Wansteadium

Geoff Wilkinson writes on Wanstead Daily Photo: “Another fabulous sky… couldn’t resist it. I just want to make the most of these evenings before the winter comes.”

Admirers of Geoff’s photos will want to know that he is taking part in the Wanstead Fringe, which starts this Saturday. He is organising a number of walks around Wanstead following the routes of his Wanstead Daily Photo shots, and will give tips to people on the walks about how to take better photos. He is also holding a photo evening at his eightyfour gallery discussing the stories and techniques of particular photos. All events are restricted in numbers – tickets can be bought via the Wanstead Fringe website.

Wanstead bakers will no doubt be thinking about practising their cherry pie techniques this weekend (they do, after all, have the hand of history on their shoulders). But in these days when people are rediscovering the joy of making things – and not just in the kitchen – potentially one of the most interesting events in the Wanstead Fringe will be about exactly that.

Made in Wanstead: Very Short Talks About What You Love will be a series of five-to-10 minute explanations by people of what they made, how they made it, what they learned etc. It’s going to be held at the Oxfam Bookshop on Wednesday 11 September, and will have a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Some speakers are already lined up but if you have the desire to tell your Wanstead fellows what you have made, then get in touch with info@wansteadfringe.org. Fuller details of the event are on the Fringe website at this page.

PS. Wanstead Fringe badges are now available. You can pick one up from the counter at the Larder. They are very fine.

Many fine bits of historic Wanstead no longer stand. But one solid block of it is part of the fabric of our everyday experience, and it is fitting that as we start to unveil the events which will make up the first Wanstead Fringe, we doff our caps to it.

The block in question is the 1752 “Cherry Pie Stone”, encased in the side of the George Inn. Strangely spelt and worded, its lettering is weatherbeaten but, like Wanstead itself, it still stands.

The story behind the stone is not known for sure. Wanstead historian Winifred Philips thought it was the result of a bit of thieving, while some think it just celebrated a good feast. But the inscription – “That day we had good cheer/I hope to do so maney a year” – struck Wansteadium as almost the throwing down of a gauntlet to keep a noble tradition alive.

The stone calls out to us: “Hold a cherry pie bake-off!”

So that’s exactly what is happening, as part of the inaugural finge (which begins in just two weeks’ time). All Wanstead bakers are invited to try to outdo each other in their skills as they play a part in this revival of bygone traditions – and the focus for the baking will be the Wanstead Village Show, which is being held on Saturday 14 September at Christchurch.

As well as the cherry pie category, there are classes for cupcakes, preserves, knitting, photography, flower arranging and vegetable, fruit and flower growing (including one for unusually shaped fruit or veg).  Full details of   how to take part in the Wanstead Village Show 2013 can be downloaded here.

Wansteadium will be honoured to be one of the judges, and will lavish praise and minor celebrity on the baker whose cherry pie impresses the most. So get baking.

The unveiling of the line-up of events for the Wanstead Fringe is now just hours away – it will begin later on Monday on Wansteadium. But before we get into that, there are some housekeeping matters to address.

Firstly we need to say THANK YOU to several donors for offering financial support for the fringe. Giving us, say, £20 will help with publicity for the event. And we do in particular need to thank Petty Son and Prestwich for a significant donation which is making the whole thing a great deal more viable. Contact info@wansteadfringe.org if you too feel your desire – nay, need – to support the general cultural improvement of Wanstead life is something you can no longer subdue (ie if you want to give us some money).

Here is a sponsor’s message.

But there are other practical ways you can help.

* Can you donate two or three reams of good quality A4 for the printing of the Fringe programme?
* Do you have access to a quantity (say, 50?) of foldable chairs? Could the fringe borrow them for the week?
* Anyone fancy paying for a Fringe banner to be deployed at a strategic position? Probably about £50.
* Or how about printed balloons? That’d be a nice touch. (Some helium would be useful too, though not in the way the Daily Mail might think…)
* Will you put a Wanstead Fringe poster in your window? Let us know and one will be posted through your letterbox.
*W ill you help post Wanstead Fringe posters through the letterboxes of people who answer yes to the preceding question?
The answers to any or all of these questions should be sent to info@wansteadfringe.org

Now stand by for the unveiling…

Congratulations to Wanstead garden designer Kathy Taylor, who is down to the final four in a competition to create a new garden for Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons restaurant. Her design, called The Bean There garden, is in the shape of a runner bean. Judging for the final winner takes place next month.

Geoff Wilkinson writes on Wanstead Daily Photo: “I had a walk around to the back of Christ Church the other afternoon. There is this lovely gate there with a path leading to a porch and door, I have been there several times before but without my camera so I thought it was time to rectify things and I am so glad I did. The light was great and there was a children’s party in progress in the church hall, hence the balloon tied to the gate, it gave the scene a little extra.”