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Cattle warden volunteer Gill James reflects on the recent return of cows to Wanstead Park, and answers some of the questions park visitors had about Quinine, Nina and Mara

When three large mammals with massive curving horns appeared in Wanstead Park in the autumn, there was shock. We did not expect to see cows here so late in the year. We had no cows at all in 2022, due to the long drought ruining the grazing. 

So, the cattle warden volunteers rushed into action. Our main aim was to tell people why the cows were there and to discourage them, and their dogs and children, from getting too close. Ten metres was the rule. Some people had never seen a live cow before. Most dogs and their owners wisely decided to keep a healthy distance. A few owners had not trained their frisky dogs to come when called, but soon learned to keep them on a lead.

We expected a few people to be angry. “Do you think you own this park?” “What about my dog’s right to roam?” “Why were there so few warning signs up?” But most people were delighted to welcome ‘our’ cows back, and many people remembered them from 2021. A surprising number were well informed already. They asked questions. “What happened to the calves they had?” “What are their names?” “Are they pregnant?” “Why are they here so late in the year?” “How long will they be staying?” “What about all these cowpats?” “Where do they go at night?” Answers: Quinine, Nina and Mara (new girl). They were delayed by the requirement for bovine TB testing as a nearby farm tested positive. None pregnant. They will stay until the grazing gives out in January or February. They stay out all night. Cowpats are very good for improving the soil and overwintering these hardy cattle encourages certain insect species. The grazing clears the habitat of encroaching scrub and biodiversity is improved. A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation explains: “The cows have an important job to do grazing the main acid grassland to remove course vegetation and young scrub, which improves the biodiversity of this special area of Epping Forest. Grazing is particularly important for Wanstead Park because to mow with machinery would destroy one of the main features of wildlife interest, the Yellow Meadow Ant hills.”

Mara, Nina and Quinine are magic in an unexpected way. Calm down, you frantic urban creatures, they say. Though not in so many words. And just a few days after that first excitement, the park went quiet. The cow-gazers still came, but now there was acceptance that this was a special space to share and enjoy. Dog walkers, strollers, cyclists, joggers, we all have to make space for each other. And smile. And look.

A heartfelt thank you to Epping Forest from the volunteer wardens for this wonderful opportunity to engage with the public, to hear so many stories about cows in people’s gardens or back home in India or Ireland or Iran, and to enjoy the park we know so well from a new perspective.

For more information about the cows in Wanstead Park, visit swvg.co.uk/wpcows

Redbridge Council is petitioning the government for financial support to repair Broadmead Road bridge in Woodford, which has been closed to traffic since July.

Essential structural repairs are expected to cost at least £25m. “The Prime Minister’s decision to cancel the northern leg of HS2 means billions are available to help fund transport projects… We are calling on the Transport Secretary to allocate urgent funding to help cover the enormous cost of this unforeseen project,” said Councillor Kam Rai.

Visit swvg.co.uk/brr

Oakdale Junior School has received the Gold Award for UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting Schools programme for the second time.

The award recognises schools which put the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of their planning and policies.

“This has such a positive impact on our pupils – the ethos is embedded in the day-to-day life of our school and celebrates all we do to ensure our pupils feel a sense of belonging and have an awareness of their role in the wider world,” said Head of School Carley Smith. 

A new police hub on the Orchard Estate in Woodford will become a base for local Safer Neighbourhood Teams, including those covering South Woodford and Churchfields wards.

“The new hub will be home to at least 20 officers, working in partnership with council staff and Redbridge housing officers to prevent antisocial behaviour and support people across the west of Redbridge,” said a Redbridge Council spokesperson. Local police will continue to be based in Barkingside until the hub is operational in the summer.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP officially opened the new South Woodford Post Office earlier this month.

“The whole store looks fantastic, and it’s good news for businesses and residents in South Woodford,” said the MP for Chingford and Woodford Green.

He was joined by postmaster Sam Sarwar, who also runs a Post Office in Buckhurst Hill.

The former empty shop at 115 George Lane now features two Post Office counters in a dedicated area and one as part of an open-plan counter alongside the retail section of the convenience store.

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The Stratford and East London Music Festival continues to grow in popularity, in the number of entries it attracts (nearly 600 in 2023) and via the many different types of classes available.  

The SELMF was founded in 1882, making it the UK’s oldest competitive music and drama festival.  It has always played a large part in the musical history of East London from its early days as a local event in Stratford.  The Festival culminates in the Young Musician Competition on the last Saturday (February for 2024), where 10 young musicians are chosen to compete for the coveted and very prestigious Young Musician competition.  Matthew Taylor, Chair of the SELMF says “The standard of the Young Musicians concert is out of this world.  You could easily be watching professional performances in the West End”.   

In 2024, the Festival will have classes for bands, orchestras and choirs on the 5^th and 6^th of February at St. Mary’s Church in South Woodford and the 19^th-24^th February for all other music, speech and drama classes.  These will take place at the Redbridge Music Service, John Savage Centre, Fencepiece Road, Hainault, Ilford, IG6 2NB.  

Entries for the Stratford and East London Music Festival close on the 29 December 2023.

All entries can be made online using the easy-to-use booking system called Play & Perform.  For all details on classes available, how to become a Friend Of The Festival and entering, please go to our website  www.stratfordmusicfestival.org.uk   

Redbridge’s first-ever Youth Climate and Sustainability Forum took place in November.

Eco-minded students from across the borough came together at the Town Hall for a day of activities, workshops and discussions promoting greener living.

“When you grow up and find out about climate change, it is scary… When I saw the visible effects of climate change, it was a wow moment; it gave me the spark to want to change this,” said Lucie Sattaur-Lennon from Woodbridge High School, who took part in the event.

Financial concerns for Smile Direct Club patients may be the least of their worries, according to local Dental Practice Manager Moona Malik. 

Recently, reports emerged that Smile Direct Club, the online dental firm, was shutting down all global operations after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the USA in September. 

Stories regarding Smile Direct Club patients who have paid thousands of pounds can be found across social media, as well as national news and radio. 

However, I am concerned that the oral health implications of Smile Direct Club’s bankruptcy far outweigh the financial ones, especially for those mid treatment and now abandoned. 

Founded in 2014, Smile Direct Club’s users grew quickly due to its promise of affordable orthodontic solutions that achieve the desired results in 4-6 months without needing an in-person dental visit. 

Despite the concerns of many experts within the dental industry, there was no intervention and now dentists’ worst fears have been realised. 

So, what can people do? 

From the promise of their dream smile to a dental nightmare, Smile Direct Club patients have been forced to pick up the pieces – but many do not know where to start. 

Here at Improve Your Smile in Woodford Green, we would like to invite anyone affected by this situation to have a complimentary consultation with our highly experienced Orthodontist to discuss their options.

For more information, call 020 8504 2704 

Improve Your Smile is located at 162 High Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 9EF 

www.improveyoursmile.co.uk

The South Woodford Society hosted their third Christmas lights switch-on event on George Lane at the beginning of December.

“It was a great success, with the community gathered to enjoy some festive cheer. Children lined up to meet Santa as he gifted sweets. The Mayor of Redbridge counted down, and as the lights came on, each child turned on their glow sticks to create a sea of light. We all enjoyed the brass band, a performance from Oakdale School and a carol singalong. A pantomime cow added to the fun!” said a spokesperson.

The South Woodford Village Gazette has launched Village Vouchers, a new initiative to help residents save money whilst supporting the local economy and good causes.

Published in collaboration with the Wanstead Village Directory, Village Vouchers is a booklet filled with 100 discount vouchers for shops, salons, cafés, pubs and restaurants across the two areas. “From free cake with a coffee to money off a massage, Village Vouchers is designed to get people excited about shopping locally. A huge thanks to all the businesses that are taking part,” said editor Lee Marquis.

Priced £4 and valid until 31 March 2024, the booklets are being sold by local libraries, schools and charities, who retain up to half the proceeds. Copies can also be purchased online and collected from George Lane, with shoppers invited to select a good cause to support.

Visit swvg.co.uk/vv

The owner of Fresh As A Daisy Café has explained why the Lidstone Butchers ghost sign was painted over.

“I started refurbishing the premises in September. I contacted the council to ask about permission to renovate the exterior wall, and supplied pictures of the wall. I was told in writing by the council that if I was planning to repair or restore the external wall to cover up graffiti, then I would not need planning permission. We are deeply sorry for the distress this has caused. This was not our intention. If we had known, we would have left the wall untouched,” said Bledar Islami, who subsequently had the sign repainted.

In the fifth of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Deepak Dembla presents his festive feel-good image of a Robin

My name is Deepak Dembla and I’m an IT professional. Photography, stargazing, fitness and dancing are my passions. Covid lockdowns made me explore Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park more than ever with my camera. And ever since, nature has always surprised me with something amazing: wildlife, beautiful sunsets and sunrises or something amazing in the sky, like a beautiful rainbow or a comet, the moon and planets. I must say, it’s a treasure!

I never had any formal education in photography. While in college, I joined an astronomy club called ABAA. This is where I met Dilip Kumar, former president of the club. I was inspired by his amazing astrophotography, landscape and wildlife photography skills, and bought my first camera and started playing with it. When I moved to London 16 years ago, I always made sure I lived close to a park or a forest to enjoy nature and practice my photography skills.

I love that Wanstead Park is just a few minutes’ walk from where I live. I try to visit the park every week if I can. I can easily spend four hours or more just trying to see and capture something new in the park.

While shooting birds, I use a 500mm zoom lens so I can shoot from a distance and not disturb them. The UK’s favourite bird is pictured here, the European Robin, known simply as a Robin or Robin Redbreast. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa. Robins are small, insectivorous birds, around 12cm to 14cm in length. Unlike other small birds, Robins are not so shy, and one can get really close to them if they don’t feel threatened.

As a non-migratory species, Robins can be seen throughout the year, although there are quite a few legends surrounding their relation to Christmas. One legend goes back to Victorian times, when the tradition of sending Christmas cards started. They were delivered by postmen wearing bright-red coats. These postmen were nicknamed ‘Robins’ or ‘Redbreasts’ with the popular early cards of the era displaying the Robins who characterised them. A theme which continues to this day. 

But legend also has it that the Robin’s redbreast has a direct link to Christianity. One fable suggests that when the baby Jesus was in his manger, the fire which had been lit to keep him warm started to blaze up. A brown Robin, noticing that Mary had been distracted, placed himself between the fire and the face of baby Jesus. The Robin fluffed out its feathers to protect the baby, but in so doing, its breast was scorched. This redness was then passed on to future generations of Robins.

To view more of Deepak’s wildlife photos, visit swvg.co.uk/deepak