Wansteadium

Each year Marian Temple of Grove Park opens her garden to the public in aid of Amnesty International. Marian, a stalwart of the Wanstead Society, is one of those who volunteers to help keep the garden at the Corner House. Photographer Matt Longmoor documented this year’s open garden for Wansteadium.

Thanks to Marian for allowing Wansteadium in. Donations can be made to Waltham Forest Amnesty . Matt is available for commission and can be contacted at matt@wansteadium.com

 

A bit of quick organising and enthusiasm from Wanstead resident Lisa Scott is resulting in a huge communal picnic on Christchurch Green this Sunday afternoon.

Wansteadium reader Lisa writes:

“The Big Lunch is a very simple idea from the Eden Project – www.thebiglunch.com – and the aim is to get as many people as possible across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours in a simple act of community, friendship and fun.

The Big Lunch Picnic will take place on Christchurch Green in Wanstead from Midday – 4pm. The picnic aims to bring together the local community, celebrate what is great about Wanstead and have some fun on a Sunday afternoon. This Big Lunch Picnic will have a local and green theme and Wanstead residents are encouraged to bring along their best seasonal dish to share, a big rug to sit on, games etc and their own plates, cutlery and cups to reduce waste and the clear up after. The picnic will start at 1pm with activities after.

We do need locals to help out, so if you have a few hours to spare or anything else that will help to make the picnic a huge success, please e-mail Lisa on biglunchwanstead@gmail.com with offers of help or any questions.

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The former Cambridge Park Methodist Church is, a year after its closure, finally on the market. Agents Cluttons are inviting bids, saying:

Being sold with the benefit of vacant possession, the site has potential for multiple uses including residential and alternative community use such as a nursery, healthcare or public hall…Cambridge Park Methodist Church presents a rare opportunity for a house builder, developer or any individual interested in former church sites. The site – with or without the existing buildings – has great potential both as a residential conversion or a business or community venture subject to obtaining the necessary consents

Developers have already expressed interest too, and so for many it will feel like there’s an almost grim inevitability that this site – so easily accessed from Christchurch Green – will end up as flats. Though charming inside, as the gallery of images above which we originally ran on this site last year shows, the existing property doesn’t immediately seem  to have the potential that the halls formerly belonging to the United Reformed Church on Grosvenor Road had. They were converted into a private nursery’s breakfast and after school club last year – very sympathetically. Many in Wanstead will be hoping for some sort of public use for the site.

Public service time again. Rubbish and recycling collections this week hit by the bank holiday, will be as follows:

Due day                      Will be collected
Monday 30  May         Tuesday  31  May
Tuesday 31  May        Wednesday 1 June
Wednesday 1 June        Thursday  2 June
Thursday 2 June        Friday    3 June
Friday 3 June        Saturday  4 June
Monday 6 June        All collections return to normal

Much celebration on Friday afternoon at the end of half-term before exams – Wanstead High Street a-buzz with demob happy folk for whom revision is a task for another day. Today, however, is Saturday.