Helping others can be both fulfilling and fun, says Ron Jeffries of Redbridge Voluntary Care, a good neighbour scheme that has been running for over 40 years and is in need of volunteers in Woodford. From time to time, most people will know someone who needs help with transport to a hospital, the doctors, a clinic or the dentist. You may be aware of someone who is lonely, sick or elderly, someone who would welcome the company of a visitor. You may have wondered if you might be able to help but are unsure how to go about it. If so, help is at hand! And it will be both fulfilling and fun for you, and a lifeline for someone who needs your support. Redbridge...

In the second of two articles by former local resident David Williams, the journalist-turned-tour guide and lecturer explains why he often returns to the area to give talks to local groups. I am not a genealogist but my interest in social and oral history has intrigued me for the past 15 years. After retiring from a career in print journalism and the film and television industry, I was keen to find something which would occupy my time. A casual search on the City of London Corporation website revealed they were inviting applications from people to become tour guides and lecturers. That was for me! After qualifying as a guide in 2005, I went on a number of short courses about various aspects of London’s rich heritage....

In the second of two articles, local photographer Geoff Wilkinson discusses his new exhibition – entitled ‘Quick! Before it goes’ – depicting London’s East End, an area which resonates with many residents here. A walk around London’s East End is now a fascinating experience. The changes are enormous, as I have discovered on this latest photographic odyssey for my current exhibition. Buildings and whole streets have disappeared, often replaced with modern glass and steel structures our parents and grandparents would never recognise. Visitors to my photography gallery in Wanstead had talked about their parents’ lives and childhood memories of playing on the streets of Bethnal Green, Bow, Mile End and other parts of the East End. It was the night I got off the DLR at...

Residents are invited to join the Wren Wildlife Group for a bird spotting walk through Wanstead Park as part of this January’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. “We’ll be looking at a variety of wintering ducks – including gadwall, shoveler, pochard and tufted ducks – on the park’s lakes. And we’ll be searching through the bare trees for fieldfares, redwings and siskins. And there may be the odd surprise as well!” said Tim Harris. Participants will meet at the park’s Temple at 10am on 25 January (free; call 07505 482 328). The Big Garden Birdwatch started as an event for children in 1979 when the RSPB joined forces with BBC’s Blue Peter and called on kids to report what birds they saw in their garden. The...

Former fashion designer Terry Rumak – who counts Lady Diana Spencer among her past clients – is now a member of Woodford Arts Group and spends her time creating patchwork quilts and geometric paintings. Born in the North East of England, surrounded by rugged landscapes, seascapes and heavy industry, inspiration for painting was all around me. I studied at Middlesbrough College of Art, and then St Martin’s School of Art in London, where I gained a BA in Fashion Design. After leaving St Martin’s in 1968, I worked with a number of established designers. London in the 1970s and 1980s was the epicentre of fashion design and it was therefore relatively easy to open my own boutique. A friend and I designed and made 24 garments, put them...

To mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, local pianist Yuki Negishi – a Juilliard School and Royal College of Music graduate – will be performing a series of piano recitals in South Woodford. I started my lunchtime piano recital series in March 2019 at St Mary’s Church, South Woodford, and have gratefully (with the support of the church and local audiences) attracted a regular audience attendance of about 50. The year 2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of the great and prodigious German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), one of the most influential figures in classical music. To mark this anniversary, I will be doing a series throughout the year showcasing his music for solo piano and chamber music. Beethoven’s career is conventionally...

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 seventh of a series of articles charting the River Roding Project – which aims to reduce that risk – Nina Garner from the Environment Agency encourages us all to prepare for winter. Over the last few editions of this publication, we have discussed different ways you can prepare for flooding. We have recently seen significant flooding across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the Midlands, with some parts of central England receiving a month’s worth of rainfall in early November alone. Flooding can have long-term effects on lives, livelihoods and property. The threat of flooding...

The east London branch of Soroptimist International – which meets at Woodford Memorial Hall – will host an event about women’s mental health in the community and in the criminal justice system on 21 January. The talk will be led by Joyce Kallevik, director of WISH, the only national, user-led charity working with women with mental health needs in prisons, hospitals and the community. “Joyce is a widely recognised authority on the reality of women’s mental health provision. She’ll be sharing her extensive experience working as a mental health advocate and the unique insights she’s gained through her own experience of mental illness,” said a Soroptimist East London spokesperson. The event, which starts at 7.15pm, is open to all (tickets: by donation; booking required). Visit...

Julia Brett, who founded the Woodford Arts Group one year ago, looks at the group’s successes to date and their plans for the year ahead, and explains why the local area has always appealed to artists. This time last year, the Woodford Arts Group consisted of a few local artists who had responded to a call-out on the Next Door app.  This was for Woodford-based artists who were interested in getting together for mutual support and the possibility of starting an art-exhibiting group. Within five months, we had our first exhibition. We had no idea what to expect and I suppose neither did any of the 250 visitors who came along to Packfords Hotel to see what we were about. We had lots of local...

Residents keen on beautifying the streets of South Woodford for the year ahead are urged not to miss the 2020 deadline for adopting a tree pit near their home. “Planting bee-friendly flowers under a street tree will make your road look beautiful, reduce chemicals being sprayed and help local  wildlife,” said a spokesperson for South Woodford Gardeners, which is aiming to increase the number of street trees across the neighbourhood planted at their base to support pollinating insects by creating stepping-stone habitats between surrounding green spaces. “Just email the council by 25 January to tell them the location of the tree you’re adopting and they’ll provide a label to stop it being sprayed. Plant the base with wild flowers, geraniums, herbs or any other small...

Members of the South Woodford Young Writers Club were enthralled by author Andrew Michaelides, who visited their group recently. Teacher Shameem Aziz was equally inspired. At the South Woodford Young Writers Club recently we had the pleasure of hosting Andrew Michaelides, a self-published children’s author. Andrew (known as Mr Michic) has published a series of three books based on the adventures of Tramp, a talking dog. Of course, we were delighted to have him, and his visit was informative in so many ways. The children had pre-prepared questions they wanted to ask him. What inspired him? Why did he become a writer? What were his stories based on? What advice would he give someone who wants to write? All answered with patience and understanding. It is...

A nationwide water refill scheme has been launched in South Woodford to help shoppers stay hydrated and to reduce the use of plastic bottles. “South Woodford is now part of the network set up by Refill, and a number of local businesses have already signed up, including the recently relocated Tipi Coffee (117 George Lane), Atkins Physiotherapy (154 High Road) and Greggs (168 George Lane).  So now, whenever you are out and about in South Woodford, look for the refill droplet logo and you can ask for your water bottle to be refilled,” said Louise Burgess of the South Woodford Society. By downloading the app, users can search for their nearest refill station wherever they are. “This makes it easy to reduce the number of...