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A packed hall gave London City Airport representatives a tough time over their expansion proposals at a public meeting in Wanstead earlier this month.

“London City is proposing to almost double flight numbers from their current level, end the 24-hour weekend break and operate more planes in the early morning and late evening… Parts of Wanstead and South Woodford are directly under these flight paths,” said John Stewart of campaign group HACAN East.

The proposals are part of City’s Master Plan, which sets out its vision for the airport until 2035. Tim Halley, Director of Planning, argued the airport believed the demand would be there to justify its expansion proposals, but stressed the airport would take account of consultation responses before coming out with any final plans.

The South Woodford Society held an autumn litter pick earlier this month.

“Over 20 litter pickers braved the rather inclement weather for a morning of clearing away litter with pickers, hoops and gloves all provided by Redbridge Council and the charity CleanupUK. Along with some junior litter pickers and two canine helpers, we managed to collect the usual selection of cans, plastic bottles and crisp packets,” said a spokesperson.

“The South Woodford Society has decided to take action with the issue of plastic pollution, so please always take your litter home and use refillable water bottles! If you’re not already a member and would like to come along on our next litter pick, or if you have any ideas for a creating a plastic-free South Woodford, please contact us.”

Email e18society@gmail.com

The South Woodford Society will be hosting another community litter pick this weekend.

Participants should meet at the front of South Woodford Library at 10am on 13 October.

Equipment will be supplied, but those who can bring their own gloves are encouraged to do so.

“Please come for some exercise, chat and a cleaner South Woodford! Remember, any length of time you can give can help enormously,” said a spokesperson.

To confirm attendance, email e18society@gmail.com

Wanstead Village ward councillors Jo Blackman, Daniel Morgan-Thomas and Paul Donovan discuss crime and the work they do to keep crime rates low, and urge residents to engage with local police.

Rates of reported crime are relatively low in Wanstead Village. Social media can exaggerate the risk of crime as we can hear more quickly about incidents that we wouldn’t otherwise be aware of.

But every crime committed is one too many, and as Wanstead Village councillors, we are doing all we can to make our ward even safer.

Central government cuts have had a drastic impact on policing levels as well as the level of support provided to vulnerable people and young people.

We have campaigned for more resources for our local police and were pleased to hear that there is now a full team of two police officers (PC Paul Spencer and PC Hannah Vincent) and one community support officer (PCSO Shyam Aubeelack) after a period of reduced capacity.

One area where the council can help is with CCTV and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. We were pleased to hear that CCTV and ANPR cameras recently installed by the council following requests from us and the police have proved an effective deterrent locally, and we have identified other cameras in need of an upgrade in our ward.

We meet regularly with the local police and can raise concerns where residents contact us with specific points about problem areas. We also regularly attend Neighbourhood Watch meetings to follow up local issues.

We encourage all members of the public to ensure all crimes are reported, otherwise it is impossible for us or the police to follow up.

Even if the police are unable to respond immediately, reports help them identify patterns of behaviour, target patrols to certain areas and build up their intelligence.

The local police hold regular drop-in sessions, which are an opportunity to raise any local concerns. These are detailed on the Wanstead Village Directory event listings pages.

Residents are also welcome to attend our advice service, which takes place at 10am on the second and fourth Saturday of every month at the vestry, Christ Church.

Working together, the community, council and police can help tackle crime in Wanstead Village. And we will continue to do what we can to tackle crime in our area.

Tim Armitage – who didn’t go to art school – finds inspiration for his paintings in the natural world. He is one of many local creatives to join the recently founded Woodford Arts Group

I grew up by the sea, so my childhood revolved a great deal around the beach, fishing off the pier, swimming and surfing, and I suppose that’s informed what I mostly find myself painting – marine life.

These days, I work outdoors as a Forest School Leader, and this has started to inform my art with more work involving trees and plants, but I would say that in all ways my work is concerned with the natural world rather than the man-made one. I work in acrylics but would one day like to attempt to master the skill of oils – I reckon I’m a way off that yet!

I didn’t go to art school as it wasn’t seen as a viable option when I was growing up, and maybe I’ve always regretted not pushing it more. But what’s done is done and I’ll just have to be content with my A level.

I like illustrations from books, tattoo designs and the work of people like William Morris, and I try to inject some of this decorative stuff into the things I paint.

I’ve lived in London for 24 years, with 11 of those in South Woodford. I’ve always liked the East End, with its street art and creativity, and was amazed to find so many links to music, film and art when I bought a place here. I think it’s a great, arty place with lots of different things going on in an urban landscape, but with green space as well – the best of both worlds in a city.

I’m always trying to get better but happily accept that quite often a mistake is what makes a piece of art work, so I try to go with any problems I encounter as, on the whole, I end up with a more interesting piece.

I’d obviously love to sell at least some of the work I do but at the same time I try to paint what I enjoy – and hopefully someone else out there might like it too.

Recently, I’ve joined both Art Group Wanstead and the Woodford Arts Group and it’s great to see work from and talk to other local artists. One of the great things about living in London is the huge amount of galleries and street art on our doorstep. The street art, in particular, is a favourite of mine and to see oversized pieces of artwork as we travel round the city always brings inspiration for my own work.

If the weather’s not so great, places like Instagram and Pinterest are also great places to experience new and interesting ideas to try out in my paintings. As I’ve previously mentioned, I really enjoy the work of tattoo artists and also contemporary jewellery designers.

Our area has strong creative links in all areas, be it film, music, literature or art and amateur artists can draw inspiration from this.

As the children head back to school, Katie Biggs – a local homeopath with a 15-year conventional medical background – explains how alternative medicine can help anxious pupils

The most recent surveys of child and adolescent mental health have shown that in an average school classroom of 30 youngsters, three will have a mental health condition.

Over the last decade there has been an increase in testing pupils due to governmental shifts in educational attainment targets. Social media has also become a part of many teenagers’ lives. Both these factors add stresses and anxieties, and the pressures on our young ones are ever increasing. It’s an unfortunate truth that the school environment can present triggers for many such difficulties.

We know that long waiting times and unequal access to young people’s mental health services are putting lives at risk, and emergency services are handling more mental health cases all the time. So, what is available out there that does not involve potential side effects or dependency forming reliance on prescription drugs?

Homeopathy is the use of highly diluted remedies from plant, animal and mineral sources to gently stimulate our natural healing responses. For example, aconite is a highly poisonous plant, and if consumed in its raw, toxic state causes sweating, a feeling of imminent death or doom, nausea, palpitations and difficulty breathing. These symptoms will be easily recognised by those who have experienced a panic attack. Homeopathy takes the aconite and through crushing and succussion (shaking vigorously), sometimes up to a hundred times, it no longer poses a threat, but now holds a natural stimulating quality, which when taken at the onset of a panic attack, switches on the body’s natural responses and decreases anxiety.

The leaps made in a child’s cognitive and growth rates can produce irritation and stress on the body’s nervous system. Homeopathy can alleviate this in a gentle way, allowing the body the time it needs to adapt to the changes. Homeopathy also takes great care to examine the person holistically and pick away at their qualities, character, history and any iatrogenic influence (caused by conventional medicines).

At this time, as a society, we have, through research and reflection, recognised that we have a huge problem with mental health decline, especially among our children and teens. Unfortunately, the government has yet failed to produce a robust sustainable model of assistance and is failing our youngsters.

Complementary and alternative medicines and approaches, such as homeopathy, mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy and acupuncture, are a real option for parents before treading the path to the use of conventional antidepressants.

As Woodford Town FC prepare to return to the local area, assistant manager Neil Day explains the club’s strong community ethos and introduces a team that counts football legend Jimmy Greaves among its former players

Woodford Town FC are set to make an emotional return to the local area after a 26-year hiatus. Council planning for a revamped stadium on Ashton Playing Fields is pending, with the Woods looking to move into their new home sometime during the 2019/20 season.

The news has delighted and rejuvenated fans of the original club – founded in 1937 – which attracted a club record crowd of over 2,000 to their former Snakes Lane ground for an FA Cup first round tie with Leyton Orient in the 1985/86 season.

The club has been revived in recent years under chairman Tony Scott and a determined group of local businessmen, including current manager Dee Safer. Whilst our current crowds playing at our temporary Harlow Arena ground are a little more modest than our 1985 heyday, we are a club that embraces our history and local community despite the obstacles.

A supporters’ focus group has helped design and produce a ‘third kit’, inspired by former local resident Sylvia Pankhurst and her involvement in the suffragette movement.

While Woodford has a proud history, the current crop of young players are making waves in the Essex Senior League with a style of entertaining football that has seen attendances grow rapidly. Our raucous supporters are the envy of teams much higher up the football pyramid. Woodford’s faith in youth has also seen players move up the football ladder after spells with the club. Last year, midfielder Riley Scott secured a move to Ipswich, while Jayden Thompson-Brissett signed with Brentford after a string of impressive performances for Dee Safer’s side.

Whilst this season has seen skipper Jack Grosvenor depart on a well-publicised and lucrative move to local rivals Walthamstow FC, we are pleased that the core of last year’s side have decided to stay with us. This includes ex-Brescia Calcio playmaker and captain Andrea Mantovani, and ex-Colchester United youth player Ellis Routledge, who turned down a big-money move to the States to stay with the club.

We are keen to set up a ladies’ team, as well as several youth teams, as we look to firmly establish ourselves in the local community. The ladies’ team would wear the fan-designed ‘Deeds Not Words’ kit in a tribute to local heroine Sylvia Pankhurst, a positive gesture to a resident who made such an impact on social reform with her contribution to the suffragette movement.

While support for Woodford has steadily grown over the last three seasons, there is still plenty more to do. Our thriving WhatsApp focus group is growing daily as people see Woodford as the perfect antidote to the corporate and sanitised football served up higher up the leagues. Supporting Woodford is very much an experience that connects players and fans; the singing is literally non-stop, win or lose, and recently, a young fan was given a dream chance to come off the bench and play, even at the expense of the team claiming a prominent pre-season scalp.

Lloyd Duddridge, a local resident, fan and committee member who has played a major part in getting the club back where he believes we belong, said: “The club’s imminent return has clearly energised a lot of people with an interest in seeing senior football return to the local area… Long term, it should really energise the local community as a whole, as they will have a grade A sporting facility and an inclusive, community-based club they can support with pride.”

The future looks very bright for the club and we are looking for committee members and match day volunteers when we’re back in the local area. Or if you just simply fancy a loud sing-song in a diverse, inclusive environment, Woodford could well be the club of choice for you.

Kate Panayi started her working life as an actress. Here, the South Woodford resident and Monkey Music franchisee explains how her career path changed after becoming a parent

Soon after moving to South Woodford in 2007, my husband and I became parents to two boys, Daniel and Jack (who are now much older than I remember – 10 and eight respectively!), and I started rethinking my plans regarding work.

I came across Monkey Music, which seemed to encompass everything I love about the arts. I loved all the beautiful songs and instruments it exposes children to – and I was so impressed that the curriculum has been tailored to start with gentle sounds for babies of only three months and then cleverly develops alongside little ones through their preschool years, finishing with teaching four-year-olds about the orchestra. And the fact it wraps it up in a bundle of such fun was the cherry on top! My eldest son attended classes, but by the time my youngest son came along, it had stopped running in South Woodford.

Before I knew what was happening, I was interviewing to buy the local franchise, and the rest, as they say, is history!

I launched classes in September 2013, the same week my older son started Reception and when my youngest had just turned two. Suffice to say, the first year was the toughest thing I have ever done! Learning the hundreds of songs in the curricula (Monkey Music write their own, original content), as well as being responsible for the business side of things was incredibly challenging – especially as I had no previous business experience. However, things went well and after finishing my first year, I took on another teacher and started to expand.

Classes now run every morning of the week, including two lots of classes on Mondays and Thursdays, so seven weekly morning sessions in total. And there are now three of us in the teaching team – myself, Jo and Carla, which is lovely and we are a really close and supportive team. I am also very proud of the fact that we have nearly 300 wonderful customers who attend our classes each week.

I absolutely love my job – it is such a joy to be able to sing for two hours a day, which is incredibly uplifting in itself. But more than that, the happiness which is written all over little ones’ faces during class, witnessing their progression throughout the terms and years they spend with us, seeing their delight as they hear or play an instrument, watching their bond with their carer – all of those things are so special and it is a privilege to be part of their lives in this way. Not to mention the fact children are so wonderfully entertaining and charming – they make me chuckle every single day – what more can you ask for from your job than that?

When Woodford Green resident Kelvin Bathie approached family historian Linda Gough, his aim was to find out more about his father’s Scottish background, but the outcome was something quite different and proved to be a perfect example of the fascination of family history research

Kelvin knew his family came from Scotland but not much more. When he told me his father’s name was Mensley Bathie, I was intrigued by the unusual first name. Bathie proved a relatively easy name to trace through the public records. I found an agricultural background and, as one relative was an auctioneer in farmland, animals and equipment, Bathie featured in newspaper articles and adverts.

The Bathie name moved to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the 1870s, where the occupations became industrial: engine fitter, electro-plater, cycle polisher. The family lived in Newcastle where Mensley was born in 1927. Kelvin was born in Cardiff, so the Bathie family went from Scotland to England to Wales.

As I was exploring the Newcastle records, the Mensley name popped up. Kelvin’s great grandfather, William Turnbull Bathie, had married Violetta Selina Mensley in 1898. I took a diversion along the Mensley line and found that Violetta had been one of seven daughters who all married, and so the Mensley name died out with them, explaining why the name was given to Kelvin’s father in 1927; to keep it alive.

Luckily, someone else had done work on the Mensley line on the Ancestry website and this was where things took a surprising turn. Violetta’s mother was Sarah Sayers, who had been only 15 when she married George Mensley. Sarah’s father was Tom Sayers, a famous bare-knuckle prize fighter, who became the world’s first heavyweight boxing champion in 1860. If you have an image in your mind of a bare-knuckle fighter, the chances are you are picturing Tom Sayers.

Tom was an illiterate bricklayer, born in Brighton, who lived in the slums of London. He had his first fight in 1849, aged 22. He was 5’ 8” and weighed around 150 pounds. There were no rules, no weight divisions and no time limits: two men beating each other until one didn’t get up. Tom’s final fight in 1860 became infamous. It ended in a draw – the only fight Tom did not win – after a battle lasting over two-and-a-half hours against a 6’ 2” American called John Camel Heenan. The police stormed the ring and stopped the fight. They shared the purse. According to various stories, Charles Dickens, William Thackeray and the Prince of Wales were in the audience.

Tom died in 1865 of untreated diabetes and alcohol. Some 100,000 people lined the funeral route and the procession was accompanied by Tom’s bullmastiff dog, Lion, sitting in a cart. Tom was buried in Highgate Cemetery, where he has a magnificent memorial, which includes a statue of his dog. His daughter Sarah married George Mensley in 1866 when she was 15 years old. George was the editor of Sporting Life and a good friend of Tom Sayers.

For me, the highpoint of the research was asking Kelvin: “Have you heard of Tom Sayers, famous bare-knuckle fighter?” and when he replied yes, I was able to say: “Well, he is your great-great-great grandfather!”

Reflecting on this later, Kelvin said: “I thought I came from a beige line of dour, hardworking labourers and artisans, so your discovery of the notorious prize-fighter has really given me a new perspective on my family history.”

Francis Castro, senior nature conservation ranger for Vision RCL, is keen to champion the Roding Valley and invites you to join him for a late summer walk through this local hidden gem. Valley photo by Anna MacLaughlin

The Roding Valley is one of the hidden gems of east London, part of the area’s industrial landscape but also retaining some of its rural charm. It is a great way to explore the borough and for those looking for a more rural getaway.

The Nature Conservation Ranger Team, part of the Parks Team for Vision RCL, have a walk scheduled for 7 September, which will be our longest walk yet, completing the trilogy of Roding Valley guided walks we have held throughout the year. It will take in the entirety of the Roding Valley through Redbridge, as we make our way to Wanstead Park, starting from Ray Park in Woodford Green.

Totalling around 7km each way, we will be travelling along one of the great assets the borough has in terms of a green corridor, one that maybe not too many people know about.

The aim of our walks has been to showcase the value of the Roding Valley in terms of a walking route and for its connection with other green spaces.

As a dog owner and keen walker who lives locally in the borough, finding nice walking routes in and around the Roding Valley has been something I have been doing for many years, not only to keep my dog fit but also myself, physically and mentally.

The Roding Valley is largely what we term a country park and wild space. This does not mean we do not manage it, but its management is geared towards wildlife and protecting the naturalness and wildness experience, which is what we want visitors to take away with them. It is not easy, especially with the M11 and A406 roads thundering right through it (it has taken many years, but I seem to be immune from the hum of the motorway), but somehow the Roding Valley and the River Roding have persevered from what has been, quite recently, disastrous disturbance and destruction, through the passion and action of those who have and are managing it, as well as committed volunteers and residents.

It will never be the same or have the same value for wildlife and people as before the motorway came through. Some people will even remember the area before the M11 and A406 and how rural the Roding Valley used to be and the meanders the river used to have. However, this does not mean it has no value. Indeed, we must do the upmost to protect what we have and make it better.

We still have regular sightings of kingfishers and little egrets along the river; grey wagtails can sometimes be seen using the river as well. The valley is also home to many small mammals, from weasels and water shrews to badgers, with other creatures of interest including stag beetles and grass snakes, which you can sometimes spot while walking the paths. On the river, you may get lucky and spot a juvenile otter that has strayed south from its breeding grounds further north in Essex. Unfortunately, the habitat quality means that, at the moment, we have not recorded otter being able to breed or survive along our stretch of river. Eels can sometimes be spotted in the water too – the River Roding used to be a good place to see them – however, their decline has been noted.

Our walks are put together to help improve local knowledge of this hidden and not so well known wild space, and to inspire its continued use, protection and the ways we can make it better for the future. We look forward to seeing you on one of our walks soon.

Never discuss politics or religion in polite company, so the saying goes. But, keeping it polite, Councillor Stephen Adams (Conservative, Churchfields) explains why Jesus is at the centre of his politics

I became a Christian at the age of 21 on a park bench in Nottingham. Here’s what I came to accept: I am a broken and imperfect individual who rejected God, deserving eternal rejection from him. But God in his love sent Jesus to be punished instead of me by dying on the cross and being raised again, proving he’d paid the price and presenting me blameless before God. Jesus went to great lengths to serve me, so in my thankfulness I should be prepared to do the same for others.

Many say that religion should stay out of politics. I find this an odd statement, since our democracy relies on input and representation from all elements of our society. For me, it is impossible to separate the two. Jesus is at the centre of my life, which includes my work. It is because of this that I can serve my residents with dedication and integrity. Christ makes me look outside of myself, and towards others. The importance of faith is even recognised in the private sector through workplace diversity groups. I work for one of the Big Four accounting firms where I help to lead a Christian group of around 500 people.

Theresa May, in her final Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament, gave the advice “to be true to yourself”. Statements such as these are widely taught to young children and are commonly held values in our society. In my opinion, they are the antithesis of Christian teaching, causing people to look inwardly rather than outwardly, putting themselves first. The Bible challenges me to think of others, even when my instincts urge me to look out for number one. I fear this mindset is declining in our society. Figures from the Charities Aid Foundation show charitable giving in the UK is falling in real terms, both nominally and on a per capita basis.

Being a local councillor is about serving the residents in your ward. I have to balance a full-time job in the City with resident meetings, committee meetings, hundreds of emails, litter picking, and more. On top of this, I volunteer my time with charities like Tearfund, who help others in poverty around the world. Without a servant mindset, I would not be able to fulfil my role effectively. Remembering that Jesus served me, especially when I did not merit his favour, helps me serve others. This is especially true during periods of business and mental fatigue.

We are in an era where people complain that many politicians are self-serving, a claim I believe is exaggerated. Nevertheless, society gets the politicians they deserve. I hope it can be said of me that I have been the servant of others. As Jesus said: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35).