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A campaign is calling on Redbridge Council to extend Wanstead’s Grow Zones project to other parts of the borough.

“Grow Zones are areas on the edges of parks and road verges where the grass is left to grow long and naturalise with wild flowers over spring and summer… Wild areas can help nature thrive in cities and are a low-cost way the council can help address the biodiversity crisis,” said a spokesperson for Wild Wanstead, which has been working on the project with the council for the last two years.

Visit wnstd.com/gz

The Woodford and District branch of the National Trust has issued an apology as the group’s recently announced new programme of talks has been put on hold.

“It seems unlikely that any of our meetings will go ahead as hoped, as both our venues – the Woodford Memorial Hall and All Saints Church hall in Woodford Green – have no plans to reopen for groups like ours for the coming few months,” said a spokesperson.

Call 07711 796 118

Woodford Arts Group member Ged Rumak explains his love of Venice and why he chose that city for his entry in the group’s travel-themed virtual exhibition

I have visited Venice many times on business and for pleasure. My first was in 1961. So, when it was decided that the Woodford Arts Group spring exhibition at Packfords Hotel would be titled Travellers Tales, I reached for my Venice sketchbooks.

Is there anyone who does not suppress a secret thrill on arriving in Venice for the first time, or returning after a long absence? People flock to the world’s most photographed and painted city from the four corners of the earth, but to arrive by train from the railway station is tantamount to entering a palace by the tradesman’s entrance. The only way is by boat from the wide expanse of the open sea or by one of the fast small boats from Marco Polo Airport.

The large skies and the halo of light reflecting on the lagoon as you approach the city are thrilling. There are moments when the light is perpendicular or extremely low and there are no shadows; the city seems poised in space and air in such a way that it seems a prismatic, unreal object of contemplation.

We seem to be racing towards a globalised future where differences between local customs, accents and peculiarities are becoming ever more blurred. But not so in Venice. Its pageantry, festivals, carnivals and religious processions are the heartbeat of this city.

Drawing is the basic grammar of painting. It is a language that can be learned by everybody. It is a teachable and crucial skill, a tool to help the artist understand the subject.

My sketchbooks included drawings of magnificent palazzos, views of the Piazza San Marco, the Doge’s Palace and various aspects of Palladio’s Renaissance masterpiece, the church of San Giorgio Maggiore. Other studies included views of ‘backstreet’ canal walls, domestic buildings, wells and working boats.

One sketchbook is filled with details of some of the 418 bridges that anchor the 116 islands that make up the city, and another with gondoliers skilfully laying the gondola on its side as they scull, giving them more control. In the past, Venice would have been impossible without the gondola weaving its way through the complex network, a never-ending maze of waterways.

I feel that in order to say something substantive in painting, it is necessary to really know the subject you are trying to portray. Not just the surface visual aspects but also something of the people, history and customs. This affinity with the subject becomes highly personal and evident in the work. My fascination with the skies, weather and architecture is driven by the light. Rain in Venice is a delight. It’s only the tourists who believe in the sun. The rain awakens the colour and the smell of the stones. And do they know it snows in Venice?     

I was progressing with two works for the exhibition when along came the pandemic. The Woodford Arts Group decided the event would continue, but as the Virtual Spring 2020 Gallery: Traveller’s Tales.

From news reports, Venice, glittering in spring sunshine, was eerily deserted. In an effort to catch the mood from what I could see and what I knew of the city, I painted a shadow on a wall of iconic Venetian brickwork, a passing gondola and gondolier (shown here). The second painting is of a lone cherry tree just breaking into early spring blossom in a Venice backwater near the Ghetto.   

Venice has suffered several plagues throughout its thousand years of existence, Covid-19 is just the latest. A sheer creative folly, a work of beauty that was desired and constructed by human beings. A totally unique city. If its many problems are not handled with thought and intelligence, I fear it may disappear.

South Woodford resident Seetal Kaur discovered yoga before coronavirus become headline news. During lockdown, that discovery became an essential part of his physical and mental wellbeing

In these uncertain times, it is hard to find ways to occupy your time. Perhaps you have been baking a signature banana bread or having a deep spring clean. Personally, I have found solace in perfecting a hobby of mine, yoga.

Yoga is an ancient Indian discipline that combines breathing, meditation and exercise, aiming to connect the mind, body and soul.  Having started my yoga journey eight months ago, I quickly noticed my fitness improving and, most importantly, the positive impact it had on my wellbeing.

Routine is especially important these days, so I stick to an hour of Ashtanga or Vinyasa Flow (lively sessions that merge fluid movement and breath) before lunch. These dynamic practices kick-start the day, and for someone who hates the conventional workout method, this exercise is the perfect substitute. Three hours after dinner, just before I’m ready to wind down for bedtime, is the perfect time to take up a 30-minute yin/restorative practice (poses are held for longer periods and aim to calm the mind and body). It is suggested to eat two to three hours before any practice as your mat could get seriously messy during those upside-down poses!

When the class begins, the teacher will ask you to set an intention or goal to maintain focus throughout and close with gratitude. Giving thought to an intention and practising gratitude becomes most apparent during these times as you might want to dedicate your practice to someone who may be going through a difficult or challenging time, or even devote positive energy to yourself.

While you may be feeling you don’t have the necessary props to fully commit to the practice, these household substitutes will have you covered:

Yoga mat: place a blanket on top of a rug.

Bolsters (a long, thick pillow used for support): folded blankets.

Straps: try using a scarf or any type of belt.

Blocks: these can easily be achieved with a stack of books or old DVD boxes.

Research shows the benefits of yoga include stability, flexibility and balance, strengthening of the muscles and the reduction of anxiety. I especially noticed my anxiety reduce through breathwork (conscious breathing is the main essence of yoga). According to Ayurveda (meaning the science of life in Sanskrit), the breath and mind are unanimous. So, when the mind is chaotic, the breath is chaotic. When our mind is focused, the breath mirrors.

This form of therapy allows me to experience inner peace and sets a calm tone for the remainder of the day.

In the 10th of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, Janet West explains how they have risen to the challenge of coronavirus

We have worked hard keeping in contact with our service users over the last three months during these difficult times. For most of our services, such as advice and information, visiting, befriending, the Wanstead Activity Centre and falls prevention, we switched from face to face support to providing over 8,000 telephone befriending and over 1,000 welfare check calls, helping to identify immediate needs and putting in place timely support. We have dealt with a wide range of enquiries, from helping someone get a working fridge to replacing hearing aid batteries. 

Additionally, our Di’s Diamonds service users have benefited from their own dedicated Facebook page and some online activities set up by the coordinators using Zoom. Indeed, technology has been more and more important in reaching out to people during these troubled times and this has had a hugely beneficial impact on our older residents. Additionally, Brenda, who runs our popular art classes from the Cherry Tree in Wanstead, has been offering support by phone and also opportunities for students to access her art class videos online.

Of course, not all of our service users have access to the internet, and for them, a regular friendly phone call has been crucial to their wellbeing. Having someone to talk to when you are feeling low and unable to go out has been warmly received. We have set up a shopping and prescription collection service for those in need and have been truly humbled with the offers of help we have received from the public.

Our staff have been working from home, which has presented many challenges, but I’m glad to say that, thanks to their dedication, we have managed to overcome these! Our phone lines are still being answered as the calls are diverted to staff at home to deal with and we are now in the process of preparing our offices for a hopeful return in July. Our Wanstead Activity Centre may need to stay closed for a little longer and services within the centre may need to change when we do reopen.

Finally, a story from James, one of our service users in receipt of the telephone befriending service and Ellie, the volunteer who has been ringing him every week, even reached the BBC and was featured on Radio 4. It’s great to know that our services are really helping people when they need it most. You can listen to Ellie and James’ story on our Facebook page.

If you would like to know more about our services, refer someone you know for support or join in our activities, please get in touch.

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.

While the Rotary Club of Leytonstone and Woodford supports global causes, it is particularly focused on the local community and other deserving causes closer to home, says John Bracken

Like most, we are immensely proud of the wave of volunteers coming together in the battle against Covid-19, many of whom may not have done this type of work before. Should you have these qualities, you may be the type of person who may wish to join us, and you would be most welcome.

Coronavirus forced us to cancel three major fundraising events in March and May, including a giant quiz at Trinity School and a golf day at Chigwell. We have successfully managed to replace the anticipated shortfall, enabling us to continue our commitments in the community. We have donated to foodbanks and provided a defibrillator to a Leytonstone church, and we are looking to supply a computer to a homeless unit.

When it is safe to do so, we intend to kick-start our monthly Memory Cafe, our weekly transport for the blind and regular community fellowship work. Our work is supported by our fundraising along with public donations and there are plans to support local young people in several areas.

Our last Rotary year included a Christmas party, lots of toys for many who would never have received a gift and food parcels for those most in need. We financed a bike for a RaceRunning project in its early stages, which allowed less-abled people to enjoy the freedom movement can bring. We helped in the inaugural Disability Games organised by the club’s District last year but sadly postponed in the current climate. Like all events which have had to be postponed, we look forward to rearranging them soon.

We are proud to encourage schoolchildren to build public speaking skills and support those with musical talent. We sponsored a young man at the biannual Rotary Youth Makes Music performance at London’s Royal Festival Hall and have plans to reschedule our own local youth musical festival at West Hatch High School when life returns to normal.

We have always enjoyed the variety of Rotary and there is much of it. Supplying financial help in supporting international disaster appeals and work in impoverished areas is all part of our lives. We also welcome overseas students to London and encourage them to visit us and share their experiences. We host at least one international student annually and shortly will be overseeing a young lady from South Korea, circumstances permitting.

There is also a strong social side to the club, with regular outings and dinner with our partners. The club meets weekly on a Thursday evening and is currently doing so courtesy of Zoom. We look forward to the day when we can all meet again in the comfort of the Chigwell Convent where regular guest speakers add to our enjoyment.

Some South Woodford scribbles from DD, our resident diarist, commentator and observer of all things local

I’m still here. How I would like to give you a welcome handshake. A hug even. Thank you for reading my column. My dip into life’s rich pattern as lived out in our unpretentious suburb of South Woodford. A strange, less-than-rich pattern for the time being: were I to see you approaching, I would have to step into the road if the pavement was too narrow to accommodate our social distancing. I’d push up my mask to hide my smile. It all goes against the grain, doesn’t it! 

I’ve been looking at my DD diaries dating back to 2013. All those wonderful close encounters with fellow locals that have provided me with so much personal enjoyment (and stuff to write about!) Shoppers, book lovers, tattooists, clothing repairers, road sweepers. So many more. Such a privilege, meeting face-to-face and sharing. In November 2017, I wrote: “I’m way, way, past the age of not speaking to strangers.” So, what can I write about now in the July 2020 edition, when speaking closely to almost anyone is to be avoided?

I did notice my partner chatting encouragingly to his tomato plants yesterday. I haven’t confessed it to him, but I have been urging on his runner beans, friendly-like, and even his chirpy row of radish seedlings. I’ve been accepting thankfully the protective circle of family and friends who have made our isolation possible. In many respects, strangely enjoyable. A commodity that seemed elusive before lockdown is now lavishly available: I mean TIME, of course.

Thursday is Christmas Day each week, when the “Basics Box” arrives from Ongar Dairies, the nearest company I could find with some remaining available delivery slots. What will it contain this week? Bread, milk, butter, eggs, fruit and vegetables. Yes, the basics. But not just carrots and spuds and apples. Sometimes avocados, melons, blueberries, mushrooms.  Even perhaps spaghetti, crusty rolls, orange juice. Wow! Hot cross buns at Easter. We have been introduced to bok choy. (I researched the best way to serve it. In a wok.) And oat milk and extra-thick creamy Greek yoghurt. Something to cater for all tastes! One week, we did end up with too many cucumbers. There’s only so much you can do with too many cucumbers. I found a cucumber soup recipe and forged ahead, unwilling to waste any good nourishing food. No surprise, really: the soup didn’t taste of anything. Not willing to hurt my feelings, of course, my other half suggested “a good slurp of sherry would improve it”. It did.

We ordered a barbecue online. Sons and daughters supplied suitable ingredients. Quite a smoke cloud at first but the neighbours didn’t complain. Soon, the charcoal was glowing red and on went the salmon, the carefully prepared peppers and onions on skewers. We included something called a barbecue chimney in our order. It speeds up the process of getting the charcoal to the glowing red stage. (Exactly the same technique we used at home when I was a child, kneeling in front of the fireplace, holding up a large tin tray or even yesterday’s newspaper in front of the coals to create a draft up the chimney and tease the kindling firewood into flames). With the weather being so wonderfully kind, we have dusted down a couple of comfy old garden chairs. Books are being read in the daytime! Pretty well unheard-of in ‘normal’ times. And another confession: the throughput of wine, of any shade, has, ever so slightly, accelerated.

When the lockdown started, I admit I felt less in control of the structure of my days. I have waited in for deliveries of web-sourced purchases promised for “between 8am and 8pm”. Sometimes in vain. Not much room for the daily exercise. I miss my freedom to stroll out and pay visits and cruise unhurriedly down my shopping list at the supermarket. But I never forget the time, years ago, when a young friend described me as “the headmistress of the school for positive thinking”. Something to live up to, eh? And I can indeed report on several really very satisfactory mini-achievements. Conducted remotely. I have in writing a promise from the Odeon to refund the cost of the two tickets I bought well in advance for a performance of Fidelio, streamed from Covent Garden. (A week later, all cinemas were closed.) I ordered two boxes of plastic gloves from Amazon to contribute to our anti-corona armoury. A month later, Royal Mail left a message, in bright red, on the doormat, saying they would deliver ‘a package’ once I forked out an £11.87 customs charge. Assuming the package was probably another delayed birthday gift, I went online and paid the charge. The gloves arrived. From China. I composed a thoughtfully-worded complaint. Sent a copy of the Royal Mail receipt. A full refund is now in hand. NatWest wrote to me about a small overdraft on “my account”. The one I knew I had closed some years ago. Slightly worrying. A number of phone calls to head office ensued, involving much listening to music. A letter to the local branch. A period of delay. But finally, two phone calls from a charming member of the bank staff telling me I must not worry: a local executive decision had been made to shut down the account with the debt written off. Puzzling but gladly accepted. Thank you to ‘the friendly bank’.

I was disappointed when we stopped clapping on Thursdays at 8pm. A symbol of togetherness when we were being urged to keep apart. The only two minutes in the week when I actually saw my neighbours. An upbeat, joyfully rowdy ritual celebrating not just our key workers but our community. Back into the toy box with the drums and tambourines. On we go. One day at a time!

Along with many other monuments, the Sir Winston Churchill statue in Woodford Green was vandalised in June. Extremists are seeking to hijack Black Lives Matter for their own agenda, says Councillor Clark Vasey

Shocking images of George Floyd’s final moments on the streets of Minnesota have echoed around the world, and rightly sparked calls for action to address inequality on both sides of the Atlantic.

Fortunately, we don’t have the same issues with our police as they do in some parts of the US, and we can be proud of how our police serve all of our communities. However, there is more we must do to ensure everyone has the same chance to get on in life.

As we unite against racism and examine what needs to be done to improve the life chances of black citizens, this timely debate has been hijacked by extremists hell-bent on tearing down statues. They are not concerned about improving anyone’s life chances but care about furthering their extreme political agenda by controlling the past. It’s been helped along by virtue signalling politicians, like London’s mayor, for whom it’s a handy distraction from his city mismanagement.

I agree with President Macron when he said he would not erase French history. Indeed, few countries’ histories would come off well through the prism of today’s values. We should be honest about our history, but what matters most is the history we make now. This is where we can make a difference.

Statues across the country are being targeted to further an extreme agenda through undemocratic means. Tellingly, the bloodstained memorials to Marx and Engels are not on the list. The hit list is a mix of statues with vile links to the slave trade and a century’s worth of politicians they don’t like, but most bizarre to any normal person is the inclusion of the man who led the defeat of fascism, Winston Churchill.

While the country has been disgusted by the defacing of the Churchill statue in Parliament Square, residents of Woodford have worried about our own iconic statue, which has not been immune from thugs who ought to read some history rather than deface it. The statue in Churchfields ward was recently vandalised with spray paint, which was quickly removed. However, you only have to delve into the murky world of left-wing Twitter to see that a threat to the statue remains. Churchfields residents who have contacted me are right to be concerned. We have a brilliant Safer Neighbourhoods Team here, but we must all remain vigilant.

When commenting on the vandalism, Council Leader Jas Athwal seemed to lump Churchill into a wider review of the appropriateness of statues in Redbridge. Churchill is the man who led the defeat of the most racist regime in history. We should be proud to have one of the greatest Britons recognised in our area, and pride is exactly what residents feel.

As plans for a community orchard in South Woodford progress, Louise Burgess of the South Woodford Society explains what help they will need in the coming months

Everyone needs a connection to nature.  It helps when stress levels are high, and can help with conditions such as PTSD, depression and anxiety – in children as well as adults.

Many people, as part of their daily exercise during lockdown, have found a new interest in walking around their neighbourhoods, and the number of people that have flocked to green areas such as Epping Forest and Wanstead Park shows how much we treasure our local green spaces. There is even a name for it: biophilia, which means “the rich natural pleasure we feel from being surrounded by living organisms”. This explains the peace we can find after walking in the forest, or even just petting our pets – it is simply the love of other living things.

So, if a small section of South Woodford can be transformed into a community orchard for all the population to enjoy and benefit from – and to create habitats for wildlife – our connection to nature can be increased as well as helping with the area’s biodiversity.

You may have seen the article last year which launched the South Woodford Society’s campaign to establish a community orchard in South Woodford. While the original fundraising pitch did not pass the requirements at that particular time, it did result in a number of pledges, and we continue to be committed to refurbishing this site and to enhance the community spirit that has so wonderfully come to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, it’s good news that Redbridge Council has agreed to support the project. An agreement is being prepared that includes getting the necessary council permissions so that, once funding is in place, the site alongside the flyover on Mulberry Way and Primrose Road could be planted during this planting season, October 2020 to March 2021, all being well.

We have been in discussions with the charity The Orchard Project, which will be able to help in readying the land and planting the trees, but we have a fair amount of work to do before this can take place, and need to finalise the funding for the project before October.

We’re waiting to hear whether there are any other funding rounds we can apply for. In the meantime, we are investigating crowdfunding platforms, which will be accessed via the South Woodford Society website and will include information, timelines and options to donate. We will need help with setting up the crowdfunding campaign, so if you have any experience in this or are just enthusiastic to help, please get in touch.

We are also calling on all residents who are interested in gardening, landscaping and community projects of this nature to be ready to answer our call for action!

Robert Putt, who attended Woodbridge High School 80 years ago, is collaborating with the school to document his memories of the area. In the fourth of a series of articles, Robert talks about VE Day

Tuesday 8 May 1945. I remember this date well in the nation’s calendar of special events. The German surrender had been enacted on the seventh and the next day had been declared a national holiday.

At that time, I was looking forward to my 16th birthday and had been working in a City of London stockbroker’s office since January 1944. This necessitated a weekly seasonal rail ticket between George Lane railway station and Liverpool Street. My friends and I, deciding that the empty streets and shops of South Woodford offered very little in the way of teenage excitement, soon made use of these valuable assets. We found ourselves walking up Old Broad Street, past the Mansion House and then onwards, towards Ludgate Circus, Fleet Street and the Strand, always aware of the people we were walking with gradually increasing in number as we moved along the full width of the roads.

Traffic was non-existent. Entering Trafalgar Square, the sight that met our eyes was amazing. It seemed to us that every nationality was there. Military uniforms from all over the world were bringing changes to a backdrop of grey buildings, and progressing into Pall Mall, with its red asphalt roadway and green trees, this presented a picture of London that we, and thousands of others, had not seen before.

A kaleidoscope of colour, with people making circles of space in which to dance. There was no music, but it didn’t seem to matter. American GIs were jitterbugging with any girl who wanted to dance and there were hundreds of them, circling around others who were demonstrating their slightly more formal ballroom skills. There were the khaki uniforms of the Women’s ATS and Land Army, the blue tunics of the WAAFs and the navy blues of the WRENs, all merging with similar colours of the male contingent. Added to this were the civilians in their party frocks and shirts, thousands of them, all converging on less than a square half-mile of London’s West End. For our part, we hadn’t wasted our time at the dances that were held at the Royal Forest Hotel every Saturday evening and were soon in the middle of this crazy and unusual celebration.

The last trains back to Epping and Ongar were timed to leave Liverpool Street between six and seven o’clock, in fairness to the railwaymen who had worked that day. We arrived back at George Lane before eight and returned home to see what our parents had been doing to mark the occasion. I think my dad made the most of his time off to do some work on his vegetable garden. Some things don’t stop; even an event like the end of the war had to give way to more demanding duties.

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!