Wansteadium

A grass fire on 14 acres of Wanstead Flats on Friday needed 70 firefighters to bring it under control. No one was injured.

London Fire Brigade commander Darren McTernan, who was at the scene, said: “Crews have been working hard, in hot, arduous conditions to bring the fire under control. 

“We deployed a wildfire response vehicle to the incident and also had Wildfire Support Officers at the scene, to support the Incident Commander. They also worked closely with partners from City of London Corporation.”

The new vehicle carries 475 litres of water and has special equipment to tackle fires on open ground.

A spokesman for the brigade asked people not to use disposable barbecues during the current heatwave.

Tastes will vary on whether the professionally applied graffiti make the blue boards better or worse – but one obvious risk of the idea is that every nitwit with a spray can will see it as the start of open season.

Graffiti is just one of the aspects of anti-social behaviour that people can report to the police using a new app, Police.UK, which is available on both app stores. It was one of the things highlighted at last week’s Wanstead meeting of police, Redbridge councillors and officials, Calvin Bailey MP, and residents and businesses which discussed methods of tackling anti-social behaviour.

Congratulations to Len Enoch, familiar to generations of Wanstead cricketers, who has been honoured by the MCC as one of the UK’s “heroes of cricket”.

Announcing the award, the MCC said: “Over 30 years of service, Enoch has helped to grow junior membership from 100 boys to over 300 boys and girls and has been instrumental in re-establishing women’s cricket and championing EDI policy.”

Last year he became president of Wanstead Cricket Club

• Meanwhile, Wanstead’s first team comfortably won their match on Sunday which means they now go into the final eight teams of the National ECB 40-over competition. The next match will be played on 27 July.

Campaigners who fought the changes to Wanstead’s bus routes by TfL have not given up the fight – and will be rallying further support at a public meeting on Saturday 12 July.

The group is meeting with Caroline Russell, deputy chairperson of the London Assembly Transport Committee, hoping that she will pass on people’s concerns to London mayor Sadiq Khan.

The changes to the W14, W12 and W13 buses meant a reduction in services to one bus per hour, and buses stopping some distance from Whipps Cross hospital.

The meeting is at Wanstead House Community Association at 21 The Green and starts at 2.30pm.

The community “parklet” on Wanstead High Street which was unveiled to much civic pride four years ago now lies in tatters after being crashed into by a car on Saturday evening. It’s been looking its age recently – is it safe to assume that things will be made good?

Take a moment, please, to note these dates.

The Wanstead Fringe 2025 will run from 6-27 September, and it will be another marvellous celebration of the arts which brings the Wanstead community together.

The fringe team is currently working flat out once again to bring music, theatre, cinema, comedy, authors, tastings, tours and talks to our favourite bit of London.

• The eve-of-fringe musical charivari hosted by Joe and Lucy will again kick off proceedings on Friday 5 September.
• The Duke Street Party is on Saturday 6 September, followed by the Open Air Family Kinema in Christ Church gardens.
• To be revealed, but Friday 12 September will see a landmark event in Wanstead history. Watch this space.
• The Wanstead Fringe Jumble Trail will take place on Saturday 13 September
• The Wanstead Festival on Christ Church Green (not technically part of the Fringe, but who’s counting?) is on Sunday 14 September
• The Family Book Day is on Saturday 20 September at Wanstead Library
• Things will wrap up with the return of the Natural Voices choir on Saturday 27 September.

The full line-up will be unveiled later this month when tickets will become available. Any organisers who haven’t yet submitted their events please do get in touch via info@wansteadfringe.org for further instruction.