There are eight candidates standing in Leyton and Wanstead at the General Election on 4 July. John Cryer, MP since 2010, is not seeking re-election. In 2019 he had a majority of 20,808.
The candidates are (in alphabetical order as they will appear on the ballot paper):
Workers Party of Britain
Mahtab Aziz
Labour
Calvin Bailey
Rejoin EU
Simon Bezer
Liberal Democrat
Tara Copeland
Conservative
Gloria Croxall
Independent
Shanell Johnson
Green
Charlotte Lafferty
Reform UK
David Sandground
The candidates have been invited to a hustings at the Churchill Room at Wanstead Library on 24 June, organised by East London Humanists. More details of that event are here:
As expected the major development on the Evergreen Field on Wanstead High Street was approved by Redbridge councillors on Wednesday.
It will mean a block of 24 flats and a children’s day nursery being built on the site, along with a landscaped park and lake to adjoin Christchurch Green. It could also mean an end to the uncertainty which has surrounded the site for decades.
Though the news was welcomed by some, the Wanstead Society was among those regretting it.
Chair Scott Wilding said: “Our view is this is a sad loss of an opportunity to save a piece of land that is classed as Metropolitan Open Land, gives the high street a view of the historic Christ Church Spire – which will now be lost – and could have been saved by the Council for public use as part of the park.
“Of course, there are those who will – rightly – say we need more homes. But the design of the building doesn’t lend itself to a conservation area. It’s a missed opportunity and a decision that can’t be reversed once taken.”
Revised illustrations for the site, via Redbridge Planning documents
Redbridge Council is expected give the go ahead today for a major development on the Evergreen Field which would mean a block of 24 flats being built on the site.
The development will be three and four-storey blocks with a children’s day nursery on the ground floor, and with part of the site being turned into a new public open space.
All the flats would be classed as “intermediate affordable housing in Shared Ownership”. Redbridge is under an obligation to deliver 1,409 new homes this year – these 24 would count towards that total.
The site on Wednesday morning
The plan inludes a new landscaped area to the back of the block with a small lake, ownership of which will be transferred to the council. The developers will make a one-off payment of £360,000 to fund Vision maintaining the park for 30 years.
Councillors at the Planning Committee are expected to accept the recommendation of planners that the scheme be approved.
The decision is expected to be a conclusion to a saga which has been running for at least 60 years since two houses which were previously on the site were demolished. The land has stood unused and fenced off since then, though the lack of buildings on one side of the high street has definitely been seen as one of the factors making Wanstead attractive.
As a proud member of our vibrant community here in Wanstead, I believe in the power of sharing experiences to raise awareness and support one another. Recently, I embarked on a journey I never anticipated – a journey through prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
In November 2022, I received the diagnosis which would change my life. The revelation came as a surprise – I had no symptoms to indicate any health concerns. It was a routine blood test, part of a general medical check-up, that revealed the presence of cancer. Despite leading a healthy lifestyle and being in good shape, cancer does not discriminate based on fitness levels or age.
Following the diagnosis, I underwent a prostatectomy operation in February 2023. It was a challenging time, filled with uncertainty and worry. However, I am grateful to report that the margins were clear, and subsequent pathology showed that the tumour had not spread beyond the prostate. Since then, my quarterly blood tests have shown encouraging results, with all indicators pointing towards recovery.
Throughout this journey, I have experienced firsthand the importance of early detection and proactive healthcare. That’s why I urge every man over 45 to prioritise their health and schedule regular check-ups with their GP. A simple blood test can make all the difference in catching prostate cancer early when it’s most treatable.
To further assess your risk, I encourage everyone to visit the Prostate Cancer UK website and use the Prostate Cancer UK Risk Checker tool. This valuable resource provides personalised insights and guidance based on individual risk factors.
I also want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Prostate Cancer UK for their unwavering support throughout my journey. Their resources, guidance, and advocacy play a crucial role in raising awareness and providing assistance to those affected by prostate cancer. I encourage everyone to support them in any way they can, whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading awareness in our community.
Leyton and Wanstead MP John Cryer has announced he will not be standing in the general election on 4 July. He will be stepping down to spend more time with his young family.
The decision means the Labour Party will need to nominate someone else to contest the seat which has been solidly Labour since it was created in 1997.
Cryer, 60, has been Wanstead’s MP since 2010 – he followed the footsteps of his father and mother, both of whom were MPs. He tweeted on Monday:
The Watchman in his sentry box, played by Johannes Gerger with Bradley Winand on violin
By Wansteadium’s opera reviewer Austin Allegro
Opera folk are accustomed to some or all of the characters ending up dead. In All Rest, the Wanstead-themed opera premiered in St Mary’s churchyard on Monday, everyone is dead to begin with.
However as audience members are led around the graves by robed spirits, the cast come back to life. Apparitions of various deceased sing their tales of loss, longing or lives lived; human voices rising above the birdsong in the evening sun. What nearby golfers would have made of it is not known.
Among the characters are Jessie Nutter, one of the sisters who bequeathed much to the people of Wanstead, enquiring of her sister what happened to the Green; a watchman waiting in the sentry box, night after night; the unnamed mother of 15-year-old Sarah clutching a doll as if it would bring her dead girl back; and, magnificently, astronomer-rector James Pound lighting up the shadows as he delights in having predicted an eclipse.
By walking among us, these dead mingle with the living, who are now only separated by accidents of time. Perhaps they are standing as a warning that it’s later than we think.
All Rest was composed by Italian-born (but Wanstead-living) Simone Spagnolo with libretto by Serena Braida, and was brought to life as part of St Mary’s Music Festival. The composition, staging and performance were of a standard rarely seen in these parts; more chances to experience it will be demanded.
