Editor

Rena Pathak outlines plans for a South Woodford Platinum Jubilee event this June to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II, and invites the community to get involved

In this Platinum Jubilee year, the country will celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s 70th year as its monarch. On the first weekend of June, we’ll all enjoy an extended Bank Holiday Weekend to celebrate this very special event. Across the nation, communities will come together, hopefully under a baking sun, to attend street parties and celebration events.

Here in South Woodford, we will also be doing our bit to celebrate, and we are looking forward to the community getting together at our Platinum Jubilee Market in June. Many of you will be familiar with our regular street market (which is held on the third Sunday of every month) offering a wide range of stalls with gifts, artisan products and world cuisine. As the South Woodford Society, we are always planning community engagement, and part of this big idea is to hold two large events each year, one in summer and one in winter. Combining these community events with the market makes great sense.

Many of you will have fond memories of our first combined community event and market last Christmas, with the inaugural switching on of the festive lights. That event encapsulated the essence of our South Woodford community perfectly and was widely considered to be a great success. Many families came with their children and friends to enjoy the start of the festive season. As well as posing for non-stop photos, dignitaries mingled with snow queens on stilts and parcels on roller skates, and we all joined in with the community singing, which really created a special festive atmosphere. With sweet treats and mulled wine, there was something for everyone. One parent commented: “The atmosphere was lovely, and it was so wonderful to know this was happening in our own area.”

Many of you will also have happy memories of the street parties that were organised throughout South Woodford in 2012 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. So, for this summer’s event, we want to create a special Platinum Jubilee market so that we can all come together again and enjoy plenty of food, entertainment and, hopefully, some sunshine! So, please mark 19 June in your diary. Once again, the location will be George Lane. Of course, all your favourite market stalls will be there and we’ll be hoping local businesses will stay open and participate too. As well as what the market stalls have to offer, there’ll be live music to create a great atmosphere, as well as plenty of family friendly activities, including crafting, planting and making. We will have plenty of tables and chairs running down George Lane so people can sit, eat and relax. We have asked Redbridge Council for permission to allow the northbound carriageway of George Lane to be pedestrianised for the day (at the time of writing, permission is pending), giving even more room for seating, stalls and entertainment.

If you would like to get involved in the South Woodford Society or help or perform at this event, we would love to hear from you. We would also like to give local and young entrepreneurs an opportunity to have a stall at this – and other – markets. We’d really love South Woodford residents to play a big part in organising this event.

I look forward to seeing you all on the day!

The South Woodford Platinum Jubilee Market will take place on George Lane on 19 June from 11am to 4pm. For more information on booking a stall or getting involved, visit swvg.co.uk/jubilee

Applications for a new round of community funding by Co-op open on 3 May.

“Applicable projects should be promoting fairer access to food, mental well-being services or education and employment. And this year, there is also a new category for projects that help people protect biodiversity or tackle climate change,” said Diana Varakina, Co-op Member Pioneer for Wanstead and South Woodford.

Visit swvg.co.uk/coop

HRH The Duke of Gloucester visited Wanstead Park in April to celebrate the completion of the first stage of restoration works to the park’s historic Grotto.

Constructed between 1760 and 1764, a fire in 1884 left the Grotto a ruin, and the building has been on the Heritage at Risk Register since November 2017. The landing stage further deteriorated in 2020, putting the entire structure at risk.

The Duke was shown the success of the repair work, with the retaining wall now rebuilt and invasive plant life extracted.

A local resident has launched a new gardening group to support a range of community gardening projects in the Woodford area.

“The next Woodford Greeners event will be a free seedling swap on 7 May. Planted too many seeds? Now have a gazillion mini tomato plants you don’t need? Come and swap them with us at the James Leal Centre in Ray Lodge Park from 10am to 12 noon. Or just come and pick up free seedling plants. Let’s all get growing, folks!” said Lydia Fraser-Ward.

Visit swvg.co.uk/woodfordgreeners

Local council elections in all 32 London boroughs will be held on 5 May.

In Redbridge, 63 members of the council will be selected, contested across 22 wards. The South Woodford Village Gazette presents statements from the candidates standing in the two wards covered by this publication. South Woodford – which is represented by three councillors – has 11 nominated candidates, while Churchfields – also represented by three councillors – has 12 candidates. Both wards were created ahead of the 2018 elections following a boundary review.

Polling stations open at 7am on 5 May and close at 10pm. Voters do not need to bring any identification and can cast as many votes as there are councillors to be elected in their ward.

The results will be announced the following day.

Churchfields ward candidates

• Stephen Adams (Con)
• Robert Cole (Con)
• Lloyd Duddridge (Lab)
• Rosa Gomez (Lab)
• Ash Holder (Lib Dem)
• Ruairi Mulhern (Green)
• Francis Roads (Green)
• Judith Roads (Green) not supplied
• Martin Rosner (Lib Dem)
• Garry Sukhija (Con)
• Mohammed Uddin (Lib Dem)
• Guy Williams (Lab)

South Woodford ward candidate

• Beverley Brewer (Lab)
• Shafi Choudhury (Con)
• Tony Csoka (Green)
• Gwyneth Deakins (Lib Dem)
• Ian Gardiner (Lib Dem)
• Joe Hehir (Lab)
• Ian Morley (Lib Dem)
• Suzanne Nolan (Con)
• Saiqa Qayum Hussain (Lab)
• Preeti Rana (Con)
• Robert Sheldon (Green) not supplied

I have lived in South Woodford for over 30 years.

Now retired, I was formerly head of corporate governance for a professional association. Liberal Democrats will always stand up for the individual against the abuse or concentration of power. Electing us locally will mean less chance of one party exercising disproportionate control over decision-making and ignoring opposition. Our commitment to individual concerns also roots us in strong community politics and working in a non-partisan manner to get results.

South Woodford is my home.

I hold a Masters in Distributed Computing Systems and had a successful career in IT and marketing; now a serial entrepreneur. I am involved in social work, charities and an NHS volunteer. I am passionate to create a safe, clean, enjoyable environment and ensure our children benefit from the finest education. I will focus on the safety of children and women. It is critical to preserve the character of our beautiful South Woodford. I will work tirelessly for our ward as a bridge between residents and the council.

It has been an honour since 2018 to represent the area that I have lived in for the last 20 years.

The first four years of Labour representation for South Woodford have seen a lot done, but there is still a lot more to do. If re-elected, one of my priorities will be ensuring the redevelopment of Whipps Cross Hospital delivers better services for our community. So, I ask you to lend me your vote once again, and for that, I pledge to continue to be a strong voice for South Woodford in the Town Hall.

I have lived in Redbridge for 18 years and reside on Horn Lane. 

I am a long-standing and active member of Churchfields Neighbourhood Watch and Woodford Green Amenity Group, and regularly organise community litter picks. I work in finance and want to make sure our Council Tax is spent wisely and in the ward, rather than in Ilford. I believe Churchfields deserves clean, pothole-free streets, and I want to protect the area from inappropriate developments. I want a strong voice for residents at Ilford Town Hall.

Born and raised in Woodford, I work for one of the big four in data and financial regulation.

My regulatory experience helped 36 families navigate school appeals with success, amended policy to make sure local schools are for local children, and helped oppose inappropriate planning applications. My professional experience enabled me to scrutinise council finances. I’ve also worked on street cleaning, crime, tree planting, preserving green spaces and repairing roads. I love Jesus and cross-country running.

I have lived in Redbridge nearly all my life.

I am currently chair of a sixth form college in east London and have worked in further education for 30 years. I am a keen local campaigner and have taken up many issues on behalf of Churchfields residents. Accountability and openness on the part of the council needs to be radically improved. Many would welcome the return of an Area Committee, which would make it easier for people to express their views. If elected, I am 100% committed to supporting the residents of Churchfields.