan Sanctuary: Clyde and Mr and Mrs Bob from Perch Pond and Edward, Moon and Shadow from Eagle Pond. You can help to support them by signing up to the sponsor-a-swan scheme, which is an invaluable source of income for The Swan Sanctuary and helps to pay for day-to-day running expenses such as food and veterinary bills. Sponsorship is £15 per swan for a year (you can choose to donate more per swan if you wish). In return for your sponsorship, you will receive details of your particular swan and newsletters throughout the year telling you all the news from the sanctuary. The sponsorship details can be sent to anyone of your choice with a card and message, making it an ideal gift for all swan lovers.

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

To sponsor a swan at The Swan Sanctuary, visit wnstd.com/sponsorswan

A botanical spectacle in an Aldersbrook front garden has been the cause of much excitement, says Alice Batsford, proud owner of the Aldersbrook Agave

My husband, son and I (and now joined by our newborn daughter) moved to Aldersbrook just over a year ago, and the garden was one of the first things that caught our attention. The people who lived here before us were very green-fingered, especially when it came to growing more unusual, tropical plants. 

The Agave in the front garden was impressive back then, but over the last few months has become a real spectacle in the area. Over the course of a week, it suddenly sprouted a spear and since then has grown progressively taller, now standing almost as high as the house with some large yellow flower heads. 

Agaves are usually found in North and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Given the weather conditions of where they are usually grown, they are rare to see in the UK – especially in flower.

They are monocarpic, meaning they only flower once in their lifetime (usually when they are between 15 and 20 years old) and will die after flowering. They are a distant relative of the asparagus family, which is not surprising when you see the stalk of the flower head. The sap can also be used to make tequila!

We’ve had lots of local interest with people knocking on our door to ask about it, and being opposite the primary school have overheard lots of pavement conversations between parents and children – so much so I put up a little sign to explain what it is!

It’s sad to think that because it uses up so much energy in flowering it will then die, so let’s enjoy the flowers while we can – the bees certainly are!

The Aldersbrook Agave can be seen opposite Aldersbrook Primary School on Ingatestone Road.

For more information on Agaves, visit wnstd.com/agave

A charity that protects London’s countryside is asking local residents to help identify new woodland planting sites across Redbridge.

“We plan to create a tree ring circling London, delivering a continuous community forest around the capital. The first step is identifying local areas that could be planted with new trees. One example already identified is land between Wanstead Park and Valentines Park, especially the overgrown spaces adjacent to the River Roding,” said a spokesperson for CPRE London.

Visit wnstd.com/cpre

Chainsaw artist Marshall Lambert has created three new wood carvings for the play area in Wanstead Park, a place he used to visit as a child. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

I was born in the East End some 60-odd years ago, and as an urban kid, I found the parks and green spaces I fell in love with offered an entirely different playground to my usual surroundings.

Many years later, just as the new millennium dawned, I found myself mooching around Hainault Forest and happened across a guy carving the woodhenge that was to be placed around the forest for people to find as they explored the woods. He had started the project carving the life cycle of a frog, and although it was rough cut and nowhere near finished, I was very impressed with his work. In conversation with the artist, he suggested I could carve if I chose to. But my thinking at that time told me I couldn’t do such an artistic thing. Plus, how could I afford tools? So, that was that.

Roll on 2014 when, by chance, en route from a family visit to a volunteer group at Audley End House, I saw Andy Butcher’s version of the Tiki head theme. Once again, I was impressed with this guy’s work: carvings made on seven-foot-tall logs. Long story short, I saved up and purchased one, which is still in my workshop today. From there, we struck up a friendship and I was encouraged by him to have a go. This time, the ‘I can’t’ thoughts were silenced.

I got a second-hand Sthil, a little domestic chainsaw that was perfect for the job, and a cheap grinder. I had begun. Later that year, I moved into a small woodland to get closer to the wood resource I was working with. Rough living, but I enjoyed it. Then, after a couple of years selling my bits roadside and to the odd person here and there (these small sales encouraged me to keep at it), I got my first project, which was to carve a 12-foot standing tree trunk in a local school. That project was well received and word soon got around. After that, I was asked to carve a fallen tree in Henry Reynolds Park for a natural play area. Then other projects came along, in Valentines Park, Lodge Farm Park and Raphael Park to mention a few. And then carving for a 12-piece animal sculpture trail in Highams Park, partly funded by the Arts Council. This was a fantastic boost for me.

Around March 2022, I was asked to carve some pieces for another natural play project in Wanstead Park, and in July 2023, I found myself carving in the park I used to roam as a young child. Mad how life twists and turns, eh? I feel chuffed that my work is so well received.

A big thank you to all those who have aided and assisted me – past and present – to allow me to get my art out there.

To see more of Marshall’s chainsaw art, visit wnstd.com/marshall

Madeline Wong is an artist from Hong Kong now living in Wanstead and applying her passion for painting old buildings to the landmarks she is discovering here

Since I was young, I dreamed of becoming an artist. I also aspired to be a teacher. Unfortunately, my family’s economic environment couldn’t provide me with artistic nurturing, but after graduating from university, I became an art teacher, which became my lifelong career.

Some 15 years ago, I left my teaching position of 20 years, having fulfilled that ambition, drawing a simple, yet unfinished conclusion to the first half of my life. Transitioning from full-time teacher to housewife, my pace of life slowed, and I decided to reignite my interest in painting. In the process of painting, I found joy in life and pursued my unfinished dream of being an artist in the second half of my life!

Hong Kong has undergone rapid change in recent years, and the fast-paced life there can be overwhelming, making it difficult to catch one’s breath. When I take a moment to pause, I realise things around me have vanished without a trace. Old values have also faded and become blurred. Many old buildings and even the skills of experienced craftsmen are gradually being eliminated due to the loss of economic value. However, to me, these scenes and the small characters in the city are the fragments of my life and the pieces of my growth. Hence, I enjoy roaming the streets, exploring historical sites and searching for subjects to paint. I hope to use colours to preserve past emotions and memories, capturing fleeting encounters and vanishing moments, allowing my art to retain a strong local flavour.

Ten months ago, I left my native Hong Kong and moved to the UK, settling in Wanstead. Exploring the community has become a means of understanding the local culture. Many beautiful historical buildings have captured my attention and I couldn’t resist putting them into my paintings, like Christ Church pictured here.

Since I don’t have many local friends, I have been sharing my finished works in community groups online. Through this, I also got to know more about the local landmarks. I discovered these historical buildings hold unique meaning for individual residents, just like my own desire to preserve certain architectural scenes; they are puzzle pieces of my life. And so, I completed one artwork after another, and painting has become my daily life and motivation here in Wanstead.

Apart from old buildings, I also love painting flowers. In the UK, beautiful flowers can be found everywhere during spring and summer, which truly brings joy to the heart! I hope to share my floral paintings with everyone soon.

To view more of Madeline’s paintings, visit wnstd.com/madeline

Wren Wildlife Group member Nick Croft shares his experience of breathing life back into Cat and Dog Pond on Wanstead Flats. Additional words by Tony Morrison. Photo by Mary Holden

Sometimes you see it, sometimes you don’t, but if you walk across Lake House Road from Jubilee Pond, or take the rough route over the ant hills in that same direction, you may discover a small, semi-permanent pond that goes by the curious name of Cat and Dog Pond. The site presumably gets its name from the fact that it’s only visible when it’s been raining ‘cats and dogs’.

First shown in an 1863 map as a body of water with a course going towards Harrow Lane (now Harrow Road), it was possibly a sluice to help drain the road. Another line on the map shows a ditch or water course running toward an area of the Flats known as the Brickfield. Early reports, when the area was used for mining clay and gravel for brickmaking, mention a water course there.

If you’re lucky enough, you will see the pond filled with water, and then next time you visit, it’s gone, choked by undergrowth and lost from view.

It may have come to your attention that a few of us have being doing a bit of work at this old, neglected site over the past few years. The pond was in danger of drying out and becoming scrubbed over, threatening the amphibians, invertebrates and water birds that depend on it. In an effort to reverse this onslaught and restore this historic landscape, channels have been dug around the pond to form a network of ditches – a Wanstead Flats Wetlands – with tall rushes rising around the edge of the waterscape and birds fleeting between the reeds and bushes. 

Getting permission from the authorities to go ahead with the project was, I assumed, going to be the hardest part. That naive assumption was put to bed the first day of diving into the reeds. Get a fork in, dig out the reeds, plant them further down the ditches – easy. Not!

So, here we are, three years on, seven pairs of wellingtons, one broken fork, one spade, six pairs of trousers, many gloves, three buckets, a visit to A&E and the unavoidable conclusion that I hadn’t a clue as to what I was doing.

It did look quite impressive over that first winter as the rain filled the pond. Water actually remained throughout the first summer, bringing in the butterflies, damsels, dragonflies and, of course, frogs and newts. 

Last year, the weather turned against us and warned of what’s coming down the line as the climate catastrophe takes hold. The frogs managed to get out before the pond dried up, but I’m not sure the newts were so lucky. The drought also clobbered the planting we’d done around the site and, at one point, it looked like we lost most of the 200-plus trees and shrubs we had put in. Come the rain in August and September, we were pleased to see many bouncing back. Not that you’ll see many of them this year as the grass has swamped everything and – with the help of burrowing critters – has made it a bit dangerous to guess where the paths are, so take care!

We will be back (once the autumn migration is over in October) as this is a job that keeps on giving! Thanks to all my team of volunteers, especially Mark Thomas, Sean K, Sean T (aka JF), Tony Abbott and not forgetting Trevor ‘The Mole’.

For more information on the Wren Wildlife Group, visit wnstd.com/wren

It all began in 2013, and now, as the Wanstead Fringe gears up for its 10th instalment of 100-plus cultural events, director Giles Wilson reveals what he’s looking forward to the most

Ten years ago, the Wanstead Fringe started as a joke among a few friends. Why shouldn’t little old Wanstead have its own cultural fringe to complement the Wanstead Festival? we thought. Well, it was a joke then, but nobody’s laughing now (comedy nights notwithstanding).

The Fringe has become something to take seriously. Alongside our favourites – the open-air Kinema, the jumble trail, The Duke street party and others – more than 100 events will be taking place before the end of September.

We will have four plays running, and thanks to the support of The Bull and some careful investment on our part, we hope to be able to expand that number during the rest of the year. We have 11 talks from authors – some local, some national – including one of the greatest living English novelists. We have always had music as part of our programme, but this year, we are hugely expanding the amount on offer. International opera star Lucy Crowe and husband Joe Walters will again be transforming St Mary’s into a magical venue for music – and that will also be the place to hear a new musical, Dark Isle. There will be a recital called Low Strings Drama, led by local composer Simone Spagnolo, which promises to be a unique blend of chamber music and drama soundtracks. Redbridge Brass Band, local singer-songwriters, singer Lydia Gerrard and local guitar virtuoso Peter Black also feature in the programme.

The event I’m looking forward to most is hearing from novelist Jonathan Coe, whose series of novels have told an authentic story about the changes in British life since the war. The event will have a vivid counterpart as Helen Day, historian of Ladybird Books, talks about the perceptions our society used to have of itself. Author Paterson Joseph will talk about the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho, a revealing insight into a lesser-known side of our history.

One national newspaper website profile of Wanstead this year said that, in the evenings, it became a ghost town. Wanstead-bred author and theatre director Patrick Marlowe will be doing his best to disprove that by telling an evening of ghost stories in the St Mary’s churchyard. 

It’s our sponsors – listed on page 32 – who have underwritten this. Do support them if you can. Vision RCL is supportive and generous with its buildings, but we have built the Fringe without any public money. Our host venues and volunteers keep the show on the road. But the people really responsible for the Fringe are those, like you, who buy tickets and attend events. Thank you. 

And here’s to the next 10 years.

For more information on Wanstead Fringe events, visit wnstd.com/fringe

Following the recent death of Jean Maestri – the proprietor of the Wanstead Park Tea Hut for over 30 years – the Maestri family reflect on the life of the Queen of Wanstead Park

Jean was born on 22 September 1944 in Dagenham. She was the youngest of three children. Her childhood memories were playing on the bomb sites and having games of rounders with her friends between four trees in the street. She went to school with Terry Venables (the famous footballer), who was a year above her. She left school at the age of 15 and surprised everyone by getting a job as a medical receptionist at the Royal London Hospital, where she worked for eight years until she had her first baby.

She met her husband Giovanni in a crowded Trafalgar Square on Bonfire Night back in 1960. He asked her if she had seen his cat. It was a chat-up line and she fell for it (and him). Jean and Giovanni were together for the rest of her life. They got married in 1965, and a year later bought the house they lived in ever since. Jean and Giovanni went on to have five children and fostered 60 others.

As her husband was Italian and worked in the ice cream trade, this inspired Jean to get an ice cream van with her friend and go back to work. In 1986, after many years of working in the ice cream van, Jean came across the old wooden boat house cafe in Wanstead Park. It was in a right old state and the cafe needed a lot of love and TLC, which is where Jean came in. She applied to the Corporation of London to get it rebuilt and their architect designed the building to match the Temple nearby.

Jean continued to run the Wanstead Park Tea Hut for 37 years. She loved this cafe and dedicated her life to it, working seven days a week. She became the life and soul of Wanstead Park and would have her regulars, who loved coming over to see her daily for a cup of tea and a chat. Jean loved baking and all her cakes were homemade. She was especially known for her homemade bread pudding, an old recipe handed down from her mum. People would get very upset if they turned up and it was sold out!

When the pandemic hit, Jean took a back seat, retired at home and bought herself a Pomeranian dog to keep her and her husband company. She loved her little dog, Fluffy, so very much and she became the apple of her eye. Jean was also very lucky to have 10 grandchildren, who all absolutely loved and adored her.

We would like to thank all of the customers, the people of Wanstead and the Corporation of London for all of the kind messages, love and support we have received. Jean died on 30 June 2023. She was a wonderful, kind and caring lady who will be sadly missed by all.

The Wanstead Park Tea Hut overlooks the Heronry Pond, near the park’s Wanstead Park Avenue entrance. For more information, visit wnstd.com/teahut

Tickets are available for the first Wanstead Beer Festival, taking place in the halls of Christ Church on 14 October.

“The festival will include a number of real ales from the local area and beyond. There will also be craft ales, lagers and cider, and some carefully chosen wine and prosecco for non-beer drinkers,” said organiser Paul Donovan.

Proceeds from the event – which runs from 1pm to 10.30pm – will be donated to local charities. The £12 ticket price (£10 in advance) includes a commemorative pint glass.

Visit wnstd.com/beer 

Tricia Moxey takes a look at Muntjac Deer and urges residents to report any local sightings to help the London Wildlife Trust map their distribution and population growth

A number of local residents have been reporting sightings of a small deer in their gardens, in Bush Wood, the City of London Cemetery and Wanstead Park. These are likely to be Muntjac Deer (Muntiacus reevesi), named in 1838 after the naturalist John Reeves (1774–1856).

John Reeves was the son of Reverend Jonathan Reeves of West Ham. John was educated at Christ’s Hospital, becoming a tea expert and respected natural historian. In 1812, he was dispatched to China by the British East India Company to search for plant and animal specimens of potential economic value. He sent a pair of live Chinese deer to the Zoological Society in London and so this species was named in his honour. Further specimens were introduced into large estates such as Woburn Park in Bedfordshire, where their ability to scale fences ensured many escaped into the wider countryside. Over the years, others were deliberately released so that Muntjac Deer are well established in southern counties, living in woods, farms and other green spaces, including urban gardens. Muntjac Deer were classified as an invasive, non-native species in 2019. They are protected in the UK under the Deer Act 1991.

Muntjac Deer are small, stocky mammals about 45–52cm tall, their long back legs causing a hunched back. Adults weigh about 14kg. The main coat colour is a coppery brown with a creamy white underbelly. The bucks have black V-shaped stripes on their heads and 20cm long, backwards-sloping antlers. The does have black diamond-shaped stripes on their heads. Both have protruding canine teeth, but those of the bucks are longer and used in territorial battles. Largely solitary animals, both bucks and does mark their territory with scent from special glands on their faces, which become inflated when in breeding condition. 

Muntjac are crepuscular mammals, feeding either at dawn or dusk on trees, shrubs, shoots, herbs, berries, nuts and fungi, eating at least 85 different plants and consuming as much as 8% of their body weight in a day. They also like eating bluebells! Although mainly vegetarian, they have been observed to consume insects, snails and other ground-dwelling creatures. Their penchant for stripping bark off young trees and eating woodland plants has serious consequences as suitable nesting sites for birds are removed, leaving the ground unvegetated.

When trying to deter predators or to attract a female, the bucks will bark for some time, sounding similar to a human with a smoker’s cough!

Muntjac Deer do not have a set rutting season and mate throughout the year. The gestation period is around 210 days, with the does usually giving birth to a single fawn. A doe can become pregnant again just days after giving birth and her fawn is weaned after eight weeks. Young females reach sexual maturity within their first year. 

This species was first recorded in the northern parts of Epping Forest in the mid-1960s, and in subsequent decades have dispersed into the more urbanised areas, often seen eating rose bushes in gardens. They do feed on roadside vegetation and nationally may account for 25% of deer collisions with vehicles. As they are much smaller than Fallow Deer, such collisions are less likely to immobilise a vehicle or cause injury to its occupants, and many such incidents may go unrecorded.

Muntjac Deer have no natural predators in the UK. Wild deer numbers in Britain are now the highest they have been since post-glacial times, and populations of all species are increasing both in number and geographical distribution, but exactly which species and where is not accurately known.

The London Wildlife Trust, therefore, needs your help in recording sightings of wild deer across the capital so their distribution can be mapped, along with an idea of population densities. This information will be used to develop future management strategies.

For more information and to record deer sightings, visit wnstd.com/deer

Local councillors are urging NatWest to reconsider the proposal to close their branch in Wanstead.

“This well-used branch provides a critical service for local people, including those who may struggle with online banking and find it difficult to travel further afield,” said Councillor Jo Blackman. The branch – the last remaining bank in Wanstead – is scheduled to close on 31 October.

In a statement, NatWest said: “We’re getting in touch with customers and engaging the local community to talk through our decision.”

Call 0131 380 6528 

A charity based at the Redbridge Lane West allotments in Wanstead is looking for gardening volunteers.

“We began over 10 years ago to engage adults with learning disabilities in the entire process of fruit and vegetable cultivation, harvesting, eating more healthily and learning skills for personal development. Even if you can only spare an hour or two to help us out on the allotments, it would be much appreciated,” said a spokesperson for Sprout There!, which is part of Ilford charity Uniting Friends.

Call 020 8551 8800

Over 350 people attended a fun day at Wanstead Youth Centre earlier this month.

“The event was designed to show what an invaluable community asset the centre is. Attendees enjoyed a range of activities, from basketball to boxing, as well as sampling the state-of-the-art music studio. We would like to thank the community for their support,” said a spokesperson for the Save Our Wanstead Youth Centre Campaign group.

Redbridge Council is due to decide on the venue’s future next month.

Visit wnstd.com/sowyc

In the fifth of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Tushar Bala presents a montage of his shots of a Little Egret

My name is Tushar Bala and I’m a science teacher. I started my wildlife photography in earnest at Wanstead Park on day one of COVID lockdown. I would practice before and after work. I would take pictures of anything that moved! I love Wanstead Park because of its various wildlife. But it is the people who have approached me to have a quick chat that makes the park special, from lovely retired couples to TikToking teenagers, dog walkers and families.

I have gone on to inspire my students to visit Wanstead Park as well. Just a few weeks ago, one of my wheelchair-bound students insisted on going to the famous bluebell wood. So, his dad and brother pulled and pushed him through the quagmire. He took some pictures, and I will admit, they were brilliant and better than mine. He had a history of not wanting to go out and his parents were desperate to get him out of the house. He is now a regular visitor to the park.

Wanstead Park offers a plethora of wildlife experiences. I’ve played hide and seek with a fox, literally going around in circles. (The fox cheated and took a short cut through the bushes!) I’ve been stopped in my tracks by a heron wrestling with a two-foot pike. I’ve watched a Great Spotted Woodpecker tear off bark to get to grubs. And during one lunchtime walk, I was rewarded with a buzzard perched in the woods. I stopped a family and allowed the children to watch it through my camera lens.

At dusk, I like to sit down with a cup of tea and watch the beautiful terns hunt, swooping down, skimming the surface to catch fish. And I love to watch the Grey Heron do its… well, I call it a snake dance, using its neck to attract fish. Or watch the Little Egret do its shuffle dance to stir up the mud and catch its dinner.

I found the Little Egret quite tough to capture. These birds are usually found at the wooded part of the lake, so the background is very dark and you can easily overexpose the image. Little Egrets are very skittish and one has to approach very slowly. After a few minutes of observation, I decided to go for a set of three images; the dishevelled look, not so dishevelled and then looking quite smart. I call the sequence ‘having a bad hair day!’

Wanstead Park has a lot to offer, not least, for mental health well-being. It is wonderful to be humbled by the wildlife and their behaviour, to meet like-minded people who appreciate the sense of calmness that the park offers, a place to sit and rest one’s bones with a flask of coffee, to listen to the dawn chorus of the birds, a catalyst (I had to put a scientific word in the article!) to visit other places.

As I walk home with my unwieldy camera gear, I’m tired, hungry and thirsty; my joints ache; I’m sometimes euphoric that I may have taken a nice image, but I always have a big, fat cheek-to-cheek smile.

I now also visit lots of other places to get my wildlife fix, mainly RSPB sites and some Wetland Trust sites. My pictures (the decent ones) are emailed to the organisations responsible for looking after the habitats I have visited, just as a thank you. Some images have been published, and usually, the sites I visit will post them on their websites.

To view more local wildlife photos, visit wnstd.com/parklife

Vanya Marks of Wanstead Climate Action laments the area’s lost front gardens to driveways, but cites this positive example on Felstead Road. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

Confession time: six years ago, when my partner and I moved into our current house and couldn’t park anywhere near it, we removed the patch of grass that was our front garden and put in a small driveway. The guilt I have felt since has been profound. I could have used this space to plant a tiny wild flower meadow, a couple of fruit trees or gorgeous perennials to keep the bees and bugs happy. Now, I sit staring at the back of our car worrying about declining insect numbers.

You see the problem isn’t just our driveway. Everywhere I look, the good people of Wanstead are ripping out their vibrant front gardens and installing vast swathes of concrete that could accommodate eight or nine, even 10 cars. From the perspective of UK wildlife (the State of Nature report says that one in 10 UK wildlife species faces extinction), this is a devastating trend. But quite apart from that, the appearance of Wanstead is changing. 

When we first came to this pretty little pocket of London in 2009, the streets were blooming with trees and flowers. Cute cottage gardens all around the village, roses, wisteria and tendrils of ivy spilling over hedges, splashes of blossom and petals perfuming the air. It wasn’t just our splendid street trees providing this colour and scent and life and shade; it was our front gardens. 

Now, I walk around Wanstead and see soulless car parks devoid of life. Birdsong has ceased, the buzzing of bees replaced by the roar of digging machines. It’s little wonder that, according to another study, the UK has lost 60% of its flying insects in the past 20 years. This is terrifying for many reasons: without pollinators, we will have food shortages; without insects, we lose the animals that rely on them as food; without invertebrates that recycle nutrients, our soil will degrade. In other words, they are essential for the proper functioning of all ecosystems. Our gardens, front and back, provide much-needed sanctuary as these creatures are battered on all sides by industrial-scale pesticides, loss of habitat and climate change.

While the Wanstead Community Gardeners do a stellar job adding colour to our streets all year round, and Redbridge Council helps with schemes like tree pit adoption and ‘pollinator pathways’, some homeowners, landlords and developers seem bent on destroying every living thing in sight. Is it a desire for ‘tidiness’? A need to park a whole fleet of cars? Well, no offence meant to anyone from Ilford, but if we keep on replacing front gardens with concrete, we will end up with the barren grey streets of our neighbouring postcode. People of Wanstead, if you don’t do it for the insects and birds, please do it for your house prices! 

And if you must put in a driveway, consider an eco-friendly option such as the one pictured here on Felstead Road. Four strips of paving allow for the wheels of two cars, but keep space for a fabulous mix of easy-to-maintain perennials and pollinator-loving wild flowers.

For more information on Wanstead Climate Action, visit wnstd.com/climate

Following a positive response to his article earlier this year floating the idea of a Wanstead Beer Festival, Councillor Paul Donovan is now part of the organising committee bringing the event to a head in October

The Wanstead Beer Festival is up and running. Save the date: 14 October in the halls of Christ Church. It is hoped this community-based event will put Wanstead on the beer festival map, as well as raise money for local charities. All are welcome, from novices to seasoned real ale drinkers.

A small group of enthusiasts have come together to form the organising committee, but the more the merrier – if you believe you have something to offer, please get in touch, via the email below.

The Wanstead Beer Festival is set to run from midday into the evening. The aim is to get as wide a range of beers as possible, drawn from local breweries and some more further afield. A keen team of researchers have already taken on the task of sourcing the beers. 

Cider enthusiasts are welcome, with some special choices on offer. There will also be lager, and wine and prosecco will be available, too, so hopefully, all tastes will be catered for. And food will be supplied from local sources.

The event is now looking for sponsors, ideally drawn from the local community. It is hoped a special Wanstead Beer Festival glass will be produced, unique for the event. Everyone will get a glass as part of the admission price. A sponsor for the glass would be great.

The event is not for profit, with whatever money made above the operational costs going to a number of local charities.

A real ale aficionado himself, the priest in charge of Wanstead Parish, Reverend James Gilder, is pleased to be a part of the team that is working to bring together the first Wanstead Beer Festival: “I’m really pleased that we are able to host the beer festival in the parish halls. Churches and beer have had a long history, with monks brewing ales for many centuries. Until quite recently, it was usual for a church’s bellringers to keep a cask in the tower, which they often partook of during services! I am sure this event will be a joyous chance to once again see that great Wanstead community spirit coming to the fore, and to spotlight some of our local businesses,” said James.

The response since the idea of a local beer festival was first launched in the February edition of the Wanstead Village Directory has been amazing. Lots of people have come forward and there is a real buzz about the event.

We have a great venue lined up, so now all that remains is to get everything in place for 14 October. No small task, but given the great start, all is looking good so far.

Watch this space.

For more information on the Wanstead Beer Festival, email beer@wnstd.com

With Wanstead Park’s new Woodland Play Area finally open, Gill James reflects on a 22-year campaign by the Aldersbrook Families Association 

Have you ever pushed a buggy containing a protesting toddler across Wanstead Park to reach the nearest play area, half an hour’s walk away on Christ Church Green in Wanstead? If so, you will know why local mums set up a campaign back in 2001 for a play area within walking distance of families living on the Aldersbrook Estate.

It has been a long, long process, which began with the founding of the Aldersbrook Families Association (AFA). Many were the local sites suggested and rejected. When no suitable site could be found, the AFA decided instead to support local projects to benefit families. So began Music in Wanstead Park, the annual event enjoyed by so many families over 17 years.

When a possible site for a modest woodland play area was eventually identified in Wanstead Park, the AFA committee decided to put the money raised by running Music in Wanstead Park into supporting the new play area project. By now, some of those original campaigners are grannies!

There were many hoops to jump through. Seemingly endless City of London committees. What sort of play equipment was acceptable to all users in a beautiful park with a semi-wild aspect? Who was going to install it? Were there any important historic remains in the ground? Who was responsible for maintenance once the play equipment was in? How to keep children safe? How much money could we raise? Should dogs be allowed? And many more questions to answer.

Finally, after many stops and starts, the chair of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Ben Murphy, cut the ceremonial ribbon tied to the log stack in the Woodland Play Area to mark the official opening of the site on 16 June, some 22 years after the AFA first set up its playground campaign! School was out, and many children could be seen negotiating the woodland trail, swinging on the monkey bars and enjoying ice creams. It was a lovely sight.

The play area remains a work in progress. The fencing around the whole site must be finished and a surfaced path is also needed, leading to a piece of accessible play equipment such as a basket swing. 

What volunteers have raised:

• £10,000 from the Aldersbrook Families Association, which kickstarted the campaign.
• £7,000 from the Friends of Wanstead Parklands.
• £10,100 from the City of London Central Grants Programme.
• £5,876 from the National Lottery Awards for All fund.
• £1,000 from the 2022 Aldersbrook Garden Trail.
• £1,000 from a family cycling event in the park in 2022.

Now, it’s up to today’s young parents to look after the play area and make it even better.

The Woodland Play Area is located behind the Temple in Wanstead Park. For more information, visit wnstd.com/park

The Save Our Wanstead Youth Centre campaign has issued an open letter in response to the Leader of Redbridge Council’s article in last month’s issue of the Wanstead Village Directory, in which it was announced the future of Wanstead Youth Centre will be decided at a council meeting in September

Jas Athwal, the Leader of the Council, has confirmed in the article that the future of Wanstead Youth Centre will be made at the Cabinet meeting in September 2023.

The SOWYC Group thank councillors, Young People and the wider community for their support in achieving this positive response.

We want to re-iterate our request for the council to grant a moratorium, of at least 12 months, to allow further time to explore and pursue other options and funding streams to retain the only remaining youth centre of its kind in the borough.  And to make available, as previously requested,  the necessary financial documents to allow this to happen. 

We remind the council that over 5,000 people signed the petition to oppose the closure of the centre; and at the public meeting in March many young people spoke about the importance of the centre to their physical and mental health. We sincerely hope this will be central to the decision making in September.

We urge the council to commence a meaningful consultation with the users of the youth centre, to inform the report being compiled for September’s Cabinet meeting.

We would also like to ask for clarity from the council regarding the statement in the article that £14 million that is being invested in the borough into leisure facilities, where in the borough is this investment happening and when? We also request further details on the £4million being spent on the lido in Valentine’s Park and substantiation for the claim the lido will ‘cover it’s own costs’, as we are unaware of a single open-air lido in the country that is self-sufficient.

We invite councillors, as well as the wider community to come and experience the youth centre by attending the ‘Activities and Fun’ event, which is being organised by the campaign group and held at the centre (114 Elmcroft Avenue, E11 2DB) on 15^th July  12-3pm (further details on Facebook)

To stay up to date join the ‘Save Wanstead Youth Centre’ Facebook group , or follow the campaign on Twitter @S_W_Y_C. To join the Group please email SaveWansteadYouthCentre@gmail.com or contact Liz Martins on 07403 649306.

Campaigners will host a fun day at the centre on 15 July from 2pm to 5pm to demonstrate the activities available at the venue. 

Ahead of the Wanstead Wildlife Weekend, James Heal offers his tips for birdwatching on the local patch

Some of the local birders (me included) have been around for a while. I will spare the blushes of one of my fellows who has been ticking stuff locally since before I was born. There are a range of capabilities and specific interests (some of us like gulls, some like surveying breeding birds, some use nocturnal migration recorders and heat sensory binoculars, and some like taking the best photos of birds possible), but this group of core local birders have kept the records flowing over the last decade and more and found some amazing birds. I dread to think about the number of combined hours we have put into birding Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park – it would be a very large figure indeed. Most of us are out at least weekly, and some of us almost daily!

Birding is about so much more than numbers, but there are few committed birders who are not at least somewhat interested in the numbers game. Birders, as we know, like lists, with several of us now contributing regularly to centralised applications, most notably eBird, which enable our bird data to contribute to wider ornithological science. 

I moved to the local area in late 2014, and 2023 is now the ninth year I have been regularly birding the patch. In that time, I have been lucky enough to record 148 species of bird (I say record rather than ‘see’ as two species on my list are ‘heard only’: Quail and Tawny Owl). There are six local birders who have all got over 150 species on their patch lists. I am not going to indulge in false modesty here; for a relatively small and unassuming site, those are impressive numbers! And with 150 years worth of records, and almost 15 years of very comprehensive records, the total patch list is just over 200. Quite phenomenal, really!

Anyhow, I need to get to the point! I realise that for someone early on in their journey of birding, knowing where to start or how to start amassing a substantive list may be a little daunting. So, for the benefit of those who are starting out on their birding journey, or for those who don’t quite visit often enough to make building a big list easy, the following tips are for you.

Get to know the patch
Spend time walking around the local area as regularly as you can. Note what you see, where you see it and when (time of year, but also time of day – these factors can make a massive difference). We have a map on the Wanstead Birding website with some local names for things: Motorcycle Wood, The Gates of Mordor, The Ditch of Despair and the Forbidden Triangle are all on there.

Go out across all four seasons
You don’t need to be a daily or even a weekly birder to clock up some good birds locally, but you do need to get out relatively regularly. You will also build a disproportionately strong list by focusing on birding during the spring and autumn migration periods.

Study your targets
To keep a list, you need to be able to accurately identify your targets by sight (and often at distance) and sound (learning flight calls is essential for the passage migration period). If you are starting from a low base of knowledge, I would suggest using a field guide like the Collins Bird Guide and looking up the birds you see while you are out and about.

Build a base of easy targets
One of two gifts to you from this article is a list of 71 species which should be pretty much guaranteed if you follow the steps above. Admittedly, some of these ‘easy’ birds are easier than others – I doubt I have ever set foot on the patch without ticking off a Robin, whilst I have managed to get several months into the year without adding Grey Wagtail to my year list, but I would be shocked if I didn’t add it before the year is out. Against each of the 71 species, I have put where and when you are most likely to see them. 

Devise a list of more challenging targets
Once you have your foundation species, you can now set yourself a target of the species which should be doable within a typical year. Your second gift is a list of 39 species setting out the largely annual birds which can be tricky, but with some dedication, should be largely doable within any given year. As with above, some are easier to get than others. There are arguments that birds like Snipe, Little Owl, Coal Tit and Yellow Wagtail should really be in the ‘easy’ list, while others such as Short-eared Owl and Yellowhammer could be considered too difficult for a list of this nature. However, this is a target list of birds you might reasonably expect to see, and so even if you only got two-thirds of the list in a year, you would be well on your way to getting 100 birds for the year.

Be ready to engage in twitching
Every year, we get a small smattering of rarer birds than those on the lists provided. If you get serious about your patch list or patch year list and would like to see interesting birds locally, you probably need to be ready to respond to news and come out to try and see the good birds when the news goes out. I remember that within a few months of moving to the area, a Slavonian Grebe showed up on Heronry Pond. It was the first record for the patch and the only one to date. If I hadn’t made the effort to go and see it, there was no guarantee that opportunity would come up again locally.

Building a patch list can be a great way to develop your understanding of birds – a stronger sense of the ordinary will give you greater intuition for the extraordinary. If this article was of use to a small handful of people who then go on to strengthen the network of local birders, the more trained eyes there are out on the patch, the better. Not only from a rarity-finding perspective but also to contribute to the understanding of what birds we have present locally and what is happening to their numbers.

For more information on the Wren Wildlife Group and Wanstead Wildlife Weekend (24 and 25 June), visit wnstd.com/wren

To view the bird lists in the group’s latest newsletter, visit wnstd.com/birdlists

The Wren Wildlife Group will host the Wanstead Wildlife Weekend this month. Everyone is invited to join them in Wanstead Park and on Wanstead Flats to get a little closer to nature. Gill James outlines the events taking place

The Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group was founded in 1972. We’ve spent the last 50 years helping to promote and protect the wildlife of the Wanstead area and its surrounds, and helping to bring the people of East London closer to the wildlife around them. This month, we continue that tradition by inviting you to Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats on the weekend of 24 and 25 June for the Wanstead Wildlife Weekend. Come and discover what’s living on your doorstep! There are activities for all ages.

Moth traps
Saturday 24 June, 6am (Wanstead Park)
Saturday starts bright and early with moth expert Tim Harris revealing what moths he has caught overnight in his moth trap. Meet at the Temple; no booking required. 

Wildlife walk
Saturday 24 June, 10am (Wanstead Park)
Those looking for a later start to the day can join an introductory wildlife walk for all ages with Redbridge Nature Conservation leader Tajinder Lachhar, who will be pointing out the different plants, insects and birds of Wanstead Park. Meet at the Tea Hut; booking required.

Spider safari
Saturday 24 June, 2pm (Wanstead Flats)
On Saturday afternoon, we are delighted to welcome back a man who knows all about spiders, David Carr, who will be on Wanstead Flats leading the great spider safari. Prepare to be amazed. Meet at Centre Road car park; no booking required.

Family workshops
Saturday 24 June, (Wanstead Park)
Take part in a butterfly workshop for families, with hands-on activities, including making butterfly feeders; or join a workshop for older children, learning about our fascinating birds of prey. Meet at the Temple enclosure (times to be confirmed); booking required.

Art ramble
Sunday 25 June, 10am (Wanstead Park)
Discover your inner artist on Sunday morning with Jo Wood, who will be leading an art ramble in Wanstead Park for adults. Meet at the Tea Hut; booking required.

Pond-dipping
Sunday 25 June, 10am & 11am (Wanstead Park)
Children will love collecting and identifying the small creatures to be found in the Shoulder of Mutton Pond. There will be two one-hour sessions, one for younger children at 10am (four- to nine-year-olds) and one for older children at 11am (all children must be accompanied by an adult). Pond nets and experts provided, but bring your own wellies! Booking required.

Macro photography workshop
Sunday 25 June, 2pm (Wanstead Flats)
A local photographer will be showing you how to capture nature’s minute beauty with a camera, photographing insects, such as damselflies and bees. Suitable for adults. Meet at Centre Road car park; booking required.

Climate picnic
Sunday 25 June, 12 noon to 2pm (Wanstead Park)
On Sunday afternoon, we are delighted to be able to welcome families into the newly opened Woodland Play Area in Wanstead Park (behind the Temple). Join in the Great Big Picnic celebrating the Mayor of London’s Community Weekend (bring your own grub). No booking required.

Insect stories
Sunday 25 June, 2pm (Wanstead Park)
The picnic will be followed by an insect-themed storytelling session led by costumed actors. Suitable for three- to six-year-olds. Meet at the Woodland Play Area; no booking required. 

Minibeast hunt
Sunday 25 June, 3pm (Wanstead Park)
Kids will love becoming nature detectives and joining the hunt to see what creepy-crawlies they can find hiding under the leaves and logs. There will also be activities such as identifying trees and animal hide and seek. Meet at the Woodland Play Area; no booking required. 

Wren Group information tent
Both days, 10am to 4pm (Wanstead Park)
More serious nature detectives will be collecting information and recording what animals and plants we can all find and identify over the weekend. Local naturalist Tricia Moxey will be totalling up all the finds to see how rich the biodiversity in our area is. And on Sunday, the Aldersbrook Horticultural Society will be giving advice on how to encourage wildlife in your garden.

Wanstead Wildlife Weekend will take place on 24 and 25 June. For more information, and to book events, visit wnstd.com/wren

The first-ever Wanstead Beer Festival will take place later this year.

“After a great response to an article in the Wanstead Village Directory in February pitching the idea, a core group of enthusiasts have been busy pulling plans together. We can now announce the inaugural Wanstead Beer Festival will take place on 14 October in the halls of Christ Church,” said Paul Donovan, one of the organisers, who are now looking for support and festival sponsors.

Any money raised above event costs will go to local charities.

Email beer@wnstd.com

A statement from the Wren Wildlife Group about this year’s bluebell season in Wanstead Park:

“There was less damage to the flowers by humans than in previous years – the improved signage and clearer paths has helped. But there will always be a minority who don’t appreciate the damage they do by trampling on these delicate flowers. The colder weather meant the bluebell season lasted for longer this year, and, on the whole, the bluebell wood has been a successful collaboration between the Wren Group and the City of London.”