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Councillor Rosa Gomez (Churchfields, Labour) is organising an event in South Woodford for young people to say what they really want. Among the speakers will be inspirational Redbridge hero Isaac Harvey

I’m convinced that young people are getting a raw deal at the moment. Covid meant friends couldn’t meet up for weeks and months on end. Education moved from the classroom to Zoom, presenting all kinds of new challenges. Competition to get the best grades has never been fiercer, yet now that students’ good GCSE and A level results have been announced, they face criticism that standards have fallen. And even with the best results and a degree, they face the prospect of sky-high rents and insecure jobs.

We need to listen more to the hopes, aspirations and fears of our young people. I get the impression they are worried about climate change and the environment, knife crime and gangs, the lack of things to do outside school, and their prospects for meaningful employment in the future. But I would like to get a better idea. I would like to hear it from their own mouths. That’s why I’ve organised an event in September aimed at young people in our local area aged between 13 and 18. Their input will give me a better idea of what to campaign for as a local councillor.

The event will aim to showcase what services are on offer to young people locally and what advice they can access to help them along life’s road. There will be entertainment, stalls and speakers, and I’m really excited that inspirational Redbridge community hero Isaac Harvey will join us.

In April, Isaac was awarded honorary freedom of the borough. He is an award-winning vlogger, producer, poet and supporter of Avril Mills’ Dream Factory charity. Born with a form of limb hypoplasia syndrome, Isaac is president of Wheels and Wheelchairs, a group of London-based skaters, rollerbladers and wheelchair users. He says of the event: “In my short talk, I will touch on topics such as overcoming obstacles and having a good mindset to want to achieve – and know that anything is possible if you put these practices into play. I will also be showing a short video showcasing some of my achievements.”

Singer and guitarist Tom Greenwood will provide musical entertainment, and there will be food and refreshments. Rebecca, Uzma and Angelo from Vocal Communities, a Waltham Forest group that helps provide young people with a voice, will be available to offer advice and provide inspiration. Other speakers include Rayla, a young local lawyer, who will talk about what inspired her to study law, and Stanford Quarrie, a self-defence instructor, who will speak about the value of this skill. It promises to be a great event and I hope to come away from it both inspired and with a clearer idea of the priorities our community needs to strive for to help young people.

The free event will take place at Woodford Memorial Hall, 209 High Road, South Woodford on 18 September, 11am to 3pm. Email rosa.gomez@redbridge.gov.uk

Louise Burgess thanks local – and world-class – opera singer Lucy Crowe for her alfresco performances during lockdown, which kept many in the community entertained

During the recent lockdown, many people found themselves out of work, including those working in theatres or music venues. One such musician, opera singer Lucy Crowe, along with her husband, multi-talented instrumentalist Joe Walters, decided that to continue to perform, they would need to do it locally and in the open air.

Lucy and Joe have been entertaining the locals ever since from outside their home in Wanstead, outside Derby Road and the corner of Primrose Road and Violet Road in South Woodford, and have also been busking outside Whipps Cross Hospital. They even came out in December, with Joe appearing in a Santa Claus suit! One of the residents of Primrose Road who heard Lucy’s performance said: “It was gorgeous. I had goosebumps a few times!”

From an early age, Lucy would sing along to her mum’s recordings of ABBA, Blood Brothers, Handel’s Messiah and Maria Callas’s greatest hits. Now, with a repertoire ranging from Purcell, Handel and Mozart to Donizetti’s Adina and Verdi’s Gilda, Lucy has sung with opera companies and orchestras throughout the world. But while Lucy is a fully-trained classical singer, she also sings more modern songs, such as those by The Beatles and soul classics by Aretha Franklin.

Lucy is originally from Staffordshire but has been a resident in Wanstead for nearly 10 years. She is a world-class soprano, and was recently appointed the Royal Academy of Music’s first Giulia Grisi Professor of Performance Mentoring. “I can’t wait to work closely with the students, focusing on character development, communication, emotional content and personal attainment amongst so much else, and give back what I am constantly learning, especially in these fast-developing and unprecedented times,” said Lucy.

If you want to hear Lucy perform, there are a number of ways you can do so. She appeared at the Proms in August (which can be streamed on the BBC Sounds app) singing concert aria Ah! perfido. She will also be singing at the Barbican on 12 September with the London Symphony Orchestra, and next year will appear in La bohème at the Royal Opera House. Lucy also released her debut CD in August, called Longing.

And if that whets your appetite to hear her live, and you know a local care home, hospice or hospital that would like Lucy and Joe to perform for them, please reach out. They may even be persuaded to play at your next big birthday party!

Good luck to Lucy and Joe, and thanks for entertaining and cheering us up during the recent lockdowns.

Woodford Town FC finally returned to the borough in August for their inaugural match at the refurbished Ashton Playing Fields after years of ground-sharing in Harlow. John Dillon reports

Woodford Town FC – one of London’s iconic non-league football clubs – made an emotional return to their ancestral home on 13 August after 28 years in the wilderness.

It follows a four-year campaign to bring the club home to Redbridge after it was forced to quit its original home at nearby Snakes Lane East nearly three decades ago. (The entrance to the former ground can still be seen – along with rusting turnstile – because a covenant on the land means it has never been built upon.)

The club, founded in 1937, folded in 2003. After it fully reformed in 2017, the side was forced to play first in Broxbourne, and then Harlow, until Redbridge Council got behind chairman Tony Scott’s dream of restoring the club to the heart of its original community. A £1.6m refurbishment of Ashton Playing Fields in Woodford Green followed, making it a sporting hub and grade-A athletics facility. A homecoming match in August last year was scrapped. Then, a planned opening home fixture this season on 3 August was postponed after visiting opponents Hoddesdown Town were hit by a virus outbreak.

“It was a proud evening for the club as a bumper crowd of 822 packed the Ashton Playing Fields arena for our inaugural game at the new stadium. Not even a narrow 2–1 defeat to high-flying Stansted could dampen the carnival atmosphere… We were very encouraged by the show of support from locals and ‘ground-hopping’ enthusiasts, and delighted a further 348 spectators turned up for the next game against West Essex only four days later,” said club spokesman Neil Day.

Jimmy Greaves – iconic England, Chelsea, AC Milan, Spurs and West Ham striker – turned out for Woodford in 1979–80 during a spell playing for several non-league clubs at the end of his career. His former Spurs teammate and Republic of Ireland international Joe Kinnear was in the side at the same time. Meanwhile, passing maestro Johnny Haynes – famously the first £100-a-week footballer during his much-revered career with Fulham and England – appeared for Woodford as a teenager in the early 1950s.

Woodford notably reached the first round of the FA Cup in 1986–87, when they met neighbours Orient (before they became Leyton Orient).

The return to Woodford is significant after decades of shutdowns and mergers in non-league football in east London, with the Essex Senior League at level nine of the football pyramid. Under coach Dee Safer, the team lost its opening Essex Senior League fixture 6–1 away against Cockfosters. They were also beaten 3–2 at Witham Town in the FA Cup First Preliminary Round. But, clearly, they have already scored their biggest victory of the season by coming home.

For more information on the club and their future matches, visit swvg.co.uk/wtfc

Snaresbrook Primary School pupil Ellis Gentles has set a new athletic record for the under-9s 75m sprint.

Competing at the Manchester Regional Arena in July, Ellis’ time of 11.27 seconds shaved 0.13 seconds off the previous record, which has stood since 2010.

“I was nervous at the start because this was the first time I was competing where a lot of famous athletes have raced before… I felt so happy about breaking a record set 11 years ago,” said eight-year-old Ellis, who trains with British 100m champion Dwain Chambers.

Redbridge Council has launched a consultation on proposals to reduce through traffic and create ‘safer, quieter, and more attractive streets’ in the Oakdale area of South Woodford.

The plans include additional one-way streets, such as on George Lane, heading west from Chigwell Road. Bus routes on George Lane, Cowslip Road and Victoria Road will be revised to align with the proposals. If progressed, the scheme will also restrict vehicle access to Cowslip Road and relocate the bus stop to The Viaduct. “This will prevent through traffic movements between Victoria Road and George Lane, giving space back to pedestrians and providing an area to relax and play,” said a council spokesperson.

Other proposals include a possible extension of the Oakdale School Streets scheme to neighbouring roads.

The consultation closes on 17 September.

A public meeting will take place on 6 September from 7pm at the Woodford Baptist Church on George Lane, and a pop-up stall with more information will be on Woodville Road outside Oakdale School on 9 September from 5pm to 6pm.

Visit swvg.co.uk/oakdale

Healthwatch Redbridge is running a survey to collate people’s experiences of local dental services since practices reopened on 8 June 2020, following the first lockdown.

“Since April 2021, 25% of Healthwatch calls have been to raise concerns about access to dental practices… The aim of the survey is to draw upon responses to improve services locally, but it will also help to build a national picture of dental care,” said a spokesperson

Responses are invited until the end of September.

Visit swvg.co.uk/dentist

A statement from Woodford Arts Group:

“We were very sad to receive the news that Packfords Hotel ceased trading in August. The business was a unique feature in our area – and a great venue for our exhibitions – and will be much missed. But, as one door closes, another has opened. We are excited to announce that The Stow Brothers have invited us to help them celebrate their arrival in South Woodford. A range of our members’ work will feature on the hoarding whilst the office at 136 George Lane is refurbished.”

One of South Woodford’s most senior residents, master craftswoman Wendy Lawson, is surrounded in her home by beautiful examples of her own handiwork. Bernice Butcher meets a woman of many talents

Years ago, ‘make do and mend’ was a practical necessity for many people, especially in wartime. It’s interesting to see those creative skills, such as sewing, coming back into fashion, as people begin to appreciate the contribution that recycling and ‘upcycling’ make to a less wasteful and healthier world.

Almost everything sewn in Wendy Lawson’s home has been made by her. The quilts, in particular, are stunning, but Wendy’s achievements also include furniture making, gilding, drawing, painting and photography.

Born in 1928, Wendy attended boarding school during World War Two. Her father was a senior officer in the RAF and had to move around the country. Wendy’s mother travelled with him, volunteering in the WVS (now WRVS), driving ambulances and other heavy military vehicles, often without headlights. Wendy enjoyed boarding school, where her interest in needlework was encouraged. Its foundation was in her family background, however. “Mother was an excellent seamstress and made several garments out of parachute silks.”

Her father was also good with a needle and made various tapestries. His uncle was Sir James Hawkey (of Hawkey Hall fame) and the family had a house built on the Monkhams Estate. “I remember that the opposite side of the road to our house was forest – no houses at all,” recalls Wendy.

Following a short period at the Bank of England (where she was shown the gold reserves!), Wendy joined the Royal Navy and then the Merchant Navy, where she met her husband Ashley, a civil engineer. She organised activities for passengers’ children and still loves to be around young people.

After leaving the Merchant Navy, Wendy attended the London College of Furniture where she studied furniture restoration, making a pair of chairs and a writing desk, both of which daughter Charlotte is the proud custodian. Charlotte recalls a family project on her brother Jolyon’s car. Wendy went to Connolly’s Leather Yard, then in the East End, to choose the hides for the car seats and roof, which she then upholstered.

Wood carving and upholstery led to soft furnishings, which eventually became her chosen field. Encouraged to teach, she eventually took over her tutor’s classes when she retired. Patchwork and quilting were a natural progression, and she later developed City and Guilds courses in this and other sewing crafts at Loughton College. Wendy’s quilts have been featured in shows in America and the UK.

These days, Wendy takes pleasure in her garden – and is still sewing at 93. “Sewing has always been an enormous part of my life, giving me great satisfaction and comfort.”

Vision RCL has issued a statement following the selection of kGems Day Nursery as the new operators of the former bowls club site in Elmhurst Gardens:

“At this stage, the process has been concluded, and kGems will be providing a nursery and a café. They will also be hiring out the outdoor space at weekends. They are committed to working with the community and will meet with the Friends of Elmhurst Gardens to look at how they can work together, including committing £1,000 per year to fund community activities.”

Campaigners seeking to overturn the decision to award the former Elmhurst Gardens bowls club site to a private nursery held a protest picnic in the park in August.

“It was fantastic to see over 100 people coming together to show how much they appreciate and love this park and talk about how good it would be to have a dedicated community space and café here,” said Kerry Oliver.

A petition – which has received over 1,500 signatures – is due to be debated at a Redbridge Council meeting on 23 September.

Visit swvg.co.uk/egpetition

A petition calling for speeding controls and safer pavements on Hermon Hill has been sent to John Cryer MP.

“Our council have not acted on individual complaints, so I am hoping with this we can show the collective will of residents and those who use the road to demand action from Redbridge Council,” said Lloyd Sampson, whose petition has received over 275 signatures.

Speed measuring devices are due to be reinstalled in September after the last monitoring period clashed with roadworks.

Visit swvg.co.uk/hermonhill

English longhorns returned to Wanstead Park in August to graze until the beginning of September.

“These mowing machines perform a good job at grazing the area selectively, which is uneven due to anthills. They also eat tougher plant life, which prevents the area from becoming too overgrown and allows more diverse flora to establish. And their dung is home to a wide variety of beetle and fly larvae, which provides food for birds. So, their presence is of great benefit to the ecosystem,” said volunteer cow warden Karen Humpage.