Editor

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

Every morning, my partner, David, reads his newspaper from cover to cover. And then wishes he hadn’t. “Is there any good news to be had anywhere?” I’ve been asking myself. I decided to put that same question to ‘a random selection of people’ (as the statisticians say). So I took my notebook and pen down George Lane in hopeful expectancy.

I kicked off with Sally and Ken: “We haven’t won a million on the lottery, if that’s what you mean. But we have good neighbours, a strong sense of community. We have green spaces and parks. Not headline stuff, but good news for us, all the same.”

Ross looked relaxed, on a sunny seat by the station. He didn’t hesitate: “It’s my family.” I waited. “Our incredible little girl. She’s four. Starting school soon. She was born during the pandemic. I suppose that was an obvious time for reflection. I realised I was working too many hours. Away from home too much. She’s a miniature version of my wife and me. I see both of us in her. You can’t shake off that love. I seem to have done with drinking and parties these days. Does that answer your question?” 

“I can certainly help you!” said Mariana, with what I thought was suspiciously like the look of a very proud mother. I had guessed correctly! “My daughter did really well in her O levels. She went through quite a lot of exam stress but gained excellent results. We are feeling very proud. She’s going on to study Maths, English and Psychology at Advanced Level. Yes, we did celebrate, of course, with a meal at her favourite Italian restaurant.” 

Stephen and Monita were chatting while gazing at the abundant flower baskets at the Railway Bell. Turned out they were father and daughter. “Aren’t they beautiful!” they said. “Good news? Well, this for a start: fresh air, being comfortable in yourself, working hard, feeling that you are contributing something. Positivity. Talking to strangers, like this. We English don’t talk to each other enough, but when we do, it strengthens us. We realise how much good there is in people.” 

Bruce loves his dogs. Two Newfoundlands, one black, one brown. He walks them through the forest twice a day, obviously contented in their companionship. (Good news in itself really!) We often chat. Those dogs are way up there with his grandchildren on his list of favourite people. But now he told me: “Something delightful has happened: a couple of teenagers from up the road have started to come with me on my walks. We decide on a time and they come out and join me. We walk and we talk. They share some of their news, their studies, their hobbies. It’s given me quite a boost to think that young people are happy to spend time with an oldster like me. (And I like to think it’s not just because of the dogs.)”

Reham was expecting a friend to join her at any minute. “Good news? Yes. I’m hosting a bridal shower for one of my closest friends next month. It’s a surprise. I’m really happy she has met just the right person.” Reham’s fellow conspirator materialised exactly on time. Good news for a successfully run party, I thought. “We’re planning our shopping list today, with emphasis on Middle Eastern dishes, hummus, tabbouleh, baklava, a finger buffet. We really value our years of friendship with the bride to be.”

I found Christopher in thoughtful mood. “Yes, happy to talk. I’m looking forward to my second child, a daughter. We already have a son aged two. We always wanted two children. I have been wondering if I can possibly love another child as much as the first. But now I’ve realised, you don’t share out the love. More love and more joy floods in. We are becoming ‘homebodies’. You know: meals sitting round the table, talking, lighting a candle, celebrating how much we have.”

Connie was weighing up the ripeness of the mangoes at the International Supermarket. She had just been to the gym. I put my question. “It’s strange you should ask that,” she said. “I’ve just had my offer on a house accepted. It’s only small but just what I felt I needed. I’m leaving my rented flat and already thinking about the décor, the colours, the autumn planting in my new miniature garden. I’ve been through some rather sad times recently, but now I don’t feel I’m just moving house, I feel I’m moving on.”    

Perhaps if you are enjoying a nice drink or a tasty sandwich, you don’t seem to mind when some strange woman turns up asking about good news. Certainly, for 24-year-old Ervis the question could not have been more apt. “I’m going home next week to see my family, after six years.” “And home is…?” “Albania. Good friends here found work for me and gave me support. I’m in the construction and landscaping industry. This is my cousin, Ibrahim. He’s younger than me but we’re going home together. We can’t wait to see everyone.”

I was greeted by a winning smile from 11-year-old Ella, enjoying a pavement snack with her dad and auntie. “I’ve got some very good news,” she said. I thought she was going to tell me about her excitement at starting secondary school. But it was her much-admired older cousin, a handsome 17-year-old she was eager to tell me about. “They found out he’d got a hole in his lung when he couldn’t stop coughing. A month later, he had an operation and it all went really well!” I was going to say a big thank you, but she hadn’t quite finished. There was a PS: “He’s ever so pleased to be back in the boxing ring.” 

I meant to stop there, but I’ve got another PS: David has just learnt he’s to be a great-grandfather for the first time before the year ends.

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

There’ll be plenty of festive cheer in South Woodford this November and December with plenty of events for all the community to enjoy. Kris Kringle reports

As the crisp winter air rolls in and the aroma of mulled spices drifts through South Woodford, preparations are well underway for another season of local festive gatherings. It’s a time to embrace the warmth of community and the joy of shared celebrations.

Charity Christmas Bazaar
23 November; 11am to 3pm (entry: £2)
Woodford Memorial Hall, High Road
Father Christmas visits also available at extra cost.

Woodford Christmas Craft Market
30 November; 10am to 3pm (free entry)
Woodford Memorial Hall, High Road
Providing local creatives with a platform to showcase their wares.

Christmas lights switch-on
6 December; from 3.30pm (free)
George Lane roundabout, South Woodford
Join Santa for the switching on of South Woodford’s Christmas lights and a jolly singalong of festive songs with Oakdale Choir, Redbridge Music Lounge and Brook Brass. Meet Woodford Panto characters and enjoy festive refreshments.

On-screen festive performances
from 7 December; (tickets: ££15)
Odeon, High Road, South Woodford
From André Rieu’s dazzling Christmas Concert to Royal Ballet and Opera’s performances of Cinderella and The Nutcracker, enjoy these live shows from the comfort of your local cinema.

A Celtic Christmas
8 December; 3pm to 4.30pm (tickets: £15.50)
Redbridge Drama Centre, South Woodford
Enjoy cherished carols sung with an ethereal beauty and performed on traditional instruments. Featuring beloved songs such as Joy to the World, The Holly and the Ivy and We Three Kings, this is Christmas music entwined with ancient festive folk tunes.

The Snow Queen
14, 15 and 21 December; various times
(adults: £16.50; children: £15)
Redbridge Drama Centre, South Woodford
With magic, mystery and lots of laughs, Redbridge Drama Centre brings you a modern adaptation of this classic tale.

Santa’s Christmas Workshop
14, 15 and 21 December; various times
(adults: £7; children: £15)
Redbridge Drama Centre, South Woodford
Come and visit Santa’s workshop, where Santa and his hard-working elves are busily getting ready for the big day. Elves will welcome you to their magical interactive Christmas show, after which Miss Christmas will take you to the elves workshop, where you will be able to make a Christmas decoration and write your letter to Santa. Next, you will be invited to meet Father Christmas himself, in the grotto. His helpful elves can then take your photo with your own phone or camera.

South Woodford Christmas Market
15 December; 11am to 5pm
George Lane, South Woodford
The monthly community market – offering a wide range of food and craft products – will be a family-friendly event with Christmas fayre, activities and entertainment.

Local school and church events
Festive fun, gift stalls, special events and services – too many to include here, so check the full listings to see what’s on.

For more information on these and other Christmas events in South Woodford, visit swvg.co.uk/christmas24

Jo Cullen from local solicitors Edwards Duthie Shamash explores employee rights in a redundancy situation, when you need to protect yourself from unfair treatment, discrimination and victimisation 

A redundancy process can be stressful and difficult. If you are an employee about to be consulted, or you are in the process of being consulted about a potential redundancy, it is important you know your rights. 

You have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. In a redundancy situation, this means you should be warned and consulted about the proposed redundancy. Your employer must adopt a fair basis on which to select for redundancy. An employer must identify an appropriate pool from which to select potentially redundant employees and must select against proper criteria.

Currently, the right not to be unfairly dismissed only applies to employees who have been employed continuously for two years or more at the termination date. 

You have rights from day one of employment not to be dismissed for an automatically unfair reason (for example, because you have raised a whistle-blowing concern, a health and safety reason or for asserting a statutory right) or where your redundancy is due to discrimination due to any of the protected characteristics (sex, maternity or pregnancy, marital status or civil partnership, age, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religion or belief), victimisation or harassment or for less favourable treatment due to your fixed-term or part-time status.

If redundancy is confirmed, and you have been employed for two years or more, you have the right to take reasonable paid time off to look for other work or to arrange training. You will be entitled to your contractual notice subject to statutory minimum notice. You may be asked to work your notice, or you may be asked to go on ‘garden leave’ if your contract allows for the notice period. Alternatively, your contract may allow your employer to give you notice immediately and to pay you in lieu of your notice period.

If you have been employed for two years or more, you will have the right to receive a statutory redundancy payment calculated according to a formula based on your age, length of service (capped at 20 years) and a week’s pay (subject to a statutory limit currently £700 as of April 2024). If you unreasonably refuse an offer of suitable alternative employment, you may forfeit your right to a statutory redundancy payment.

An employment lawyer can guide employees through the redundancy process and you may wish to seek independent legal advice to ensure you are aware of your rights and any time limits to make a claim for unfair dismissal, discrimination or victimisation.

Edwards Duthie Shamash is located at 149 High Street, Wanstead, E11 2RL. For more information, call 020 8514 9000 or visit edwardsduthieshamash.co.uk

Adult mixed-voice chamber choir The Crofton Singers have entered their 77th year of music-making at Bancroft’s School. Chairman Greg Hartwell reports on a local choir with a rich history

Our choir started life as a joint collaboration between the boys of Bancroft’s School and the girls of Loughton Girls’ High School – hence ‘Croft-ton’ Singers. In 1947, it became a choir of former students, who are still welcomed, now along with school staff, parents and indeed any singers from the community.

Bancroft’s School has continued to offer its support and hospitality for which the choir is enormously grateful. Unsurprisingly, no original members are still singing with us – although our founder conductor is still in contact! Raymond Warren was a sixth-former in 1947 and subsequently went on to become an eminent musical academic and composer before retiring from the post of Professor of Music at Bristol, where he still lives, now in his nineties. Since Raymond’s time, the choir has benefited from a number of excellent amateur conductors, but since 2009, we have been privileged to have a professional director of music. Currently, this is Jonathan Rathbone, who has had a remarkable career with the Swingle Singers. Under Jonathan’s guidance, we sing a wide variety of unaccompanied choral music from the 16th to 20th centuries.

Singers from a variety of backgrounds have spent time with the choir, including local music teacher Sheena Booth, whose father was a local vicar. When Sheena was a teenager, she went on a seaside holiday in Devon with her parents and sister. At the same hotel, they met two other teenagers from London – future composers Sir John Tavener and Sir John Rutter – and they developed a friendship that lasted for the rest of their lives. Very sadly, Sheena died comparatively young, and at a time when Sir John Tavener was working on a commission from the Tenebrae Singers – Mother and Child – which he dedicated to Sheena’s ‘everlasting memory’. It was premiered at the Salisbury Cathedral festival. The Crofton Singers were privileged to give the second performance in St Mary’s Church as a memorial to a valued singer and friend. The piece required a double choir, full organ and a large Hindu temple gong!

The choir operates with a small committee of volunteers. One long-serving chairman and life-long Woodford resident was Diana Newlands, a former pupil and later teacher at Woodford County High School. Although now retired from singing in the choir, Diana remains a valued and avid supporter.

I was personally attracted to singing as a young boy, not by the uplifting glories of choral music, but by a more worldly offer of pocket money for attending the choir at my local church. The magic worked, however, and I discovered further opportunities to sing, without payment. I have now been a member of The Crofton Singers for 25 years and extend a warm welcome to anyone wanting to sing good music in Woodford.

For more information on The Crofton Singers, visit croftonsingers.org.uk

Redbridge Council will host an online meeting to explain the condition of Broadmead Road Bridge.

“Local people are invited to dial in, to hear about the condition of the bridge following assessments from structural engineers, and to find out the next steps for this crucial local infrastructure,” said a spokesperson.

The event will take place via Microsoft Teams on 18 November from 6pm.

For more information, click here.

His iconic designs may be popular around the world, but William Morris grew up in Woodford. With 2024 marking his 190th birthday, Emily Allen reflects on the life of an extraordinary artist

Almost two centuries after William Morris was born, his flora and fauna designs are enjoying a renaissance. Perennially popular in museums, recent interior design trends such as ‘Cluttercore’ have led to a spike in the sales of William Morris homeware in the UK and around the world, yet the inspirations for William’s timeless designs lie right on our doorstep.

William was born in Walthamstow in 1834 to a wealthy middle-class family. When he was six, the Morris family moved to Woodford Hall, an estate surrounded by 50 acres of land adjacent to Epping Forest. The house, which stood behind the current Woodford Parish Church Memorial Hall, was demolished in 1900 and is commemorated with a plaque at the front of the building. While living there, William attended a local preparatory school, the Misses Arundale’s Academy for Young Gentlemen, which soon moved its premises to George Lane.

William enjoyed rambling around Epping Forest and fishing in the River Roding. On walks with his father, he learned the names of colourful flowers and birds that he would later go on to recreate in his designs and tapestries. William enjoyed visiting the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge in Chingford, and later wrote of the ‘impression of romance’ that the Tudor building, with its tapestries and embroideries, had on him as a child.

William’s father died when he was nine (he is buried in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church), and the family moved back to Walthamstow, living in Water House, which now houses the William Morris Gallery. After finishing his schooling, William entered Oxford University, where he first grew to spurn Victorian industrial capitalism.

He was apprenticed to an architect in 1856, but left to take up painting and poetry. In 1861, William co-founded the decorative arts company that would later become Morris & Co and crafted wall hangings and decorations by hand. The firm became immensely successful and saw William create some of his most famous wallpaper designs, including The Strawberry Thief. Yet, despite the heights of fame William achieved, he never forgot his early years in Woodford and Epping Forest, and in the 1890s, he took part in a campaign to save Epping Forest from being bought by developers, describing the forest as “always interesting and always beautiful.”

William died in 1896, yet his legacy survives all around us, in the fields and forests surrounding Woodford that he fought so hard to preserve. Walking through Epping Forest today, it is easy to see how such a beautiful landscape could have inspired William’s artistic success from a young age. Epping Forest stands as a living tribute to William and his work, and we are lucky to be able to call him one of Woodford’s own.

Emily Allen is a freelance writer. For more information, visit swvg.co.uk/allen

As the holiday season approaches, a group of passionate volunteer bakers led by Paul Canal and Sarah-Jane Hogg are gearing up to make a difference

Each year, a dedicated team of bakers comes together to create delicious, handcrafted Christmas cakes, sold in support of Haven House Children’s Hospice. This initiative raises vital funds to support children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, and the effort embodies the holiday spirit of giving and community.

The charity Christmas cake project has become an annual tradition, bringing together people from all walks of life. Through our combined love of baking and community service, our volunteer bakers produce an array of beautiful cakes that celebrate the season’s flavours. Each cake is sold for a donation, with 100% of proceeds going directly to Haven House Children’s Hospice, an organisation dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for children and young people.

Haven House Children’s Hospice provides a compassionate and caring environment for children with complex health needs and life-limiting conditions. The Woodford Green hospice offers an array of services, including respite care, music therapy, hydrotherapy and family support. These services play an essential role in the lives of the children and families they serve, helping to create positive memories and relieve the strain of daily challenges.

For Haven House, community support is crucial. As a charity, the hospice relies heavily on donations and volunteer work to sustain its mission. By purchasing or baking one of these Christmas cakes, you’ll be directly helping to fund these services, making a tangible difference for families facing unimaginable challenges.

This year, we’re calling on community members to get involved. If you have a passion for baking or simply want to contribute to a worthy cause, consider joining our team of volunteer bakers. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner with a love for Christmas treats, your time and effort can have a significant impact. Baking sessions are a wonderful way to meet like-minded people, share recipes and enjoy the holiday spirit, all while helping a remarkable cause.

If baking isn’t your thing, you can still make a difference by purchasing one of these delicious cakes. Each cake is a unique creation, lovingly baked, and they make a wonderful holiday gift or festive addition to your own table. By purchasing a cake, you’re not just bringing joy to your family and friends; you’re also supporting essential care for children in need.

Together, we can bake a difference for Haven House Children’s Hospice. Your support will bring hope and joy to children and families this holiday season, a true reflection of what this time of year is all about.

Let’s make this year’s Wanstead and Woodford Christmas Bakers Appeal our best yet!

To become a volunteer baker or to purchase a cake, text 07769 159433, email havenhousebakers@gmail.com or visit swvg.co.uk/bakers

Tin in a Bin will host a drag queen bingo night on 23 November to raise funds for Redbridge Foodbank’s warehouse renovation project. James Nunn reports on the charity’s recent work 

Redbridge Foodbank’s warehouse renovation project has progressed at pace over the last few months. Our dedicated team have battled the summer heat and overcome challenges with material delivery, water ingression and timelines – they have our everlasting gratitude, as do the community members who enable the project itself by donating and supporting it. Everything Redbridge Foodbank is able to do for local people in need is facilitated by its generous donors.

Over the past four months, renovations have been completed on the flooring and installation of the volunteer bathrooms and kitchen has begun. As I write, we are awaiting delivery of a new ventilation unit.

Once completed, the warehouse space will enable the streamlining of the current operational model, cut running costs, increase storage capacity, provide a safe working environment for volunteers and allow for the reintroduction of the Redbridge Foodbank Cafe, where clients can enjoy a cup of tea while they speak with our trained volunteers, who can signpost them to expert local organisations that can address the underlying issue leading to them needing our services.

This renovation project has been funded through a mixture of grants, local appeal funding and unrestricted funds. With phase two coming to a close, we are currently fundraising for our final phase, which will operationalise the space to realise the objectives of Redbridge Foodbank: “To relieve hunger and poverty in our local community by feeding people in crisis, promote social inclusion, advance education, training and retraining among unemployed people and develop the capacity and skills of members of the community so they are equipped to identify and meet their own needs.”

Redbridge Foodbank has a proven track record of delivering for our shared local community. A total of 16,771 food parcels were distributed to clients in the last financial year. This breaks down to 10,138 adults and 6,633 children (including repeat visits). And our successful programme with Citizens Advice Redbridge (which began two years ago) has facilitated 1,137 consultations with clients. As a result of these consultations and follow up work, 716 clients have been empowered to support themselves without needing the food bank to survive.

If you would like to help Redbridge Foodbank, whether by volunteering, donating food and hygiene products or donating financially, your gifts will be gratefully received.

A drag queen bingo night organised by Tin in a Bin will take place at Christ Church hall, Wanstead on 23 November from 7pm (tickets: £15). Visit swvg.co.uk/bingo

To donate to Redbridge Foodbank, visit redbridgefoodbank.org.uk

Nightingale Primary School is looking for a new governor.

“This is a great opportunity for someone who would like to get more involved in supporting their local community by contributing to our vibrant primary school. Governors are asked to commit to attending six meetings annually (five of which are in the evening) and make some additional visits to the school. This vacancy is not open to parents with children at the school,” said a school spokesperson.

Email admin@nightingale.redbridge.sch.uk

Staff from Woodbridge High School took part in the 55-mile London to Brighton Cycle Ride in September.

“We’re raising funds for Great Western Air Ambulance in memory of our colleague, Moyra Whelan, who lost her life in a road traffic collision in the Cotswolds in 2022. We are incredibly grateful for all donations. We’ve raised over £9,400 so far, enough to fund four airlifts,” said a spokesperson. All air ambulance services are charity-funded and receive no money from the government or the NHS.

Visit swvg.co.uk/whscycle

Three Remembrance services will take place across Wanstead and South Woodford this November.

The first will take place at the Woodford War Memorial, outside St Mary’s Church in South Woodford on 9 November (arrive by 8.40am). This will be followed by a gathering at the Wanstead War Memorial on the High Street on 10 November (arrive by 12.15pm). A final service will take place on Armistice Day at the Snaresbrook Garden of Remembrance, off Snaresbrook Road, opposite Eagle Pond (arrive by 10.45am).

Local student Henry Hobbs became the fastest 17-year-old cyclist in the world at the 2024 Junior Track World Championships, which took place in China over the summer.

The Woodbridge High School sixth-former – who started cycling at the age of seven – won gold in the Junior Men’s Individual Pursuit, beating world record holder William Holmes from Australia.

Henry’s success continued at the event, taking silver in the Time Trial as well as bronze as part of the Men’s Team Pursuit squad.