Editor

The South Woodford branch of Barclays has remained open despite plans to close in February.

“I understand the delayed closure is due to an issue raised by LINK, who are concerned there will not be enough deposit solutions in the area. While I would prefer the branch to remain open permanently, I am pleased that Barclays will not be closing until appropriate deposit solutions are established,” said Councillor Joe Hehir. At the time of writing, there is no timescale for a new closing date.

Visit swvg.co.uk/barclays

Pay and display parking machines across Redbridge are no longer operational, with plans for a new PayPoint service to be introduced.

“PayPoint is a widely recognised scheme offering the opportunity to pay for a range of goods and services at local retailers… Later this year, the machines will be physically removed and replaced by PayPoint, enabling people to pay for parking in cash,” said a council spokesperson.

RingGo will continue to be the main method of payment for parking, via the app or by calling 020 3046 0010

Environmental charity Thames21 is making improvements to the River Roding adjacent to Wanstead Park. River Restoration Support Officer Tyler Randall invites you to get your hands dirty (and wet)

Throughout history, rivers have undergone extensive modifications to align with human needs. The River Roding, the third-largest river to traverse London, flowing through Wanstead Park, presents a rewarding area of intervention for Thames21. In this wide and deep stretch, where banks rise to heights exceeding 2m, the river has carved a profound trench in the landscape due to its rapid flow.

Prior to human intervention, the Roding’s shape and the landscape were in constant flux, the lines between river and land far less defined than now. However, to build cities and civilisations, controls were implemented, and certain banks in this Wanstead stretch are concreted, particularly where houses border the river or where erosion tends to occur.

These types of interventions have led to many rivers lacking character, particularly in urban settings: fallen trees are removed to prevent flooding and rivers are straightened in areas to simplify the landscape. Rivers have been dredged and banks raised, separating rivers from their floodplain. All of these actions ultimately remove habitats and make rivers less diverse and more ecologically simple.But nature is inherently messy and thrives on complexity. So, in this section of the Roding, Thames21 is installing large wood debris into the river, otherwise known as deflectors.

This intervention aims to mimic the natural process of trees falling into the river. Ash trees that were suppressed or dying from ‘Ash dieback’ (a fungal disease afflicting many Ash trees across Europe) were felled and cut to the correct size. We then positioned these deflectors in the river and pinned the trees to the bank and riverbed with stakes and wire to stop them from moving.

Deflectors influence the river in many ways: slowing water around the banks and accelerating water in the centre, creating turbulence and complex flow patterns which oxygenate the water, providing food and habitat for invertebrates, fish and bird species, creating varied sediment types which, in turn, promote plant growth and cleaning gravels for fish spawning. It also acts as a place for biofilms and algae to grow, which purify water and reduce the impact of pollution. Prior to our interventions, this complexity was notably absent in this stretch of the Roding. This is a fairly simple intervention, but it can have a profound effect on the biodiversity within a section of the river. Imagine a whole catchment, a whole city.

Volunteers have been playing a crucial role in completing this work. If you are available and eager to contribute to the work Thames21 does, improving the health of London’s rivers with community support, please get in touch.

Volunteer sessions will take place on 4, 7, 12 and 18 March from 10am to 2.30pm. For more information and to take part, visit swvg.co.uk/restoreroding or email tyler.randall@thames21.org.uk

Former pupils and members of staff are invited to attend a grand reunion event to celebrate the 150th year of Churchfields Infants’ and Junior School.

“This event is a testament to the enduring spirit of Churchfields, and we look forward to welcoming back familiar faces as we celebrate our shared history and look ahead to a future of continued excellence,” said Headteacher Rebecca Emeny.

The school first opened to the children of Woodford on 5 January 1874, consisting of two schools, one for boys and a combined girls and infant school. The boys’ and girls’ departments were amalgamated to form a mixed junior school in 1937.

The reunion – which will take place on 8 June from 11am – will include guided tours, refreshments and a performance by the school’s choir.

To register, visit swvg.co.uk/c150 

Images documenting local history will be on show at the Woodford Historical Society’s meeting on 14 March.

“My talk will be a light-hearted review of archive information and illustrations of Woodford gleaned over the past year,” said Peter Lawrence, whose presentation will take place at All Saints Church hall from 2.30pm (visitors: £3).

Among the images will be a photo of the Woodford Cycle Meet, an annual fancy-dress parade which ran from 1882 to 1914 to raise money for local hospitals.

Visit swvg.co.uk/history

The three cows that had been grazing in Wanstead Park since October were removed on 8 February.

“Our wonderful Longhorns have now moved on to pastures new, rejoining the 180-strong herd in Epping Forest. I know how much joy they brought to visitors whilst also supporting important conservation efforts. They will be back later in the year,” said Benjamin Murphy, Chairman of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee.

Grazing improves biodiversity by removing course vegetation from the acid grassland.

TfL will be going ahead with the proposed changes to the W12, W13, W14 and 549 bus routes between the Walthamstow, Wanstead and Woodford areas following a consultation last year.

“We received 863 responses to the consultation and would like to thank everyone who took part,” said a spokesperson.

The changes are expected to take place in September, with all routes restructured and the 549 withdrawn and replaced by an extended W14 route.

The new routes are available to view online. Visit swvg.co.uk/bus

A £300 reward is being offered for the safe return of a stolen tuba.

The instrument – a Besson Soverrign Tuba – was taken from a car in Woodford Green in the early hours of Sunday 28 January.

“My son’s tuba has great emotional value to him, but not much value to anyone else. Due to low resale possibility, the instrument may be dumped next to the road or in the forest,” said Ellena Hamman.

The silver tuba was in a black backpack case.

Call 07557 185 721

The South Woodford Society AGM will take place on 28 February

“It’s an opportunity to learn about our achievements in 2023 and our plans for 2024. So, drop in, and we look forward to meeting you. Membership of the Society is free, and if you join, you’ll be kept up to date with local issues and events,” said a spokesperson. The meeting will take place at the South Woodford Salvation Army on Daisy Road from 7pm.

Visit swvg.co.uk/sws

In the sixth of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Don Taylor presents his shot of a Red Fox in the snow 

I took this photo of a fox in the snow a few weeks before Christmas 2022 in the City of London Cemetery, which lies adjacent to Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats. There are several families of foxes there, and when the snow came that year, I just had to head over and bide my time to get the shot I wanted.

Foxes develop a thick winter coat, so their cold-weather behaviour isn’t much different from any other season. They devote most of the winter to hunting or foraging, with no need for a den until the mating season begins. So, it’s not uncommon to find a fox sleeping in the open beneath a blanket of snow! They breed from January to March. 

I now work part-time for the Corporation of London. I retired fairly young and wanted to do something in the outdoors. I do some litter picking over Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park and through this, I’ve got to know some great photographers. And it was because of these connections that I put together a 2024 calendar of Epping Forest photos.

I must say a word of thanks to the other volunteer litter pickers and groups who do such a wonderful job looking after our open spaces. Sarah Shaw leads the Wanstead Flats Pickers and Gill James coordinates the Friends of Wanstead Parklands’ monthly clean-up. And not forgetting Eileen Elton, a one-woman band (unless her sister is over from Australia). Alongside this, I’ve also discovered the Wren Wildlife Group and always love meeting up with their members. 

I also belong to the Orion Harriers running club and I’ve completed many marathons. I love adventures and probably the maddest, most dangerous activity I took part in was driving a Tuk Tuk 2,000 miles through India!

I love Epping Forest, and having only taken up photography in the last few years, it has provided everything I need to snap away!

For more information on the Epping Forest 2024 calendar, visit swvg.co.uk/ef24

The redundancy process can be stressful and difficult, so it is important to know your rights as an employee, says Jo Cullen from local solicitors Edwards Duthie Shamash

If you are about to be consulted, or you are in the process of being consulted about redundancy, it is important you know your rights.

You have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. In a redundancy, this means:

You should be warned and consulted about the proposed redundancy.

Your employer must adopt a fair basis on which to select for redundancy. They must identify an appropriate pool from which to select potentially redundant employees and must select against proper criteria.

Your employer must consider suitable alternative employment if appropriate.

The right not to be unfairly dismissed only applies to employees who have been employed continuously for two years or more at the termination date. However, you have rights from day one of employment where your redundancy is due to discrimination due to any of the protected characteristics (sex, pregnancy, marital status or civil partnership, age, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religion), victimisation or harassment or for less favourable treatment due to your fixed-term or part-time status. If you are on maternity (or adoption or shared parental) leave, you have an automatic right to be offered any suitable alternative vacancies that may be available.

If your redundancy is confirmed, you will be entitled to your contractual notice subject to statutory minimum notice. Where you have been employed for two years or more, you will be entitled to a statutory redundancy payment, calculated according to a formula based on your age, length of service (capped at 20 years) and a week’s pay (subject to a statutory limit, currently £643 as of April 2023). You may also be entitled to a contractual enhanced redundancy payment subject to signing a settlement agreement. A redundancy payment can be paid tax-free (up to £30,000). All other contractual payments such as notice and holiday are subject to normal deductions for tax and national insurance. With two or more years service, you will also have the right to take reasonable paid time off to look for other work or arrange training.

If your employer is insolvent or refuses to pay, you have the right to apply to the National Insurance Fund for payment of your statutory redundancy and some other payments.

We would advise you to take advice early to ensure you are aware of your rights in full and of any time limits to make a claim for unfair dismissal, victimisation or discrimination.

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

A stress response is normal and offers protection to both humans and animals alike, but only if it is produced in small quantities and is well managed, says local nurse Fiona Flaherty

The prime cause of stress is our high-tech, fast-paced, unrelenting lifestyles, plus economic and personal uncertainties leading to chronic stress as a major cause of ill-health worldwide. 

Cortisol, the main stress hormone, is continually produced and released from the adrenal glands into the bloodstream. Normal cortisol levels are not detrimental. A normal cortisol rhythm should peak in the morning hours, then steadily decline throughout the day, with the lowest levels at night. 

How do I know if I am stressed?

• You crave carbohydrates and possibly eat more than 50% of your calories after 5pm.
• You suffer from depression, anxiety, nervousness, irritability and weight gain.
• You find it difficult recovering from exercise, musculoskeletal injuries and get sick often.
• You have difficulty sleeping, with vivid dreams, sweating at night and loss of libido. 
• You feel light-headed upon standing and need caffeine to keep you awake.

If this describes some or all of your symptoms, you are most likely experiencing the effects of stress and subsequent high cortisol levels. A general rule to remedy this is to focus on ‘real’ food. Avoid packaged, heavily processed and non-organic foods as these increase the toxic load to the liver and add stress to the body.

Better food choices include non-starchy vegetables, which have a detoxifying ability, including the cruciferous family (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and sprouts) plus dark-green leaves. Protein should be included at every meal to help with stabilizing blood sugar and to improve immune function. Fats, specifically omega-3 fatty acids, are anti-inflammatory and found in foods like salmon and chia seeds. Water is also important for everyone, as it will hydrate cells and detoxify the body. 

While exercise is recommended as one of the best forms of medicine, too much exercise at the wrong intensity level and duration can be more inflammatory. It is best to exercise when your cortisol is closest to its normal range. Cortisol levels peak about 40 minutes into exercise, so limit cardiovascular activity to less than 40 minutes at a time.

Sleep helps by reducing cortisol and restoring the adrenal glands. Work towards eight hours of uninterrupted sleep between 10pm and 6am. Artificial light tricks the body into releasing more cortisol, so switch them all off. A weekly massage and dry sauna have also been shown to decrease stress levels.

Fiona Flaherty is a registered nurse and nutritional therapist based in South Woodford and Harley Street. For more information, call 07973 601 862 or visit meducatehealthcare.com