Editor

John Meehan, chairman of the Friends of Wanstead Parklands, reveals some of Wanstead Park’s secrets and the surviving features of its long history. Photo of the Repton Oak by Richard Arnopp

Wanstead Park has had a variety of uses, styles and functions over hundreds of years. It has been a royal retreat, a deer park, a landscaped garden and, since 1882, a public open space managed as part of Epping Forest. Many surviving features of its long history are still there if you know where to find them!

If you enter Wanstead Park from its western end, through the Blake Hall entrance, you enter an area known as Reservoir Wood. Walk for perhaps 150 yards and you will come upon a magnificent oak to the right, with huge outstretched branches and with a newly cleared ‘halo’ around it. It is believed to be a ‘bundle tree’, which means it was not grown from one sapling but a number of young trees planted together in one hole. The object was to produce a large specimen tree with a spreading form, as all the stems merge into one huge, fluted trunk. This was a practice associated with the late Georgian landscaper Humphry Repton, and the tree is known as the ‘Repton Oak’ after him. Humphry Repton did produce proposals for Wanstead Park in 1813, in one of his last major projects, and the tree was probably planted not long after.

Reservoir Wood was named after a lake which once occupied the area. In fact, it stretched from the golf course to beyond Woodlands Avenue, and from Blake Hall Road to a large embankment, which is now cut by the path a little way beyond the Repton Oak. The Reservoir was drained by 1818, probably because of problems with the water supply. Its site was planted with a wood, perhaps to block the open view of Wanstead House from the public road.

The path continues to the east, past the Heronry Pond and, as you pass the second of the two islands, the Temple comes into view. Built around 1760, it seems originally to have been planned as a small building with an earth mound to the front, making it look as though it was sitting on top of a small hill, and looking like a beautiful Roman temple you would expect to see in the romantic 17th-century paintings by Lorrain and Poussin. At a slightly later date, or perhaps even while construction was still in progress, two brick wings were added, making the structure sit heavier within the landscape. Perhaps these were intended to house the menagerie, which we know the building was later used for.

Bearing around to the left of the Temple, taking the vehicle track to Warren Road, you will notice a huge evergreen yew tree. The path here leads past a big mound in the woods, which is covered in bluebells in the spring. This path leads out onto the Great Ride, and if you walk across the ride, you will find another, larger, mound. The two Mounts, as they were known, were roughly symmetrical features on either side of the Great Ride, designed to allow visitors to get above the highly formal garden to view the mazes and avenues. From above you could have made sense of the complex formal garden designs. The Mounts would have had a spiral path leading to their summits and the northern one seems to have been crowned by a little temple. Today, they are overgrown sentinels of a 300-year-old landscape that once covered huge areas, with avenues radiating out across Wanstead Flats to Leytonstone and Forest Gate.

The work of the Friends of Wanstead Parklands is to reveal these secrets in cooperation with the owners of the various parts of the park, the main owner being the Corporation of London. The landowners and other stakeholders, including the Friends, have jointly created a Parkland Plan, which sets out a long-term restoration and management programme that respects history, people and nature.

Colin Spence runs dog training classes in Snaresbrook and has been working with man’s best friend – and their owners – for 23 years. Here, he explains how much exercise a puppy needs

This is a much-talked-about topic and a conversation I have with new puppy owners on a daily basis, as many are not sure how much exercise their very young puppy should get.

Well, let’s take a look at this and what we trainers and behaviour practitioners believe in how much is too much and how much is just right and why.

Once we get our eight-week-old puppy home, for the first few hours or first few days, they will be getting used to their new environment, moving around the home, investigating everything. As the hours and days go by, puppies get more energetic, and roughly around the 16-week mark, will have had their last injection and be ready to exercise and explore the outside environment.

Many owners then take their puppy out for a walk; some even allow the puppy to start running and jumping obstacles. Allowing puppies to exercise outside is important, but it is also important that the common sense factor comes into play. Puppies are very vulnerable creatures, and if we allow them to be over-exercised from a very young age, we are very likely setting them up to fail. Why? Because they are still growing and their growth plates are at the very early stages of developing and coming together and strengthening. If we allow puppies to have too much exercise while they are young, they will put too much pressure on their joints and can have problems, such as arthritis, in the future.

As a rule of thumb, we should only give puppies five minutes of exercise for each month of their life; for example, a four-month-old puppy can have 20 minutes of gentle exercise, nothing strenuous, and please take into consideration the exercise your puppy already has in the home each day, moving around on those incomplete growth plates. So, I would take three minuets off the five-minute rule, and as they grow, you can then add more minutes accordingly and appropriately.

I am also asked if owners can take their puppy out jogging with them. The answer here is we should not allow puppies to jog with us until they are fully grown and have good, strong, healthy growth plates. We also need to take into consideration the breed. A border collie, for example, may fare well on an hour’s jogging, but the dachshund, with its very short legs, could find this very uncomfortable.

So please, let’s take our puppies wellbeing seriously and let them grow into healthy, strong dogs with good healthy ligaments.    

Woodford Arts Group member Ged Rumak explains his love of life drawing and why he thinks a good portrait is more than just a representation of the subject

The BBC is wrong to think it is bringing life drawing to the masses in Life Drawing Live! Life drawing is inherent in art education for the simple reason that working from a live model is a unique, complex experience.

A life study is a record of the relationship that exists between the artist and the sitter. To put out a programme of life drawing, even with expert tuition in the studio, ignores this relationship, looking at the image of the model on a flat screen as if it were a photograph. In drawing, the aim is to have no obstacles between the subject and the eye, the eye and hand, and the hand and paper.

Painting portraits expands this relationship between two individuals, one that unfolds as the two people involved get to know each other – through time. One of the strengths of a portrait is that all of us change all of the time – emotion, energy levels, responsiveness. This problem is felt by artist and sitter; we all feel different day to day.   

A good portrait wants to give you more than just a representation of someone. It wants to break the rules, to achieve the impossible by using such little means as a piece of carbon, charcoal or ground-up pigment to capture something of a living person, something hidden and unseen in a sitter, often giving the viewer the same jolt of recognition you get when spotting someone you know in the street. Nothing like photography, it still feels like the artist is presenting you with facts.

None of us knows what we look like. Of course, we see ourselves in the mirror every day, but that is a deceptive form that presents us reversed with our features carefully arranged in a way that pleases us. But, in the end, you are what you look like.

Painting from photographs is by far the most common form of figurative painting these days. In this time-short world, painting dogmatically from life is not always possible, and so, using photographs as an ‘aide memoir’ is a practical devise. But pure copying from a flat, two-dimensional image more than misses the point.

Nothing comes close to painting and drawing the figure from life in a studio.

A project which has been bringing the community together by collating wartime memories of Redbridge will stage a theatre production in South Woodford this April. Alfie James reports

Did you know that part of Beale High School used to be a prisoner of war camp and the local children used to swap coffee for teabags with the Italian prisoners through the fence?

From stories of rationing and being evacuated to blackouts and bombings, the Hope and Glory community theatre project set out to explore what life was like living in Redbridge during the Second World War. We have set up two groups: a group of researchers meeting regularly at Redbridge Museum and a group of local performers using performance techniques to explore what life was like during the period.

Thanks to the local press and the power of social media, as well as good old-fashioned word of mouth, the project has already generated a lot of interest. We’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of positive support received by the community and we couldn’t thank you enough. We’ve received emails and telephone calls from residents wanting to share family stories of memories. The project has even reached the wider community too. We had one former resident now living in Canada call us with information and we’re sharing our research with a school in Scotland who are learning about London during the war.

The project would not be the success it is without the enthusiasm of our members. Elizabeth McNally is one such member and believes the project is popular because people “love performing and there’s a real interest in local history of that era, and this is a great way of bringing the two together.”

Local history has been at the heart of this project and it’s given us the opportunity to develop our research skills by learning how to use archives, artefacts and how to interview people. One resident told us how she remembers a plane crashing and how the pilot sadly wasn’t able to eject in time. Another remembers the first time she heard the air raid siren as a young child. What has become increasingly evident throughout the project is that there was a great sense of community and that people came together and looked after one another.

The project could not have taken place without the support of The Heritage Lottery Fund and Redbridge Museum. The help given by the staff at the museum has been invaluable and it’s been fantastic to use the rich resources they have available.

The project is working towards developing a small play to be performed at Redbridge Drama Centre in April. We’re all excited to be given the opportunity to share some of what we’ve learnt with the local community. Theatre is a great way of bringing to life and sharing what we have learnt with others. The performance, entitled The Spitfire Club, will bring to life what it was like growing up during the Second World War through the eyes of a group of children and residents.

A South Woodford mum has launched a website to help other parents explore cultural and historical places in London and further afield.

“I live in South Woodford with my husband, my dog Inca and my little girl Lily. I have worked in museums and the heritage industry for many years. When Lily came along, I wanted to find practical and comfortable ways to visit cultural places, taking baby Lily with me in a pram. So I set up a website to provide helpful and unbiased information about how to do this,” said Amy Wilson, whose blog includes reviews of venues, their facilities and advice on how best to travel there with a pram.

Destinations covered so far include The Foundling Museum, Tower of London, British Museum, Warner Bros Studios Tour and York Castle Museum.

Visit perambulation.co.uk

Before being diagnosed with cancer in 2016, Lucy Howe ran a wellness clinic in South Woodford. Now in remission, she is keen to help others again with her cancer support group and retreats

Being told you have cancer is one of the scariest things you can ever hear. I know, because I’ve heard the words: “You have cancer.” That was the day the world fell out of my bottom!

Being diagnosed with cancer four years ago shocked me to the core, but made me realise the environment of my body was out of balance and I was being warned something needed to be done.

What can cause cancer? Is it the toxicity around us or is it stress-related from a busy lifestyle?  Who knows? Making choices to reduce the toxicity in your life, starting with the food you eat, targeted organic supplements and only using good quality organic skincare will help. As will keeping your stress levels down and being happy.

The choices I made helped me beat cancer and I now live without the fear of it returning. I didn’t want cancer to beat me and there is no way I want it to come back. Hippocrates said: “Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illness will suddenly appear.”

Three years into remission and I’m feeling stronger, healthier and more confident, having worked hard with various coaches to help me with techniques to stop feeling the fear of it returning. Now it’s my turn to give back, empowering people while they are going through treatment and beyond. Motivating, supporting and encouraging them on their journey to live life to the full, whether they’ve had cancer or not.

I ran my first retreat in Cyprus in 2019, and this year, for my Relax, Recharge and Take Control Retreat, I will be on the beautiful island of Mauritius. I can help you live your wildest dreams, achieve all you’ve ever wanted or desired and get back the confidence to be ‘you’ again. Hang out with me for the week in June and you are in danger of:

• Learning how to put ‘you’ first – fixing your own oxygen mask before helping others!
• Getting more confident every day and falling in love with yourself.
• Feeling strong enough to make your dreams a reality and be your most invincible self.
• Laughing every day.

I want you to live a healthier, happier life with more confidence, clarity and productivity.

Parents with too many children’s clothes and toys will have the chance to sell them to other local parents at NCT Redbridge’s nearly new sale at Christ Church hall in Wanstead on 25 April.

Stallholders keep 70% of their sale prices, with the rest supporting the charity’s work. Seller registration opens to the general public on 9 March (cost: £5). “Keep an eye on our Facebook page so you don’t miss out when it goes live as seller spaces sold out within 24 hours for our November sale,” said a spokesperson. Doors open to buyers at 11am, although NCT members (with a valid membership card) get early entrance at 10.45am.

“You will be supporting other local parents as well as the work of NCT. Finish off your shop with a stop in our café and treat yourself to a delicious cake.”

Visit swvg.co.uk/nct25apr

The Great British Spring Clean 2020 runs from 20 March to 13 April, and the South Woodford Society will be taking part in the initiative.

“We ran our first litter pick of the year on a Sunday in February. Unfortunately, the eight hardy souls who turned out were rather hindered by Storm Ciara! We collected eight bags of rubbish and some recycling before we were beaten by the weather,” said a spokesperson. Last year, more than 560,000 #LitterHeroes from across the nation took part in the Great British Spring Clean.

“We will be planning another litter pick very soon, so make sure you are on our mailing list and check our social media for details. Together, we can make a difference. All our individual actions can help transform our country, creating cleaner streets, protecting wildlife and, ultimately, stopping the tide of plastic that is doing so much damage to our oceans. The Great British Spring Clean is about demonstrating that you love where you live.”

Visit swvg.co.uk/sws

Members of the Wanstead, Woodford and Barkingside Marie Curie Fundraising Group have reached their £100,000 target. Jill Playford thanks local supporters and explains how the money will be used

A celebration was held in February to thank all supporters and collectors who helped us to raise the fantastic amount of £100,000 over the last few years, paying for 5,000 Marie Curie nursing hours.

We get wonderful support from our local communities with local businesses donating raffle prizes, Wanstead High School donating the proceeds from their annual charity cross country run, Wanstead House holding cake and coffee mornings to raise money and students from Forest School helping out at our Great Daffodil Appeal collections.

The group was formed in June 2013 with four members who had all been local supporters of the Marie Curie charity. The initial aim of the group was to raise awareness of the work of the charity in the local area as well as to fundraise. At that time, we did not set ourselves a target – this evolved as the amount of money raised increased each year.

Group membership has changed over the years, and we always welcome new members, as they bring new ideas and energy to our group. Members commit as little or as much time as they can, and the larger the group, the more money can be raised each year.

To raise money, the group now hosts about 20 street and store collections, runs two quiz evenings each year, has stalls at the Wanstead Festival and Disability Awareness day and holds tea and coffee afternoons. Residents have quickly come to recognise the bright yellow uniforms – especially the hats – of our collectors and can be seen proudly wearing Marie Curie stickers and daffodil pins.

The Marie Curie charity has, in recent years, widened its services to offer support to anyone with a life-threatening illness in the last few weeks of their life. A free support line (0800 090 2309) also offers help and advice to people with a terminal illness and to their families and friends. Marie Curie nurses and health care assistants work in the local area to provide free, overnight home nursing care, enabling people to make the choice to die in their own homes, knowing they and their family will be well supported and cared for. A rapid response service, as well as a day respite service, is also available in Redbridge. These are supported by the money raised by local groups. Feedback from local families acknowledges the important role nurses play in giving the patient dignity in dying.

People living in the local area have played their part too by volunteering as collectors or donating generously when they see our collectors at local venues. The street collections for the Great Daffodil Appeal will take place on 7 March, so expect to see a blaze of yellow on Wanstead High Street and George Lane. If you feel you could offer two hours of your time to help at these collections, please get in touch.

Rising at Molehill Green in Essex, the River Roding passes through the Wanstead and Woodford area en route to the Thames, bringing with it a very real flood risk to local homes. In the eighth of a series of articles, Nina Garner from the Environment Agency reports on the River Roding Project, which aims to reduce that risk. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson

On Saturday 21 December 2019, the Environment Agency issued flood alerts and warnings along the River Roding due to heavy rainfall. These informed local residents of a risk of flooding and covered areas including Woodford, Ilford, Barking, Loughton and East Ham.

Although no properties were flooded in 2019, the river peaked at 7am on 21 December, reaching 1.83m. This river level reached was the highest on record since the 2000 floods. The 2000 floods caused widespread disruption to major roads across Redbridge and approximately 400 properties were affected.

The recent flooding caused some disruption to local residents and the Roding Valley parkrun was cancelled as the route was flooded, leaving the local runners disappointed.

Prepare, act, survive
Whether you live on a hill, in a flat or in an area that’s never flooded before, flooding can still affect you. Flooding not only puts homes, possessions and families at risk but can cause serious disruption to commuting routes, whether that be to school, work or a place of worship.

Due to our changing climate, there is a chance that flood events will become more common and extreme. Knowing what to do in a flood is important to help reduce the impact of flooding to your loved ones, your property and your possessions. The good news is that there are some simple actions you can take to prepare for flooding. These small actions, outlined below, could help keep you and your family safe.

Knowing what to do in a flood could save your life. Find out if your home, business or local area is at risk of flooding (swvg.co.uk/flood or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188). If you live in a flood-risk area, do what you can now to prepare for a flood. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

• Sign up to our flood warning system (swvg.co.uk/floodwarn).
• Create a personal flood plan. This plan should include a list of things you should do (like moving sentimental items to safety) and provides space for you to note down important contact details, such as your utility companies and insurance.
• Check the water level on the River Roding. You can do this by using the monitoring webcam (swvg.co.uk/rodingcam)

2,000 homes better protected by 2080
We are progressing the River Roding Project to help Redbridge become more climate change resilient and reduce flooding to over 2,000 homes by 2080.

Subject to securing full funding, we hope to submit our planning application for the project in late summer. We will hold information events for you to comment on our final plans before we submit. We will invite you once we have a date, so please keep an eye out for more information.

Ultrasound Choir has donated £1,369 to Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s largest breast cancer charity.

The money was raised at the choir’s two Christmas cabaret shows last December. “We held a raffle on each night and are very grateful to local businesses for their generous donations that made the night such a success,” said a spokesperson. Breast Cancer Now local representative Denise Dorking visited the choir at Derby Road Methodist Church – where the singers meet every Tuesday at 7.30pm – to formally receive the donation.

“Our Christmas cabaret shows were amazing evenings… We are now organising a vintage afternoon tea at All Saints’ Church on 30 May, and again we will be donating the proceeds to Breast Cancer Now,” said choir leader Lisa Tsindides.

Visit swvg.co.uk/ultrasound