Editor

The Epping Forest Heritage Trust will host a guided walk through Wanstead Park on 23 April.

“Join historian Georgina Green for a stroll around the lakes and woods to see some of the historical features from the Georgian heyday of the park’s palatial building, which was demolished in 1824. Hopefully, the bluebells will be at their best and we will find other signs of spring,” said a spokesperson.

Tickets for the free two-hour walk – which starts at 10.30am – will be available from 12 March.

Visit swvg.co.uk/aprilwalk

An open table initiative at Holy Trinity Church offers a free hot meal to anyone in the community.

“Christian faith is centred around a meal together, and we want to share with those around us, building community and helping beat loneliness. Everyone is welcome – young and old, rich and poor and of any faith or none. If you are in need, come! If you are not in need but want to build community in South Woodford, come!” said Rev Abi Todd.

Meals will be served from 5.30pm on 29 March and 26 April.

Visit swvg.co.uk/ot

Over-55s poetry group the Redbridge Rhymesters will be joined by pupils from Snaresbrook Primary School at their meeting on 21 March.

“There will be no theme for this session, it will be a free choice, and I am sure whatever our members and the children write about, they will produce some imaginative poetry,” said group founder Alexandra Wilde.

Taking place at Age UK’s Allan Burgess Centre in Wanstead from 10am to 12 noon, the free event is open to any over-55s with an interest in creative writing.

Call 020 8989 6338

James Bradley and four other South Woodford dads are set to take on the Three Peaks Challenge in June, fundraising for the aftercare of 11-year-old Connie Campbell, who is recovering from cancer surgery

The Three Peaks Challenge is a gruelling encounter, scaling each of Scotland, England and Wales’s highest points within a 24-hour window. Combined, it is an ascent of 3,064 metres, 23 miles in distance and 462 miles on the road between each location. And by its nature, some of this happens in darkness, throughout the night. It is not for the faint-hearted or ill-prepared, although we five participants are driven by a particularly worthy cause.

Late last year, Connie Campbell – a Woodbridge High School student and daughter of our South Woodford family friends – was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour. In the preceding weeks, she had developed unusual headaches and sudden vomiting, at first accredited to migraines and effects from a recent visit to Thorpe Park. Under further examination and a CT scan, the outcome was far more serious. 

Connie underwent six hours of surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital to remove the tumour. While thankfully successful, she and the family now face a particularly tough “winding long road” to recovery, including a radio and chemotherapy treatment plan, scans, assessments and appointments over the next five years. Unsurprisingly, this has rocked the family’s world, although Connie is facing the future with the utmost bravery, praised for her resilience by her medical team.

The family have been through so much, and will continue to. We wanted to show we cared, so when another dad, Jamie Finn, mentioned the Three Peaks Challenge, it seemed the perfect way to symbolise overcoming an uphill challenge. The funds raised will help support the family throughout Connie’s lengthy aftercare.

And it’s Connie’s fighting spirit and determination that we dads are looking to emulate on the morning of Saturday 10 June, in the Scottish Highlands, at the foot of Ben Nevis, as the challenge commences.

Other parties are also lending their support. Oakdale School (Connie’s previous school) Parent Teacher Friends Association are planning a quiz night, and separately, another dad, Chris Omotosho, is set to run 250km over a month in aid of Connie’s cause. 

We dads can rarely organise ourselves to meet for a pint in the local, let alone conquer three of the country’s highest peaks, with all the sleep deprivation, travel and discomfort that ensues. But there’s no doubt we’ll complete this challenge, just as Connie will prevail too.

Please give all you can. Any funds exceeding expenses the family are incurring will go to the absolute rock stars of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

To donate to Connie’s fundraiser, visit swvg.co.uk/connie

The organiser of an annual cake sale and garden party in aid of Haven House has appealed for volunteers to help run this summer’s event.

“I’ve done the cake sale for 16 years, and we’ve grown year after year due to the support from everyone in the community. However, due to the size of the event, I now need a small army of helpers to facilitate its success!” said South Woodford resident Michelle Vanlint.

Scheduled for 16 June, this year’s sale also marks the hospice’s 20th anniversary.

Email msvanlint@yahoo.co.uk

Tatiana Bazilevich fled Ukraine following Russia’s invasion a year ago. In South Woodford, she found peace and quiet for her son to continue his education. She is grateful for all the support they have received and is now looking to apply her corporate skills in a new field 

I am 47 years old and this is my second evacuation from my beloved native hometown, Kyiv. My first evacuation was during the Chernobyl disaster in spring 1986; I was only 11 years old and moved to the peaceful region of Donbass for six months. Some 36 years later, I was forced again to leave my home – this time with my own child, aged 14 – because of the Russian invasion (which has left the Donbass unrecognisable).

Russian missile and rocket attacks would come at dawn. The non-stop air raid sirens, day and night, preceded the threat of invasion. My country has had a year of sleepless nights. This is something that has left a strong and irremediable imprint on our neurological system, even if your town or village is some distance from the front line.

Since 24 February 2022, there has already been more than 1,574 sirens and 124 explosions from missiles in Kyiv alone. The duration of the horrible sound of the air alarm has been 30 days in the last 12 months. And the situation is much worse in combat zones.

The sirens were one of the main reasons why I left. My main focus was for my child to be able to study and finish his schooling in a safe and quiet place. 

We were sponsored by Mark Everitt Martin and Marcos De Barros in South Woodford. They opened their hearts to us, even welcoming our very active corgi, Piata. I admire such a brave step, to invite unknown people from a war zone into your home and family. It was truly an incredible gesture of generosity, one I will be forever grateful for. 

Having arrived here last June, my son now enjoys jogging near Eagle Pond and I love walking in Epping Forest. Our corgi has been fascinated with the brave foxes in the area. We are lucky to have met so many friendly, sincere people here. South Woodford is very quiet, green and welcoming. 

I was under the illusion that having had a successful 20-plus year corporate banking career with international banks in Ukraine, that I would be able to find a good job in the banking sector in London. I soon discovered my front office skills were not needed here. Eastern Europe is not a core market and only local relationships are appreciated by employers. For entry level junior positions, I was competing with local students, plus the so called ‘overqualified status’ meant more doors were closed to me. 

I have so much to offer and I decided I would not accept this rejection and conform. And so I thought about my transferable skills as a corporate banker and started voluntarily fundraising for my country. 

I co-organised a charity art exhibition of contemporary icons painted on ammunition boxes from Ukrainian combat zones by Oleksandr Klymenko and Sofiia Atlantova. These conceptual art works are for sale and proceeds will be used to purchase medical equipment for the front line. I would like to invite everyone to come and see these amazing and powerful ‘witnesses of war’. Entrance is free and the display is on show at Notting Hill St John’s Church until 4 June. 

I still believe my professional skills can be of use here. I am capable in fundraising and communication, business development and management consulting. Ukrainians are resilient, strong-minded and we never give up. We appreciate your help for our nation. 

Please support Ukraine. What can you do personally? Keep in touch with your elected representatives. Fly a Ukrainian flag. Put a sticker on your computer. Buy and wear Ukrainian merch. In great causes, small gestures matter. The truth shall win.

To connect with Tatiana on LinkedIn, visit swvg.co.uk/tatiana

A young Wanstead resident has launched a series of YouTube videos documenting Transport for London services by postcode region.

In the third episode, 12-year-old Riku Fryderyk – who is also a published author – explores the landmarks and history of the E18 area alongside an overview of its Tube and bus network. “Sometimes, I need to take a break from writing! Whilst my mum is looking for a literary agent for my newest book, I like to indulge in my passion for transport,” said Riku.

Visit swvg.co.uk/tflbypostcode

Residents are invited to join the South Woodford Society’s upcoming litter picks on 12 March, 2 April and 30 April.

“We meet at 11am at the community orchard, on the corner of Mulberry Way and Primrose Road. Gloves and equipment are available. All ages are welcome, and it’s helpful to know if you’re coming via email. Any time you have to spare will make a huge difference,” said a spokesperson.

Email sws@swvg.co.uk

As Suzanne Bennett laments the closure of Sid & Evie’s – a business she opened 13 years ago – the mother-of-two (Sid and Evie) urges residents to use South Woodford’s remaining independent shops or lose them

I have loved my time at Sid & Evie’s in South Woodford, and it has been an extremely tough decision to say farewell and close in early spring. Serving and being part of my community has been a pleasure. We have watched families grow with us and I know that I, my family and my team will miss the shop terribly, with all the tears and laughter we have had along the way.

We opened 13 years ago. I was inspired by having two young children of my own and not being able to find lovely gifts, clothes and shoes at affordable prices. As the business grew, the shoe-fitting side of our work grew organically. We prided ourselves on giving a one-to-one fitting service, offering knowledge and a variety of British and worldwide brands with good, old-fashioned service.

There are several reasons why Sid & Evie’s has to close, most obviously rising rent. Then there are a whole host of other price increases, which have made things tough. Brexit was a key issue, with import duty on stock from those small, unique European brands. We were just not able to cope with the rising cost of stock. Then came COVID, and no explanation is needed there; it nearly wiped us out at the time. The business grant only covered the rent and, of course, the pandemic pushed more customers to shop online.

Our economy is in bits with the cost of living crisis, and I think this is only set to continue for some time to come. Simply, we just don’t have enough footfall to cover our rising expenses.

The important thing is to support your local independent businesses now more than ever before. Otherwise, all our high streets will become faceless corporates or empty shops. Money is tight for everyone, but if you can treat yourselves, just think where you spend it. If we want shops to stay open, the government also needs to support us with grants to get us through this recession, and rents need to be lower. But most of all, customers need to shop at their independents.

Food, coffee and beauty shops are all primarily service industries, and therefore stock isn’t such a risk. These businesses stand a better chance on the high street; that’s why there are so many. So, please, use your independents if you value them and want them to stay. Lots of people like the idea of having them, but you need to use them, or you will simply lose them.

I will always have fond memories of my time at Sid & Evie’s and all our amazing customers, and would like to thank all who visited the shop over the years. I’m sure I will still see many of you around South Woodford.

Sid & Evie’s is located at 174 George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1AY. The shop’s last day will be 18 March. Call 020 8530 5988

David Bird discusses the work of Redbridge Music Society and introduces Woodford Green musicians Ana Popescu-Deutsch and Leona Crasi, who will perform in Wanstead this March

One of the core aims of Redbridge Music Society is to promote and support talented musicians, especially those living and working within the borough, in the earlier stages of their careers. On 14 March, Woodford Green musicians Ana Popescu-Deutsch (violin) and Leona Crasi (piano) will give an eclectic recital of popular violin classics and Transylvanian folk music, including Bartok’s famous Six Romanian Dances.

Romanian-British violinist Ana Elisabeta Popescu-Deutsch started violin lessons at the age of six, going on to study at the prestigious George Enescu Music High School (Budapest) and later at the Royal Academy of Music, where she received her BMus (Hons) and MA degrees. During and after her studies, she was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia. A keen performer of Romanian classical and folk music, Ana continues to direct a chamber music series called Enescu & Friends, aimed at introducing audiences to George Enescu’s work in the musical context of his epoch. 

Ana also performs with the Scordatura Collective, a mixed chamber ensemble that promotes music composed by women. She performs in diverse orchestral projects and is frequently a guest violinist in other chamber groups. Ana is part of the Morello String Quartet, a group that has played in numerous venues and festivals across the UK. She is also a committed pedagogue, teaching violin and viola at the North London Conservatoire.

Leona Crasi is a progressive Romanian-American pianist, performance curator and educator based in London. She began to play piano at the age of three, studied in Romania, the USA and in the UK, where she graduated at the Royal Academy of Music (BMus, MMus). Leona has performed internationally as a soloist and chamber player, her performing experience ranging from historical and classical repertoire to noise and jazz improvisation. She has won numerous awards at competitions and festivals across Europe and America.

In 2021, Leona founded the Institute of Contemporary Performance, a collective dedicated to the expansion of contemporary practices in classical music performance. During 2020 and 2021, Leona was part of DNA Contemporary Music Festival in London as a coordinator and performer. She is currently appointed as a cultural officer at the Embassy of Israel.

This recital promises to be a very special evening of music-making. Please come along to experience and enjoy this unique event.

Ana and Leona will perform at Wanstead Library on 14 March from 8pm (tickets on the door; visitors: £12; members: £8). Call 07380 606 767. Redbridge Music Society is supported by Vision RCL and affiliated to Making Music.

Residents are invited to help create a new community garden in Ray Park after the Woodford Greeners successfully raised over £6,000 to fund the project.

“We have lots of opportunities for people to volunteer, so come and help us create the garden and outdoor learning space for our local community. We will be digging, clearing, weeding and planting to get it ready for workshops and events in the summer,” said Lydia Fraser-Ward.

Volunteer days will take place throughout spring.

Visit swvg.co.uk/wgvolunteer 

2023 marks 100 years since women were permitted to join the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society. To mark International Women’s Day, club chair Sue Rosner will be giving a talk about the group’s female members, past and present. Images by club members Rachel Dee Smith (portrait), Carole Milligan (sunset) and Ro Ward (beach scene)

The Woodford Photographic Society was formed in 1893 (Wanstead was added to the club’s name much later) by seven men who met in the coffee tavern by George Lane station, now South Woodford station. But it would be another 30 years before women could join.

Initially, in April 1921, ladies could be invited as visitors to the more ‘suitable’ meetings and the programmes of the time are asterisked with a note which said: “These lectures are illustrated with lantern slides and are suitable evenings on which members might bring their lady friends.” It is interesting to speculate what the ‘suitable’ evenings contained.

At the AGM on 25 April 1923, it was agreed that women could join the club. Miss Gertrude Emma Powers became the first female member later that month. She was born in 1889 in Stepney, so would have been 34 when she joined. In 1911, her family moved to Woodford and Gertrude graduated from the University of London with a BSc (III class), and the following year from Newnham College, Cambridge with a BA (II class). On 22 December 1923, Gertrude married Charles Wood at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Woodford. The couple subsequently moved to Wilderness Corner, Quidenham, Norfolk, where Gertrude died on 18 October 1934. 

In August 1923, Gertrude was followed by Miss R Eastgate (proposed by Miss GE Powers), who became our second female member. Then, in February 1924, Miss Dorothy Norah Cross and her stepmother Grace were elected as members. Norah was born in 1889 in Hackney and by 1901, after the death of her mother, the family had moved to Woodford. She later worked as a school teacher. Little more than a year after joining the society, Norah was elected to the society’s council (what we call the committee today) at the AGM in April 1925, and at the AGM in 1928 she became the society’s first female president. She was still president in 1932. Norah never married, and at the time of her death on 4 February 1957, was living at 54 St Ronan’s Crescent, Woodford Green.

For the first 105 years of the club’s existence, it met in a variety of locations in Woodford. In 1998, we began meeting in Wanstead, initially at the former dance studio Dulverton, and since 2014 at Wanstead House. And so it made sense to add Wanstead to our name, but it was not until 2017 that the name on the club’s chequebook was updated.

I took over as chair from David Tachauer in October 2020, and there have been four female chairs before me. Out of a membership of 50, we now have 17 women members. We meet in person twice a month and on Zoom for the other two weeks. All are welcome to join, but I would still like to encourage more women to come along and take part.

Sue’s presentation on women becoming members of the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society will take place at Wanstead House on 13 March from 7.30pm. Visit swvg.co.uk/wwps

With thanks Alan Simpson for research.