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Beverley Brewer, Joe Hehir and Saiqa Qayum Hussain were all elected as Labour councillors for South Woodford in May. Here are their ambitions for the ward over the next four years

Firstly, we would like to thank everyone who participated in the council elections this year. It was good to see that, once again, South Woodford had one of the best turnouts in the borough. We are very grateful to those of you who lent us your vote this time.

Until eight years ago, Labour had never held a majority on Redbridge Council. This year’s elections have seen South Woodford elect three Labour councillors for the first time ever, and the council is now made up of 58 Labour councillors and five Conservatives.

We believe that the best days for South Woodford are ahead of us. Despite dreadful central government cuts, Brexit and Covid, our communities continue to thrive. As your local councillors, we will do all we can to support the success of our area.

During the election period, we spoke to literally thousands of local people, and there were some very clear themes that we will be taking up as your new councillor team.

Pollution and rat running
It is unacceptable that school children in South Woodford experience some of the worst air quality in the country. South Woodford is so much more than somewhere people drive through. We will pick up where last year’s low traffic neighbourhood consultation left off and do all we can to build a local consensus for a scheme that will improve traffic management, make our streets safer and our lungs cleaner.

Crime and antisocial behaviour
We will work with the local Safer Neighbourhoods Team and lobby for more policing resources in South Woodford. A new enforcement hub on the Orchard Estate will be an important step in the right direction, but more must be done to combat crime and antisocial behaviour in our area.

Neighbourhood planning
South Woodford was the first area in the borough to be given Neighbourhood Forum status, and that is important. It gives our community the chance to develop a Neighbourhood Plan that meets our local needs. We will be working with the South Woodford Society to take this forward and we encourage everyone to become involved in co-producing the plan.

Above all, we are here to listen and be South Woodford’s voice in the Town Hall.

We are currently reviewing how best to balance surgery and other communication arrangements. We will make an announcement soon; in the meantime, you can contact us at any time by email.

For local councillor contact details, visit swvg.co.uk/councillors

Rosa Gomez, Lloyd Duddridge and Guy Williams were all elected as Labour councillors for Churchfields in May. Here are their ambitions for the ward over the next four years

First and foremost, we would like to thank everybody who entrusted us with their vote. Churchfields had the highest turnout in the whole of London (46%) because residents want to see local issues being addressed.

We are honoured to serve as your councillors, however you voted, and we will make the case for Woodford at the top table on Redbridge Council. We will focus on the issues you have asked us to prioritise.

We have spoken to thousands of residents over several years. Rosa has held fortnightly surgeries since her election in 2018, and Lloyd and Guy are long-standing campaigners in Woodford and across the borough. Issues like policing, housing, traffic and our local environment come up time and again.

Redbridge’s Labour-led council is bringing an enforcement hub to Churchfields, which is great news! We will push for the highest possible police presence there, as visible uniforms are the best deterrent. We also want to see the Orchard Estate benefit from an on-site housing officer to address residents’ issues quickly and effectively.

There are road issues across the ward and local views need to be central to addressing them. Traffic management in the Church End Triangle needs to be overhauled in consultation with residents, with resurfacing there and on the High Road urgently required. On Maybank Road, visibility at the A406 junction must be improved and speed restrictions enforced. Road markings outside Churchfields Junior School are being modified to improve safety with camera enforcement planned too. The nearby cameras on Cavendish Avenue and Fairlawn Drive are only supposed to deter through traffic, not to penalise residents, so we will seek an exemption for addresses in the immediate area.

We will prioritise environmental issues, including planning, air quality, children’s play areas and parks. We will champion our beautiful green spaces, upgrade air quality monitoring and find a long-term resolution for Elmhurst Gardens. People from across Woodford use the community sports ground at Ashtons, with many young residents involved in youth football, athletics or hockey. We brought Woodford Town FC back home, and we will push for a long lease for the club to secure the financial future of Ashtons.

Thank you again for putting your faith in us. We will be regularly knocking on doors across the ward, so you will see us back on your doorstep soon. We also have surgeries on the first Saturday and third Tuesday of the month (11am to 12 noon) at Woodford Green Library, so do drop in if you need help with anything.

For local councillor contact details, visit swvg.co.uk/councillors

Improvements are set to be made to The Galleria, South Woodford’s mini shopping mall.

“Following damage to shop fronts caused by break-ins targeting the former Post Office, The Galleria is set for a revitalisation. The Post Office has vacated and, following repairs, new tenants are moving in. An enhanced security system has been installed, and problems with rubbish collections have been addressed. Enquiries are also being made into the possibility of improved access from the rear of the mall,” said site owner Madeleine McCarthy.

Swan Sanctuary volunteer Louisa Green reports on a busy few weeks of swan rescues in Snaresbrook and Wanstead, and welcomes any donations to the swan ambulance fuel fund. Photo of Eagle Pond by Geoff Wilkinson

It’s been an eventful few weeks for local waterfowl, and as Swan Sanctuary volunteers, that means it’s been a busy time for us. We are on call 365 days a year to keep our swans and water birds safe.

Over on Eagle Pond, off Snaresbrook Road, a new dynamic is in place this year; a flock has taken over one half of the pond, with the long-term resident family retaining control of the island. This unusual set-up hasn’t been without drama.

Cygnets of the resident pair made their arrival on 16 May, and on 17 May the new parents took their babies to the water for the first time. The presence of the flock didn’t make this an easy task, and in the panic, the parents struggled to guide their new brood back onto the island later in the day, with one cygnet sadly succumbing to exhaustion. Fellow swan rescuers Gill and Ulf managed to quickly assemble a small ramp and install it on the island. The little ones soon got the hang of it, and were very grateful for the chance to dry off after a full day of swimming! The remaining five cygnets are all thriving.

The presence of such a large flock on Eagle Pond is a significant hazard, given its proximity to a busy main road, and on Sunday 5 June, a low-flying swan was hit by a W12 bus. The driver failed to stop and the incident has been reported to TfL. The swan was taken to The Swan Sanctuary in Shepperton, where she made a full recovery and has since been returned home. Many locals are now calling for the installation of signs and speed bumps along Snaresbrook Road to slow down the traffic.

In Wanstead Park, there have been a series of highs and lows in equal measure. May saw the arrival of five cygnets on the Ornamental Water, making it a significantly more successful brood for the pair than last year. Four cygnets remain and are doing well. Soon afterwards, five cygnets hatched on the Shoulder of Mutton Pond, although one was badly attacked by a swooping gull very early on and sadly died. Four cygnets remain and all is well.

The long-standing Perch Pond pair have had a very difficult few weeks. At the start of the season, two new pairs arrived in the park, which have taken up residence at the Grotto end of Perch Pond and Heronry Pond, leaving the original Perch pair sandwiched in the middle. This pair have sadly had a failed nest; none of their eggs have hatched this year. Furthermore, during the week of 6 June, both Mr and Mrs Perch were badly beaten by Mr Heronry and Mr New Perch, respectively, and so were rescued by Gill and Ulf and are now recovering in The Swan Sanctuary.

Lastly, I’d like to say a huge thank you to mother-daughter-duo Helen and Katie O’Rourke of Wanstead, who ran the London Vitality 10k in May, raising nearly £2,300 for the swan ambulance fuel fund. Being volunteers, and with the cost of diesel rising almost daily, this sum was very gratefully received. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far.

To donate to the swan ambulance fuel fund, visit swvg.co.uk/swanambulance

To report an injured swan to The Swan Sanctuary, call 01932 240 790

The Wanstead Park Liaison Group has identified three ways to improve protection of the park’s iconic bluebells.

“Firstly, the den-building area in Chalet Wood will be moved elsewhere, and the existing location, which has been badly trampled, will be fenced off. Secondly, heavier logs will be brought in to better delineate the paths. Thirdly, permanent signs will be designed to educate visitors, as will small temporary notices to warn the public off the bare patches to allow the plants to recolonise them,” said a spokesperson.

A four-year-old blood cancer survivor from South Woodford was treated like a queen for the day ahead of the Platinum Jubilee.

Stem cell charity DKMS partnered with Kensington Palace Pavilion to host Livia Gross and her family at an afternoon tea fit for royalty. “After a really tough couple of years for Livia, it was great to see her having such a fun time,” said Livia’s mum, Olive. Livia is also the face of a fundraising campaign being run by DKMS in order to cover the costs of registering more stem cell donors.

Visit swvg.co.uk/dkms

Over 100 people took part in a 3km family bike ride around Wanstead Park’s Ornamental Water in June to raise funds for a new natural play area.

“We’ve received over £1,000 in donations so far, and more contributions are welcome to help us buy equipment for the Wanstead Park playground,” said Gill James of the Friends of Wanstead Parklands. Work on the new play area’s woodland trail – which will be located on former scrubland behind the Temple – is now underway.

Visit swvg.co.uk/parkplayarea

Hundreds of families flocked to George Lane on 19 June to enjoy the family-friendly festivities of the Platinum Jubilee Market.

“The northbound carriageway was closed for the event, which gave much more space for the stalls, and for people to mingle. It was such a novelty to be able to walk in the road – which quickly became a blank canvas for chalk art,” said a spokesperson for the South Woodford Society, which organised the day in partnership with Ace Events. Alongside the street food stalls, residents were able to take part in craft activities and games, with live music and a dance class also on offer.

“Local businesses did really well too, and it was amazing to see our whole community celebrating our Queen’s Jubilee and just loving being together. It exceeded all our expectations by a mile!”

Improve Your Smile Dental Practice in Woodford Green raised £1,000 for charity by hosting a Platinum Jubilee event on 27 May.

“There was a real buzz on the practice’s forecourt on Woodford High Road with bunting, balloons and live music from Natural Voices Choir attracting many a passer-by. The choir’s uplifting, contemporary numbers drew in the crowds and it was smiles all round as people enjoyed a hot drink with plenty of delicious cake and lively conversation whilst raising money for worthy causes,” said a spokesperson.

The money raised will be shared between Haven House and The Stroke Association.

This was the practice’s third charity coffee and cake morning held in the month of May and due to its continued success they intend to hold the event again next year.

For more information, call 020 8504 2704

A memorial service for former Church End councillor Maureen Hoskins will take place in June.

Residents are invited to pay their respects at St Mary’s Church, High Road, South Woodford on 18 June. The service will begin at 12 noon.

Maureen was a Liberal Democrat councillor from 1986 to 2006. She was also the last surviving councillor to have served on the Wanstead and Woodford Borough Council, representing Churchfields from 1961 to 1965.

Maureen passed away on 3 December 2021 at the age of 85 following a short illness.

A new shooting range at the South Woodford Scout Hut is just one of many activities members of the 52nd Epping Forest South Scout Group can look forward to, says Stephanie Woodley in the second of two articles

Since the article in the last edition of the Gazette, the Mayor of Redbridge officially opened our new shooting range. It was a great evening and an opportunity to catch up with scouting volunteers (past and present). The mayor demonstrated amazing marksmanship, opening the range by shooting a balloon which unfurled our flag (a surprising touch set up by a couple of our scouts).

Our fundraising bingo evening (to subsidise transport costs for our Brownsea Island camp) was a great success. We raised £600, after fund-matching, this will reduce costs by £1,200. We were incredibly grateful to some non-scouting volunteers who helped run the evening. Brownsea Island is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, providing an opportunity for our group to see many birds, deer, and hopefully, red squirrels. We are looking forward to various activities whilst there, learning about the island, trying out meditation, and some brave souls may even try cold-water swimming!

All our sections have a number of exciting activities planned in the coming months, with shooting commencing on a Thursday. Gardening club takes place on Saturdays to keep the area around our hut tidy, improving biodiversity (we have a bug hotel) and providing an opportunity for everyone to plant some seeds (from flowers through to vegetables), which the group are then encouraged to continue growing at home.

Our Beavers’ section is planning an overnight camp in the hut. For many, this will be their first experience of a camp and is a good way to try it out before venturing further afield. The Cubs are working towards their Home Help badge (many parents are very grateful to Akela for planning this!). And the Scouts have been working on their Trangia skills, cooking a meal from scratch and then clearing up afterwards.

We also recently joined the South Woodford Society on their community litter pick and look forward to participating in more of these. Some of our members are very keen to use a litter picker!

Later in the year, we will be holding our annual circus skills day, attending a firework display and participating in the poppy collection and Remembrance parade.

We would love more of the local community to get involved in our activities and welcome any enquiries from individuals who feel they could offer time to complete any of the following tasks: treasurer, updating our website, implementing technology in our hut, providing online administration support, supporting recruitment and training or coordinating fundraising.

The 52nd Epping Forest South Scout Group meets in the Scout Hut behind South Woodford Library. For more information, email Exco.52ndefs@Gmail.com