Wansteadium

*The campaign against the “academisation” of Snaresbrook Primary School – which has so far united parents and Redbridge councillors – has collected more than 400 signatures, and has also hit the Guardian. It reported on the issue here. The school had been placed in special measures after Ofsted criticised “weak” teaching and “inadequate” leadership. The Department for Education is proposing making it into an academy, but parents say its problems have been addressed with the appointment of Carel Buxton as head.

*The start of a campaign to raise enough money to buy the Evergreen Field – launched by the Wanstead Society – has been rebuffed by the spokesman for the owner of the field, who said: “My client will not sell said land and they are wasting their time even considering buying the land.”

* More than 3,000 people attended the Wanstead Festival, Redbridge Council has revealed.

*The winner of a cloud-pruned tree from the Pocket of Green display at Snarebrook tearoom Time for Tea, which was part of the Wanstead Fringe, was Patricia  Pieroni,from Upminster. The display is being extended until 19 October.

Geoff Wilkinson writes on Wanstead Daily Photo:  “I seem to be having a bit of a nocturnal week. A friend told me about this place, it looks a bit like Cape Canaveral preparing for a night launch but it’s not. It’s here in Wanstead, but where ? Leave me a message if you know.”

Baking a cherry pie at fair time is a relatively ancient Wanstead tradition, it’s thought.  It was the memory of a particularly fine pie (or “pey”) which is believed by some to be the explanation of the inscription on the side of the George Inn.

Wansteadium thought this was a tradition worthy of reviving, and so encouraged people to bake cherry pies for the Wanstead Village Show, which took place two weekends ago.

The winner – to whom we had promised a degree of local celebrity – was Kathryn McKenna.

So we are very pleased to name her the first Cherry Pie Champion Baker of the modern era. We will be presenting her with her prize of half a guinea (53p, rounded up).

Kathryn’s own report on her pie is as follows: “I didn’t really follow a specific recipe as my practice one was a bit dull. I made a standard sweet pastry and filled it with canned cherries that I had stewed in sugar, blackcurrant cordial, maple syrup and cinnamon. You get a lot of leftover juice but it got poured on on a roasting leg of lamb the next day!”

A report on BBC News on Sunday about a crackdown on unlicensed driving instructors was filmed in Wanstead, raising the prospect that they were operating here. The report says that one suspected illegal instructor is reported to them every day. (Hat tip Ann Kaye.)

Wanstead Comedy Night returns on Thursday with one of the most admired stand-ups, Adam Bloom. He’s a regular on television, including this performance from Russell Howard’s Good News (though one not for the easily offended).

Also on the bill at the Wanstead Golf Club is some homegrown talent – 16-year-old Zac Hurst from Wanstead High School, doing a turn with guitar.

As ever, tickets can be reserved directly from Jon Fentiman on 07950 759 587 or from Wanstead Golf Club. Tickets are unreasonably cheap at just £5.

The children’s cycle challenge – the final event of the Wanstead Fringe – had more than 20 competitors seeking to show off their infant prowess. Thank you to all who took part.