Wansteadium

Wanstead’s property blogger George C Parker writes:

Like many people I was outraged by the recent phone hacking scandal, and I made sure I left an angry message to the News of the World on my voicemail. However I try though, I soon turn from the news pages to the property pages – it’s the way we moguls are made.

Talking of telecoms, much of Wanstead’s voice and data traffic still travels through the exchange in Gordon Road, though regretfully fibre-optics have now replaced the rows of nimble-fingered, honey-toned lady operators… I’m sorry, where was I?

As well as being a communications hub, Gordon Road is well positioned for many of Wanstead’s primary schools, Christchurch Green, and either local Tube station.

It’s a good example of a road where property is still snapped up when it becomes available – according to mouseprice.co.uk, three Gordon Road houses have changed hands this year with strong annualised returns. Registering for online alerts with estate agents and web property portals will give you a competitive advantage, and the fateful email might even whizz through one of those fibre-optics ..

Vertical gardening
I’m mildly impressed by these people who can croft great mounds of food from their window boxes and garden containers, like this chap. They festoon their home and castle with every manner of fruit and legume, conjuring up veritable Harvest Festivals of grub. Part of me wonders why they don’t turn their roof tile over to grazing cattle and be done with it. But please don’t ask George C Parker for a valuation on one of these agricultural spectaculars! Most buyers will not want to inherit a ploughing schedule when they move in – if they did, they’d buy a real farm.

However, for those green-fingered people who want to grow a little happiness outdoors, there’s always an allotment. Local plots include as those at Redbridge Lane West, which are more than handy for the Warren Estate. Now I’m no gardener, and would always prefer my organic veg to arrive ready washed fresh from the delivery van to having to dig them up. But I’d be happy to trundle down to tend my patch from this lovely Tennyson Avenue property (5 bedroom detached, just £1.275m). Possibly a little on the Margo and Jerry end of the Good Life scale, but I guess I could always wipe my wellies carefully outside.

At the other end of the property scale, here is a bijou residencethat might help you with pests in the garden – at £24.95 this comes in well below the Stamp Duty threshold, and is not subject to HIP (Hedgehog Information Pack) legislation.

The positive sightings of urban hedgehogs in Wanstead (including this one, above, as helpfully reported by Tim Wright) have been encouraging. But readers might be interested in these other wildlifey things going on around Wanstead, as reported by the excellent Wanstead Wildlife site.

* Four mink have been spotted in Wanstead Park, and wildlife watchers are extremely concerned about the threat they could pose to birds and other animals. Paul Donovan told the Wanstead Guardian: “Something needs to be done because they can kill everything in sight and if they kill the voles, that has implications for the birds and suddenly they’re having an impact on the park’s ecology.” Anyone spotting a mink (image here) should report it to the Corporation of London on 020 8502 1010; it is hoped they can be trapped.

* The first reported sightings ever of the Marbled White butterfly in Wanstead happened earlier this month

* Paul Ferris recorded this remarkable video of a knot of toads heaped together at the end of May.

Heaps of Toads from Paul Ferris on Vimeo.

UPDATE: Wansteadium reader Nigel Watson writes:

Just read your posting regarding Wanstead wildlife and I thought I would share the attached photograph of a regular visitor to my garden on St Mary’s Avenue. The photo is of a single green parrot, however last week we had 3 of them all feeding at once! Hope you enjoy and keep up the good work

A mini-festival of old Penguins and Pelicans in Wanstead Oxfam.

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/VictoriaJech/statuses/89621462616506368″]

Photos from @nick_affleck

Wansteadium reader Carole Edrich writes:

Hi there,

It’s 19 months since I finished six months of intravenous chemotherapy for aggressive breast cancer and I’m going to cycle solo to Trim in Ireland in aid of a lovely little charity that gives adapted bikes and trikes to kids whose lives have been affected by the disease (cyclistsfc.org.uk)

Depending on how fit I am (40 miles was hard two weeks ago but I’m getting stronger every day) and the extent I get lost (a normal occurrence – a 60-mile ride to Cambridge ended up as 85 because I accidentally circled a village instead of going through it) I’ll be cycling 500-900 miles in two weeks.

Bike Trax has been great and it would be great if Wansteadium readers could sponsor me; for the whole trip, per mile I manage (there’s no guarantee I’ll be able to do it all) or by the millimetres I lose from my waist. The donation site is www.justgiving.com/CyclistOnChemo or you can text a donation to 70070 with the code IRLC99 and the amount they want to donate ie “IRLC99 £1”

I will tweet about the trip from my account @CyclistOnChemo and if I have the energy will post blogs on it wherever I can. Please consider donating – these children have suffered enough.

Thank you

Carole

Rumours that installation of CCTV cameras on Wanstead High Street was imminent appear not to be true.

The organisers of the campaign against the proposed parking regulation changes told Wansteadium that the rumours were circulating, and that there were fears the cameras would be a precursor to the introduction of Pay and Display parking.

However, a spokeswoman for Redbridge Borough Council told Wansteadium that the council had no knowledge of any such plans.