Editor

A drama group founded by former pupils of Woodford County High School will stage its next production at Wanstead House community centre.

“In 1939, two students of the all-girls school formed a drama society and had to find men for the male roles! Back then, the school was known as Highams School, hence our name,” said a spokesperson for Highams Players, who welcome new members on stage and behind the scenes. The group will perform Something to Hide by Leslie Sands from 29 to 31 May.

Visit swvg.co.uk/hp

The residents of Alexandra Road and Burton Road in South Woodford held a street party on 5 May to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Over 120 neighbours of all ages gathered together for a day of feasting and traditional activities.

“The young ones liked playing football in the closed road. Many enjoyed the egg and spoon and three-legged races. The tug of war was popular as was the pass the parcel, with actions in each layer. Several intrepid folk offered to be targets in the stocks and  then rushed home to get out of wet clothes. The conga went round local streets and through GAKs corner shop! Another successful event for our community. The new residents were amazed!” said Geraldine Maclaine MBE.

TfL has published a review of the W12, W13 and W14 bus routes, which were restructured last September.

The review concludes that bus use has increased following the changes but acknowledges the services have not been good enough, with the arrival of new electric buses in the summer expected to improve performance. The report also states the afternoon school journey on the W13 will be re-timed to better meet school travel and that monitoring of the bus network will continue.

Visit swvg.co.uk/wreview

Residents are continuing their fight against the changes made to local bus routes last September.

“We will stand up for residents until we see the improvements needed, starting with the W14, now running hourly and not even stopping at Whipps Cross Hospital etc… We believe TfL’s decision was based on profitability rather than residents’ needs… The struggle continues but we are here for the duration! Please help by signing the petition,” said Liz Martins from the Save Our Local Bus Services campaign.

Visit swvg.co.uk/savebus

Redbridge Council is urgently calling on men in Redbridge to prioritise their health.

It follows a report by the council’s Public Health Team, which highlighted that more men die prematurely than women in the borough. The top cause of death was cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke), followed by cancer and liver disease. Redbridge also has the third-highest prevalence of diabetes in London.

Visit swvg.co.uk/hlth

David Varney is the manager of South Woodford’s Manor Court Lodge for the over-60s and is hosting an open day in May to dispel the common misconceptions about what a ‘later living’ development actually is

There is a commonly held misconception that developments specifically designed for the over-60s are somehow ‘care homes’ or provide some sort of ‘assisted living’. I imagine that with many of these developments being given the title of ‘retirement homes’, they conjure up images of people in the last stages of life or, as described by others, being in God’s waiting room!

Well, with both my mother and mother-in-law living in these types of developments for several years now, I know first-hand nothing could be farther from the truth, with the majority of residents having a far busier social schedule than most! Now, as the manager of one of these developments myself, I not only want to set the record straight but also promote the idea of ‘later living’ to others.

The reality is most people come to a development like this having had a change in circumstances that prompts them to look at their future options. For example, if their current property is too big to manage, moving can not only reduce that burden but also release equity in their current home, providing some financial security for both the residents and their families. If a partner dies, the thought of being at home alone is quite daunting for many, particularly if they don’t have any family close by or any other type of support around them.

Because of the unique nature of these developments, their market value tends to be greatly reduced compared to other similar sized properties in a given area, so again, the affordability factor can play a huge part in someone’s decision to move into such a development. With the properties being looked after by a management company, residents can sit back and relax, knowing that if the roof (literally) blows off, there is someone who will sort that out. Contracted gardeners keep the gardens immaculate, window cleaners keep the windows sparkling and cleaners keep the communal areas tidy. These are, of course, all paid for by the residents as part of their service charge, but they are all continually scrutinised by a managing company to ensure high standards. The other added benefits of these developments that you might not see in other blocks of flats include access to a 24-hour careline and people like me, a manager on site who looks after the building but also looks out for the residents.

With games nights, cocktail evenings and other organised events, a sense of community and companionship are but two reasons why people over 60 choose to move to a development like this. Of course, it’s all about independent living, so you can get involved as much as you wish. The key point is there’ll be people around you when you need them.

Manor Court Lodge is located at 169–175 High Road, South Woodford. An open day will take place on 17 May from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Call 020 8505 8352

Redbridge Council is looking at ways to improve road safety on Hermon Hill.

It follows multiple collisions in recent years and calls from residents to address problems with speeding.

“We are pleased to hear the council will be working on designs to improve road safety on Hermon Hill and we share residents’ concerns. We have been advocating for road safety measures for a number of years and look forward to seeing the draft plans, which will be subject to consultation with residents,” said Councillor Jo Blackman.

Residents are invited to take part in a series of community action days in Elmhurst Gardens.

Organised by the Friends of Elmhurst Gardens and Vision RCL, the sessions will run from 11am to 12 noon on 10 May, 21 June, 2 August, 13 September and 25 October. Activities may include planting flowers, pruning, litter picking, updating noticeboards and sweeping the tennis courts.

“Tools will be provided and families are especially welcome. So, come along and help look after your local park,” said a spokesperson.

Visit swvg.co.uk/foeg

Ray Park in Woodford will be one of nine starting points for Ride Redbridge on 11 May, a borough-wide event forming part of the London Cycling Festival.

“Join a fully marshalled, gently paced ride to Fairlop Waters, where riders from all over Redbridge will come together for a picnic,” said a spokesperson for the Redbridge Cycling Campaign. Cyclists will meet at the James Leal Café and depart the park at 11.15am, returning mid-afternoon. The rides are suitable for all abilities and all ages.

Visit swvg.co.uk/rr25

The South Woodford Ladies – a group of over 50 women of South Asian heritage – celebrated their 10th anniversary in April.

“We started to meet randomly in the neighbourhood and would often chat about shared experiences, so we formalised the group in 2015 and have been meeting in local venues ever since. We support each other and organise collections for various charities,” said group founders Sonia Suri, Pritika Bhatia and Marina Phull.

The ladies celebrated with a meal and birthday cake at Namak restaurant.

As the nation marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, local historian Davis Watson reflects on the impact World War Two had on Woodford

Eighty years ago, South Woodford residents joined the nation in celebrating VE Day and the end of six painful years of war.

By the time war had been declared in September 1939, South Woodford, like many other towns across the nation, had been preparing in case of conflict. The local borough had founded a community Civil Defence Service in March 1936 and when war was announced, 43 wardens’ posts, spread across six districts, were quickly confirmed. It was post 21 – located at The Shrubberies, George Lane – who were tasked to deal with one of South Woodford’s most demanding incidents in the early hours of 14 October 1940. Two high-explosive bombs fell onto the train crossing, causing serious damage to the tracks and adjoining subway that was then under construction. On that occasion, no casualties were recorded. However, the residents of South Woodford would not always be so lucky.

Less than two months later, a mine exploded in Wordsworth Avenue, killing 12 people and injuring 41. Sixteen of those injured required hospital treatment and were likely collected by volunteers based at the nearby Cowslip Road School (since renamed Oakdale Infant School), who would transport victims to the nearest hospital. Later in the war, the school was used as an emergency feeding store and suffered severe damage in January 1945 when a long-range rocket fell in Woodville Road. Sadly, that incident alone injured 90 people and claimed the lives of a further 18, including a small girl found crushed beneath a fallen chimney stack.

Another young South Woodford resident to lose their life during the war was seven-year-old Arthur Bartaby of 8 Stanley Road. Arthur was one of four children of Ada and George Bartaby that were evacuated to Barnstaple in July 1939. One morning in September 1940, while in the kitchen of the Hawkins family with whom he stayed, Arthur fell and damaged the base of his brain, passing away a day later.

Another local site utilised during the war was Holy Trinity Church, whose hall served as a rest centre to provide accommodation for bombed-out families. The church itself received damage when its splendid east windows – donated in the 1890s by the Nutter sisters, well-known local philanthropists – were blown out. A replacement was designed by Hugh Easton and dedicated by Reverend Hugh Gough, the Bishop of Barking, on 22 April 1950. Two months earlier, a new electrical installation in the church had been dedicated to “the memory of the men and women who lost their lives during the Second World War,” as a plaque still visible on the interior west wall records. One of those men was David Scott Shearman Wilkerson, an RAF pilot who passed away in a crash at Tedsmore Hill, Shropshire, in September 1944. Prior to the war, Wilkerson had run the 17th Epping Forest scout troop based at Holy Trinity and when the church erected a scout hut to the south-west of their site around 1950, they named it the David Wilkerson Memorial Hall in his honour; it still stands today.

For more information on local VE Day anniversary events, visit swvg.co.uk/ve80