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Four members of Wanstead Cricket Club’s women’s team will be representing England in the Indoor Cricket Masters World Series in South Africa next week.

Saba Nasim, Natasha Bourke, Nanette Kritzinger and Jen Liu will be in Cape Town for the tournament, which runs from 19 to 26 October.

As part of Black History Month events taking place locally in October, chef Lyndon Wissart will be explaining how he managed to cure his Type 2 diabetes in 105 days… without medication

My name is Lyndon Wissart and I am from London. I have recently undertaken a journey, which has involved tackling and overcoming struggles with my health.

In 2015 I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, with indications that I was in a danger zone with the symptoms involved. Since then I have managed to cure myself of diabetes without medication. I have also written a book called The Inspired Diabetic, which details my experience in the hope I can help others with the same condition.

Though my parents are of Jamaican heritage, I am originally from London, and have been trained as a professional chef with 30 years of experience under my apron in restaurants and hotels around the capital. According to current statistics, people from a BAME background have a greater chance of developing Type 2 diabetes (people of African-Caribbean decent are three times more likely).

It has become an increasingly undeniable truth that the diabetes epidemic affects people globally and the fact that these unfortunate circumstances can be changed – and even rectified – with adjustments to diet and lifestyle makes this an essential subject to address, which is what I have tried to do by writing my story, charting the steps I took to reverse my own blood sugar levels.

The Inspired Diabetic is a book about lifestyle, nutrition, fitness, exercise and, of course, diabetes. I believe my story will be of interest to many, with diabetes affecting over 400 million people worldwide.

Changes in lifestyle and diet means diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases on the planet. It is also the subject of growing media interest as journalists become aware of the scale of the disease.

Here follows my blood sugar level-reversing journey, which is amazing. This was all done naturally, without medication. As a general guide, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels of less than or equal to 40 mmol/mol is normal.

• October 2015: HbA1c level: 92 mmol/mol
• November 2015: HbA1c level: 77 mmol/mol
• December 2015: HbA1c level: 60 mmol/mol
• 1 February 2016: HbA1c level: 41 mmol/mol
• 29 February 2016: HbA1c level: 39 mmol/mol
• 8 June 2016: HbA1c level: 38 mmol/mol
• 19 October 2016: HbA1c level: 36 mmol/mol

In the fifth of a series of articles looking at the developing plans for restoring Wanstead Park, Richard Arnopp from the Friends of Wanstead Parklands brings us up to date on hopes to resolve the problems with the park’s lakes

The lakes in Wanstead Park are the most visible remaining features of its past as one of this country’s great landscaped gardens. All completely artificial, they are now nearly 300 years old, and for most of their history have suffered from fluctuating water levels.

As the Friends have described in previous articles, this has been due to several factors:

1. The failure of systems designed to supply water to the lakes from outside the park.
2. The loss of much of the natural catchment area to development since 1900.
3. The introduction of modern drainage systems and other services around the park, which has lowered the water table and created leak paths.
4. The loss of the River Roding as a source for the Ornamental Water.
5. The unfavourable geology on which much of the lake system sits.
6. The lack of effective lining, or its deterioration beyond repair, in two of the most vulnerable lakes, compounded – in one case – by wartime damage.

Wanstead Park was listed as a Grade II* landscape “of special interest” by English Heritage (now Historic England) in 2001, following an earlier Grade II designation in 1987. Since 2009 it has been classed as “At Risk” on account of its deteriorating condition. The state of the lakes was a major factor in this.

For more than a decade, the Friends of Wanstead Parklands has been working with the park’s guardians, in particular the City of London, to identify long-term solutions to the problems with the lakes. In 2013 a Wanstead Park Project Steering Committee was set up, involving all major stakeholders, to try to develop an achievable and sustainable plan for the restoration and future management of the park. Under its auspices, the consultancy LDA Design was engaged, and produced a draft Parkland Plan which has gone through several drafts as the knowledge base has developed, circumstances have changed and costs have been clarified. The latest draft proposes three themed work packages. Two of the packages are framed to meet the objective of getting Wanstead Park off the “At Risk” register. These would require a substantial capital funding package involving a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. We hope to be in a position to publish details of the finalised Parkland Plan shortly.

The City commissioned a hydrological survey from JBA Consulting which provided a much clearer understanding of the way the lake system works. However, the whole project was galvanised by a development in a quite different quarter. Under the requirements of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, the Environment Agency confirmed in December 2017 that the lakes in Wanstead Park, which were classified as “Large Raised Reservoirs”, should be raised to “High Risk” status, as an uncontrolled release of water in a major flood event could, in theory, put people’s lives at risk. It should be emphasised that this was not a cause for panic or a criticism of the way the lakes had been maintained, but an almost automatic consequence of the way the new regulations now dealt with lake cascades of this type.

The City of London’s response was to arrange an inspection by the independent civil engineer who monitors the management of reservoirs. He advised that an engineering assessment of the dams needed to be undertaken in the first instance, as it was likely they would need to be strengthened, perhaps raised, and provided with new spillways. The engineering assessment has now been commissioned and should be completed by the end of 2019. It is anticipated the modifications required could cost up to £10 million, based on what has been spent on a similar project on Hampstead Heath.

As far as the City of London is concerned, a bill of this size is not good news, but potentially presents an opportunity for Wanstead Park. This was because spending to strengthen the dams would come from central, rather than Epping Forest, budgets, and it would make sense to carry out other improvements and repairs to the lakes at the same time. Any non-statutory element of the work could potentially be used as match funding for a parallel bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. A grant from that quarter could be used to cover a range of non-water-related improvements to the park, and potentially offer the prospect of covering more ground on a shorter timescale than had ever been contemplated, albeit perhaps with a rather later starting date than previously hoped.

Given the likely deadline for the completion of works on the lakes, timings for a lottery bid would be very tight if any of the spending was to be used as match funding. This is a once and for all opportunity which must be got right!

Similar projects in Highams Park and Hampstead Heath have brought big improvements, including in aesthetic terms. The work will inevitably be disruptive, but the City of London intends to plan and carry it out carefully, taking into account local concerns.

Watch this space!

In the 18th of a series of articles, David Bird discusses the work of Redbridge Music Society and introduces us to Spanish saxophonist Manu Brazo, who will be performing at Wanstead Library this month.

The current aims of Redbridge Music Society are to promote and support talented young musicians in the early years of their careers and to provide a diverse range of musical genres to the Redbridge public. This month, outstanding young saxophonist Manu Brazo, together with award-winning piano accompanist Bryan Evans MBE, will perform music by Vaughan Williams, Verdi (Traviata Fantasy), de Falla, Gershwin and others.

Twenty-six-year-old Manu Brazo was born in Utrera (Seville). After completing his undergraduate studies under Juan Jimenez at the Manuel Castillo Conservatory of Music in Seville, he continued his studies at London’s Royal College of Music (RCM) for a Masters in Performance degree. He made his concerto debut in the UK with the Guildford Symphony Orchestra in 2016, playing the Glazunov Saxophone Concerto, and since then has performed with a number of orchestras, including the London City Orchestra.

Manu has won many awards and prizes, including the 2016 Manuel Castillo Conservatory Concerto Competition. He was invited to join the London Sinfonietta Academy and to collaborate with the Youth Musician Symphony Orchestra (YMSO). In 2018 he was selected to take part in the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, which saw him perform at the Snape Maltings Proms conducted by Marin Alsop. He was chosen for the Tillett Trust Young Artists Platform for 2018/19 and is currently a Philip and Dorothy Green 2019/20 Young Artists Award holder – an award given by Making Music to celebrate the best of the UK’s young musical talent.

Manu has performed at notable venues in the UK, including the Royal Opera House, and has played in Norway, Greece, Spain and Indonesia. He recently performed with Bryan Evans as the opening act for Sir Cliff Richard at the Greenwich Music Time Festival. He also opened at the official Downton Abbey live concert at Highclere Castle.

Accompanist Bryan Evans studied at RCM and whilst there won all the accompanist prizes. He has performed at major UK venues, including London’s Wigmore Hall, and in many countries across the world. He has performed on BBC Radio 3 and TV and is a leading exponent of performing chamber opera from the piano and is currently music director of Diva Opera. In 1993 he was awarded an MBE for his services to music.

The partnership of two such outstanding musicians promises to make Redbridge Music Society’s opening recital of its 2019/20 season a very memorable event.

In the second of a series of articles by members of the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society, Jim Williams tells the story behind this image taken on his way home from work

This picture may be nothing special to most photographers, but to me it was a milestone breakthrough, realising I had recognised the possibility of getting this shot.

I have been a regular member of Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society for just under three years but still consider myself a novice when I compare myself to other members I admire. Some people just have the knack of finding the right angle to make an average image great. I often wonder how they see what I don’t and whether you can teach someone creativity or if it’s something you just have or you don’t.

I must say, since joining Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society, I have started to continually look at my surroundings to see if there is a potential photograph within my sights. I now look skyward as much as down and left or right.

Leaving my office in Fitzrovia at 4.30pm daily, and walking the same route to Tottenham Court Road Tube station, I noticed this facade in Percy Street showing a reflection of a few clouds with the staircase visible through the glazing. I immediately realised that with the right weather conditions the staircase would look like it was passing through the clouds. Camera in hand every afternoon I left work, my journey down Percy Street was finally rewarded with ideal conditions – a very bright sunny afternoon with plenty of fluffy clouds in the sky. This gave a great reflection with the staircase clearly visible.

A bit of teasing with the Detail Extractor Filter from the Nik Collection bolt-on to Photoshop gave me an image that achieved first place in a club competition. A pleasing result, but not as pleasurable as knowing I had imagined the picture before I had actually seen it.

In the third of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK Redbridge, Barking & Havering, Janet West explains the importance of Older People’s Week and looks at what will be happening in Wanstead

The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on 14 December 1990 declaring 1 October as an International Day of Older People. The day is to acknowledge and appreciate the enormous contributions and achievements that older people make to the functioning of society and the economy.

According to the United Nations, almost 700 million people are now over the age of 60. By 2050, two billion people, over 20% of the world’s population, will be 60 or older. The increase in the number of older people will be the greatest and most rapid in the developing world, with Asia as the region with the largest number of older persons, and Africa facing the largest proportionate growth.

Each year, the International Day of Older People has a different theme. Last year’s theme was ‘Celebrating Older Human Rights Champions’ and for 2019 the theme will be ‘The Journey to Age Equality’.

Age UK Redbridge, Barking & Havering have been working alongside Redbridge Council and other local organisations for many years, arranging events to celebrate Older People’s Day. In fact, in Redbridge, there is usually a whole week of celebration and this year is no exception!

There are events planned throughout the week, ranging from information sessions about keeping safe at home, to health and wellbeing, leisure and culture, and there will also be opportunities to try out new exercises in classes around the borough for free, and a celebratory lunch with the Mayor of Redbridge at the Allan Burgess Centre on 2 October.

In fact, Wanstead’s Allan Burgess Centre has an event each day during the week commencing 30 September. There will be a performance from Redbridge Music Lounge, the Redbridge Rhymesters will be having a poetry session with the children from Snaresbrook Primary School, a general knowledge quiz will take place and a comedy performance will keep everyone entertained, all in addition to the Mayor’s celebratory lunch.

Programmes are available from the centre and from local libraries, as well as from Age UK in Ilford. We hope to see lots of people enjoying events throughout the week. Do pop in to the Allan Burgess Centre and join us and enjoy one of the events as well as a home-cooked meal, which will include a free glass of wine on the day of the celebratory lunch.

Marian Temple from the Wanstead Community Gardeners takes a look at the Wanstead Place Clinic garden, a site that epitomises the group’s ethos of collective effort, but is also home to some mystery goings-on

Our latest garden has really taken on a life of its own. Planted only in April in order to catch the spring showers, which didn’t come, it has been lovingly watered by the wonderful Carmel who works in the British Heart Foundation shop. She has the enviable ability of involving the whole world in the watering. Thus, the neighbours, the minister one side and the man in the tall house the other side, have been filling watering cans and barrels.

Helen and Eileen who work at the clinic have been doing their bit, as well as a neighbour in Church Path. This really has turned out to be a community garden with us, the Wanstead Community Gardeners, setting it up and the locals taking over from there. This is exactly as we would like it to be. It makes sense. The garden flourished, and in seemingly no time was awash with colour. This is the only one of our patches which has the luxury of being regularly watered. What a difference that makes!

Right from the beginning this garden seems to have had a life of its own. It wasn’t long before four fairies appeared, plus two frogs and a pair of boots! Two scarecrows arrived on the scene plus a cat missing a hind leg, two rabbits, one without ears, and so it goes on. The latest addition to the menagerie is a meerkat!

This is not our normal style but something else. The children pass by on their way to the Church of England school every day. The mums visit the clinic with their toddlers, as do elderly people coming to have their feet done. Passers-by enjoy this corner of quirkery with its colourful flowers appearing in what was a desolate empty patch and its ever-increasing population of who knows what? It really is a winner and maybe will become as much a Wanstead iconic garden as is the Corner House garden and the fountain beds on George Green.

Now where is the mystery? This concerns the pair of scarecrows. Not only do they move about, sometimes appearing in friendly conflab, at other times back to back, having had a tiff maybe? More mysterious than that is the fact they frequently change their clothes! They have rainwear for inclement weather and quite a wardrobe. Barbie watch out!

All this makes this corner an ongoing delight, full of surprises. Who could have guessed in April that Wanstead would gain such a successful addition to its street patchwork gardens? This one really makes people smile.

On 3 October, Wanstead residents will get the chance to quiz London City Airport representatives about their expansion proposals. John Stewart of campaign group HACAN East reports.

London City Airport has extended the consultation on its expansion proposals in its draft Master Plan to 18 October. The airport wants to almost double flight numbers from today’s levels, end the 24-hour weekend break and bring in more planes in the early morning and late evening.

The proposals have proved highly controversial. The Mayor of Newham called the draft Master Plan “fundamentally flawed”. Other local authorities have come out against the proposals and local residents from many parts of London have been sending in objections. Climate change activists have also raised big concerns.

London City Airport does seem to have miscalculated just how much opposition its proposals would generate. When the consultation ends, it will look at the responses and publish a final Master Plan towards the end of this year. If it does decide to take any of the proposals forward, the airport will need to draw up a detailed planning application to Newham Council, the planning authority for the airport. It will be required to consult on its proposals before submitting the application. It means the earliest any application is likely to be considered will be the middle of next year.

London City Airport has also been asked to look again at its flight paths. It narrowed and concentrated all its flight paths in 2016, resulting in a five-fold increase in complaints to the airport. Parts of Wanstead are directly under these flight paths. The flight paths will be reconsidered whether or not expansion takes place. It is part of wider airspace changes taking place at all airports in London and the South East as air traffic controllers move to a satellite system to guide planes.

London City Airport expects to consult on options for altered flight paths in 2021. Almost certainly, one of the options it will put forward will be for flight paths to be rotated during the day to give communities a break from the noise. This would tie in with Heathrow’s commitment when it introduces its new flight paths to give all communities a break from the noise each day. These flight path changes bring some hope for people in Wanstead but they are unlikely to be introduced until about 2024. The reason for the delay is that changing flight paths at all airports in London and the South East is a complex task as the airspace is among the busiest in the world.

In the immediate term, though, the concern is London City’s proposals for expansion. You can find more details about these, plus some handy hints on making a response, on our website.

In the 16th of a series of articles charting the Wild Wanstead project – which aims to transform Wanstead into a multi-garden nature reserve – Iain Ambler provides an update on work to rewild parts of George Green. Photography by Alex Deverill

Lots of Wanstead residents will be familiar with the term rewilding. It’s a concept that’s gaining increasing currency in the UK in the conservation debate. It refers to the restoration of an area of land to its natural state, particularly to reintroduce species of animals or plants.

The most famous example is the Knepp Estate in Sussex, which since 2001 has seen extraordinary increases in wildlife. Rare species like nightingales and purple emperor butterflies are breeding well there and populations of common species are growing at an astronomical pace. Rewilding is bringing hope that the UK can reverse the, frankly, alarming trends of biodiversity loss seen over the last 70-plus years.

So far, so good… but could a form of rewilding happen in an urban environment? Say, in the middle of urban Wanstead? What would happen if nature was allowed to just do its thing here?

Wild Wanstead has been working with Redbridge Council to undertake a trial to find out exactly that. Areas of parkland and several road verges have been left unmown to see what might emerge naturally, and to allow native wildflowers and plants to grow taller over the summer, providing nectar and habitat for insects, and to set seed by the autumn and be dispersed, spreading biodiversity. The trial site at George Green was surveyed to see what had emerged and the value of this approach for wildlife. And the signs were quietly encouraging:

We recorded over 80 species of trees and plants, most of them native (not garden escapes). Just think about that for a second. Would you have said even 10 species existed on the Green?      

Many native British wildflowers grow tall if left unmown, and these have flowered as a result of the project. Some examples: the beautiful pink of common mallow, the tall spear-like shape of goat’s beard (or Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon), lemon balm and common ragwort, which will provide food for the caterpillars of the cinnabar moth.

We found some nice insect species in the long grass areas, including the Essex skipper butterfly. Why are they here? Their caterpillars will typically eat grasses such as cocks-foot, Timothy and common couch, all native grasses which have grown tall in central areas of the site. Butterflies like the understory the long grasses provide as shelter from predators.

We found indicator grass and plant species, evidence that all but confirms that George Green is a likely fragment of old acid grassland, the sort of place where highwaymen and bandits of old might have hidden out.

Then there’s just the sheer beauty – at least to this eye – of the wind blowing waves through stands of wildflowers and long grass of different colours, forms and heights against the backdrop of local residents enjoying the Green on a hot summer’s day.

So, overall, there are signs that, when left alone, nature returns, even to the middle of an urban environment.

If you have enjoyed George Green and like the idea of areas in Wanstead being left to return to nature over the summer, do let the council know via their parks email, (parks.enquiries@visionrcl.org.uk). It’s vitally important they know we care, so we can continue and extend this experiment. Let’s rewild Wanstead!

The big news for last year’s Wanstead Fringe was the event’s first professional theatre production. This year, there are three. Chloe Longstaff takes a look at each

Truly celebrating diversity in theatre, this year’s Wanstead Fringe is hosting three contrasting performances, offering something for all ages and interests.

First up is The Border, an outrageous Brechtian parable that explores the lines we draw between ourselves and other people. Staged by Theatre Centre, which was founded in 1953 and has decades of experience at bringing new writing to audiences, The Border is a timely and thought-provoking contribution to our questions of identity; life is about to be turned upside down for one small town as the border crossing is sealed shut, dividing here from there, us from them, this from that. In the midst of it all, Stranger, a young girl’s beloved dog, has gone missing. Will Stranger be found before the border closes, or will he be trapped forever on the ‘wrong’ side? This play is suitable for children aged 13-plus and will be particularly useful to young audiences, though relevant to everyone. It’s a must for anyone studying drama, citizenship and PHSE.

We Must Throw The Cows Down The Ravine is our next production, by an award-winning theatre company, adapted from the best-selling book Voices of the Labyrinth by Spanish author Ricard Ruiz Garzon, where the reality of schizophrenia is explored. Told from the view of both patients and family members, these true testimonials challenge the stigma and discrimination experienced by people dealing with mental health issues and help us realise each individual’s journey is a very personal one. The show was first produced in Caracas, Venezuela and is now touring Europe. In June, it opened at Teatro La Maquina in Valenica before moving to the renowned Teatro Español in Madrid. In July, it transferred to London where it was performed at the Cervantes Theatre, and it will now be performed (in English) at the Wanstead Fringe!

Last but not least is The Railway Children. This heart-warming tale is set to a stunning new musical soundtrack, bringing a touch of magic to the stage. When Roberta, Peter and Phyllis move to the country with their mother, they discover the joys of the steam railway and make new, unexpected friends. The only thing missing is their father. Brought to the Wanstead Fringe by the company who last year delighted audiences with sell-out performances of The Secret Garden and performed in the impressive Deaton Theatre at Forest School, this is an opportunity to see a West End-style musical right on your doorstep.

An evening of stargazing in the grounds of Wanstead Cricket Club will mark the start of this year’s Wanstead Fringe.

“There are two chances to see the night sky through powerful telescopes with experts on hand to show you what to look out for,” said organiser Ricardo Cerezo. The free event will take place on 6 September from 8pm to 9pm, and will be repeated the following evening. “One of England’s great astronomers, James Bradley (1693–1762), is buried in the churchyard next door.”

Visit wnstd.com/fringe19

The magic of panto and storytelling will come to local libraries this autumn with a series of performances by drag queen Mama G.

“Created by popular panto dame Robert Pearce, Mama G tells stories about being who you are and loving who you want, to children and their families, and anyone who’ll listen! She has spread her message all over the UK at libraries, theatres, museums and festivals, as well as making appearances in America and Canada,” said a spokesperson for Petite Pantos.

The ‘storytime with a difference’ will take place in Wanstead (2 October, 2pm), Woodford Green (4 October, 10.30am) and South Woodford (8 October, 2.30pm) as part of Redbridge’s annual Fabula Festival, which celebrates the arts and libraries and their power to transform lives. Suitable for children aged three and over, all shows are free to attend.

“These performances will feature published works and new writing that will make you laugh, think and love.”

Click here for more information.