Counselling and psychotherapy training institute TA East will be hosting a listening post at South Woodford Library this summer. Victoria Baskervill explains what it means to be truly listened to. We all need to talk, be listened to and be in contact with each other, to thrive in this world. “Listening is about being present, not just about being quiet.” Krista Tippett, Becoming Wise, 2016. In contemporary society, we often don’t have or take the time to stop and listen to the birds sing, to hear children’s laughter, or to look up from our phones and really listen and hear each other. There have been moments in both my personal and professional life which I can pinpoint being truly listened to, heard and understood. Sometimes, these have been chance...

Library Development Officer Christine Thompson invites South Woodford’s children to take part in a space-themed reading challenge this summer and read six library books over the holidays. The Reading Agency’s annual Summer Reading Challenge is aimed at children aged four to 12 years and helps get almost three quarters of a million children into libraries to boost their reading skills and confidence. Children’s reading can ‘dip’ during the summer holidays if they don’t have regular access to books and encouragement to pick them up. In 2019, children across the UK will be able to take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, entitled Space Chase, an out-of-this-world adventure inspired by the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. It is also the 20th anniversary of...

Yuki Negishi is a pianist of “rare poetry, passion and virtuosity”. Having lived in Tokyo, New York and Amsterdam, she now calls South Woodford home, and is inviting fellow residents to hear her play. I recently moved to South Woodford with my IT director husband Michael, and noticed there weren’t many classical concerts in the area, despite the many beautiful churches with grand pianos. St Mary’s Church is a short walk from my house, and the first time I visited, I was struck by its splendid pipe organ and perfect acoustics. I quickly felt the potential for a regular recital series, which could give local residents easy access to some great music, and an ideal opportunity for me to try out new recital programmes. Music...

PC Daniel Thomas is pleased to report a significant fall in the number of burglaries in the South Woodford area, and encourages residents to help fight crime by securing their homes My name is PC Daniel Thomas and I am the Dedicated Ward Officer (DWO) for South Woodford. I am one of two police officers who cover South Woodford and we also have a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) dedicated to this area. I know that many of you have been worried about theft-related crimes in South Woodford, particularly burglary. Interestingly, the majority of residential burglaries take place between 4pm and 8pm. But there are many things we have done and are continuing to do to reduce the number of burglaries, and I am pleased...

The South Woodford Society has launched a crowdfunding campaign to establish a community orchard outside South Woodford station. Louise Burgess explains the benefits for the community… and cider drinkers As evidenced by our street names of Primrose, Mulberry and Cowslip, the south-east side of George Lane used to be a flower-filled space, with market gardens and a dairy. We are aiming to put some of this country feel back into South Woodford by building a community orchard, refurbishing the current small green spaces and improving the planting. Our campaign is crowdfunded, using an online funding platform for ideas that bring local places to life. Projects are matched to funds from councils, foundations and companies that might want to help. We are hoping that our funding...

Avon House School in Woodford Green is looking to make contact with as many former students and staff as possible as they prepare to mark their 100th anniversary during the forthcoming academic year. “We would be delighted for you to join our alumni network… It doesn’t matter when you left us, whether you are in further education, in employment or retired, whether you still live nearby or have moved away, there are still ways you can connect with the school and stay in touch,” said a spokesperson. “To celebrate our 100th anniversary, we will be organising an exciting programme of events and are happy to assist former students in organising their own events, or getting back in touch with their peers.” Visit swvg.co/avonhouse or call...

Sainsbury’s marked its 150th birthday in May, with staff from across the business invited to volunteer for a cause in their local community to celebrate the milestone. In South Woodford, supermarket workers have pledged time to help improve, among other things, the Salvation Army centre on Daisy Road. “Some of my colleagues will be weeding, painting and cleaning the carpets,” said store manager Mark Twell, who also donates food for the centre’s lunches for the elderly. “Others will be working to improve the alleyway that runs from our store up to M&S, planting hanging baskets and repainting the railings… We are also keen to brighten up the outside wall space with art, and I am open to suggestions from the community for any murals they...

More than 20 people took part in a clean-up day at Eagle Pond in June. Councillor Jo Blackman (Wanstead Village, Labour) organised the litter pick with the City of London Corporation – which owns the site off Snaresbrook Road and provided waders and boats on the day – after a number of residents expressed concerns about the state of the pond. “It’s great to see what a difference we can make when we work together. A group of residents are now joining forces to make lasting improvements,” said Councillor Blackman. Another clean-up day is set to take place in the autumn, with pond visitors urged to take their litter home with them and not to feed bread to the ducks, which can lead to waterfowl...

Local owners of classic cars and motorcycles came together at Derby Road car park in June. The social gathering – which saw 26 different vehicles take part – is now set to become a regular event. “The plan was to gather for two hours on a Sunday morning and the only instructions were to bring along a classic car and grab a cuppa… During the weeks running up to the event, flyers were printed and placed on classic cars parked in the area. With the aid of social media, the only thing left to do was to see what would happen. By the 10am start time, the first four cars were parked up. Every time I looked up, another car arrived, followed by another and...

The inaugural exhibition of the recently formed Woodford Arts Group was hailed a resounding success by organisers, following a good turnout over a weekend in June. The three-day display at Packfords Hotel showcased work by local artists, including the group’s founder Julia Brett. “I was knocked out by the amount of visitors over the three days. People seemed genuinely delighted to find art by local people at a local venue. And the question most asked was ‘when are we holding our next one?’” said Julia, who established the group at the end of last year to help local creatives share and showcase their talents and create an awareness of local art. As a thank you to the exhibition hosts, Debra Packford was presented with a...

Redbridge Council is considering an application to construct a nine-storey office block at 10–12 Eastwood Close in South Woodford, the site of Incey Winceys Day Nursery. “Many residents are concerned about this application… There are many issues here, not least whether office space is required in this location, and over 120 objections have been made to the council. We would argue that the site needs a considered approach, rather than piecemeal buildings. At the time of writing, we are waiting to hear when this is going to be discussed by the council, but your comments will still be taken into consideration if you have not yet made a representation,” said a South Woodford Society spokesperson. Under the plans, the ground and first floors would remain...

Local residents and councillors came together in June to clear away the overgrown greenery at the back of the Derby Road car park. “We also took to the surrounding streets, up to the High Road and round by the Churchill statue, to clear away litter. Over 20 bags of rubbish were collected, with over six bags of recycling sorted on our return,” said a spokesperson for the South Woodford Society, which organised the event. “We’re aiming to organise our next litter pick in the autumn, so please get in touch if you would like to be involved.” The South Woodford Society is an independent, voluntary and non-political group working to ‘build a stronger community, support local businesses and make South Woodford a better place to...