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Sergeant Imran Malik heads up the policing team for South Woodford, Churchfields, Bridge and Monkhams wards. His mission is to ensure the streets are safe for all and is keen to build community confidence 

Hello, South Woodford. I’m Sergeant Malik, your local police sergeant. I was born and raised in the heart of East London, a proud member of our diverse and vibrant community. As a Muslim, I’ve always appreciated the multicultural fabric of our city and have committed to being a bridge between different cultures and people. I speak six languages, a skill that allows me to connect more deeply with many of you.

Growing up, I often found myself on the receiving end of stop-and-search practices. Although I understood the intention, the experience was difficult and distancing. I saw an opportunity to be part of the change, to create a police force that respected everyone’s dignity. Thus, I became a police officer.

One of my most cherished memories growing up is playing cricket at the local Ilford Cricket School, run by Joe Hussain, father of England Test captain Nasser Hussain. Those days instilled in me the values of teamwork, discipline and fair play. I’ve also nurtured a passion for bodybuilding, which has taught me focus and dedication – attributes I bring to my work every day.

I believe in the power of mentorship and learning. In 2021, I initiated a mentoring network in the Met called TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More). This network supports officers and staff seeking promotion or looking to work in specialised roles, and encourages collaboration with our stakeholders. In the same year, I worked with Ilford Business Improvement District to organise a training session for local businesses, arming them with the knowledge and tools to combat crime. One instance highlighted how collaboration could help businesses, particularly those facing repeated offences. I encouraged them to share descriptions and patterns of known offenders, allowing Safer Neighbourhood Team patrols to respond more effectively.

My mission is to ensure the streets that raised me are safe for all. I’m dedicated to reducing violence, particularly that affecting our young people, and ensuring our town is a place where women and girls feel safer. I am committed to tackling the harm caused by drugs and to developing strategies that help deter those at risk of criminal activity.

I want to build trust and confidence within our community. I pledge to treat everyone fairly and respond to neighbourhood concerns effectively. I aim to bridge any gaps that might exist between different groups and increase public faith in the police service.

I am not just your local police sergeant; I am a part of South Woodford. I am excited to work with all of you towards a shared vision of a safe, inclusive and thriving community. Let’s create a better South Woodford together.

To contact the police in an emergency, call 999. For non-emergencies, call 101

South Woodford resident Kieran Pruett has been named Graduate Talent of the Year by Fashion Crossover London. As a proud non-binary, deformed individual, Kieran is not only eradicating their insecurities, but using them as inspiration for their designs

It feels wonderful to be recognised for my design work. My graduate collection entitled Deformed Beauty is something I’m so incredibly proud of as it is such an encapsulation of me as a person and as a designer.

More specifically, as a trans designer, it feels euphoric to be highlighted and platformed, particularly as my community is repeatedly being misrepresented and, frankly, disparaged in the media. On top of that, trans representation in the industry is still lacking, so it feels right to be a part of the slow change whereby marginalised communities are finally being showcased. This is a change I wish to see much more of to create a more inclusive and rich industry.

My creative practice is a true embodiment of my personal style and my identity. I am a proud non-binary, deformed individual who as an artist and designer wishes to eradicate my insecurities and use them as inspiration for my work. I am drawn to flamboyance, regality and fun and I desire to create garments that exude those qualities. With my graduate collection, I wished to change the narrative of how I feel about myself by romanticising my pain regarding my deformity and my transness. Through my print work featuring my own self-portraiture, I have created artistic and personal designs that possess a euphoric energy. Additionally, through excessive ruffles and bold silhouettes, I have constructed garments that make people feel like their most unapologetic selves. In essence, my work is devoted to my younger self, my community and to those who have ever felt alienated or rejected by society: it’s all for you.

For my influences, in terms of silhouette and style, I look to the great monarchs of the past who dressed in such grandeur and elegance that regrettably is not prevalent today. My brand name being Queen Quieeran, researching royalty feels like an appropriate and thoughtful choice. Henceforth, I want my work to consistently exude a sense of luxury, regality and extravagance. To gain authenticity when creating new designs, I look to my own clothing for inspiration. I love the idea of taking garments from my own wardrobe and draping them in unique ways to create something new. In doing so, I can create unexpected silhouettes that embody my personal style. This experimentation is integral to my work and is used throughout my design process to ensure the joy of dressing-up and draping remains. 

In terms of my print work, I took inspiration from Francis Bacon, whose distorted portraits really resonate with me. I love the idea of taking something I perceived as ugly and turning it into something beautiful. Therefore, I adore creating vivid prints that showcase my self-portraiture, and in doing so, I am changing the way I feel about myself.

Another notable inspiration would be the trans community. I am heavily inspired by my community’s resilience to be their authentic selves in the face of adversity. Collectively, they are the reason I had the courage to embrace and be my authentic self. 

My experience at Middlesex University was one I’m very thankful for. What I love most about the fashion department at Middlesex is that nothing is ever off-limits or too outrageous to try out. They truly allow you to reach your potential and I’m so grateful to the team there for pushing me to create more than I ever thought I was capable of. When I was at school, I was often underestimated; therefore, I feel lucky to have had a university experience that truly developed my skills. On top of that, it was really liberating to be in a space where my growth as a designer and as a person was encouraged and welcomed. Additionally, as a trans person, I felt truly safe to be who I am. Admittedly, I was quite nervous before embarking on my degree as I heard how toxic some fashion courses can be. Middlesex, thankfully, was a safe space for all students where my classmates gladly embraced each other’s creations and successes.

To view more of Kieran’s work, follow them on Instagram @queenquieeran

Councillor Rosa Gomez (Churchfields ward, Labour) reflects on the road safety improvements that have been made at Churchfields Junior School over the past few years

It has been my privilege to work with teachers and parents of children at Churchfields Junior School, where I have been a governor for several years. In 2018, soon after I was first elected as a councillor, I visited the school on a number of occasions and found the children particularly articulate. They had a keen interest in the environment and were clearly annoyed at the number of vehicles driving past the school.

Consequently, one of my top concerns has been the safety of the children. My fears have been highlighted by a series of near misses and at least one incident when a child was struck by a car. It takes only a second’s loss of concentration for tragedy to strike.

Over the past few years, the combined efforts of Churchfields parents, teaching staff – especially headteacher Rebecca Emeny – and officers of Redbridge Council’s Highways Department have made a real difference. Temporary signage, which is put in place when children are going to school and leaving, extended zigzag lines on the road, a park-and-stride scheme and now CCTV to deter dangerous driving have all helped. 

I recently had the pleasure to revisit the school at home time. I was joined by deputy head James Easter, and we had an opportunity to monitor how the safety measures are working. Between 3pm and 3.45pm, as children were flooding out of the gates, we didn’t notice a single instance of car drivers idling, parking on zigzags, performing U-turns or doing anything else that could endanger young lives. James told me that 89% of children now travel to and from school on foot, bike or scooter. Ten years ago, 26% travelled by car, and now that figure is only about 10%. This marked decrease was helped by the introduction in 2021 of the park-and-stride scheme, with free parking in the nearby Derby Road car park during drop-off and pick-up times. The school’s leadership team are determined to encourage a further reduction in car usage outside the premises.

Churchfields staff’s commitment to safety has been demonstrated by a willingness to engage with parents and spend money – the signs aren’t cheap and come out of the school budget. The council’s commitment has been shown by officers such as Adam Warnes and Simon Casson, who found ways to implement safety measures. And parents have responded positively. This has been a wonderful example of people coming together to find solutions and I’m proud to have been part of it.

This is all good news, but I must make an appeal. I know how hard it is for the driver of a reversing car to notice a small child walking behind the vehicle. Cars are potentially lethal machines, so please, if you are doing the school run or simply in transit past a school – any school – obey the signs and pay attention to what’s going on around you.

To contact Councillor Rosa Gomez, email rosa.gomez@redbridge.gov.uk

Some South Woodford scribbles from DD, our resident diarist and observer of all things local. Illustrated by Evelyn Rowland

We all like to be appreciated. “How was the apple crumble, dear?” (Hoping for “Full marks, love,” or something similar.) “Does this dress suit me?” “Spot on! You look great.”

This gentle custom of kindly oiling the wheels of our day-to-day relationships has mushroomed into a universally established marketing ploy: after any purchase, the almost instantaneous message from companies and traders large or small is: “How did we do?” There may even be a short questionnaire: “Thank you for renewing your car insurance with us. On a scale of one to five, please tell us how likely you are to recommend us to your friends.” “How would you rate the look and overall feel of our app?” “We would greatly value your comments on your experience when buying your pliers.” “You could even tell us more by leaving a short video response.”

Even as I am writing, I have suddenly recalled one of my earliest (and really rather treasured) ‘feedback’ experiences. It was about 15 years ago and it arrived in the post. It was a customer satisfaction questionnaire from the crematorium as a follow-up to Uncle Bert’s funeral. A modestly elegant response form to be completed and then folded, three ways, in accordance with the diagrammatic instructions, then moistened round the edge-flaps, pressed to seal and dispatched. No stamp required. Printed in black and white with pale lilac subheadings. Not your average sort of mailing; nothing like the Plumbs’ loose-cover sale catalogue or the water bill. No, this was truly something on which to exercise the mind. I was intrigued.

“How do you normally travel to the crematorium?” Normally! As if one were commuting on a regular basis. Fair enough, when you’re in your eighties, there is a regrettable increase in the number of these journeys. The roll call of much-loved friends and relations who have set off before us does tend to accelerate these days and remind us of our own mortality.

“Did any of those attending the service have any difficulty in finding their way to the correct chapel?” On balance, there seemed little point in outlining the problems of one posse of relations who did have difficulty, not in finding the right chapel, but in finding the right crematorium. Unfortunately, they appeared just a few crucial minutes late. Their arrival immediately followed the coffin’s departure. The curtains had already inched their respectful way round Bert’s brass-handled box. Non-arrival at funerals is probably endemic hereabouts: the City of London Crematorium in Manor Park is not far, as the crow flies, from the Manor Park Crematorium. It’s all too easy to get confused. And you can’t very well request an encore for latecomers. The curtains reopening and the coffin trundling back in. Sort of instant reincarnation.

“Have you any views on the toilet facilities at the chapels?” I left this one blank.

“Was the role of the chapel attendant helpful to the proceedings?” In a word, well, two words: “Not really.” But I elaborated: in bitterly cold conditions, the attendant had refused to allow our patiently waiting crowd of mostly elderly mourners to enter the cosy, deserted chapel just four minutes before our designated time slot, on the grounds that we’d all have to be turned out again if the undertaker failed to show up with the body. I asked if our particular undertaker, who came strongly recommended, had ever been known to miss the deadline, so to speak. But by then, the attendant had hurried inside to keep warm. 

“There is current technology available that will allow heat recovered from the cremation process to provide heating for the chapels. Would you find this proposal objectionable?” Frankly, a question better left unasked. Too much information, I thought. But something to ponder over still. Not over the principle of the thing of course. We children of the recycling age could scarcely take exception to such an eco-friendly stratagem. But rather over the nature of the available “current technology.” Current, hinting at something new. Technology suggestive of computer wizardry. But surely pipes had been pretty standard equipment for centuries?

The last question: the finale: “Would you like to be involved in our Cemetery Feedback Group?” A winsome plea: “Do let’s keep in touch. We know cemeteries aren’t bread and butter to you but they are to us, so please come back and tell us how we are doing.” Who knows? Perhaps it was at just such a feedback group that successful policy changes were hatched that led to the much coveted accolade, ‘Cemetery of the Year 2001’. I noticed this printed boldly on the receipt when I paid for the urn. How had this honour been achieved? On what criteria? Presumably, there are only so many prettiest villages in Essex to inspect in an average year. Do the same panels of judges fill up their fallow periods strolling around graveyards with their clipboards, awarding points for an extra-clean catacomb and a well-swept vault, high-quality plastic grass matting and tenderly pruned memorial roses?

Is it shocking to be so frivolous about a subject so serious? Our local ‘places of rest’ are, of course, superbly run. But funerals do, not infrequently, attract somewhat dark humour, don’t they? Is it something that makes it easier to cope? In fact, often, the Order of Service may include an imagined, upbeat message from the departed, much-mourned friend. Something along these lines?

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one. I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.

To contact DD with your thoughts or feedback, email dd@swvg.co.uk

Despite opposition from residents, a planning application for 18 flats fronting Crescent Road in South Woodford has been approved.

“It is clear this development will totally change the character of Crescent Road, with its green corridor on one side. We felt council officers put undue pressure on councillors at the meeting even though the application broke many aspects of the local plan. A large portion of the biodiverse green corridor will now be cut down after nearly 100 years of growth,” said campaigner Terry Rumak.

Drain sensors have been installed in flood-prone parts of the borough to create a smart drainage system that monitors gully drains for blockages.

Nearly 100 sensors have been put in place across Redbridge, with 46 in the Wanstead and Woodford area, including five near Woodford Road.

“Providing real-time data and alerts to identify potential problem drains, the sensors enable us to react quickly to blockages or rising water levels, helping to reduce the risk of flooding,” said a Redbridge Council spokesperson.

Residents opposed to the Snaresbrook Station car park development have renewed calls for planning permission to be denied, citing a report that claims the proposed flats fail to meet critical fire safety requirements.

The independent report by Apex Strategies concludes that emergency access is below London Fire Brigade minimum standards.

“We’re in favour of affordable housing, but this proposal creates unthinkable safety risks for potential residents and neighbours,” said Mike Calvert of the Real Snaresbrook campaign.

Redbridge Libraries will launch the Fabula Reading Challenge this July, open to all two- to 12-year-olds in the borough.

“Read whatever you enjoy. We’ve got thousands of books and comics for kids to discover at your local library or from home in our virtual library. Participants will get a certificate and be entered into a prize draw,” said a spokesperson. Designed to encourage reading over the holidays, the challenge will run until September, with a number of creative workshops planned.

Visit swvg.co.uk/fab23

Councillor Jyotsna Islam has been elected as the new Mayor of Redbridge for the 2023–2024 municipal year.

“I moved to Redbridge in the eighties, lived here ever since, married, and raised my family in our borough… By trade, I am a registered social worker. To have been nominated to become the mayor of the borough is a huge privilege and immensely humbling,” said Councillor Islam, who has selected the London Air Ambulance and Woodford Bridge-based ELHAP as the chosen charities for her term in office. 

The Leader of Redbridge Council, Councillor Jas Athwal, responds to residents’ concerns over the future of Wanstead Youth Centre and addresses the council’s budgeting for leisure facilities in the borough 

Redbridge is our home; it’s where many of us chose to live, raise our families and put down roots. I’ve lived in Redbridge for over 50 years now with my family, and as Leader of Redbridge Council, my motivation has always been to make our borough better for people to enjoy now and for generations to come. That’s why, despite punishing government cuts, a decade of austerity and the rising cost of living, our council is still investing in Redbridge. Over the coming years, we are investing £14m in brand-new community facilities for local people.

I understand there is concern about Wanstead Youth Centre, and I want to stress that no final decision has been taken; we are exploring all options to keep providing the best services while setting a balanced budget in the face of over 60% government budget cuts.

Wanstead Youth Centre, unfortunately, in its current condition is no longer suitable for long-term use due to the extensive repairs needed to make it fit for purpose. Since January, our council has undertaken an online consultation, arranged meetings with hirers and answered questions at various council committees. In addition, our councillors attended a public meeting organised at the centre and met with users. In order to allow further time to explore options for the future use of the building, the council has now scheduled the full report on Wanstead Youth Centre to come forward for decision at the Cabinet meeting in September. Business as usual will continue until that decision is taken.

As a council, it is essential we ensure taxpayers’ money provides value-for-money services and benefits to the wider community. We are one of the lowest-funded boroughs in London and have been forced to make huge savings of £236m because of government cuts over the past decade. Despite this, we always rise to the challenge of keeping vital services running and investing in what matters most to our neighbours. 

Like all councils suffering from government cuts, we must be innovative, making the best use of existing facilities and spending public money wisely. Take South Woodford Library and Woodford Green Library, where we have delivered new gyms. By using existing space, we have saved money and created services that pay for themselves, right in the heart of local communities. We are investing in leisure facilities across the borough, but we have to ensure these don’t drain council resources. A great example is Valentines Park lido, which we are rebuilding 30 years after the old lido was shut. The new lido will be built sustainably and cover its own costs.

As a council, we are committed to investing in services that matter most to the people who live across our borough, but we do need to spend our limited funding wisely.

To contact Councillor Jas Athwal, email jas.athwal@redbridge.gov.uk

The anonymous yarn bomber who has been creating woollen toppers for a postbox on Hermon Hill has spoken out after their latest creation was stolen.

“Toppers are regularly taken, but many are returned as the pranksters find they have little use for them! I was inspired to start doing this last December, having seen them in a village in Wales. Each topper takes over 80 hours to make. I have been overwhelmed by the support of local people and will be commencing work on my next topper shortly,” said the mystery knitter.