Editor

It all began in 2013, and now, as the Wanstead Fringe gears up for its 10th instalment of 100-plus cultural events, director Giles Wilson extends the invitation to South Woodford

You may not have noticed, but something has been going on in Wanstead for the past few years. It started small but has grown into something to be reckoned with.

It’s the Wanstead Fringe, an annual cultural arts festival, which this year is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It began as a handful of events back in 2013 – a bit of stand-up, an open-air cinema, a jumble trail and others – timed to coincide with the Wanstead Festival.

But over the subsequent few years, things took off. People wanted to arrange their own contributions. And this year, we have more than 100 events taking place in various venues around Wanstead between 9 and 30 September. We would love the people of South Woodford and Woodford, as our closest neighbours, to join us.

As in previous years, there will be comedy, a street party at The Duke pub and the Fringe jumble trail. But now, theatre is a central part of our programme – there are four plays showing this year, three of them upstairs at The Bull pub, near Wanstead Station. 

There will be 11 talks from authors – some local, some national – including one of the greatest living English novelists. The amount of music included is hugely expanded this year, with eight events including recitals and works by local composers and performers. International opera star Lucy Crowe and husband Joe Walters will again be transforming St Mary’s Church on Overton Drive into a magical venue for music. There will be a recital, Low Strings Drama, led by local composer Simone Spagnolo, which promises to be a unique blend of chamber music and drama soundtracks. Redbridge Brass Band, local singer-songwriters, singer Lydia Gerrard and local guitar virtuoso Peter Black also feature.

The event I’m looking forward to most is hearing from novelist Jonathan Coe, whose series of novels have told an authentic story about the changes in British life since the war. The event will have a vivid counterpart as Helen Day, historian of Ladybird Books, talks about the perceptions our society used to have of itself. Former BBC Arts editor Will Gompertz will tell us how we can adopt the ways artists look at the world to change our own ways of looking.

It’s our sponsors who have underwritten this growth. Vision RCL is very supportive and generous with its buildings, but we have built the Fringe without any public money – it’s an excellent example of what can happen when people do things for themselves. Nothing would make us happier than to have the readers of the South Woodford Village Gazette join us.

For more information on Wanstead Fringe events, visit swvg.co.uk/wf

Elmhurst Gardens in South Woodford is one of nine parks across Redbridge to receive the Green Flag Award for 2023.

“Parks and gardens are an important part of our community, and we appreciate the continued support from all the volunteers and staff at Vision RCL in maintaining our sites to such a high standard,” said Chair of Vision Trustees, Martin Solder.

The Green Flag Award scheme is managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. This year, a total of 2,216 parks across the country received the award.

The Guide Dogs’ Redbridge hub is seeking volunteers from the Woodford area to foster a dog.

“Our fosterers provide loving homes for our dogs to relax in while they are in training. It can be a great way to add a dog to your home without long-term commitment,” said Volunteer Coordinator Phoebe Coles. Volunteer fosterers drop off their dog at the Woodford Green centre on weekdays between 7am and 9am and pick them up between 4pm and 6pm. All costs are covered and training is provided.

Call 07795 106 874

The South Woodford Society will be hosting a community gardening day on 24 September.

“In the last edition of the South Woodford Village Gazette, it was discussed how ‘green exercise’ is beneficial to both physical health and mental health. Our gardening day at the community orchard – which will start at 11am – will be an ideal opportunity to have a go,” said a spokesperson.

Located on the corner of Primrose Road and Mulberry Way, the orchard was created by the South Woodford Society in February 2021. The group is now keen to install a rainwater harvesting system on the site. “After attending a workshop at the Ray Park Walled Garden, we have started to discuss a design, which could involve fixing guttering to the railings on the viaduct, allowing us to collect rainwater before it enters the drains. As usual with all our projects, we would value community input, so do not hesitate to contact us.”

Email e18society@gmail.com

Pupils at Churchfields Junior School enjoyed a concert by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain in July.

“We were recently selected by the Department for Education to be a national case study for a new music curriculum, and we welcomed the band to encourage their young players. Hits including Sweet Caroline and Uptown Funk were played and have hopefully inspired a future generation of musicians. All pupils at Churchfields learn to play an instrument,” said Deputy Headteacher James Easter.

Redbridge Council has issued an update regarding the closure of a section of Broadmead Road:

“Following agreement by TfL, we plan to conduct a survey of the bridge the week commencing 4 September. This will allow us to complete a more robust inspection and inform us if we need to do further work or if we can open the road at a reduced capacity and vehicular weight limit. In the meantime, for your safety, we kindly ask people not to move the cones and barriers to drive over the bridge until further inspections are complete.”

Residents wishing to take any waste to Chigwell Road Reuse and Recycling Centre in a van or trailer must now book a slot in advance.

“This system is aimed at relieving congestion and improving recycling performance. You can make up to 12 bookings over the course of 12 months and up to two bookings in any one month,” said a spokesperson for ELWA. Booking is not required for cars.

Visit swvg.co.uk/booktip

A demonstration will be held outside Redbridge Town Hall on 14 September as campaigners await the council’s decision on the future of Wanstead Youth Centre.

The Elmcroft Avenue venue is under threat of closure following claims £2.4m of refurbishments are needed. “The cabinet meeting is when the decision will be made. We will gather from 6.30pm,” said a Save Our Wanstead Youth Centre spokesperson.

Visit swvg.co.uk/wyc

Cholesterol is a waxy substance, made in the liver and essential for the continuing health of every single cell in the human body. We need it, says Fiona Flaherty, a registered nurse and nutritional therapist 

The body makes around 80% of our cholesterol. The remaining 20% comes from food. Functions of cholesterol include the manufacture of hormones and bile salts to break down dietary fats, plus a transporter for Vitamin D. 

The body self-regulates the amount of cholesterol needed. If cholesterol consumption is too high, the liver cuts back on manufacture, unless the liver is damaged. But if inflammation is present in the body, then it produces more as a protective mechanism. Therefore, results from a blood sample showing a higher total cholesterol means you have excess inflammation in the body. 

So, what do the numbers means? Firstly, lipoproteins. These are like boats that take cholesterol from the liver to the tissues and back again to the liver to be reused. Cholesterol is like a family in which there are four players: HDL (high density lipoproteins), LDL (low density lipoproteins), triglycerides (additional energy stores) and VLDL (very low density lipoproteins). Each has a unique value, and total cholesterol is just that: the total of all the numbers added up. If elevated, it causes imbalances in the body.

HDL is rarely elevated. But when LDL becomes elevated and oxidises (like rust), it damages blood vessels and blood is more likely to clot, causing even more inflammation in the body. The liver responds by making more cholesterol in an attempt to repair the damage. Elevated cholesterol markers are associated with conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The current treatment in the UK is prescribed statins. They set the body back to zero and stop cholesterol being made in the liver. This initially lowers the LDL and triglycerides and may, coincidentally, raise HDL levels, as well. However, having no cholesterol in the body may account for early cell death, possible hair loss, muscle aches, low exercise tolerance, fatigue and reduced libido in adults. So, what can we do? The body needs to be rebalanced. We need to eliminate ‘triggers’ in our diet to reduce overall inflammation. Simple steps to help manage cholesterol levels include: 

• Increase antioxidants with fruit and vegetables. Excess cholesterol binds to the fibres and is evacuated out of the bowels. 
• Drink about two litres of water a day to keep your blood flowing efficiently. 
• Exercise aerobically for 20 minutes every day to increase HDL and decrease LDL. 
• Avoid or limit BBQs, smoked, burnt, deep-fried and shop-bought fried foods as these are inflammatory.

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 

Derek Inkpin from local solicitors Axiom DWFM looks at how legal costs can spiral in cases like boundary disputes and urges the use of a mediator where possible

Unless you have won the lottery, the legal costs of getting involved in a dispute as either a claimant or defendant will be of great concern. Referring a dispute to a mediator can be a great boon, not least the court costs it saves on a successful outcome.

The parties concerned can feel fully engaged in the process. However, a mediator is not a judge and all they can do is encourage the resolution of the dispute by mutual agreement. A mediator does not make orders as does a court. A court decision in favour of a winning party can be a great outcome but can be a disaster financially for the loser. 

There is a 2021 case called Davis vs Winner involving a boundary dispute where the trial judge was informed that the combined costs of both parties were about £200,000. What was of great concern to the judge was that the case involved an allegation of 17 inches of boundary encroachment against a neighbour arising from the installation of two boundary garden fences. At an early stage, as in any civil court case, the district judge decides which ‘track’ is to be allocated and this is determined by the complexity of the matter. In the Davis case, this was allocated to the multitrack and in so doing affected the costs to be incurred. 

What the trial judge said was that to the outside observer, the extent of the boundary encroachment in terms of monetary value was not great. The judge made clear that where the value of the claim in monetary terms was unlikely to exceed £10,000, then if the parties both agreed, the case should be allocated to the small claims track where the costs to the loser would normally be restricted to court fees and witness expenses. 

The small claims track therefore minimises the financial risk to the parties, and in the Davis case would have concentrated the parties’ minds on not incurring the combined £200,000 fees.

However, boundary disputes can involve a complexity of facts, law and expert evidence, which may take two to three days to conclude and conventionally this will likely take it outside the small claims track to the multitrack, which incurs substantial costs. An important issue in these low-value cases is whether the court can save the parties’ costs by allocating it to the small claims track. However, if it is argued at an early stage that the legal and other issues are complex, then allocating the case to another track with no cost protection to the parties will likely be the outcome. And this is when a mediator could help save a fortune.

Axiom DWFM is located at 9–13 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, E11 2PU. For more information, call 020 8215 1000

In the third of a series of articles featuring the images of local photographers who document the wildlife of Wanstead Park and the surrounding area, Tushar Bala presents a montage of his shots of a Little Egret

My name is Tushar Bala and I’m a science teacher. I started my wildlife photography in earnest at Wanstead Park on day one of COVID lockdown. I would practice before and after work. I would take pictures of anything that moved! I love Wanstead Park because of its various wildlife. But it is the people who have approached me to have a quick chat that makes the park special, from lovely retired couples to TikToking teenagers, dog walkers and families.

I have gone on to inspire my students to visit Wanstead Park as well. Just a few weeks ago, one of my wheelchair-bound students insisted on going to the famous bluebell wood. So, his dad and brother pulled and pushed him through the quagmire. He took some pictures, and I will admit, they were brilliant and better than mine. He had a history of not wanting to go out and his parents were desperate to get him out of the house. He is now a regular visitor to the park.

Wanstead Park offers a plethora of wildlife experiences. I’ve played hide and seek with a fox, literally going around in circles. (The fox cheated and took a short cut through the bushes!) I’ve been stopped in my tracks by a heron wrestling with a two-foot pike. I’ve watched a Great Spotted Woodpecker tear off bark to get to grubs. And during one lunchtime walk, I was rewarded with a buzzard perched in the woods. I stopped a family and allowed the children to watch it through my camera lens.

At dusk, I like to sit down with a cup of tea and watch the beautiful terns hunt, swooping down, skimming the surface to catch fish. And I love to watch the Grey Heron do its… well, I call it a snake dance, using its neck to attract fish. Or watch the Little Egret do its shuffle dance to stir up the mud and catch its dinner.

I found the Little Egret quite tough to capture. These birds are usually found at the wooded part of the lake, so the background is very dark and you can easily overexpose the image. Little Egrets are very skittish and one has to approach very slowly. After a few minutes of observation, I decided to go for a set of three images; the dishevelled look, not so dishevelled and then looking quite smart. I call the sequence ‘having a bad hair day!’

Wanstead Park has a lot to offer, not least, for mental health well-being. It is wonderful to be humbled by the wildlife and their behaviour, to meet like-minded people who appreciate the sense of calmness that the park offers, a place to sit and rest one’s bones with a flask of coffee, to listen to the dawn chorus of the birds, a catalyst (I had to put a scientific word in the article!) to visit other places.

As I walk home with my unwieldy camera gear, I’m tired, hungry and thirsty; my joints ache; I’m sometimes euphoric that I may have taken a nice image, but I always have a big, fat cheek-to-cheek smile.

I now also visit lots of other places to get my wildlife fix, mainly RSPB sites and some Wetland Trust sites. My pictures (the decent ones) are emailed to the organisations responsible for looking after the habitats I have visited, just as a thank you. Some images have been published, and usually, the sites I visit will post them on their websites.

To view more local wildlife photos, visit swvg.co.uk/parklife