Wansteadium

Another gem from Terry Law.

We are delighted to be able to tell you of another group of brilliant Wanstead businesses which are now supporting our anti-plastic straw campaign.

Karen Myers, the prime mover behind the campaign, says: “The U.K. currently discards the highest number of plastic straws in Europe, around 8.5 billion per year.  They are used for moments and can take hundreds of years to disintegrate. They end up in landfill, incinerators or littering our oceans where they have a profound impact on the marine environment.”

Wanstead has made “great strides towards eliminating straws” she says, and when you see the latest names on the list you see she has a point.

• The Wanstead Tap will be giving biodegradable straws on request. It says: “Really no excuse anymore not to.”
• Gail’s Bakery have now decided to remove plastic straws from all their branches – and sure enough have now disappeared from their counter in Wanstead
• Time For Tea opposite Snaresbrook station has joined up,
• The Eagle – yes, the Eagle
• The George – and yes, the George!
• Currant cafe is phasing out its current stocks
• Costa has decided to put its straws behind the counter
• And Tesco in Wanstead is also playing its part – removing plastic straws from sale.

Thank you to all these supporters – there are just a few left now – it’s not too late to come on board!

 

 

A letter to Wansteadium from reader Keith:

Dear Wansteadium,
Please be warned about a couple of young gentlemen riding a scooter. Last week they rammed my car as I was turning into Woodbine Place from the High Street. They managed to get back on their scooter and escape. I would like to thank all of the kind people of Wanstead who came to my aid. Everything happened too quickly to get their registration number. Frustratingly I saw them the next day weaving in and out of traffic in the High Street before jumping the lights at Hermon Hill and riding towards Charlie Brown’s.

I have had a number of people contact me with other sightings. Unfortunately the police are over-stretched with more serious incidents to deal with and will not be following this up.

They have cost me dearly but the greater concern is that they are going to soon hurt someone.

Yours

Keith

It’s our new weekly series of watercolours, and another taste of Wanstead from 20 years ago, as captured by Terry Law.

 

 

We’re delighted that the Duke has announced it is now stocking only paper straws. It’s a big boost for the Last Straw for Wanstead campaign to make Wanstead a plastic straw-free zone. Bravo to Ronnie Finch and co.

We are hoping for another big name to join the campaign in another 24 hours – watch this space.

 

A few years ago we used to have a weekly photograph of Wanstead. Now in a new feature we’re going to run a series of watercolours of Wanstead painted 20 years ago by local artist Terry Law. We think they’re rather fine.