Waltham Forest Echowww.walthamforestecho.co.uk | facebook.com/WalthamForestEcho | @WFEcho | WFEcho@socialspider.com

PLUS: Features • Interviews • Reviews • Comments and more...

AWARD-WINNING RADIO

page 4

STOW FESTSUCCESS

page 16

Gordon Turpin and John Moss

More than 450 residents have signedup to help prepare a NeighbourhoodPlan for the Highams Park Area. Theresidents have joined the HighamsPark Planning Group (HPPG) whichwas formally designated as theneighbourhood planning group forthe Highams Park Area by WalthamForest Council in July. The group willoversee the preparation of planningpolicies for the Highams Park areaand a list of community projects localpeople want to see delivered.

The Council Cabinet approvedthe area to be covered by the plan,which stretches from WalthamForest’s eastern boundary withWoodford across to Wadham SportsGround, the Ropers Fieldconservation area and LarkswoodPlaying Field in the west. ThePlanning Group hope this will be agreat step forward in giving HighamsPark a clear identity and recognisedplace within the Borough.

Gordon Turpin, Chair of the HPPGsaid: “This is a great opportunity forthe residents of Highams Park to worktogether to protect and enhance whatthey love about Highams Park and totry and change those things they don’tlike! We expect it will take anythingfrom nine months to one year to putthe Highams Park Plan together andwe will consult the residents for theirideas and suggestions for the plan aswe go along.”

He added: “The area covers around384 hectares and is home to over15000 people and lots of squirrels...sowe have a lot of work to do!”

The Highams Park plan will bedrawn up with help from WalthamForest Council, who received a£20,000 grant from centralgovernment to help cover the cost ofpreparing it. Those working on the

Issue Two Autumn 2014

“The Three Musketeers” runningLink4Growth Ching ford

A unique blend of community andbusiness networking is sweeping thecountry and, earlier this year, it arrivedin Waltham Forest. Link4GrowthChingford is run by three localbusinesswomen with a passion forsupporting the local community.Commonly known as The ThreeMusketeers we’re also known as FionaFlaherty, Meducate Healthcare, JaneWalker, Walker Websites and DebraOakaby, Coach Me Smart. Togetherthey make a dynamic trio.

Link4Growth Chingford is part ofLink4Growth, a nationwide not-for-profit organisation promoting localnetworking. There are currently over70 local groups.

Whether you’re looking for a job,or a particular service or product, orto start a business or Link4Growth

Chingford will introduce you to peoplewho might be able to help you directlyor know someone who can. Maybeyou just want to get some experienceof talking to other people about yourbusiness. You can do that, too.

In August 2014, they hosted thevery first Link4Afternoon Tea, whichwas a huge success with lots of newpeople joining in and calls for moresimilar events. Link4Growth Chingfordhas also attended several local eventsas an exhibitor including theborough’s International Women’s Daycelebrations, the Chingford VillageFestival and the Waltham Forest JobsFair. As the only Link4Growth groupin Waltham Forest, they attracted lotsof interest and people liked the idea ofmeeting new people in an informaland friendly setting.

The Chingford group meets onthe first Thursday of the monthbetween 9.30am and 11.30am, atGoals in Morrison Avenue E4 8SN;It’s only £3 to join in (includesrefreshments).

To find out more visit:

Link4Growth website: http://link4growth.biz/l4g

Link4Growth Chingford Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/

L4G.Chingford

Link4Growth Buy Local Chingford:gplus.to/L4gBuylocalChingford

Link4Coffee Chingford:https://paper.li/DebraOakaby/

1400254948

LOCAL VOICES

page 6

Growing in ChingfordFiona Flaherty, Jane Walker and Debra Oakabyon a local business network

Highams Park residentsto develop local plan

plan are already developing ideas forwhat new housing should be built inHighams Park, where it could go andwhat it should look like, how tobreathe new life into the shoppingcentre, improvements to the RailwayStation and on limiting the number offast-food takeaways. Some of theCommunity Projects being looked atinclude: a café and toilets in TheHighams Park (including a betterchildren’s play area), a multifunctionalcommunity arts centre, and a “bottomup” review of parking provision.

The Planning Group is open to allresidents in the area who want to

get involved, whether to helpdevelop the policies, or just as

volunteers helping out with one ofthe Community Projects. You can

contact them onhighamsparkplan@gmail.com or at

www.highamsparkplan.org.

First general meeting of the Higham’s Park Group

Waltham Forest Echo2Polish schoolgets top results

Anna Blaszczak A few weeks ago the results of the Polishlanguage GCSE results were published.It was the first time pupils from the PolishSchool Walthamstow took them – withoutstanding results! Even though, thechildren entered the GCSE early, everystudent from the school achieved overallgrade A. This is a huge success not onlyfor the pupils but for the whole schooland community.

The Polish School Walthamstow,which opened its doors in September2011, provides its pupils with a highquality education in a warm and friendly,family atmosphere. The caring ethos,which permeates all aspects of school life,promotes pupils’ personal developmentwell and ensures they feel safe, secure andvalued as individuals.

With more than half a million peoplein Britain speaking Polish and anincreasing number of Poles living inLondon and especially in WalthamForest, there is a growing demand forcommunity language schools. Polishparents feel it is important that theirchildren learn to speak their mothertongue and learn about Polish history,geography and culture. The School aimsto promote Polish culture and values inthe Borough and supports tolerance andintegration within the wider community.For this reason it works in partnershipwith the Polish Education Society, thePolish Embassy, the local Parish,community organisations, businesses,schools and local councilors andorganises assemblies and events toencourage parents and pupils to meetnew people and integrate with otherfamilies and community.

The School provides educationprimarily to children from Polish familiesbut is welcoming young learners fromevery background. Teaching and learningis based on the National Curriculum forPolish Supplementary Schools.Currently the aim of the school is toprovide high quality teaching for childrenstarting their education at the age of 3and then continue through smoothprogression from a play-based learningapproach to more structured lessons,leading all the way up to their GCSEexams. All lessons take place on Saturdaymornings in Coppermill Primary Schoolin Edward Road.

Explore the website(www.swietarodzina.co.uk) or visit the

school yourself!

Snapshots of social actionFrom the editor of Waltham Forest Echo

News

Welcome to issue two of WalthamForest Echo. Thank you to everyonewho read issue one and got in touchto tell us what you thought of it or to

send in your own contributions to ourAutumn issue.

We’re delighted with the responseto the newspaper, and grateful for allthe support and help we’ve had so farbut we’re also keen to hear fromothers who’d like to get involved,either as writers or helping withdistribution and advertising soplease let us to know if you’d like tojoin the team.

A lot can change in three monthsand the recent two-week trial of themini-Holland scheme to boostcycling in the borough, which

featured on our first front page, hasattracted plenty of attention, withstrong feelings (and petitions) bothfor and against.

Whichever side you support inthese debates, the controversyhighlight the need for public sectororganisations, community groups andcitizens to find better ways tocommunicate with each other and toensure that everybody’s point is heardand understood.

While it’s clearly impossible for asmall newspaper to reflect thephenomenal range of activities taking

place in the borough, our second issueoffers snapshots of groups involved ineverything from business networkingto neighbourhood planning, andhospital radio to transportcampaigning. There are also featureson the legacies of some of thecampaigns and campaigners thathelped make the borough the place itis today. Thank you for reading andplease get in touch to let us know whatyou think.

David Floyd, Social SpiderWFEcho@socialspider.com

working Secretary, Glenn Wallis.The electrification works will

mean extensive and prolongeddisruption during 2016, and theGroup’s focus in the coming monthswill be to ensure the best possiblealternative arrangements forpassengers during that period. TheBarking-Gospel Oak line hasimproved out of all recognition sincethose far-off dark days- but the UserGroup’s work is far from done yet.

For more information and newsupdates about the line and the

group, go to www.barking-gospeloak.org.uk,

or write to the Secretary at 227 Old Church Road,

London E4 6RB. You can alsofollow us on Twitter

@RidingtheGoblin. New membersare always welcome, and

membership costs just £5 a year.

From Cinderella to success –the Barking–Gospel Oak lineGraham LarkbeyFriday 26 September, saw the 'official'opening by Waltham Forest Counciland London Overground of the long-delayed direct pedestrian linkbetween Walthamstow Queen’s Roadand Walthamstow Central stations.This is the Barking-Gospel Oak RailUser Group’s most recent success, oneof whose most vociferous campaigners,the late Ray Dudley, is commemoratedin the pathway’s name.

When the Group formed in the60s to fight the line’s threatenedclosure, nobody dreamt that it wouldone day become a thriving, busycrosstown link. Through subsequentdecades of decline and neglect, theGroup fought tirelessly on behalf of itslong-suffering passengers, winningsome improvements to stations andservices. The real step-change camewhen London Overground took itover in 2007. (Indeed, the wholeOverground orbital-route idea wasthe brainchild of another Groupstalwart, Richard Pout).

Suddenly, London's CinderellaRailway was on the Tube map –Oyster cards were accepted, grimuninviting stations were spruced upand restaffed, services were improved,new trains appeared and passengernumbers shot up. So much so that theGroup had a new and unfamiliar

problem to contend with –overcrowding! In response, it steppedup its campaign for longer trains andelectrification and eventually theGovernment was persuaded andannounced last year that new, longerelectric trains would begin running in2017. Another success, which wonthe Group the prestigious nationalRailfuture award for “Best Campaignof 2013” and a personal award fromWaltham Forest Council for its hard-

Longer electric trainscoming soon

Issue Two – Autumn 2014 33News

Walthamstow’s Wild Card

Gavin Rogers

Recently Waltham ForestCouncil received thewonderful news that the

Heritage Lottery Fund would beproviding £4.4m of funding to helpsee the Walthamstow Wetlandsproject come to fruition.

The announcement of thesuccessful bid means that the £8.7mproject – that includes additionalfunding from the Council and theowners of the site, Thames Water –can now transform the 200 hectaresite into a unique landscape wherepeople can experience open skies andwaterscapes.

“The creation of the largesturban wetland naturereserve in London is

Walthamstow Wetlands – Water result!cycle and footpath running throughthe heart of the Wetlands fromLockwood Way in the north toCoppermill Lane to the south. Thiswill link into the existing network ofpathways around the reservoirs.

There will also be four newentrances, with free public accessduring the site’s opening hours.Improved habitats to support thenature conservation value of the sitehave also been factored in, as haspreservation of the site’s industrialheritage, including restoration of alocally listed pumping station tohouse a visitor centre, café,exhibition space, viewing terrace andeducational space.

London Wildlife Trust willundertake the day to day management

of the site, enhancing habitats for awide range of species whilst

ensuring that visitor

really going to change the way peopleuse this area. Obviously it will be agreat place to walk and enjoy the openspace, but it will also help connect usto the rest of London and ourneighbouring boroughs” CouncillorClare Coghill, Waltham Forest Council’sCabinet Member for EconomicGrowth and High Streets, said.

“Obviously for our residents inWaltham Forest this is great news, butactually this provides a great benefit tothe wider population in East Londonand further afield. The site bordersWaltham Forest, Haringey andHackney and its proximity to theOlympic Park will tie it to the otherfacilities there.”

The scheme will see 1.6 km of

installations. Plus a viewing platformin the Grade II listed CoppermillTower, a new car park and anupgraded Ranger’s Lodge that willhouse a volunteer’s hub.

London Wildlife Trusts websitesays the Walthamstow Wetlands is“such an important site – surroundedby heavily urbanised areas to the eastand west, and interconnecting sites ofhigh wildlife and biodiversity value tothe north and south – contributessignificantly to its potential as naturereserve which connects wildlife,landscape and people, and becomes atreasured asset for the communities ofTottenham, Clapton, Walthamstow,Higham Hill and beyond.”

The site will be free to access. Bycomparison, the London Wetlandcentre in Barnes, West London, costsover £10 for an adult to visit and over£5 for a child.

numbers do not adversely affect thesite’s important wildlife.

The Trust will encouragevolunteering and active participation bylocal communities in the managementand conservation of the site, and over100 schools have expressed interest invisits and educational opportunities.

The site is fully operational, feedingCoppermill water treatment workswhich supplies water to millions ofLondoners. It is also the largest fisheryin the city and a site of internationalimportance for the wildlife that itsupports, in particular its waterfowl.

The refurbishment and reuse ofthe locally listed Marine EngineHouse will include a café located inthe triple engine room, with a newmezzanine level to create a first floorexhibition area. There will also be aneducational facility and the potentialfor venue hire and temporary artist

Birkby and William John Harris. Theyreleased their first beer, Jack of Clubs,in January 2013, followed since by theQueen of Diamonds – bothrecognisable by the beautifullyillustrated playing cards on the bottle.

Wild Card’s Ravenswood space isboth a working brewery and a bar, set

in an industrial space dotted withseemingly lost and found tables andchairs, and a bar, produced at theBlackhorse Workshop down the road.

With the founders financing thegrowth of the business using theirpersonal credit cards, the breweryneed an affordable location. Living inthe area, Walthamstow was a practicalchoice for Andrew and William but itwas big risk; would people would bewilling to join them for a drink on anindustrial estate?

So far the answer seems to be ‘yes’and a car park in E17 can now beregarded a weekend destination.Andrew puts this down to getting theimportant bits right: “Consistentlygood beer, staff that are passionateabout what they do - and how openwe are. The brewery and our stock are

Aaron Smith

There’s an independent brewerybased in Walthamstow’s veryown Ravenswood Industrial

Estate. The Wild Card Brewery is thecreation of childhood friends, Andrew

and a sound system supplied by alaptop and speakers but it’s also anincreasingly established independentbrand making appearances atindependent fashion store Othershopand Walthamstow Garden Party.Their recent Cubana festival featureda member of the legendary BuenaVista Social Club.

Since Wild Card and ‘wonderlandof creativity’, Gods Own Junkyardtook up residency in the estate inFebruary this year, other newbusinesses have followed including‘one woman sloe gin outfit’, Mother’sRuin and Aura Rosa’s bespoke cakesand patisserie, covering all of yourweekend dietary needs.

Wild Card invite a revolving lineup of (mostly) local food vendors tosell to their drinkers. So far that hasincluded Route 66, Mama’s Jerk andChips with Dips. Woodfords’ ChoiBoys are soon to join this everexpanding line up, bringing theKorean concept of Pojangmacha toWalthamstow: surely worth a visit forthe autocorrect opportunities alone.

So, all cards on the table, the WildCard Brewery continues to prove itselfan ace in Walthamstow’s social deck.

visible to everyone and we’re happy totalk about our plans with anyone.”

Wild Card may be a lean start upbusiness, boasting only a single toilet

Ravenswood industrialspace transformed

Reservoirs near Coppermill Lane

Founders William Harris andAndrew Birkby; inside the Brewery

Looking after my two-year-old son and expecting mydaughter any day, I wasstruggling to stay afloat inlife. I’d had a traumatic

birth with my first child, taken a £20Ksalary cut to switch careers from theCivil Service to teaching in achallenging school and then resignedfrom that job because it was sodifficult to balance it with childcare,and because I came home every dayfeeling I was a rubbish teacher.

I had no money, I’d put on threestone after having children and hatedall of my clothes. The only thing thatkept me sane was my late night tripsto the local, run-down swimming pool:I glided through the water and myfears and worries were washed away.

In February my daughter was bornand nothing had changed but when Ilooked at her for the first time Irealised suddenly that now everythingcould get better if I wanted it to. Istarted to re-read old coaching bookswhich had helped me deal withvarious relationship crises in mytwenties, one of my favourites wasFeel the Fear and Do it Anyway:corny, but true. I rediscovered thegirlhood habit of keeping a journalevery day and writing down my goals.

I forced myself to be confidentenough to apply for a part-timecommunity development job in mylocal area. Getting it saved me –working with people, encouragingthem to make things happen together.I looked around and realised howlucky I was to live in this community,with its creative, can-do attitude.

Balancing work with two toddlersmeant I lost weight easily and Iacquired a whole new wardrobecourtesy of the local charity shop,making me feel like myself in a way Ihadn't in years. Working in thecommunity, I met so manyinspirational people – mums who hadchanged their careers out of necessity

Waltham Forest Echo4

or people who had been maderedundant and used the opportunityto do something totally different – allpeople who were passionate aboutbeginning new projects to help thecommunity (and themselves?).

I became a Star Partner for Unltd,a social enterprise supportorganisation, working with potentialentrepreneurs and coaching them todevelop their own projects. I realisedthat people in Walthamstow couldreally benefit from coaching, but itwas often unaffordable.

After going on a free weekendcourse at the Coaching Academy, I setmyself some goals, which at the timeseemed impossible – to become alocal Councillor, get a permanent jobin community development andqualify as a coach.

I decided to develop a free coachingnetwork for local people. Unltd likedthe idea and awarded me a ‘do-it’award, a small grant which allowed mestudy for my Coaching Diploma,attending weekend courses andworking with practise coaching clients.

Now, a year later I have achievedmy goals. I got a local, flexible job inCommunity Engagement at theHornbeam, running a campaign tosupport people to use their resourcesand live well for less! I became aCouncillor for the William MorrisWard in May. I qualified as a coachand am now about start my first freecommunity coaching programme.

My personal definition ofcoaching is the joy of realising thatswimming is much easier thandrowning or treading water. I will berunning monthly group coachingsessions at the Hornbeam, starting inOctober and running until March. Ifyou would like to take part inWalthamstow's free Coaching Networkand change your life, get in touch.

graciemaewilliams@gmail.com

Learning to swimGrace Williams says coachingcan change your life

Your friend in bedCatherine Osbourne on Waltham Forest’saward-winning hospital radio station

It’s 8pm on a Sunday night andWhipps Cross Hospital Radio(WXHR) volunteer Petula Andréand WXHR chairman Mike Jonesare heading up to the hospital wardsto chat to patients and take songrequests for the station’s Down YourWard show. They spend time withpatients and give them theopportunity to chat live on air via amobile microphone: “It makes thepatients happy” says Petula. “Someof them might not have seen anyonefor the day and I think it just cheersthem up. Especially when you askthem for a special request just forthem and they have to dig back intotheir past or think about themselves.”

Winner of the Hospital RadioStation of the Year award in 2013,WXHR has three well-equippedstudios and benefits from hands-onsupport from experienced ex-industry staff. True to its slogan‘Your friend in bed – 24 hours a day’,the station keeps hospital patientsentertained round the clock with a

mixture of music, chat, sport, news,information and interactive requestshows.

Like most charities, WXHRrelies on a team of dedicatedvolunteers. Changing tastes in mediaconsumption have made it harder torecruit younger volunteers but thestation, which first broadcast in1969, still has a lot to offer saysstation manager Phil Hughes:“We’ve tried to maintain a balance ofthree things. One is to feel that we’rechatting to patients and cheeringthem up. Two is that the people whocome here are learning skills in radioand broadcasting. And three we’reenjoying ourselves. If we’re getting allthree of those, then it’s worthwhile.”

With training and support fromPhil, Mike Jones and the station’schief engineer Terry Hooper, manyvolunteers have gone on to pursuecareers in broadcasting. Ex-WXHRvolunteers now work in television,BBC radio and commercial radiolike Absolute Radio presenter

Annabel Port. “That’s quite a badgeof honour”, says Phil.

For volunteer Jason Bird thestation has offered an opportunity tomeet new people and learn newskills: “My confidence has beenboosted since coming down here.Originally I was a quiet, shy personwho would sit in a corner and waitfor someone to make conversationwith me and now, because I’ve beenon air, because I’ve had the training,I’m not afraid to say hello to a newperson in the room.”

So what does it take to be aWXHR volunteer? There’s more toit than playing your favourite musicsays Phil Hughes. Responding to theaudience, who are mostly 55 andolder, and the ability to get alongwith people are just as important.The social aspect of engaging witholder people and hearing theirstories has kept volunteer PetulaAndré coming back for 16 years: “Ifyou like people then this is a greatone to do. You might as well findsomething that you enjoy and Ienjoy doing this.”

For more information aboutWXHR visit: www.wxhr.org.uk or

follow the station on Twitter@WXHR.

Mal Wayne chatting to alistener and her family

Grace Williams happy tobe a community coach

volunteer Jason Bird

Phil Hughes and Mike Jones

Issue One – Summer 2014 55

In this time of government cutsto our public services, it isimportant to remember thestruggles that led to theircreation in the first half of the

twentieth century. Often lost in thenarrative of the introduction of thewelfare state is the work of local menand women in pushing throughprogressive policies at a local level.One such local woman was LeytonLabour councilor, Jenny Hammond.

In her later life Jenny recordedseveral interviews about her life withthe Waltham Forest Oral HistoryWorkshop (WFOHW). After herdeath WFOHW also printed hermemoirs. This account of Jenny’s lifeand her role in the establishment of public services in Leyton is basedon tapes of those interviews, her memoirs and other interviewsrecorded by WFOHW with herfamily and friends.

Born 1894 in Downsell RoadE15, Jenny grew up in a time whenpublic services barely existed incomparison to those we have today.Bare footed children and theunemployed roamed the streets,families lived cramped together inone or two rooms in shared houses,and to see a doctor was a significantexpense. The spectre of theworkhouse still loomed large andworkers enjoyed few rights. Jenny’sfather, who worked on the railways,was granted only four days holiday a year.

Although her family was poorJenny says that they ‘were never reallyhungry’. That did not stop her frombeing keenly aware of the plight ofothers in the community and astrong sense of ‘the injustice ofthings’. It was these qualities thatbrought Jenny into politics and werethe driving force behind her work inlocal government.

Her first involvement in politicscame in 1927. Married with hersecond child less than two years old,Jenny was spurred into action whenLeyton Council decided to stop herallowance of nursing milk. Likemany other men in the community,her husband was out on strike.Stopping the milk was a politicalmove to put pressure on the strikers’families. Jenny was furious. She puther baby in the pram and led a marchto the Town Hall. Shamed by thisdemonstration of mothers withbabies in buggies, the councilimmediately restored the nursingmilk provision.

Next Jenny joined council appealcommittees for Pensions andMaternity and Child Welfare. It was,she said, her ‘first experience of howbrutally the law was administered’.

Many of the elderly had not had theirbirths registered, leaving themunable to claim their pension. Jennyforced the committee to expand theevidence they accepted to includeschool reports, and in doing soenabled many more pensioners toreceive their state pension. Graduallyshe ‘introduced some humanity inthe proceedings’.

In 1929 Jenny was elected aLabour councillor for Leyton, aposition she held for 33 years.During that time she workedtirelessly to improve the lives of thelocal community. Together withother strong willed and like-mindedradical councillors, she wasinstrumental in introducingprogressive legislation and publicservices that transformed the lives ofordinary people. 

Jenny set up health clinics,services for the elderly, and provided

washing machines in the Cathall RdBaths. Women washed almost allclothes by hand, a labour and timeintensive task. Providing washingmachines in the area would havehugely reduced their domesticworkload. Jenny was also part ofcampaigns to build a public baths inBakers Arms, which when openedgave the local community the luxuryof a bath for three pence, and toreplace slums with council houses.

A lifelong pacifist, Jenny greetedthe outbreak of the Second WorldWar with dismay. She wasdetermined to have nothing to dowith the war effort. Instead she threwher energy into welfare work,organising the Leyton branch of theWomen’s Voluntary Service (WVS).Under her leadership the WVSsupported the bereaved and bombvictims, providing them with food,clothes and furniture.

A tireless force for progressive change Daniel Shannon-Hughes on the life of a local councillor and campaigner

It was during the war that Jennywas elected as Mayor. In her role sheorganised concerts to give thecommunity relief from the horrors ofwar. Female mayors were veryuncommon at that point and Jenny’sdaughter Iris acted as her Mayoress.

After the end of WWII Jenny andthe WVS continued for another fouryears, introducing welfare servicesrun by volunteers that were latertaken up by the council. Including ameals-on-wheels service and avolunteer home help service for theelderly. 

Both inside Leyton council as acouncillor and outside as a memberof the community, Jenny was a forcefor progressive change. As formerMP for Leyton and Wansted HarryCohen comments in hisintroduction to her memoirs, Jenny‘helped build our local publicservices from scratch, virtually brick

by brick, and against ignorant oldfashioned and plain mean mindedopposition’.

We owe a debt of gratitude topeople like Jenny. But her story mustalso remind us that the welfare statewas not just something introducedfrom on high. The provision ofpublic services, accessible to all thecommunity (at least in principle),was also the direct result of theactions and determination ofordinary people at a local level. Theirachievements should be a source ofinspiration as we seek to protect theirlegacy.

To for more information onWFOHW material held on Jenny

Hammond please contactoh@wforalhistory.org.uk or visit

www.wforalhistory.org.uk.

Features

Mrs Hammond with an Emergency Feeding Unit during an exercise in 1954 outside Leyton Town Hall

Issue Two – Autumn 2014

“...introduced some humanityin the proceedings”

Waltham Forest Echo6

A far cry from the prawn sandwich brigadeAndrzej Perkins on Waltham Forest’s local football club

Features

Originally from Mauritius, Denise YacoobGreenan, 66, misses her verdant homeland butretains strong connections to it through Segamusic and the explosion of tropical foliage inher garden.

“I feel most free sitting in the back gardenamong my palm trees. We had a lot of space inMauritius, with children always playing andthe birds singing – the birds still wake me upat my window at the same time each morning,but these days it’s the magpies.”

Each late summer, however, Walthamstow’sfamous flock of parakeets comes to dart aboutin the treetops, bringing with them exuberantsquawks reminiscent of Denise’s native land.

“We had a wonderful life in Mauritius, butmy father decided that we needed a change fora better life”. So the family of seven moved inwith his sister in Chelsea.

Living at the epicentre of the SwingingSixties suited the 15-year-old just fine.

Within years, she was working as a beautytherapist at Harrods, and in the eveningsregularly found herself singing the blues at aclub called Alphabet on Gerrard Street.

Even after her family moved to Tottenham,Denise, her sister and cousins spent weekendsat Tiffany’s, a restaurant and nightclub onShaftesbury Avenue.

Denise became a model, then a crystalconsultant at Selfridges – later getting poachedby Army & Navy, House of Fraser and Barkersof Kensington – before returning to Selfridgesto work alongside couture milliner PeterShilling.

“Those were glamorous jobs! It wasfantastic working in those places – we had gala

Waltham Forest Voices (2) – Denise Yacoob GreenanInterview by Claire Landon

Denise and her new husband – who proposedon their first date – went to live near Romford,where they raised their son and welcomed fivegrandchildren.

Returning to northeast London, Denisenow lives in Walthamstow with her twoteenage grandsons, Joshua and Jamie, whoattend local schools. With more time to herself,she is renewing her connections to bothMauritius and London through artistic pursuits.

Having always held a passion for MauritianSega music, once forbidden by her strict,French-speaking parents, Denise is nowbrushing up on her creole and writing her ownsongs in the genre.

The first track, recorded by her son at a localstudio, quickly became Youtube hit: aChristmas song called ‘Bonhomme Noel’.

Denise’s next goal is to perform both inMauritius and at London’s Mauritian OpenAir Festival, an annual event attracting 10,000people. In the meantime, she is perfecting Segadance moves and learning the ravanne, a large,goat skin-covered tambourine played toaccompany the music.

Fluttering her green sparkly nails withenthusiasm, Denise proclaims: “The best partof my life is coming now, I am writing my ownhappy ending!”

nights attendedby the biggeststars. Once, I soldWedgewood toLenny Henryand his wife.”

But a quieterlife beckoned, as

Football is a simple game, played by22 people on a grass field, with aleather ball. It is perhaps surprisingthen that football in the borough ofWaltham Forest has a far morecomplicated and convoluted history.

The borough’s oldest club,Waltham Forest F.C. can trace theirhistory back to 1868, giving them aclaim to be the second oldest club inGreater London. The original club,Leyton, disbanded and reformedseveral times before becoming one ofthe powerhouses of non-leaguefootball. They won the FA AmateurCup – the Football Association’spremier cup competition for non-league sides on three occasions, andwere runners-up twice. The 1951–52final was played at Wembley in frontof over 100,000 people, with anestimated 50,000 more locked out.

In 1975, the club merged withWingate FC, to become Leyton

Wingate, but reverted to Leyton FCin 1992 as the ‘Wingate’ side of theclub linked up with Finchley, tobecome Wingate & Finchley.

In 1995, spiralling ground

maintenance costs saw the club leavetheir ground at the Hare & Hounds inLea Bridge Road, this time mergingwith Walthamstow Pennant,becoming Leyton Pennant. In 2003,

now playing attheir current home,Wadham Lodge inWalthamstow, the

club changed their name to WalthamForest FC.

Forest enjoyed a purple patchbetween 2003 and 2007, when theywon the Essex Senior Cup, and madeit to the fourth round of the FA YouthCup, dispatching local rivals LeytonOrient and Premier League side WestBromwich Albion on the way.

However, five years away from theborough of Waltham Forest sawdwindling crowds and eventualrelegation to the Essex Senior League.

Forest refuse to lie down and diethough, thanks largely to thededication of a handful of volunteercommittee members – particularlyclub stalwarts Tony & June Brazier,who met as teenagers on the terracesat Leyton in the late 60s. Forest are areal grassroots club, a far cry from theprawn sandwich brigade or even therelatively dizzy heights of LeytonOrient in League One.

The feel-good factor has comeback to Forest recently, withcommunity ties being established, ateam playing exciting, attackingfootball and a move back to WadhamLodge and the borough of WalthamForest secured.

Latest fixtures can be seen on theclub’s website: www.walthamforest-

fc.co.uk. Admission £8 for adults,under 16s free.

Issue Two – Autumn 2014 77

Waltham Forest Echo8

Issue Two – Autumn 2014 99

Waltham Forest Echo10

ADVERTISING IN

is the new quarterly community newspaper for Waltham Forest. Waltham

Forest Echo promotes the work of local community organisations and

voluntary sector groups, along with arts and cultural activities taking place in

the local area and provides an opportunity for local people to express their

opinions on local issues.

10,000 copies of each issue are distributed across the borough and the

newspaper is also available online at www.walthamforestecho.co.uk. Please

contact us if you would like to advertise in our next issue.

Advertising rates: Full page – £800 Half page – £450

Quarter page – £250

1/8 page – £150 Back page + 25%Page size – 357mm high x 265mm wide

Material for advertisements should be

provided no later than:

Winter 2015 issue: Friday 19th

December 2014

– publication-Monday 12th January 2015

Spring 2015 issue: Friday 20th March

2015 – publication-Monday 13th April 2015

Waltham Forest Echo

Contact details to book an advertisement:020 8521 7956 / WFEcho@socialspider.com

The M11 link road is thefour-mile dual carriagewayrunning roughly parallelto the Central Linethrough Leyton,

Leytonstone and Wanstead. Toyounger residents or those recentlyarrived in the area, it may appearunremarkable – just a somewhat uglyand noisy highway, but for those whoremember the 1990s in WalthamForest and Redbridge, the road issomething else entirely – it is a symbolof popular resistance, governmentindifference, brutal dispossession andcommunity spirit.

The construction of the road, whichbegan in 1993 and was completed in1998, was intended to provide a moredirect route for traffic to central

London, avoiding the high streets ofthe area. To make way, 350 localhomes were acquired by compulsorypurchase and demolished, along withseveral acres of green space.

The first site of protest was GeorgeGreen in Wanstead, wherecampaigners initially occupied a 250-year-old sweet chestnut tree that wasto be destroyed by construction work.Kate Hayes has lived in the area since1956 and was an activist in theprotests. She remembers how thearrival of the ‘dongas’ – a diverse groupof environmental campaigners fromthe emerging direct action movement– signaled the beginning of 15 monthsof continuous protest in the area.

“The dongas were laid-back, theydressed up a bit, but they weren’t

layabouts. Some of them were youngdoctors, lawyers and journalists whogave up their jobs. I was a respectablemiddle-aged lady, but I went in to takethem food.”

After the destruction of thechestnut tree in December 1993, thefocus of the protests moved tosquatted houses in the streets slated fordemolition – most notably ClaremontRoad in Leyton, and Fillebrook Roadin Leytonstone. Local residents joinedforces with the dongas to resisteviction by whatever peaceful meansthey could.

Ann Williams, a former protesterwho moved to Wanstead in 1987,remembers the interaction betweenthe dongas and the local people:“There was an extraordinary alliance of

The M11 link road: 20 years onEdward Swan talks to local residents who opposed government plans for a new motorway

1111Issue Two – Autumn 2014 Features

young hippies – some of them werecovered in tattoos – and theserespectable middle-class ladies… Thesecurity and the police were much lesslikely to manhandle the dongas if theywere surrounded by residents.”

One fond friend of the dongas wasDolly Watson, who was 92 years oldwhen she was evicted from the housewhere she was born in ClaremontRoad, and gained almost legendarystatus for her refusal to leave her home,famously declaring of the protestors:‘they’re not dirty hippy squatters,they’re the grandchildren I never had’.

The protesters drew attention,partly for the unprecedented length ofthe campaign and their sheer numbers,but also for their quirky creativity,squatted houses were turned intoliving works of art, and their quick-wittedness in the face of the securitycrews and police sent to evict them.

Kate recalls: “There was acommittee, a really bright bunch, theywere the first to use mobile phones,and they were always ahead of thepolice. Our boys could move veryquickly, they didn’t destroy anything;they used to just be there, and weldthemselves to the wall of houses theroad builders wanted to destroy. Thenthere were those who burrowed anddug down underground. The dongascould have run an army; they werealways one step ahead.”

Locals and dongas set up a‘telephone tree’ to alert each other ondevelopments, which Ann took partin: “Everyone was afraid that theywould come to George Green in themiddle of the night, which theyeventually did, so we all had five peoplethat we would phone in order tospread the word to get down there asquickly as possible if anythinghappened.”

While the dongas may have hadprevious experience of protests, for

many local people, it was the first timethey found themselves in organisedcivil disobedience: “It was a strangetime,” remembers Kate, “all of a suddenwe were getting up at dawn, writingletters and protesting. I used to fit inearly morning protest before I went towork. But I was a teacher then and wewere expected to behave, I just had tomake sure that I never had my phototaken.”

Twenty years on, and much haschanged. There is greateracknowledgement at government levelthat increased road construction rarelysolves traffic problems, and lessappetite for public works projectswhich entail forced evictions, partly asa result of the public outcry andenormous expense caused by the M11link road protests.

Although some locals initiallysupported the construction of theroad, the promised benefits of reducedtraffic on high streets nevermaterialised, and the M11 link roadquickly became one of the mostcongested roads in the country. Mostresidents now agree that the effect ofthe road on the local area has beensevere. As Ann says, “The long-termimpact has been a huge increase in airpollution, and it’s directly due to thevolume of traffic on the link road.That’s the most serious aspect of it,apart from the loss of the houses, thetrees and a large amount of greenspace.”

Kate agrees: “When I was a teacherwe never heard the word asthma, nowwe hear it all the time. What they didwas wrong, people didn’t want theroad, they rode roughshod overpeople’s views. The government wasgoing to have this place, and they didn’tbother about what mayhem theycaused here. I knew several people whopacked it in and left, but where do yougo if you’ve lived here all your life?”

The eviction on Fillebrook Road,Leytonstone in June 1995

sacrificing one park for a few years wasokay.”

Ali Mohamed had taken his youngboys to the park and they enjoyed itso much he took them back again thenext day. “We loved it so we cameback,” he said. “It is a new style of playarea, it’s very nice.

“I used to play football here beforeso I remember what it is like, and this

is an improvement. I’ve been playingfootball somewhere else while thispark was closed but in my view it wasworth it.”

The council had bowed to thedemands from London 2012organisers on condition that there’dbe money to upgrade Drapers Fieldafter the Games were over. The park islikely to be well used thanks to itslocation on the edge of the Athletes’Village, now being converted into aresidential area.

Council leader Chris Robbinssaid: “It’s a wonderful place andpacked with local people young andold enjoying everything from thewater fountains to the table tennis, notto mention the football.

“Anyone who wants to seesomething tangible and lasting thatthe Olympic and Paralympic Gameshas brought to this borough as alegacy should get themselves downhere. It’s fantastic.”

Some people may still questionwhether the loss of Drapers Field fornearly three years – only one of whichwas spent on the revamp itself – wasstrictly necessary. But the end resultseems far easier to agree upon.

James Cracknell

A park revamped with money fromthe Olympic Games has been wellreceived by locals in Leyton - whowaited nearly three years to use it.

Drapers Field in Temple MillsLane was paved over and used as astorage facility during London 2012but is now once again in use a popularpark after £2million was spentimproving its facilities.

The decision to close the greenspace in September 2011, for use bythe Olympic Delivery Authority, wasa controversial one at the time. It wasused by 9,000 people a month,including many who enjoyed its all-weather football pitches.

But during London 2012 thewhole area was fenced off and coveredin asphalt – hardly the best way toboost participation in sport.

Not until March 2013 was thegreen space was finally handed backto the council, after which anotheryear of work lay ahead before therevamped Drapers Field could openagain in June this year.

New facilities paid for withOlympic legacy money include a

cycling proficiency course, children’splay area and cafe. The all-weatherfootball pitches have also beenreplaced and upgraded, along with thechanging rooms and toilets.

Table tennis, climbing frames,water fountains, trampolines and anunusual undulating design make theplayground stand out from others inthe borough.

Park users told the Waltham ForestEcho the revamp was worth the wait.

Mum Merry Jarvis took her seven-year-old daughter Milly. She said: “Wehad seen it being built and Milly haswanted to play here for a while.

“I like the cafe and she is enjoyingthe water fountains. The OlympicGames was a phenomenal event andit brought in a lot of money so I think

Olympic legacy park well liked by localsWaltham Forest Echo12 Features

HAVEYOURSAY –Have you got

some points to

make about

what’s going on in

Waltham Forest?

Why not write a

letter for Waltham

Forest Echo’s

letters page.

Letters should be

up to 300 words.

Email to

WFEcho@socialspider.com

Drapers Field new legacy playground

filing cabinet before checking mypigeonhole and heading out for theday – just an average day as a propertyguardian.

Confused? As a property guardianI rent and help maintain various

commercial buildings such asfactories, warehouses, farms, churches,police stations and most recently aschool. Being a property guardian isideal for me as it offers affordable andspacious living. I decided to explorethis approach to renting as anewcomer to London, as I learnt andunderstood very quickly that acramped house share that stillexceeded my full time wages wasquite normal in this city. Showeringtimetables, climbing over bicycles toget out of my own front door andbeing kept awake all night listening tosomeone’s else’s music was somethingI was not prepared to endure. This iswhen I made a decision to change mysituation and begin actually enjoyingliving in London. After researchingalternative options of living andrenting I decided to become aproperty guardian. Admittedly it wasinitially a sacrifice to leave the morecentral area of London in which I wasliving to become a property guardianin Chingford, Waltham Forest.However I have been able to createmy own office space at home andavoid the stress associated with anunsteady income thanks to the

reasonable monthly rent that comeswith this scheme. I have also enjoyedmeeting and sharing my living spacewith other likeminded people andmade great friends. In addition to thisI have discovered an unknown andprogressive part of the city that hasallowed me to grasp both the positiveaspects of city life as well as enjoysome of London’s most admirablebeauty spots, such as Epping Forest.

Unfortunately the drawback ofbeing a property guardian is that theproperties are only being rented on atemporary basis, this is because thebuilding will eventually be let, leased,renovated or demolished by itsoriginal owner. As the date for the finaloutcome of the property gets closer,the property guardian scheme willoffer other accommodation. Whenthis date arrives I will be disappointedto leave but also see this as part of myLondon journey.

It is certainly not for everyone butI personally would not swap my life asa property guardian, as it is rare thatyou can have a music studio,meditation room, workshop and gymall under one roof !

Sara Mowbray

This morning I woke up, drew theclassroom blinds, walked through theassembly hall to the kitchen and

cooked some breakfast. After finishingmy breakfast in the staff room I thenmade my way to the toilet cubiclesand shower rooms to get ready for theday ahead. I grabbed some clothesfrom my locker, and a purse from the

Being a property guardian in ChingfordIssue Two – Autumn 2014 1313Comment

The Chingford Squeeze

Standing at Walthamstow, feeling the strainWaiting for arrival of the Chingford train;Highams Park to Wood Street, picking up on routeTo travel to the city on the daily commute.Move along the carriage, try to find some spaceElbows digging in the ribs, backpack in the face;Sidle ever closer, shuffle down insideNose to nose with strangers for an intimate ride:Eyes on Metro, nose in a bookRisk the occasional circumspect look,St James Street to Clapton more cramming inMobiles and iPods add to the din;The coughs and the sneezes, the squashes and squeezesThe chatter, the clatter, the rush hour frowns,The chudder the judder towards Hackney Downs;Bethnal Green passes, we’re off on a rollPressing on, stressing on nearing our goal.Slowing to a crawl, the tunnel is in sight,Packing up our bits and bobs preparing to alight;Liverpool Street: terminate on platform one,Just another working day, and only just begun.

Janet Greenwood

Through conflict wefind bigger peace?Michael LomoteyWarning references to domestic violenceand abuse

As I write, it’s eve of Rosh Hashanahwhich starts the Jewish High HolidayDays. The following ten days are atime for reflection with a lovelycustom of asking for forgiveness. Ask your friends, your neighbours and anyone you’ve done wrong to let you off the hook, say your’re sorryand reconcile with them. It’s a greatconcept and a tradition that is takenup quite widely.

I thought about this recently. I thought about the asking forforgiveness.

I talked to a Walthamstow friendrecently and she opened up how shewas much happier now that she hadescaped an abusive relationship. I wasglad for her but it was harrowinglistening and I don’t want to repeat it.

What made me stop as I walkedalong was thinking about her and thecustom of saying sorry. I’ve seenvarious statistics, which say one in fourwomen will have suffered abuse of

some kind during their lifetime.Jewish Women’s Aid confirm thefigure is the same in mostcommunities. Whilst I hope it’s nottrue, the stats say that in Walthamstowit is likely to be so.

How do those who have survivedabuse or are still being affected by it, feel about the concept of reconciliation during RoshHashanah? It’s not something weshould ask them to deal with surely?This is a situation where religiousvalues need to be carefully considered.

Repentance is necessary onlywhen you have done somethingwrong. Abraham’s a well knowncharacter in the old testament whowas asked to sacrifice one of his sonsand sent the other son into the desertwith only enough water for a day – in effect attempted infanticide, twice. His actions over his two sonsare horrendous and he shows noremorse. 

And as for the tradition, the abusedshould not have to take the initiative.What if it’s a child, can they start theprocess of asking their abuser to

repent? Even worse if the abuser is notready to accept responsibility, whichis often the case; the abuser is usuallyin denial. It’s an imperfect and adifficult situation.

Judaism says the wrongdoer mustmake right, if you cause harm, youmust heal. Financial problems, makerestitution etc. It is not the victim’sduty to reconcile; that compoundsthe abuse and can be harming.

As a community we can say to the abuser seek help. It’s on you to deal with it and come clean.  As acommunity we can offer help bytaking responsibility for each other.For those seeking advice, mysynagogue Kehillah North London,can put you in touch with groups forsupport such as Jewish Women’s Aid,Refuge or the NSPCC. There aremany sources for help, support andadvice and we should all be willing tohelp find those sources and contactthem for those who need our help.

L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatemi/v’taihatem

May you be inscribed and sealedfor a good year.

Former School AssemblyHall turned living room

Waltham Forest Echo14

Please help us make the best possible newspaper for you and answer thequestions below! This survey is online at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/WFEcho2Alternatively, you can fill this out by hand, take a picture and post it on the WalthamForest Echo Facebook page or cut it out send it by post to Waltham Forest Echo,Social Spider CIC, The Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow, London, E17 7HA

Where did you pick up your copy of Waltham Forest Echo (WFE)? shop pub or cafe GP surgery library community centre barbers/hair dressers/nail studio other ___________________________ someone gave it to me

Which was your favourite article in WFE issue two?

What would you like to read more about in future issues of WFE?community groups / politics / sports / events / family / the arts / people’s stories

What would you like to see less of in future issues of WFE?community groups / politics / sports / events / family / the arts / people’s stories

Do you feel more informed about community issues after reading WFE?Not at all / not much more / somewhat more / much more

How likely are you to go to an event listed in WFE?Not likely / Likely

Would you like to be more involved in your local community?Yes / No / Not sure

Did WFE issue two give you some ideas about how and where to get involved?Yes / No / Not sure

About youI am male / female / other

I am 18–24 / 25–35 / 35–44 / 45–54 / 55–64 / 65–74 / 75+

I live / work / both / neither in Waltham Forest

I live in Chingford / Walthamstow / Leyton / Leytonstone

Writing for Waltham Forest Echo – GuidelinesWhat are we looking for?

News stories – up to 300 words – short pieces about what local charities andcommunity groups have been doing over the last 3 months or will be doing in the next3 months

Features – 500–1000 words – feature articles about local charities and communitygroups: how they started, who’s involved and what they’re making happen

Interviews – up to 1000 words – interviews with people running organisations andcampaigns in the local area

Opinion – 300–500 words – short columns on things you’re really happy or reallyangry about

Reviews – 300–500 words – reviews of local arts events, theatre productions, filmscreenings or books with particular local relevance

Letters – up to 250 words – short opinions on what’s going on in the local area

Listings – up to 100 words – information on upcoming events and ongoing servicesproviding by local charities and community groups. Key points to include: What it is,when it’s happening, where it’s happening, who it’s for, how much it costs (ifapplicable)

This list is intended as a guide. If you’ve got an idea for something else, let us know

What should I do if want to write something?If you’ve got an idea for something you’d like to write, please get in touch with theeditorial team. We will respond within 1 week (if not sooner)

Why can’t I just write my article and send it in?You can do but it’s better if you contact us first so that we don’t get five people writinga feature about the same thing and no one writing about everything else

When is the deadline for the next issue?The deadlines for contributions to the third issue are:Features/Interviews/ Opinion/Reviews – Friday 12th December 2014 News/Listings/Letters – Friday 19th December 2014

Is there any payment?No. We’re not currently able to offer payment to writers

Will my article be edited before it’s published? Yes. Letters will only be edited for length and clarity. Any other contributions will beedited as part of the process of putting together the newspaper

Who do I contact if I want to write something?Send an email to WFEcho@socialspider.com with the subject heading ‘Winter issue’explaining what you’d like to write about

READER SURVEYAutumn 2014

Waltham Forest Echo is a quarterly community newspaper for the London Borough of Waltham Forest

10,000 copies of each issue are distributed via shops and community spaces

Editor: David Floyd Deputy Editor: Amy CroomeProduction Editor: Martin Parker

Writers: Aaron Smith, Catherine Osbourne, James Cracknell, Daniel Shannon-Hughes, Edward Swan, Sara Mowbray, Gordon Turpin, John Moss, FionaFlaherty, Jane Walker, Debra Oakaby, Michael Lomotey, Anna Blaszczak,

Graham Larkby, Gavin Rogers, Grace Williams, Andrej Perkins, Claire Landon,Janet Greenwood, Jane Duran, Linda Flowers, Pamela Hutchinson.

Thanks to: The Mill, Trevor Duberry at Leyton Orient Trust, The Stow Brothers, Sarah Kinson

Advertising: If your organisation is interested in advertising in Waltham Forest Echo, call 020 8521 7956 or WFEcho@socialspider.com

or see guidelines on page 11

Waltham Forest Echo is published by Social Spider CIC on behalf ofWFWellComm CIC, a social enterprise formed by charities and

social enterprises based in the borough

The member organisations of WFWellComm CIC are: Age UK Waltham Forest, Community Transport Waltham Forest, HEET,Learning Disability Experience, Social Spider CIC, Streetlife Radio CIC

WFWellComm Management Board: Sheena Dunbar (Age UK Waltham Forest),David Floyd (Social Spider CIC), Stanton Lafoucade (Streetlife Radio CIC),

Tom Ruxton (HEET), Helen Tredoux (Community Transport Waltham Forest),Ann Weekes (Learning Disability Experience)

Waltham Forest EchoSocial Spider CIC, The Mill, 7–11 Coppermill LaneWalthamstow, London E17 7HAWFEcho@socialspider.com www.walthamforestecho.co.uk

Waltham Forest Echo has been funded by The National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund

Waltham Forest Echo

ListingsOCTOBER:Tutu Exhibition – Black HistoryMonth / Every weekday inOctober from 9am – 4pmSt Margaret’s Leytonstone

A photographic exhibitioncapturing moments from the lifeof Desmond Tutu will be on showat St Margaret’s Leytonstone forthe Black History month ofOctober. It will be the first timethe exhibition, hugely popular inSouth Africa, is shown in theUnited Kingdom. Admission isfree and the church hopes thatmany will visit the exhibition andbe inspired by Tutu to challengedivision and live in harmony withothers. For images and moreinformation contact Father Neil-Allan Walsh on 02085191813 orneilallanwalsh@yahoo.com

Basics: WeldingWednesdays 15th, 22nd, 29thOctober / 7.00pm – 9.30pmBlackhorse Workshop

Introducing the basics of welding,this course shows you how to useMIG and Arc Welding to makedifferent types of welds, from filletwelds for joining right angledsections, butt welds for platewelding, and lap joints foroverlapping metals. Using thesethree types of welds, you’ll havethe opportunity to make a smallmetal coffee table combining allthree techniques. This course isideal for beginners and anyonekeen to start working with metal.Led by our resident technician…£100.00

An Introduction to StonecarvingTuesdays 21st Oct – 25th Nov7.00pm – 9.30pmBlackhorse Workshop

This six week evening course willprovide an introduction to thetechniques of carving in stone. Itwill briefly cover the historybehind it and introduce you to thetools of the trade.You will thenlearn how to use chisels todevelop a small relief carving orinscription of your own. Thiscourse is aimed at beginners withno prior experience.It may alsoappeal to those interested ingraphics or design. £195.00

NOVEMBER:Woodwork Basics: Marking,Sawing & Halving JointsThursdays, 20th, 27th Nov &4th Dec / 7pm – 9.30pmBlackhorse Workshop

This session teaches you theskills of marking out, sawing andchiseling timber. You’ll master theart of cutting accurate cornerhalving joints that form thefoundation of all furniture making.About Woodwork Basics: Thisworkshop is one of our series forcomplete beginners. Each courseintroduces a different set of

Scope Day Opportunitiesservice Adults 18+

Flexible and person centredsupport programs and activitiesfor disabled adults, theopportunity to learn new skills andmeet people in their areasupporting them towardsindependence. Cristina De LaPuente, email:Cristina.DeLaPuente@scope.org.uk

Scope Befriending service0–19 years

This service is about enablingdisabled children and youngpeople to access social andrecreational activities through theprovision of a Befriender to assistin this process. Anjum Ahmed,email:Anjum.Ahmed@scope.org.uk.

Healthwatch Waltham Forest

is the independent consumerchampion for health and socialcare locally. Healthwatch is allabout local voices being able toinfluence the delivery and designof local services – whether it’simproving them today or helpingto shape them for tomorrow. Ifyou have any views on localservices, good or bad, we arehere to listen and influence theway services are designed anddelivered. We provide you withinformation, advice and supportabout local health and social careservices via our InformationService. Contact us: Phone: 020 3078 9990, email:info@healthwatchwalthamforest.co.uk, website:www.healthwatchwalthamforest.co.uk

carpentry skills and anexplanation of simple joinery.They aim to get you comfortablewith using a range of basic handtools and techniques so you canget started in the… £75.00

JANUARY:Drummond & Hammett CigarBox Blues Guitar WorkshopJanuary 10, 2015 / 9.30am –5.30pm / BlackhorseWorkshop

We’re delighted to be welcomingback to the workshop blues lovingguitar makers Tom Drummondand Pat Hammett of Drummond &Hammett to lead a special oneday workshop to craft your owntraditional cigar box blues guitar.The grand-daddies of the deltablues Blind Willie Johnson, Lightnin’Hopkins, Jimi Hendrix and HoundDog Taylor (to name but a few)founded the movement onhomemade instruments, and thusspawned ‘the blues’ from a time ofhardship and economicdepression. Today musicians likeSeasick Steve and Jack…£150.00

Ongoing:Organic Lea Market StallEvery Saturday 10am – 3pmHornbeam Cafe

Located right outside theHornbeam Centre on Saturdays,the market stall sells organic andultra-local sustainably grown fruitand vegetables, plus homemadebread, jams and preserves. It’s abuzzing space, where buyingfresh produce is an enjoyableactivity and where informationabout food can be freely shared.Healthy Start vouchers can beused to buy fruit and vegetablesat the stalls or box scheme.

LETS Join / last Saturday ofthe month 10:30am – 12noonHornbeam Cafe

Pop along to the comfortablesurroundings of the HornbeamCafe to find out about WalthamForest LETS (local exchangetrading scheme) on the lastsaturday each month. If you likethe way that people can exchangeall kinds of goods and serviceswith one another without the needfor money, then you can also joinup on the spot. Members are alsowelcome to pop by to chat andtrade. For more information hereor email info@wflets.org

New Lammas Lands DefenceCommittee / every thirdThursday of the month / 8pm –10pm / Hornbeam Cafe

Our aim is to defend the formerLammas Lands of Leyton andWalthamstow Marshes, so thatthey remain public open space inperpetuity.www.lammaslands.org.uk

hour radio programme to listenedto by anyone with Internet access,including the friends and relationsof the participants, even if theylive on the other side of the world.Assistance towards travel coststo and from the sessions may beavailable for less mobileparticipants. Please contact Davidon 020 8520 1591 or Adele ontinman.adele@yahoo.com

Waltham Forest CarersAssociation

provides information, advice andsupport to anyone looking after afriend or family member whocannot manage without help, dueto illness or disability. The charityoffers advocacy, benefits advice,support groups, a Newsletter andactivities such as trips and craftsessions. We can help carersaccess the care and support theyneed from the NHS, the council orelsewhere, and together theseservices help carers to sustaintheir caring roles, and promotethe health and happiness ofcared-for people as well as carersthemselves. Contact WFCA on020 8556 0857 or atinfo@walthamforestcarers.com.

Voluntary Action WalthamForest (VAWF)

supports voluntary andcommunity groups by providingthem with a range of services andby acting as a voice for thesector in the borough. VAWFworks to support, promote anddevelop local voluntary andcommunity action by offeringtraining courses, fundraising andgovernance advice, networkingopportunities and an informationservice promoting events, fundingand news for the charity sector inthe Waltham Forest. For moreinformation about any of theseservices call 020 8558 3614 orvisit www.voluntaryaction.net.Volunteering opportunities forWaltham Forest are listed onwww.do-it.org.uk

Waltham Forest Alzheimer’sSociety

provide information and supportabout dementia, including homevisits, and running monthlyDementia Cafés and bi-monthlycarers’ groups. If you or someoneyou know needs more informationabout dementia, the diagnosticprocess or local dementiaservices please do contact us on020 8556 8171 orwalthamforest@alzheimers.org.uk

Scope Waltham Forest

Scope exists to make this countrya place where disabled peoplehave the same opportunities aseveryone else. We providesupport, information and advice.www.scope.org.uk

Fork to Fork – SeasonalSupper Clublast Saturday each month6.30pm – 10.30pmHornbeam Cafe

The Hornbeam Cafe invites you toa vegetarian feast with delicioushealthy tasty food – locally sown,grown, picked and cooked! All 3courses for just £15! You canchoose your time to book a table(latest 9pm). Advance booking isessential. The café can cater forall special dietary requirements.Click here for more information,including how to book.

Bakers Arms Book Grouplast Friday of the month /7.30pm / Hornbeam Cafe

We are an informal and friendlygroup (sometimes some of ushaven’t even read the book!)meeting on the last Friday of eachmonth. Tea, coffee, wine available.New members welcome, just turnup. Book list here.

Portfolio SpaceMon-Fri 9.30–5.30pm / 877High Road Leytonstone

A co-working space for free-lancers, project-lovers andjob-seekers. 5 pounds a day forWiFi, teas and coffees.Portfoliobar.co.uk.portfolio.bar.space@gmail.com

‘Job Shop’ Get working:Community Linksevery Thursday (until 18thDec) 9–12 / The Mill,Coppermill Lane

6 hours of initial support, advice,encouragement and help inaccessing other services, supportand Training within the borough.One-to-one Jobsearch; InterviewSkills; Information, Advice andGuidance; CV Coaching andwriting letters. MotivationJobsearch techniques andjobsearch support More activities,tailored to individuals needs ACustomer Service training will beannounced in the borough soon tobe arranged At our Barking Roadoffices We currently offer:Training in literacy and NumeracyICT Training for beginnersCustomer service and retailCommunication Skills/Literacyand Numeracy

Conversation Mill: Get yourvoice heard, have your sayEvery Thursday 2pm – 4pmThe Mill, Coppermill Lane

Conversation Mill with WalthamForest Community Radio Group: Acelebration and archive of the lifeexperience of older people inWaltham Forest. Recordingsessions at which older peopleare invited to talk about theirlives, opinions and experiencesand select favourite poems andpieces of music to accompanythe recordings. Each two-hoursession will be edited into a one-

Next issueslistings:To have you your event oractivity listed in the nextissue of Waltham ForestEcho email the details:Date, Type of Event, Title of Event,Venue/Address, Shortdescription, Time, Cost andContact Information toWFEcho@socialspider.comby Friday 19thDecember 2014.

Issue Two – Autumn 2014 1515Listings

Jane Duran

What do cheese tasting, AlfredHitchcock, Jazz and sword fighting allhave in common? They all werefeatured in the Leytonstone Festival,along with poetry, dance, films and allkinds of music. 65 events across tendays in July, at over twenty differentvenues, made the 2014 LeytonstoneFestival the biggest ever.

St John’s Church was at the centreof activity with their excellent SunsetTower Tour and an Open Day, whichincluded displays by the Blackhorse &Standard Women Morris Dancers.They also hosted several concertsincluding a very moving event‘Commemorating the Great War inWord and Song’ performed by JeanneHolland Young, David Hayes andRoderick Sime to coincide with thecentenary of the outbreak of the FirstWorld War.

Young people played a huge part inthe Festival this year. As well as a verypopular dance event there was aChildren’s Carnival, a performance ofMacbeth by students from DaviesLane and Selwyn primary schoolsand a fantastic evening at WansteadTap with some of E11’s Stars of theFuture.

Other highlights included aninteractive hands-on workshop‘Exploring Hitchcock’, the fencingdemonstration and ‘have a go’sessions with the Newham SwordsFencing Club, the return of festivalfavourites Jane Grell with an eveningof Jazz, Poetry and Storytelling andThe Woodhouse Players whodisplayed all their usual energy andtalent in ‘Compleat Female StageBeauty’ at the Welsh Church.

Two local charities were thebeneficiaries of events run during the

Festival. A music gig at O’Neills Pubraised money for local charityCHAOS and Jazz at the Star of Indiain aid of the Cygnus Trust, was a greatsuccess despite clashing with theWorld Cup Final!

The cheese tasting events provedso popular they had to be moved to alarger venue and the Pop-UpRestaurant at Carlton House was arun-away success sealingLeytonstone’s reputation as foodieheaven.

Every musical taste was catered for,with nearly 30 music events - and thewhole thing culminated in theamazing What’s Cookin’ Picnic atHenry Reynolds Gardens. The Picnic,now in its seventh year becomes morepopular every year and a heavyshower of rain did nothing to dampenthe spirits of the large audience whohad assembled to dance, eat and enjoyan amazing line up of music.

Shortly after the end of the Festivalthe Trustees were saddened to learn ofthe death of the festival’s HonPresident Vi Gostling. A Leytonstoneresident for all of her 97 years, Vi wasone of the founder members of theLeytonstone Festival over thirty yearsago and was out enjoying events thisyear. She was particularly pleased thatdespite the Festival’s growth andprofessionalism it still retained itscommunity roots and was particularlygratified to see so many young peopleinvolved. Vi’s  dedication to localprojects saw her awarded the MBE forservices to the community in 2009and the trustees are proud to have hadher support.

The trustees will shortly be seekingartists to take part in the 2015

Festival. To register your interestemail jane@starofindiauk.com

16 Reviews

Linda Flowers

Rope by Patrick HamiltonPerformed by The WoodhousePlayers 13th September 2014Directed by Danny Mullings,Asst Director Jenny Williamson

“Rope” is an unusual play –disturbing, macabre and full ofsuspense. The simple set of one roomis perfect for the action. The languageand props reflect the period as doesthe music. The audience on the nightI attended particularly enjoyed the offstage laughter effect from the guests inthe other room.

The subject matter is bothhorrifying and shocking. We knowfrom the very beginning that studentsBrandon (Matthew Pert) and Granillo(Oscar Aleman) have committedmurder and the tension develops as to whether they will be found out. Asthey bicker we see their relationship

disintegrating and this makes uswonder about the real nature of theirrelationship. Brandon shows the truedarkness of his character through hisarrogance and over bearing dominanceof the weaker Granillo and hiscalculated courtesy to the victim’sfather. Granillo’s descent into drunkenwreck is well drawn. Both parts werevery demanding and sustained verywell throughout.

The dinner party interplay is wittyand funny with Leila (Gina Sneesby)and Kenneth (Stuart Clark) cleverlygiving us the light side to contrast

with the darkness of the hosts’actions. Sabot the maid (Rosalind

Morris) only appears in Act 1 butadds to the plot development.

Sir Johnstone (Oliver Clement) –the victim’s kind father – and hisdistracted aunt ( Jackie Withnall)provide special pathos. Pitifully blindto the fate of Ronald they return homeafter a phone call and we know whathorror is to follow. Sir Johnstone’shandling of the phone call isparticularly poignant.

Tom Raw’s excellent portrayal ofRupert Cadell keeps us guessing as towhat he knows. Will he expose them?His character – the poet who is injuredin the war develops and shows he is notthe amoral cynic he thinks he is.

That the two have committedmurder just for fun, revealing thatphilosophy is their motivation, makesthis play all the more horrifying.

Danny Mullings’ straightforwardperiod production works extremelywell. This tight knit ensemble bringsthis period piece to life and leaves youimagining what happened next.

Murder just for fun

Leytonstone Festivalbiggest ever

colour yellow, so even if you missedone of the festival’s 36 events over theweekend, you surely can’t have failedto spot the posters, flyers and T-shirtsin buttercup shades rivalling the latesummer sunshine for brightness.

This year, the fourth instalment ofthe Stow Festival welcomed anestimated 5,000 music lovers to gigsin a diverse range of venues featuringmore than 100 performers, most ofwhom were locals. Friday night saw avery arty night of electronica in theWilliam Morris gallery, complete withprojections featuring the designer’swork. Throngs of singers andmusicians made a day of it in the townsquare on Saturday, curated byWalthamstow Acoustic Massive.Household name Barry Cryerentertained a packed house at the

Rose and Crown on Thursday with anight of musical comedy. Thefollowing evening, punk legend JohnOtway took to the very same stage, foran altogether more raucous evening.There were more gigs across theweekend at pubs (The WarrantOfficer, Chequers), and cafes (LeDelice, Bygga Bo, 56 St James), andeven Queenie and Ted’s vintageboutique in the village.

Walthamstow has stamina,though: the dancing continued rightuntil Sunday, when the Wild CardBrewery was bursting at the seamswith revellers getting down to beatsprovided by Electronic 17.

Stow Festival was many things, butit was not a quiet weekend. Here’s tonext year.

East London Performersdancing at the Festival

Pamela Hutchinson

Did you know that Coldplay’s veryfirst single was mastered in E17, andreleased by a Walthamstow label, thefeted indie outfit Fierce Panda? That’sjust one of several fascinating bits oflocal pop trivia that I picked up on amusical history walking tour duringStow Festival weekend this month.Grime star Lethal Bizzle also hailsfrom these parts, we learned; PrimalScream’s Screamadelica album wasrecorded in E17, and Pavarotti, SexPistols and the Beatles playedWalthamstow venues over the years.

Will the Stow Festival earn its placein Walthamstow’s musical history? Ithink so. Like Coldplay, the volunteerswho run the event also favour the

BIG Choir, Drum Workshop, Eastern Vibes

Stow Festivalbrings noise