Santa Claus’s annual early trip to Wanstead on the back of Steve Hayden’s milk float takes place on Thursday afternoon/evening. Full details of streets and times are below.
Last few tickets for Peter’s Pan
A few remaining tickets for Wanstead’s only pantomime are available. Peter’s Pan – A kitchen sink panto is being staged at the Wanstead Curtain on the afternoon of Monday 23 December. Staged by Maps, Myths and Monsters, a duo who spent the summer at the Edinburgh Fringe, it promises to be unlike any panto you might have been to before.
Gant chart
Fascinating bit of local knowledge in this week’s Private Eye.
Fringe update
Here is a news update from the Wanstead Fringe Association following a momentous year.
Fresh new delivery
The celebrity of Wanstead milkman Steve Hayden continues next week with the publication of a book, Two Pints Please, by Wanstead-based writer Maxine Beuret. It’s a beautifully produced edition which celebrates the heritage of doorstep milk delivery, and which is the culmination of a 20-year project.
Maxine’s project, a partnership with the Transport Museum Wythall and six working dairies including Steve’s Parker Dairies, presents a portrait of the lives and work of milkmen, mechanics and managers.
Maxine describes herself as a “creative cultural historian” and says she is drawn to ‘unchanged places and objects that offer a portal into the history and cultural heritage of overlooked parts of our world’. Her approach starts with the desire to respond photographically to the beauty in the everyday built environment with an emphasis on design history.
The book will be launched at City Place Coffee on Wednesday 27 November from 6pm to 8pm when Maxine will be in conversation with Steve. The book will be available to buy at the event, priced £10.
By-election result
Labour held the Wanstead Park seat on Redbridge Council at last week’s by-election caused by the resignation of Bayo Alaba following his election to Parliament as MP for Southend East and Rochford.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| FORHAD Raj | Reform UK | 95 |
| HEPWORTH Neil | Liberal Democrats | 109 |
| KANGLE Sharula | Ilford Independents | 284 |
| MORARU Daniel | Conservative Party Candidate | 349 |
| SHEPHERD-MALLINSON Emma Selina | Labour Party | 934 Elected |
| SIDDIQI Syed Eyamen | Green Party Candidate | 222 |