Today at the Wanstead Fringe, day 5

Wednesday should be a truly fascinating day for the Wanstead Fringe, with two events at which people who really know what they are talking about will share their insight and stories.

Firstly Geoff Wilkinson, Wanstead’s best known and most prolific photographer, will be hosting a discussion on what makes good photos – with people invited to bring one of their own along if they wish. Details of the event are here.

And secondly there is a unique event at which six Wanstead residents will tell the tales of how they made something, sometimes from unpromising raw materials. The tales range from making furniture from unlikely objects, crafting TV special effects, transforming odd bits of land, right through to inspiring kids. We don’t think there has ever been an event quite like this in Wanstead. It’s at the Oxfam bookshop: details are here. Starts at 7pm.

OTHER FRINGE NEWS
Tuesday night’s gig at the Larder, featuring Michael Mullinger, Liza Finn and the Larder’s houseband Bleech, was a pretty cool affair, with a full house and real sense of occasion

 

larder2
larder1

And while everyone keeps their fingers crossed for the weather for Friday night’s open air cinema, there is of course the grand finale of this Fringe on Saturday night with stand-up comedy. Headliner Dave Hadingham is celebrated as being one of comedy’s unsung stars. The Guardian called him a “ranting and raving comic genius”. Book your ticket here.

Today at the Wanstead Fringe, day 4

After a bit of local politics on day three of the Wanstead Fringe (see last night’s report of the Evergreen Conundrum meeting), day four is definitely cultural.

Tonight at Aldersbrook Library there is a poetry event for people who love to read, hear and even write poetry. And also have a glass of wine while doing so, though this last bit is optional. The thriving poetry community in Aldersbrook will welcome any kindred spirits at Aldersbrook Library from 8pm tonight. More details here.

And meanwhile back at the Larder on Wanstead High Street there will be the first of the Fringe’s two acoustic gigs. Three acts are lined up for tonight – here is a sample of each of them to whet your appetite if you can come, and to compensate in some way if you can’t.



Good to see this tweet from Sunday night’s reggae/SKA/rare soul event at Bar Room Bar.

Wanstead cricket: The end of another season

Our man packing away his cricket gear for another season writes:

2013 was a magnificent season for Wanstead & Snaresbrook Cricket Club, with the 1st XI retaining the Shepherd Neame Essex Premier League title and the 3rd and 5th teams also gaining championships. The 2nd XI ended second in their division, and the 4th and 6th teams were 3rd and 4th respectively.

Wanstead Ladies remained prominent in North London cricket.

Two Wanstead players continued professional careers, at Essex and Warwickshire, and the Ladies contributed substantially to a national select XI.

The junior section enjoyed success in various age-groups and were well represented in county sides.

This is what we get up to at our grounds in Overton Drive and Nutter Lane. Please come and support us next season: you may even want to join the club.”

*Starting soon in Wansteadium: Weekly rugby reports.

Evergreen owner ‘not a wind-up’

The owner of the much disputed Evergreen Field in Wanstead High Street is not seeking to wind up the people of Wanstead, a representative told a meeting held as part of the Wanstead Fringe. But neither is he seeking to sell the land.

Dalbir Singh Sanger, whose Dalco company apparently tried to sell the land earlier this year, is seeking to work with the community to find a way through the impasse, a property consultant told the meeting on his behalf.

Residents at the meeting, entitled the Evergreen Conundrum and held at the Cherry Tree cafe, asked if he would consider removing the black plastic sheeting currently screening off the field from view, as a sign of his goodwill.

Councillors at the meeting said, however, that an application to install a fence around the field was due to be considered by the conservation committee.

The meeting was arranged by organiser Roger Estop to discuss ‘blue sky options’ for the future of the field, and was attended by residents, local businesses and councillors. Some people left the meeting, objecting that options which included any development at all were being discussed.

Here are Wansteadium’s tweets of the event.

Today at the Wanstead Fringe, day 3

MONDAY, Day 3
The main event of today’s Fringe activities is the debate to be held tonight concerning the future of the Evergreen Field. Few issues (apart from parking) raises Wanstead people’s temperature as much as the future of this field – a wasted spot of wasteland in the middle of the High Street. Few people want it to be developed, but does anyone have the resources to obtain the land for community use? The debate will take place at the Cherry Tree Cafe on Woodbine Place from 7.30pm.

IN OTHER FRINGE NEWS
In other news, the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Meets Teddy Bear’s Picnic turned out to be a real success, despite the unpromising weather forecasts and initially drizzly conditions. But the sun came out and real actual picnics took place, along with an afternoon’s petanque. It seems the French are on to something – many thanks to Matt and Lisa Scott Keen for organising the event.
BTpO70TCUAASqFq

Apologies for an interruption to our website on Sunday afternoon and evening. But we’re back now. And we would encourage you not to dilly dally in buying your tickets for the open air cinema on Friday night, and the grand Comedy Finale on Saturday night.