Editor

Local resident Nina Stafford explains the background to ArtHouse Social, a new charity dedicated to providing therapeutic art sessions for young adults with additional needs

When my daughter Renee was born in 2004 with Hirschsprung’s disease, a genetic bowel condition, our world changed forever. After developing E. coli and sepsis, she spent her first year at the Royal London Hospital.

As parents, we watched anxiously as Renee grew stronger, but at a pace different from that of her peers. The developmental gaps widened with time, and short-term memory challenges became evident as she progressed. Mainstream education proved increasingly difficult for Renee. So, at 13, we made the life-changing decision to move her to West Lea, a special needs school in Edmonton. This environment transformed our daughter and our family. She thrived, formed meaningful friendships and discovered a place where she could simply be her brilliant self, without pressure to conform.

The transition from this nurturing school environment into adulthood was devastating. Renee’s confidence crumbled as the structure and support system she relied upon disappeared. Severe anxiety overtook her, making even leaving the house an overwhelming challenge.

Today, after much perseverance, Renee works part-time at Millgrove Pre-School, a position she adores. The dedicated staff have allowed her to flourish professionally. However, socially, a significant void remains.

Throughout this journey, I’ve observed a critical gap for young adults with additional needs in our community. The lack of structured social opportunities, where individuals can build meaningful connections, is profound. Witnessing the impact on Renee has inspired me to create something new.

So, this spring, we are launching therapeutic art sessions in a small group setting – a space where 18- to 25-year-olds can create together, while forming friendships in a supportive environment. Ella Deeks is an integral part of this journey. With a degree in performing arts and music, and experience as a teacher before completing a diploma in child and adolescent psychotherapeutic counselling, Ella brings invaluable expertise to our programme. We are so excited that she will be leading our sessions. Our vision is to foster creativity alongside community building, offering participants greater independence and the confidence to engage with the wider world.

This project goes beyond creating opportunities for my daughter; it’s about building a community. So, we are seeking young adults with additional needs who wish to connect with like-minded peers. Our new South Woodford group begins in early May, featuring bi-weekly sessions and monthly outings designed to foster friendships and independence in a supportive setting. If building social connections while exploring new experiences interests you, we’d be delighted to welcome you.

For more information on ArtHouse Social, visit swvg.co.uk/arthouse

Amanda Whittle introduces Woodford Arts Group’s summer exhibition All Nature Has Feeling, inspired by and on show in Epping Forest

Following the success of our last two exhibitions held at the Sir James Hawkey Hall in 2023 and 2024, we are delighted to be exhibiting at the Epping Forest Visitor Centre (The View) in Chingford this year.

The View not only offers a gallery space on the first floor (there is a lift), but also has an interesting and historical collection of artefacts relating to the forest. Located beside the historic Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge and sitting on the edge of Epping Forest, this venue and surrounding forest have encouraged the members of Woodford Arts Group to study the wonderful resource on our doorstep. The group has drawn inspiration from the environment, from the historical landscape and from past artists, including the poet John Clare (1793–1864) who spent time in an asylum at High Beech.

We have responded in our own individual working practices to produce new work for the exhibition. Our responses will resonate with our audience, reflecting the need we all have to connect with nature and allow ourselves time to absorb the healing benefit the natural environment can provide.

Our ability and opportunity to express ourselves, whether on a personal level for our own peace of mind or to comment on the current environmental or social issues, is as relevant today as it’s always been and the arts play a vital role in this expression.

The Woodford Arts Group, established in 2019, is an eclectic group reflecting a diverse range of working practices, including three-dimensional methods as well as two-dimensional representations. All of the members, both original and new, have a common aim to promote the visual arts to our community. The group meet regularly in an informal setting.

As a group, we have worked with local schools and other art groups to present workshops and exhibitions. We are continually looking for community groups and like-minded artists to work with us to develop our experiences with the visual arts and to share our responses with the local community. We also continue to look for suitable venues to meet these aims. Should you feel able to contribute in any way, please do get in touch.

The exhibition is free to attend and runs from 4 to 29 June at The View, 6 Rangers Road, Chingford, E4 7QH. For more information, email art@swvg.co.uk

Local residents living with dementia and their carers are invited to join a nature-based memory café at St Mary’s in South Woodford.

“As a forest school practitioner, I am well aware of the benefits of nature to mental health and wellbeing. So, we use seasonal, nature-based activities to spark conversations and enjoy sharing tea, coffee and cake. It provides a comfortable space for participants to connect,” said organiser Rachel Summers.

The free sessions take place on the first Sunday of the month from 2pm to 3.30pm.

After years of responding to emergencies across East London, Inspector Nick Sutton is now proud to be part of neighbourhood policing in South Woodford and all other Redbridge wards north of the A12

After over two decades on the frontline in East London, I’ve now stepped into the role of inspector for Redbridge North. For the past 18 months, I’ve served as the Acting Chief Inspector for Redbridge’s emergency response teams, so I know this borough well; its challenges, its complexity and most importantly, its people, both in the community and in the teams who serve it every day. Taking on this new neighbourhood role is a genuine privilege. But I don’t want to use this space to talk about me – I want to tell you about the team I’ve joined.

Neighbourhood policing has faced relentless pressure. Like many other areas, we’ve been impacted by financial constraints and frequent abstractions – with officers regularly redeployed to support emergency response teams or central London operations. Despite this, the Redbridge Neighbourhood Police Teams have stayed focused on what truly matters: their communities.

They continue to show up, stay visible, and engage with those they serve. They solve problems quietly but effectively. They work with council and housing partners, tackle antisocial behaviour, engage with schools and youth groups and remove dangerous offenders from our streets. They do all this with limited resources and without ever seeking the spotlight. That level of commitment deserves recognition.

My role now is to support and champion their work. I want to protect their ability to focus on the issues that matter locally – to give them the time, tools and encouragement to continue building trust and delivering real results. That means enabling their ideas, reinforcing the impact they make and ensuring neighbourhood priorities are not overshadowed by competing demands.

Neighbourhood policing might not always make headlines, but it’s the foundation of public confidence. It’s what reassures residents, prevents harm and creates safer, more resilient communities. I’ve spent my whole policing career on the frontline and seen time and again how strong local relationships can make the difference in preventing crime and building lasting trust.

In my first few weeks, I’ve spent time listening to officers, to partners and to the people we serve. The message is clear: there’s more to do, but there’s a strong base to build from. The challenges are real. But so is the dedication of this team. They’ve stayed committed, focused and deeply connected to their communities. That’s something I’m proud to be part of.

To contact South Woodford SNT, call  07887 626 647 or visit swvg.co.uk/snt

To contact Churchfields SNT, call 07407 492 729 or visit swvg.co.uk/snt

To join the Met’s WhatsApp channel for Redbridge, visit swvg.co.uk/rwa

The rising blight of graffiti tags in South Woodford can be seen on our streets, subways and shopfronts, but with your help, we can report it, remove it and restore pride in our neighbourhood, says Rena Pathak

Have you noticed the surge in graffiti across South Woodford? It’s hard to miss. From the sides of shops and bridges to subways and signposts, the spray paint is spreading fast – and nowhere is it more visible than Rookery Path along the North Circular.

As a local resident who cares deeply about this area, I find it genuinely disheartening. This isn’t just about untidy walls; graffiti chips away at our sense of pride and safety. It sends the message that no one’s looking after our community. And when one piece of graffiti stays up, more often follow. It’s called the ‘broken windows’ effect – visible neglect that invites more antisocial behaviour.

What message are we sending to our children when they see vandalism all around them? That this is just normal? That this is okay?

Many of us in South Woodford are worried – and rightly so. This isn’t an occasional act of mischief anymore. It’s a growing problem that’s changing the look and feel of where we live.

In Redbridge, the Environmental Enforcement Team works to remove graffiti within three working days, prioritising anything offensive within 24 hours. That’s good news – but only if the graffiti gets reported. They’ve also trialled rapid-response cleaning and increased CCTV in hotspots. Offenders face fines of up to £5,000 and even prison time under the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

But here’s the rub: graffiti often reappears faster than it’s cleaned, and the burden falls on us – residents – to report it. And it’s not always clear who to report it to. Is it council-owned? TfL? BT? It’s frustrating, I know.

Still, if we want change, we can’t walk past this anymore. We need to act, together and consistently.

Here’s what you can do: download the Love Clean Streets app from Redbridge Council’s website (for free). It takes seconds to upload a photo, add a location and report any graffiti you see. Whether it’s on a shopfront or a subway wall, report it. Every time. Your report will be automatically sent to the relevant team at Redbridge Council to deal with. You will even be able to track the progress and will be notified as soon as the issue is resolve. (You can also use the app to report fly-tipping, potholes, abandoned cars, dog mess and other issues.)

If we all take that extra minute to report what we see, we can turn this around. It’s what being a community is all about. South Woodford deserves better. Let’s fight back with action, not apathy.

To download the Love Clean Streets app, visit swvg.co.uk/cleanstreets

A total of 114 new trees have been planted across South Woodford and Churchfields between November 2024 and March 2025.

“The Local Authority Treescapes Fund made this initiative possible. This fund, dedicated to enhancing our local environment, has also ensured the trees will be irrigated for the next three years,” said a Redbridge Council spokesperson.

While the council’s tree adoption window has closed, residents are encouraged to help care for the new trees by watering them during spring and summer.

Open-air theatre will return to Wanstead Park this summer.

The new season will begin on 14 June with a performance of The Wind in the Willows by outdoor theatre company Illyria. This will be followed by the East London Shakespeare Festival’s production of As You Like It on 5 and 6 July. Illyria will then return with Pride and Prejudice on 22 July and HMS Pinafore on 8 August. All shows take place in the park’s Temple enclosure and attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and a picnic.

Visit swvg.co.uk/wp25

The annual South Woodford Jumble Trail will return on 8 June, raising funds for Haven House Children’s Hospice.

“This community event is a great opportunity to turn pre-loved items into cash whilst supporting a wonderful local charity. We had 98 stalls participate last year and raised £1,014 for the hospice through registration fees. We are hoping many more local residents will participate this summer and help make it a firm fixture in the local calendar,” said organiser Aninder Shipgood. Register a stall by 1 June.

Visit swvg.co.uk/swjt

Redbridge Council has joined over 30 other local authorities across the country in calling for urgent reform of gambling laws, citing concerns over the number of slot machine and betting shops opening on high streets.

“This follows the council agreeing a cross-party motion at the end of March calling for councils to be given the power to reject premise license applications that threaten community welfare and safety,” said a spokesperson.

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