Editor

Redbridge Council has published the Principal Inspection Report for Broadmead Road bridge, which has been closed to traffic since July 2023 due to significant structural defects.

“To make these technical reports easier to understand, we have also prepared a progress summary document, which includes an overview of the inspection, hammer tapping and concrete testing findings and details of future works,” said a spokesperson.

The council is awaiting further reports to determine the repair options available.

Visit swvg.co.uk/brb

Following the recent death of Jonathan Nicholas Stephen Williams, who lived in Woodford Green for over 35 years, his children Kate Good and Raj Williams reflect on a life of teaching and a life well lived

Born on 18 December 1950 in Epping, Jonathan Nicholas Stephen Williams was the eldest of two siblings. With one great uncle serving as the Governor of the White Nile in modern-day Sudan, it would seem that Jon was descended on his mother Majorie’s side from a rather illustrious family.

From the start of his education, Jon proved to be a rebellious soul, constantly jumping the fence from his primary school into his own back garden in Lower Swaines, Epping, to avoid having to actually attend! This theme continued in later years when he won a scholarship to Chigwell School, but didn’t quite feel the public school ethos suited him. He promptly left and moved to Latton Bush, a comprehensive school in Harlow.

In 1980, two events marked significant milestones in Jon’s life: he married his fiancée with whom he had been in a relationship since 1976, and he acquired his first teaching job at St Aubyn’s School in Woodford after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities in 1978. Jon taught at the school for an impressive 17 years. After that, he did some supply teaching at an array of local schools and eventually took up a post at Snaresbrook Primary School, where he spent many happy years. He would often compose a limerick for colleagues moving on to greener pastures. When he retired, he passed the baton to his daughter, who took over his role in January 2011.

Jon’s family can attest to the way in which, on several past occasions while they were out driving in the local area or out for a coffee, previous students of Jon’s approached him and thanked him for the positive impact he had had on their education.

No day would be complete without a trip to Waitrose in South Woodford, where Jon befriended most of the staff, including the security team. Conscious of promoting safety in the local area, he was also an avid member of his neighbourhood WhatsApp group and forged friendships with many of his neighbours, even buying groceries and a newspaper on behalf of one particular elderly friend and neighbour around the crescent. He equally pursued a love of tennis, keeping up with regular visits to his tennis club, at first in Walthamstow, then later in Theydon Bois, where he formed and nurtured several close-knit friendships.

Jon was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2013 and underwent an operation in 2014 followed by further surgery in 2017. He battled valiantly, never surrendering, and he remained determined to maintain his independence until the bitter end. Jon passed away on 2 January 2025. His generous spirit, sharp wit, fierce intellect and the fortitude with which he navigated his cancer diagnosis are the key qualities for which those who knew and continue to love him will best remember him.

Obituary submissions for local residents are welcome. Email editor@swvg.co.uk

St Aubyn’s School celebrated diversity by holding a ‘Wear Your Story’ earlier this month.

Pupils donned outfits to showcase their hobbies, culture, religion and family traditions, sharing the stories behind their choices with peers and teachers.

“This day was more than just an opportunity for pupils to wear something personal – it was a chance to be seen, heard and valued for who they truly are,” said a spokesperson for the Woodford Green school.

As part of the celebrations, donations were also collected for The Woodland Trust.

The recording of a question and answer session about community safety in Redbridge is available to watch online.

The event – which took place in January – was hosted by council leader Councillor Kam Rai and the Met’s East Area BCU Commander Stuart Bell. Along with residents’ questions, the session highlighted how to report specific issues and explained what happens to reported information.

Visit swvg.co.uk/safetalk

Woodbridge High School is raising funds for the refurbishment of its sports hall.

“The heating system requires repair and the gym floor, which is currently unusable, needs replacing. Although we have applied for a bid from Redbridge Council, it is unlikely that any funding we receive will cover the estimated £40,000 cost. The gym is not only used by our PE department but is also used for exams throughout the year,” said headteacher Steven Hogan.

In addition to the school’s own fundraising events, a parent has set up a crowdfunder for donations from the wider community with an initial target of £10,000.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone for your support, and if your workplace offers match funding, please get in touch. This refurbishment will make a significant difference for our students.”

Visit swvg.co.uk/whsgym

To donate to the ArtHouse Social fundraiser, click here.

To book tickets for the ArtHouse Social Fundraising Disco on Friday 25 April, click here.

To donate to the fundraiser, click here.

For match funding, email Mr Frank Gordon: FGordon@woodbridgehigh.co.uk.

Residents are invited to join the South Woodford Society’s AGM, which will take place on 26 February.

“The AGM is a great opportunity to find out first-hand everything that we’ve been working on, from the Christmas lights switch-on to the Summer Festival and our Neighbourhood Plan and Design Code work; and, of course, it’s always nice to meet fellow residents!” said a spokesperson.

The meeting will take place at the South Woodford Salvation Army hall on Daisy Road from 7pm.

Visit sowosoc.org

Construction site accidents can result in serious injuries, but taking the right steps after can help secure the compensation you deserve, says Bradley Wright from local solicitors Edwards Duthie Shamash

Accidents at work can happen to anyone. When it comes to the workplace, building sites are unfortunately environments where the chances of suffering an injury are higher than that of many other workplaces. Some 61,000 workers are injured on average per year whilst carrying out their duties on building and construction sites.

Accidents on construction sites can have serious consequences and usually involve life-changing injuries, such as spinal injuries, brain injuries, electrocutions, burns and, in the worst-case scenario, fatalities. The most common types of injury that take place on building sites are falls, usually from ladders or scaffolding that has been erected negligently. 

Employers and site managers have a duty of care to ensure all reasonable steps are taken to avoid accidents on building sites, but unfortunately, they can fail in the following ways:

Failing to carryout an appropriate risk assessment on the building site.

Failing to provide employees and subcontractors with sufficient personal protective equipment.

Failing to maintain equipment and machinery efficiently.

Failing to ensure scaffolding and ladders are erected safely and maintained in an efficient state.

Failing to enforce health and safety regulations and failing to train employees appropriately.

If the employer or site managers do not fulfil their duties to provide a safe workplace, then you can make a personal injury claim for compensation.

If you have suffered an accident on a building site, it is vital you seek medical attention. There should be a first aider on site and it is imperative you obtain treatment from them immediately. You must report your injury to your employer or site manager. If they have an accident book, make sure you complete an entry and keep a copy of this. You should take photos and videos of your injury and, more importantly, of the accident site and any defective equipment you were using at the time. Lastly, obtain witness information. 

If you are self-employed, you will still be able to pursue compensation as a claim can be made against the site manager or main contractor for whom you have performed duties.

Edwards Duthie Shamash is located at 149 High Street, Wanstead, E11 2RL. For more information, call 020 8514 9000 or visit edwardsduthieshamash.co.uk

South Woodford artist Sharon Quinton explains her journey from office work to a whole new world of creativity, community and craft

I am a self-taught artist living in South Woodford. In 2022, after spending over 40 years in various administration and managerial roles, I left behind that career to pursue my passion for art and crafts full-time.

I take inspiration from a variety of sources, including various social media platforms, popular fiction, fantasy and nature.

When something I see particularly piques my interest, I use the skills and experience I’ve gained over the years as both a hobbyist and in a semi-professional capacity to create something brand new. This allows me to explore different mediums, creating artwork that invokes interest and intrigue in others, with my own personal flair.

I have been able to creatively curate various immersive, themed events for birthdays, weddings and other gatherings, providing everything from decor to props and costumes. Examples of my work include two life-sized trees that currently reside in the classrooms of a school in Romford, various Victorian bonnets and festival hats that were commissioned pieces and some costume accessories for an aerial artist.

Additionally, I took on a role as creative designer for Chilled in a Field, a small family festival, working alongside the production and decor team. This involved creating immersive concepts, putting together storyboards for specific public areas and managing several volunteer workshops making sets, backdrops and props. I will always be grateful to the festival for giving me the opportunity to explore different artistic avenues and for the positive impact it had on working with other like-minded people. Sadly, however, the pandemic brought an end to the festival and so I sought new ways to be creative, express my inner visions and keep producing artworks that are both inclusive and thought-provoking. Being part of a group of creative people was pivotal and I wanted to find an art group that was local. And just like that, Art Group Wanstead appeared in one of my newsfeeds. Algorithms can be useful sometimes!

I joined the group in February 2024 and went straight on to do my first exhibition. The art group members are lovely. There’s lots of knowledge, support and guidance within the group.

Recently, I have been experimenting with acrylic paint, creating contemporary, three-dimensional pieces of artwork – like the one shown here – using die-cast models from Star Trek’s Deep Space Nine series. I used specific models – a Nightingale, a Swarm Ship and a Bird of Prey – that tied in with a Winged Wonders-themed exhibition at Wanstead Library in December.

Every piece of art I create is an original and although inspiration can be drawn from other works, both my own and from others, no two pieces are the same.

To view more of Sharon’s artwork, visit swvg.co.uk/quinton. For more information, email SQArt13@gmail.com

To celebrate the reopening of Notre-Dame, Valentine Singers invite you to join them for a day of singing in South Woodford as they prepare for a concert inspired by the cathedral. Oliver Mason reports

On 15 April 2019, Parisians looked on in horror as the roof of the cathedral of Notre-Dame was consumed by fire, and the famous flèche collapsed and crashed through the ceiling of the nave. The damage to the cathedral was extensive and regarded as a cultural disaster across France and the wider world.

Immediately after the fire, President Macron promised that Notre-Dame would be restored, and called for the work to be completed within five years. An international architectural competition was announced to redesign the flèche and roof. The work has now been completed, and the cathedral reopened in December.

To celebrate the reopening, Valentine Singers, with organist Jonathan Dods, will perform two works for choir and organ, which have close links with Notre-Dame: Louis Vierne’s Messe Solennelle and David Briggs’ Messe pour Notre-Dame. The concert will take place at St Gabriel’s Church in Aldersbrook on 15 March. But before this, on 18 January, we are holding an all-day open workshop, where we will be exploring and singing one of the works, the Messe Solennelle. This will take place at St Mary’s Church in South Woodford and anyone who enjoys choral singing – or would like to sample the experience of singing with a large chorus – is invited to join us (observers are also welcome). The day will be led by the choir’s musical director, Christine Gwynn, with pianist Tim Smith. 

Vierne composed his rich and thrilling Messe Solennelle in 1899, setting the mass text, minus credo, for choir and two organs. For practical reasons, arrangements of the mass for choir and one organ have since been published. The mass was premiered in 1900 at Saint-Sulpice, in Paris, with Widor and Vierne playing the glorious organ parts. By this time, Vierne had become organist of Notre-Dame, where he remained in post until his death in 1937. 

David Briggs studied with Jean Langlais in Paris and was profoundly influenced by the playing of Pierre Cochereau, organist titulaire at Notre-Dame (1955–1984). Briggs’ Messe pour Notre-Dame features four movements – the Introït, Offertoire, Élévation and Sortie. This is a mass with a difference: not only does it have four interpolated organ improvisations as part and parcel of the setting, but also the composer estimates that 15% of the scored material is ‘sampled’ from organ improvisations by Cochereau. 

Valentine Singers is a friendly choir based in Ilford. We relish the challenge of singing a wide range of choral music and we are proud to bring high-quality music to Redbridge for the local community to enjoy.

Valentine Singers will hold an all-day open workshop at St Mary’s Church, South Woodford on 18 January from 10.30am to 4.30pm (tickets: £25). For more information, call 020 8504 1261 or visit valentinesingers.org