Editor

I have lived in Redbridge for almost my whole life and have been a Redbridge councillor. I have worked in further education for over 30 years and stood for the Liberal Democrats in Churchfields at the last local election. I have been active in the Save Crescent Road Action Group. I have also developed close links with other groups in Churchfields and have supported residents with housing issues. I will campaign to make our roads safer and ensure a better deal for those in social housing.

Promoted by Crispin Acton on behalf of Redbridge Liberal Democrats, all at 45 Wellington Road, London, E11 2AS.

Woodford residents Shan and James Lau were honoured at the Redbridge Mayor’s Community Awards in March.

“Shan and James work tirelessly, collecting food from supermarkets which would otherwise be thrown away because of best-before dates.
Every Friday morning, they hold a community event called Spare Loaf at St Barnabas Church hall on Snakes Lane East and give the food away to the community. They have saved over 50 tonnes of food from going to landfill,” said an event spokesperson.

Local teenager Jessica Ryan received The Recorder Young Citizen Award at Redbridge Town Hall in March.

“Jessica is a pupil at Trinity Catholic High School in Woodford Green. Alongside organising a charity week for her school and supporting local charity Haven House, the 17-year-old also organised a two-week donation drive for Redbridge Foodbank. More than 650kg of food was collected as a result of her efforts, enough to make emergency food parcels for 59 people in need,” said an Ilford Recorder spokesperson.

Alan Coppin, caretaker at Hermitage Court in Snaresbrook, was honoured at the Redbridge Mayor’s Community Awards in March.

“In November 2025, Hermitage Court resident Tony Walsh collapsed in his kitchen due to a sudden heart attack. His partner froze, not sure what to do or who to turn to. She screamed for help and Alan responded. He rushed in, called 999 and was guided through his first CPR by the operator. Alan’s CPR saved Tony’s life. An angel, a hero, we are all so grateful,” said an event spokesperson.

Open-air theatre will return to Wanstead Park this summer.

The new season will begin on 13 June with East London Shakespeare Festival’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This will be followed by three performances by outdoor theatre company Illyria: Pinocchio on 4 July, The Three Musketeers on 26 July and The Pirates of Penzance on 30 August. All shows take place in the park’s Temple enclosure.

Booking links:

Saturday 4 July 2026
Pinocchio at The Temple – Wanstead Park

Sunday 26 July 2026
The Three Musketeers at The Temple – Wanstead Park

Sunday 30 August 2026
The Pirates of Penzance at The Temple – Wanstead Park

Saturday 13 June 2026
A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Blossom Day celebration will take place at the South Woodford Community Orchard on 26 April from 11am.

“This is part of Good to Grow week, where community gardens celebrate the new season. Our apple trees are now five years old and were pruned earlier this year to promote growth. Come and see the fruits of our labours, help with spring jobs and learn how we are improving biodiversity,” said a SOWO Society spokesperson. The orchard is on the corner of Primrose Road and Mulberry Way.

Email e18society@gmail.com

For a decade, the South Woodford Bereavement Café volunteers have offered tea, time, togetherness and a listening ear in a safe, welcoming space where people can share their grief

Bereavement. We all experience feelings of grief and yet, when we’re in the thick of it, it can seem as if we’re the only person in the world who feels like this. It can cut you off at the knees, it can physically hurt, it can come out of nowhere and it can feel like you’re never going to be the same again. And whilst we naturally think first about losing someone close to us, we can also feel grief at the loss of a precious pet, a job, friends moving away, or perhaps a falling-out with family.

Grief hits all of us and in a variety of ways. Sometimes, it can help to chat. And chat with someone who’s not personally involved. It can perhaps make you breathe a bit easier to spend an hour with someone who can just accept where you’re at, listen and try to help you make sense of it. No judgement. No recommendations. No agenda for doing anything apart from offering a friendly listening ear over a cuppa and a biscuit.

The South Woodford Bereavement Café was founded in 2016. Since then, apart from during the period of the pandemic, it has been held in an accessible upstairs meeting room at St Mary’s Church on the High Road from 2pm to 3pm on the first Tuesday of each month. A group of four or five volunteers are ready to welcome people of all faiths or none. There is no charge and no need to book. (Our friends in Wanstead also run a bereavement café from 10.30am to 11.30am on the third Tuesday of each month at Christ Church.)

We’re not trained grief counsellors. We’re everyday people from South Woodford who’ve experienced our own sad times and are happy to share our experiences with others if asked to do so. Often, however, it is mainly a non-judgemental, non-threatening, listening ear that is needed. We’re just fellow human beings who are happy to stand alongside you for a bit or for as long as you need whilst you find a way forward.

Some people have only been bereaved recently, whilst others have been grieving for a long time. Some who come admit it’s easier to open up to strangers than to a family member or close friend. Some find sharing within a small group rather than one-to-one can be welcome. They may not be ready, or even able, to express their feelings, but are content just to sit and listen to others, knowing they are not alone in their grief. Tears are not uncommon and plenty of tissues are available. However, once the immediate release of emotions has passed and trust has been established, the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, with laughter often lightening the tone. Some people only come to the café once; others become regulars, enjoying the group-friendship. Feedback has been invariably positive.

Think this might help you? We’re looking forward to saying hello.

For more information, call 020 8505 3000 or email info@stmaryswoodford.org.uk

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

This month, we are back in the present, enjoying chats together at the shops. That’s not quite accurate, because I’ve invited you to pause and look back on your schooldays.

Thanks, Mike, for recalling your French master. “He was pretty formidable, strict and demanding. I was the dunce at French. I was scared of him. But when I got a B at O level, he congratulated me so warmly. That was the moment when I realised that, actually, he was a great teacher.”

Julia often felt anxious at her primary school. She hated being reprimanded for not trying hard enough. But “I must share a good memory too,” she said: “Our teacher used to fix up a huge empty montage across one wall, just indicating with a few lines the sky, the sea and the beach. We all got going with our coloured crayons to draw things to add to the picture. Seagulls, perhaps, or deckchairs, children building sandcastles. Creating a picture together made us feel like a family.”

Caine went to school in Sussex. “What I really valued most was the core friendship with five or six other boys. We supported each other through any hard times, thoroughly enjoying the good times together. Essentially, sharing the process of growing up.”

Harry was at school in Surrey. He told me how he rapidly changed from History to Geography at O level when the History syllabus seemed to be mostly about learning lists of dates. “Botany was challenging too: I don’t think I ever mastered the details of the sex-life of the male fern. But I did master the role of Hotspur in the annual Shakespeare production. I’ll always be able to recite his speeches. You remember things you learnt by heart as a child.”

Javina was educated at ‘the best school in Delhi’. “You really felt you belonged there. Wearing the school uniform was compulsory. It was certainly unique: the fabric for every item of clothing was woven at the school. At 11 o’clock sharp, we were supplied with a small bottle of milk and four biscuits. I used to smuggle in a tiny jar of coffee from home. I loved blowing bubbles in it with the straw that they supplied.”

Phil went to school in quite a poor district in South Wales in the 1950s. “The school toilets were all outside. On days when they were completely frozen up, the school had to be closed. You can’t believe it, can you! A bitter-sweet event really; you got a day off school, but it often meant missing rounders, my favourite sport.”

Carol beamed. “I loved school. I treated it like a social club. I worked hard at the subjects I enjoyed and winged the rest. The Drama and English departments were terrific. Each class had to write and produce a play and the one adjudged to be best was presented to the entire school. Just the right preparation for me. I was a comedy actress. Acting was my career after leaving school at 16. It was tough. There were barren times, of course, but I loved it. I really wish schools today would attach more importance to music and drama.”

Fred’s primary school teacher, Miss Bryant, gave naughty pupils a smack on the palm of the hand with a ruler. Very naughty ones received a more painful rap on the knuckles. “One day, I was cheeky after a smack on the palm and, for a dare, like Oliver Twist, I asked for more. But I was threatened with the knuckle treatment as an encore and retired quickly to my desk. She certainly was strict, but, true to her reputation, she got me through the 11-plus.”

Susan was whisked away in her imagination from her trolley in Waitrose: “My schooldays were the happiest days of my life. I loved learning. At primary level, it was the three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic. At high school, I threw myself into everything. I was deputy head girl, captain of rounders and a member of the school tennis and netball teams. I loved Latin. I became fluent in French, Spanish and German. I cried when I left school. As I came out through the school gate, I clearly remember thinking ‘for 15 years, this has been my home, my life.’”

Listening to your stories prompted me to recall a mini sample of mine from my years at Woodford County High School. You’re right: it’s the teachers who were the key characters in our dramas. Nearly all ours were, as was usual then, unmarried. I freely admit that I held all of them in deep, often tender respect. At least two had been engaged to be married, but their husbands-to-be had died in the last months of the 14–18 war. My Classics mistress encouraged me to read Virgil aloud, simply to relish the lilting rhythms of his verse. A wonderfully far cry from education being regarded as a preparation for landing a well-paid job. My French mistress was very young, having recently graduated from the Sorbonne. Thanks to her, I received frequent compliments on my Parisian accent when holidaying in France. I recall dear Miss Leigh one day turning round to write on the blackboard. It was evident she had popped to the loo between classes. Her skirt was caught up in her knickers. We struggled with giggles. But should we alert her before she rejoined the main corridor for the whole population to join the joke? Amongst us girls, Miss Spill, from the Geography department, briefly enjoyed an aura of delicious notoriety when she was serving on the jury at the ‘obscene publications’ trial of DH Lawrence’s novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover. We wondered how crucial her quietly spoken vote might have been.

Suffice it to say, I emerged from school well supplied with heaps of ‘valuable’ knowledge: to make green, you blend yellow and blue, the hypotenuse is the longest side of a right-angled triangle, the Battle of Hastings was in 1066 and nine times seven is 63.

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

Residents are encouraged to ensure they are registered to vote in time for the local council elections taking place on 7 May.

In Redbridge, 63 members of the council will be selected, contested across 22 wards. The South Woodford and Churchfields wards are each represented by three councillors.

The deadline to register to vote in person is 20 April and voters will be required to bring an accepted form of photo ID to the polling station.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 21 April.

Visit swvg.co.uk/votereg

Ahead of a talk in April about Wanstead and Woodford’s women of note, Lynn Haseldine Jones reflects on the life and work of artist and writer Beatrice Playne (1908–2000)

Although March is actually the month of International Women’s Day, I shall be marking the occasion in April by giving a talk for Wanstead Historical Society on ‘Women of Note of Wanstead and Woodford’.

This area has been the birthplace, home or working place of many women of note, and my talk will include a wide range of personalities, from teachers, philanthropists, artists and writers to businesswomen and church figures. I have tried to mix the well-known with the not so famous, but all have made a considerable contribution to the community, whether it be at a local, national or even international level.

One person I shall be speaking about will be of particular interest to those who know Woodford and Buckhurst Hill. Beatrice Playne was born in Woodford at the headmaster’s house of Bancroft’s School on 2 December 1908. Her father, Herbert Clement Playne, was the headmaster at Bancroft’s from 1906 to 1931.

Beatrice trained in mural painting in Mexico under Diego Rivera and returned from Mexico before the outbreak of the Second World War, during which she worked in a London hospital. Later, working for the British Council, she hoped to return to Mexico, but a combination of events led her to travel to Ethiopia for the council, where she taught English to army officers and to the daughters of the Emperor, Haile Selassie. While in Ethiopia, she studied illuminated manuscripts and wall paintings and frescoes. This led to the publication of her book, Saint George for Ethiopia, in 1954, which documents her journeys through the Ethiopian highlands, where she searched for and studied early Christian paintings and ancient mural art.

She was a talented artist, but her work as a muralist has suffered over time, and few examples remain. Her most impressive work was done for the Reading Room of the National Library of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, which is apparently still there. A large abstract mural Beatrice did for the dining room at Bancroft’s was touched up by her following minor damage in the 1970s, but the wall had to be replaced due to damp in the 1990s and the work was lost.

All that remains locally of her work is the mural around the west door at St John the Baptist, Buckhurst Hill, showing ‘joyous motherhood’ (pictured above). It was painted in memory of Anna Dora Howard, who died in 1935, and was given to the Church by her daughter Lady Crossman.

Beatrice Playne died on 16 October 2000 and a service of thanksgiving was held at Malvern Priory.

Beatrice is only one of the many women I shall be discussing at this event.

Lynn’s talk will take place at Wanstead Library on 13 April from 8pm (visitors: £4). For more information, call 07949 026 212

In the third of a series of articles featuring images by the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society, Anuraj Theivendram explains his passion for canine portraits

As publicity officer of the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society, I’ve felt privileged to share stories in this series about how photography connects us with our community. In earlier articles, I explored how images can celebrate local heritage and inspire creativity within our club. In this article, I highlight a passion that has personally brought me both joy and purpose: volunteering my photography skills at two remarkable dog shelters, Love Underdogs and All Dogs Matter.

Love Underdogs began after witnessing the harsh conditions faced by dogs in Romania, inspiring a mission of compassion and change. With the support of UK volunteers and Romanian partners, they’ve given countless dogs a second chance, turning despair into hope. Their team provides veterinary care, behavioural support and lifelong rescue backup, ensuring every dog has the best chance of finding a loving home.

All Dogs Matter is a dog rescue and rehoming charity working across London to transform the lives of unwanted and abandoned dogs. Guided by care, commitment, collaboration and determination, their team and volunteers ensure every dog, regardless of age or breed, has the chance of a safe and happy forever home.

At its heart, photography is more than documentation; it is an art form that reveals emotion, character and story. Through light, composition and patience, my objective is to capture portraits that show each dog not simply as an animal in need, but as an individual with personality, resilience and charm. Volunteering in this way has been deeply rewarding. It’s a privilege to use my photography skills to help these underdogs shine, and to support shelters that believe, as I do, that all dogs matter.

If this series has inspired you with the power of photography, why not join the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society? Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned photographer, we offer a welcoming space to learn, share and make a difference through images.

For more information on the Woodford and Wanstead Photographic Society, visit wnstd.com/wwps

Children are invited to take part in an Easter Egg hunt in Elmhurst Gardens on 28 March.

Two sessions will take place, from 11.30am to 12 noon for under-3s and from 12 noon to 2pm for older children.

“There’ll be ice cream, face painting and an Easter Egg raffle… It will be a great chance for children to explore the park and celebrate Easter in a safe and friendly environment,” said a Friends of Elmhurst Gardens spokesperson.