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In the third of a series of articles to mark Churchfields Infants’ and Junior School’s 150th anniversary, former pupil Myrtle Watts (class of 2014) reflects on her memories of writing her first book

As an only child, starting school was incredibly exciting. Always very sociable (maybe even too sociable; I often received criticism that I was “too chatty” at parents’ evenings), being thrust into an environment full of other children my age was my idea of heaven. From start to finish, I was lucky enough to have an almost entirely positive experience at Churchfields, with PE the only exception.

To this day I am inept at sports, whether it be with a ball, a racket or a stick of some kind, and this incapability fostered at a young age. As we prepared to move from the infants’ school to the junior school, we were sorted into teams that we would represent during PE and on Sports Day. Placed into the Green team, I clearly remember a fellow student telling me that “the Green team loses everything.” I certainly helped to uphold that reputation; despite being the only student given a wooden egg instead of a real one during the egg and spoon race (due to an egg allergy), I still managed to come last every year. 

While other children would play sports during break time, I instead opted to print off the lyrics to popular songs to take into school and sing with my friends. In the junior school, there was a yearly talent show that I would enter as a singing duo with my friend Nia, and I’m pretty sure we won it more than once! When casting our Year 6 leavers’ production of The Jungle Book, there was fierce competition between us for the only female role in the play (an unnamed girl in the final scene with approximately three lines of singing). Instead of cause what I can only assume would have been an irreconcilable rift in our friendship, our teacher decided to rewrite the scene to have two unnamed girls rather than one.

When I wasn’t singing, I was reading: a complete bookworm as a child, I started writing my own stories from a very young age. At some point in the junior school, I remember writing a book (if you can call it that – I doubt it was more than 10 pages long) and showing it to my teacher, who forwarded it to the headteacher, putting it in the school library! I often wonder whether it’s still there and whether any other students read it. As a soon-to-be graduate of English Literature at the University of York, I can’t help but feel this was one of many moments of encouragement that fostered my love for the subject at a young age.

Eventually leaving the junior school brought a mix of emotions as I anticipated a new chapter at a different secondary school to my friends. Reflecting on my academic journey now, I feel so lucky to have had so much fun and wonder how differently things might have been had I not ended up at Churchfields.

For more information on Churchfields Infants’ School and Churchfields Junior School, visit swvg.co.uk/churchfields

The South Woodford Society will be launching a new website this summer.

“As part of our Design Code work, we are also creating a new website, which will go live in August. This will allow us to incorporate all aspects of our work, such as local events and the business forum, as well as the Neighbourhood Plan and Design Code, bringing all these initiatives together on one site. Over the next few months, we will also be adding interactive maps and even more content,” said a spokesperson.

Visit swvg.co.uk/sws24

Eastwood Green, off George Lane, now features a tapestry lawn, which is a perfect alternative to real and plastic grass, says local gardener Stephanie Derby. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

In the last issue, I wrote about what the South Woodford Society is doing to help pollinators at Eastwood Green. As well as beautiful flowers, we’ve now created a ‘tapestry lawn’ in front of the bench by the Birch tree.

You might think “what on earth is a tapestry lawn?” Well, it’s an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional grass lawns, which comprises a variety of low-growing plants that suit the conditions of the garden. They need very little to no mowing and can be a gorgeous addition to the garden, especially when using plants that carpet the ground with flowers. As a garden designer, customers often complain about their lawns, whether it’s the high maintenance or the fact they dry out during a drought. Interestingly, ornamental grass lawns originate from aristocracy and it is thought the first one was created at the Palace of Versailles! The idea spread to England and signified wealth, as only the richest could afford to maintain grass purely for aesthetic purposes. Almost all gardens now have some space dedicated to a lawn but many people are now seeking alternatives. 

The past few years has seen a rise in people opting for artificial grass. When asked, 31% say they didn’t want the upkeep of a natural lawn. This is understandable, but plastic grass has many downsides. Aside from the environmental damage it causes, there are health implications too. For instance, artificial grass is made with dangerous levels of PFAs, also known as ‘forever chemicals’. When absorbed or inhaled, these chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects and many other serious health problems. Studies have shown people playing sports on artificial grass are likely to be coated with higher levels of these chemicals and children can be particularly vulnerable as they tend to be in closer contact. What better reason to always opt for real plants over plastic! In recent months, the trend for plastic grass is waning as people are discovering the negatives outweigh the benefits. Demand in the UK in 2023 was down by 66% compared to 2021. 

At Eastwood Green, we created a small tapestry lawn to show people they can create one in their own gardens. Ours is a little wild, as it is maintained ad-hoc by volunteers, but we’ve planted a variety of plants suited to sunny, dry and exposed conditions, and they are thriving. The plants include Chamomile, Creeping Thyme and our beautiful native Harebell. When walked on, these plants release oils that emit gorgeous fragrances, and they are incredibly soft underfoot. This lawn stays green in the height of a dry summer, and never needs to be mown. In summer, the lawn erupts with dainty purple Harebells that are a fantastic nectar source for bees. This mosaic of plants is just one of endless combinations that could be tried in your own garden. I am confident in saying tapestry lawns are a fantastic alternative to both real and plastic lawns. Please do pop over to Eastwood Green and check out what we’ve done.

To help with Eastwood Green gardening, email e18society@gmail.com

For more information on gardening and tapestry lawns, follow Stephanie on Instagram @stephanietaraderby

Rain gardens are helping to reduce flood risks across Redbridge while boosting biodiversity.

“The eco-friendly water drainage systems feature plants, shrubs and other greenery and are designed to absorb rainwater and drain it away slowly to help stop sewer systems from becoming overwhelmed,” said a Redbridge Council spokesperson.

There are now 11 rain gardens across the borough – including one on Malford Grove in South Woodford – which have the capacity to collectively absorb and store around 113,400 litres of rainwater.

Staff from Woodbridge High School will be taking part in the London to Brighton Cycle Ride this September.

“We will be raising money for Great Western Air Ambulance in memory of our colleague, Moyra Whelan, who lost her life in a road traffic collision in the Cotswolds in November 2022. Great Western Air Ambulance were deployed, but she sadly passed away. We have maintained a great relationship with the charity and are attempting to raise £10,000 for them,” said a spokesperson.

Visit swvg.co.uk/whscycle

The South Woodford Society is seeking more members of the community to help organise future events.

“From South Woodford’s Summer Festival to our Christmas lights switch-on and all the gardening days, repair cafés and litter picks in between, these events are wholly organised by local volunteers. We work hard behind the scenes to keep them running and it would be such a great help to have more residents involved to share the tasks and give fresh input,” said a spokesperson.

Email e18society@gmail.com

Auditions for Woodford Pantomime’s next show took place in June.

“After a fantastic turnout and a great showcase of talent at our auditions, our production of Sleeping Beauty has been cast. The whole team is now eagerly awaiting the start of rehearsals in September and looking forward to seeing the show take shape,” said a spokesperson.

The panto – the group’s 62nd annual performance – will run for 12 days at the Sir James Hawkey Hall, opening on 1 January.

Tickets go on sale in September. Visit swvg.co.uk/wpanto

Residents will be able to get their clothes and household items fixed for free with the return of the South Woodford Repair Café on 20 July.

“From small electrical appliances to jeans and bicycles, there are plenty of items that can be salvaged from landfill and given a new lease of life. There will also be a toy swap, information stalls from local community groups and free refreshments available throughout the session,” said a spokesperson. The event runs from 10am to 1pm at Woodford Memorial Hall, 207 High Road.

Visit swvg.co.uk/repair

A local swan rescue volunteer has been praised for her work by the BBC Springwatch Wildlife Hero Awards.

“I’ve been a rescuer for The Swan Sanctuary for many years, and through this I have built up a great network of supporters. This year, many of them messaged to say they had nominated me for the award, and I was greatly surprised when the Springwatch team got in touch to say I was on the shortlist!” said Gill Walker, who was one of 32 finalists from over 1,750 nominations.

To report an injured swan, call 07970 404 866

A disability awareness festival will take place on Christ Church Green in Wanstead on 17 July.

“Audiences will be entertained by outstanding disabled talent, Paralympians and star guests Rozalla, Baby D and Alison Limerick,” said a spokesperson for One Place East.

The Disability Festival in the Park – taking place from 12 noon to 7pm (free entry) – will also feature workshops, games and crafts.

Visit swvg.co.uk/ope 

The Chingford & Woodford Green constituency will continue to be represented by the Conservative Party in parliament, with Sir Iain Duncan Smith re-elected as the MP.

Having held the seat since it was created in 1997, the former Tory leader increased his majority by 3,495 votes, although his share of the vote was down from 48.5% in 2019 to 35.6% in yesterday’s election.

“Working together, we’ve delivered on our shared priorities,” said Sir Iain Duncan Smith in a pre-election statement, citing the repair of Broadmead Road bridge as a local priority he will fight for.

Second and third place candidates were Labour’s Shama Tatler and the independent candidate Faiza Shaheen respectively, with just 79 votes separating them. Faiza Shaheen had previously been the Labour candidate, but was dropped by the party in the run-up to the election, causing a split in the Labour vote.

The Liberal Democrats received just 2.6% of the vote, down from 5.7% in 2029, leaving them in last place behind Reform and the Greens.

The Leyton and Wanstead constituency will continue to be represented by Labour in parliament, with Calvin Bailey elected as the new MP.

The former Royal Air Force pilot won the seat with a 13,964 vote majority, a reduction of 6,844 compared to his predecessor John Cryer.

“I am passionate about education and opportunities for our young people in Leyton and Wanstead,” said Bailey in a pre-election statement, citing the delivery of a new Whipps Cross Hospital and opportunities for the next generation as his top priorities.

The Green Party increased their vote share, up from 4.1% in 2019 to 15.5% in yesterday’s election, pushing their candidate Charlotte Lafferty into second place.

Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats saw their vote share drop, finishing third and fifth respectively, with independent candidate Shanell Johnson earning a 9.5%  share of the vote to take fourth place.