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When lockdown was announced, the Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group had to come up with alternatives to replace their spring and summer plans. Enter Zoom. Tim Harris reports

When lockdown was announced, some Wren members concentrated on what they could do from the comfort of their own homes to contribute to the group. And with necessity being the mother of invention, some of these initiatives have been very successful.

Carrying this to extremes, ‘noc-migging’ involves recording the calls of birds migrating overhead at night. Using a recording device in a bucket, this is the very antithesis of exercise, best done while asleep! Chief among the surprises it produced were the calls of common scoters – ducks usually found far out at sea – in early April. Thanks in the main to noc-migging, these wildfowl are now known to fly overland on their way north in spring. This really is citizen science in action.

Several of us switched on bright lights in our gardens to attract moths. Our area has a phenomenal range of these nocturnal insects, mainly because of the area’s floristic diversity. This year has been the best on record, with more than 250 different kinds noted so far, several never previously recorded. And only a couple of them eat clothes!

Many local naturalists also took full advantage of the opportunity to exercise outdoors to spot interesting plants, bees, birds and butterflies in our diverse range of green spaces. Among many fascinating discoveries was a small patch of fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii) behind the Esso garage on Aldersbrook Road. This ‘weed’, native to North America, was found by Rose Stephens and has not previously been seen locally. We’ll probably never know how it got there.

But the big problem we faced as a group was how to reach out to people who would, in more normal times, come on our local walks. Enter Zoom, and committee member Tony Madgwick, who offered to host a series of weekly ‘virtual field meetings’. These have been enormously successful, attracting audiences from far and wide to listen, learn, and discuss. While most participants have been local, we’ve had naturalists tuning in from as far afield as Devon and Scotland. Some meet-ups have drawn more than 100 people, keen to find out more about a range of topics, ranging from the best bee-friendly plants for their gardens, which butterflies and dragonflies to look for in Wanstead Park, how to identify birds by their songs, and the life history of native reptiles. So successful have these online meetings been that we intend to continue them.

So, if you’re interested in our local flora and fauna, check the Wren Group’s programme of virtual field meetings on our website, where recordings of some of the previous meetings are also available.

Waltham Forest Save Our NHS held an online meeting last month to discuss the plans to rebuild Whipps Cross Hospital.

“The speakers, including John Cryer MP, had two key messages. First, we cannot stand back and allow the new hospital to be built with too few beds for our growing population. Second, the new hospital must be environmentally sustainable, the first zero-carbon hospital in the UK,” said Wanstead resident Charlotte Monro, who participated in the event.

An email has been set up for all who would like to be involved, have questions or ideas: whipps.cross.campaign@gmail.com

Watch a recording of the meeting at wnstd.com/wxm

As a portrait photographer who became as famous as his celebrity subjects, David Bailey needs no introduction. As a ‘place of heaven in the East End’, Wanstead Park needs no introduction either. When Mr Bailey took his camera to the park during lockdown, the result was his 99th cover for British Vogue

Long ago, when I was a child in the East End of London, a German, for some reason, wanted to kill me. His name was Hitler, as you may have guessed. He was one of only three men whose name I knew. The others were Stalin and Churchill.

Anyway, Hitler caused me the most aggravation. He always sent his air force over to bomb me at say six o’clock or in the late afternoon, which was when Toy Town came on the radio. This went on for a short period of my life until I was about seven and a half. The Blitz was over and Hitler was dead, and sadly, I had outgrown Toy Town.

A bike was my friend and I could roam wherever it took me, together with my mate Roy. Mostly around the East End, where all the bombed buildings were my playground.  But then I discovered a place of magic called Wanstead Park. This wonderful place was not full of broken glass and shrapnel. (I missed the shrapnel – I had a great collection of it.) But this place was perfect with its lakes and what seemed to me a jungle of trees. And to top it all, the bluebells in the spring.

The park has never lost its magic. I still visit whenever I can to see the ruin of the boathouse I thought was Dick Turpin’s hideaway, and the mystery of the old manor house that was pulled down long ago.

It was, and still is, a place of heaven in the East End.

In the second of two articles, Marian Temple of the Wanstead Community Gardeners keeps a watchful eye on a special space, now known as the Cherry Pye Bed. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

All the twenty-something patches adopted by the Wanstead Community Gardeners have a name. We gave this traffic island between The George and the station the fanciful name of the Cherry Pye Bed when we took over the wider end some four years ago.

It’s a puzzling name for those not familiar with the quirkeries of Wanstead history. The reference is to a plaque on the wall of The George facing the station. The plaque dates from the previous 18th-century pub, the old George and Dragon. The wording is as follows and should rhyme:

In Memory of
Ye Cherry Pey
As cost half a Guiney
Ye 17 of July
That day we had good cheer
I hope to do so maney a Year.
RC 1752 D Jerry

The meaning of this is lost in the mists of time. A cherry pie would not have cost half a guinea: 10 shillings and sixpence, or just over 50 pence in today’s money. A considerable sum in 1752. Could this have been something to do with a bet? And who were RC and D Jerry? Evidently, a good time was had by all.

Since the first flowers – Californian desert bluebells appeared in June – we have been treated to a procession. Some of them not recognised, but favourites include scarlet flax, Californian poppy, cornflower and English marigolds. We wait with interest to see what comes next. This patch has proved popular with everyone, including the passing drivers. Some even hope for a red traffic light so they can sit and look at the flowers!

This sort of project is not maintenance-free, especially on a patch neglected for years. We are constantly weeding to try and give the new plants less competition. Next year, we intend something different and will be laying turf with a perennial mix of wild flowers. A lot of hard work initially, but the turf should establish easily and its use will reduce maintenance. Obviously, this project is not finished and we are learning as we go along. Like the words of the 1752 plaque, we hope our patch of flowers will give good cheer for many a year. Cherry pies for the workers always welcome!

Definitely a ‘watch this space’ situation.

Wanstead is one of seven areas in Redbridge chosen by the council to be part of its Quiet Streets initiative.

“Wanstead has always been a green and quiet place and our objective is to try and enhance that. This programme will aim to reduce speeding, rat running and create more space for people to walk and cycle safely around the neighbourhood. At the start of lockdown, everyone noticed how much quieter the streets were and it would be good if we could keep some of the benefits of that. We want to have streets that are quieter, with more places for planting, and safe for our kids to play on,” said Councillor John Howard, Cabinet Member for Civic Pride.

The council has received more than £500k from TfL to fund the project and residents are invited to put forward their ideas on what improvements they would like to see.

Visit wnstd.com/safer

What will Wanstead look like in a post-COVID-19 world? In the second of a series of articles, Chair of Wanstead Society Scott Wilding, who is exploring these issues as part of his job, offers his thoughts

Dealing with the new normal of a post-COVID-19 world is still a challenge for all of us. The virus has not gone away. People are still dying from this disease. And we all find ourselves coping with the challenges of daily life in many different ways.

Yet, we have to consider what our lives will look like. The below might give an indication of what’s to come.

Pollution and the environment
One of the side effects of lockdown has been better air quality. In the City of London, nitrogen oxide (the most harmful pollutant) fell by 35%, and in London as a whole, some pollutants were down 60%. But with shops and City Airport reopening in June and with those who can being encouraged to drive to work rather than take public transport, we could see a return – or even an increase – in some pollutants.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are indications we can keep the better air quality we have enjoyed. Firstly, many of us have noticed, and liked, the change. And for those with severe lung and breathing difficulties, a reduction in pollution means a better quality of life. Secondly, lockdown gave us all a chance to pause and reassess how we live. The council and TfL are both examining ways in which they can encourage walking and cycling. Wider footpaths and segregated cycle lanes are a must, but investment in existing high streets to make them pleasant places to walk in are also vital. And this leads me to the next point.

Local economy
The OECD predicts the world economy may shrink by 6% in 2020, with the UK hit hardest. So, it’s clear times are tough for all of us. But many of us have been shopping locally during lockdown and it’s now vital that we continue to support Wanstead High Street as much as we can. Our shops need our custom more than ever or many could face closure.

But the economy and the environment are closely linked. By shopping local, walking or cycling to the shops, we are helping to keep the lower pollution levels we have enjoyed. With many of us working at home, the opportunity to shop local has never been so obvious. A post-COVID-19 world could – hopefully – see a high street renaissance.

This month could see the wider opening of pubs and restaurants across the UK, and Wanstead has some top-quality eating and drinking establishments which need supporting. I’ll definitely be heading to the pubs when they open. And my reason? Go to the pub. Drink beer. Save local businesses. Possibly the only time you will ever get away with that excuse. So, let’s make sure we use it.

Rising at Molehill Green in Essex, the River Roding passes through the Wanstead and Woodford area en route to the Thames, bringing with it a very real flood risk to local homes. In the 10th of a series of articles, Nina Garner from the Environment Agency reports on the River Roding Project, which aims to reduce that risk. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

We maintain a wide range of flood and coastal risk management (FCRM) assets which reduce the risk of flooding to people and property. These assets could include, but are not limited to, embankments, pumping stations and flood gates.

The channel maintenance we currently have in our 2020/2021 programme for the River Roding in Redbridge is an annual check to be carried out in December 2020 to January 2021.  This involves our field teams walking the river, cutting back any overhanging vegetation to just above bank height or to allow reasonable access to the channel. They also remove woody debris from the channel to reduce the risk of snagging and clear any blockages larger than a football.

Due to coronavirus, the timing and nature of the maintenance works may change so we can adopt safe ways of working. In line with government advice, we are continuing to deliver all of our flood risk management projects where it is safe for our teams and delivery partners to do so. We are following the latest guidance from Public Health England regarding safe working.

We will publish an updated programme every three months to show progress (visit swvg.co.uk/rodingprogress). You can view the programme as an interactive map to see what is going on near you. To use the map, enter the desired postcode, then click on a feature to find information about the asset and planned work.

The Water Resources Act 1991 grants statutory powers to the Environment Agency to maintain main rivers for reduction of flood risk (sections 169 to 172), irrespective of channel ownership. These powers are discretionary and are exercised according to resources available and the flood risk pertaining in any locality. The legal duty to maintain a watercourse rests with the riparian owner (normally the owner of the land adjacent to the watercourse), irrespective of whether the Environment Agency chooses to undertake works.

Since our last article, we have received an indicative programme of works for the River Roding Project which outlines what will be carried out and when.

Back in October 2018, we carried out ground investigation works at four locations in Woodford on existing flood embankments along the River Roding. After analysing the information obtained, we were able to determine that works are required at two of the four locations to ensure the defences are fit for purpose. To determine exactly what works are required, we will be doing further ground investigation works in August.

We will also be conducting various surveys along the River Roding. These will include ecology surveys at both the flood storage area (FSA) site and Woodford defences and geophysical surveys, including trial trenching at the FSA site, which are proposed to be conducted between August and December 2020. These surveys will inform what work needs to be undertaken and inform the planning application, which we aim to have granted by August 2021.

Please keep an eye out for upcoming engagement events in March or April 2021 prior to the submission of our planning application. This will give you and your community an opportunity to comment on the proposals.

Local resident Jim Reynolds (back row, centre) shares two photos from his teenage years taken in the early 1950s, when he would play ice hockey on the frozen lakes in Wanstead Park

These photos were taken at the Shoulder of Mutton Pond in Wanstead Park one wintry Sunday, circa 1951. They show a few friends from a group of about 18 ice hockey enthusiasts who would meet up on Saturday evenings to watch Harringay Racers ice hockey team playing their home games at Harringay Stadium. 

We would catch the number 25 bus from Ilford Broadway to Woodgrange Park Station. From there, onto the local train bound for Harringay Stadium where we would join some 8,000 spectators.

After the game, we would don our skates for a session on the ice, re-enacting the game! Then off to the chippy in Green Lanes for a bag of chips and a pickled onion! A dash up the stairs to catch the last train back to Woodgrange Park and walk back to Ilford Broadway, having always missed the last bus. Another enjoyable Saturday!

The skating at Wanstead Park, shown in the photos, would have been arranged whilst at Harringay Stadium one Saturday night.

And the gentlemen taking an icy dip were regular all-weather lake swimmers. They were taking their daily dip as my mates and I were on the lake for our ice hockey game!

Lockdown provided London tour guide Chris O’Donnell with an opportunity to learn more about Wanstead, subsequently imparting this knowledge via his virtual tours and encouraging us all to look up. Wanstead High Street photo by Geoff Wilkinson

“Look up.” That’s the first piece of advice you are given when training as a tour guide. It is so you can show people things they haven’t seen before. Or tell them something about a building, a tree, a hill they didn’t know.  And people walking to work, to the shop, to the pub, never look up. 

Lockdown happened 48 hours after I launched my Hidden in Plain Sight London Tour Guide business. I had plenty to do in terms of ever-broadening my repertoire. Even when they are shut, there is plenty to read about on the Tower, St Paul’s, the Abbey, for my exams there next year.

But I needed something else to do. Locally, obviously. But with no people. Zoom meetings and lectures quickly raised the idea of a virtual tour. A virtual local tour. But the problem I had was that 25 years of living in Wanstead hadn’t taught me anything about the place, really. I mean I have my favourite places. The Ginger Pig, the fishmonger, Luppolo’s. And I know all the pubs. The High Street has everything but clothes shops. And even then my new second-hand policy was beginning to work in the charity shops.

But I didn’t know Wanstead like I know the City. Or Soho. Or the South Bank. How to guide it, how to explain it? How to delight and surprise people here? So, I looked up.

I saw the sundial at the Allan Burgess Centre.  I saw what looked like bits of old houses behind the British Heart Foundation shop I bought my black shirt from. I saw just how amazingly massive and majestic the sweet chestnuts on St Mary’s Avenue are. I saw what looks like the fragment of an ancient forest at the bottom of the High Street abruptly end next to the beautifully manicured memorial green. Opposite, the shops, like above Boots, are noticeably younger than… wait… above the Italian deli, “1888”.

What’s going on here?

And then I listened. “At the first tee,” said my mate, “are the craters where the wine cellars were for the old house.” What? Wine cellars at the golf club?

When you have seen things that look interesting, you know where to look then. The old houses turn out to be old Georgian houses, just like the Manor House. And the City of London runs the crazy forest, not Redbridge. The trees on St Mary’s Avenue are famous in horticultural circles. And the sundial? Well, you might have to come on a virtual or walking tour for that one!

So, I have now engaged with around 200 Wansteadians I had never met before and told them things they never knew about their home urban village. All because I looked up.  And so should you.

Wanstead Village councillors Jo Blackman, Daniel Morgan-Thomas and Paul Donovan invite you to drop a pin on the Redbridge Active Travel map and submit your thoughts about shaping a greener Wanstead and Woodford

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused terrible loss of life across the country. These have been challenging times for our community, but it has been fantastic to see people stepping up to help out in so many ways.

And many people have spent more time exploring their local area on foot and by bike.

Now, as we come out of lockdown, there is the possibility of shaping a whole new way of living. The chance to draw on some of the positives of the past three months – the reduction in pollution and carbon emissions. Silence all around. The chance to hear the birds and see the stars.

We must not let all of these gains be thrown away, with a rush to fill the skies with planes and the roads with cars in an effort to make up for loss of economic activity over the pandemic period. There is the chance now to move to a way of living that preserves and builds on some of the gains of the past three months. A transition to a way of living that helps confront that other great crisis in our midst – climate change.

We are keen to find a way to maintain and promote more forms of sustainable transport beyond the current pandemic as part of a green recovery.

The trial closure of some streets in Wanstead Village to enable social distancing could pave the way for street spaces that promote and encourage cycling and walking. Changes such as these could help us achieve those goals of a cleaner, greener way of living. An environment where both young and old can move around more freely, breathing cleaner air.

We know there is much more the council can do to improve cycle paths, walkways, junctions, improve bike storage and encourage the use of electric vehicles.

Redbridge Council wants to hear residents’ views about how we can make our streets safer and promote cycling and walking. So, please share your views and suggestions on the Redbridge Active Travel project’s interactive map.

We know from our inbox and advice service that local residents have lots of ideas about how to make our streets work better for pedestrians and cyclists. Now is the time to share those views to shape the future design of our streets, pavements and cycle paths. If you don’t speak out, nothing will change.

Covid-19 has shown how we can work together to build our communities and support each other. Let’s build on that to ensure a positive legacy for our streets, ward and borough.

Diana Varakina reports on her new job as the first Co-op Member Pioneer for the Wanstead and South Woodford area, a position she believes can improve our wellbeing and build community resilience

My name is Diana, I moved to Wanstead two years ago. Right from the start, I loved the area, from the vibrant High Street to the local swans, the neighbourly and community feel, the green open spaces and Epping Forest.

After lockdown started, and with more time on my hands, I wanted to help during the pandemic. I found that Co-op was actively looking to employ people to support their local community. I applied, was selected and am now excited to be the very first Co-op Member Pioneer for the Wanstead and South Woodford area.

Co-op values and principles resonate strongly with me. People over profit, contribution, self-responsibility, democracy, equality and solidarity – these all meant I could do something for my community with a partner who believes in the same things as I do.

The Member Pioneer role is designed to increase cooperation and participation in the community, working with local colleagues, causes and members to enable great things to happen. My aim is to be a genuine local voice in the community, promoting Co-op member involvement and the Co-op values and principles. What this means in practice is connecting people and building relationships, listening to what matters to people and identifying issues affecting the community and then using Co-op’s reach and resources, as well as other local initiatives, to make a positive difference.

Co-op is the world’s largest consumer co-operative, owned by its millions of members and recognised for its social goals and community-led programmes. It’s also the UK’s fifth-largest food retailer. Many people do not know that every time members buy Co-op branded products and services, 1% of their purchase is donated to local causes in their community.

As a Member Pioneer, I am in a great position to listen to the needs of the Wanstead and South Woodford community and work alongside the residents to reach solutions that not only solve the issue, but do so in a way that empowers the local community and respects equality, human rights and the environment. Now more than ever, we’re seeing the difference these Co-op member donations are making to some amazing causes, especially those supporting people through the current crisis.

Whilst I’m new to the role, I’m excited to play a part in the community and connect with local residents, business and organisations. As we collectively face a challenging period, it is community and togetherness that can make such a difference to people’s lives.

No one can fail to have noticed something happening on the traffic island between The George pub and Wanstead Station. The strings of bunting make it look a bit like a village fete. Hardly likely! This is the final stage of a project Wanstead Community Gardeners have had in mind for some time.   

Three years ago, we took over the wider empty part of this patch with the idea of planting wild flowers there. We had a degree of success, but problems with couch grass and ivy threatened to overwhelm the area. Also, the concrete-like soil didn’t help. Last year, our councillors advised us to apply for a council grant for help with this difficult patch. We were successful but there were complications.

The real game changer came when the council cut down the shrubs which filled the long neck of the traffic island down to the traffic lights as they had become a drivers’ sight line issue. Suddenly, we realised we could use the whole bed, a much larger area. We wanted to create a flower meadow there but conditions are tough. No possibility of watering and long dry spells. Time was ticking on for seed sowing. Finally, we managed the weed eradication programme and the necessary lapse of time, but we had some serious work to do before seeds could be sown.

With the coronavirus, the traffic on the dual carriageway was minimised and there were lots of people with time on their hands.  People gave what time they had.  Keeping a cow distance apart, they dug out the shrub roots and removed decades worth of rubbish trapped in the shrubs (every spadeful of earth brought up more bits of plastic, silver paper and cellophane). The concrete soil was pickaxed to loosen it and all was raked smooth. What a project! What a lot of hard work!

We had our sights firmly fixed on the date for the next real rain. Our seeds would need that to germinate. On 27 April, the deed was done. A very tough mix of seeds sown and footed in. That night, and for the next two days, it poured with rain. The answer to our prayers. There has been little rain since then but the seedlings are growing and the first ones are flowering: Californian desert bluebell. With a name like that, it has to be tough. Watch this space!