Wansteadium

Wansteadium has been privately celebrating its 10th anniversary – not really believing that an idle idea which started in the days when Gordon Brown was prime minister is STILL GOING.

So we thought that it might be interesting to look at the most read posts over our entire history. It’s sad not to see anything about hedgehogs in there, obviously, but otherwise it’s a real stroll down memory lane.

Thank you to everyone who has read this site over the past 10 years, and especially to those who receive updates by email. Sorry to everyone we haven’t posted as much as we should have done. But here’s to the next 10 years!

Wanstead to be on film again	Feb 2016
Confirmed: The Nightingale has closed	Sept 2017
Manor House shapes up	July 2014
The cows in Wanstead	Jan 2017
So what’s so tricky about driving tests in Wanstead?	June 2015
Nightingale on the Green is now open	July 2018
Armed police chase in Wanstead street	Nov 2016
Tom Hardy in Wanstead: The photo!	Feb 2016
Wanstead to get a Gail’s Bakery	May 2017
The Wanstead pool is coming! And that’s not all	March 2018
To the Manor reborn	July 2014
About Wansteadium	August 2010
The mystery of Saddam Hussein’s Wanstead bench	Nov 2018
Wanstead driving test routes mapped	May 2010
RIP Jill Stock	June 2019
Review: Long Horn	July 2014
M&S for Wanstead: It’s a yes	March 2017
Review of Luppolo, Wanstead	January 2015
Woodford goes	Feb 2017
Wanstead butcher: The Ginger Pig is talking…	Jan 2016

A new COVID-19 test centre is open today in Wanstead for those unable to work from home or those who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive. Only walk-ins are available for today.

Open from 10am-7pm.

Wanstead Youth Centre, 144 Elmcroft Avenue, E11 2DB pic.twitter.com/2oaDmeG8DU

— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) January 6, 2021

Very welcome news for Wanstead, coming a couple of days after this:

Up bright and early for 12 hours of vaccinating people in Wanstead and Woodford. We’re aiming to do 1,000 inoculations today. pic.twitter.com/okAIrf3VlC

— Keir Shiels (@keirshiels) January 2, 2021

The government has confirmed that Redbridge is in London after a surprise announcement which excluded it, along with a random selection of other boroughs, from areas where primary schools would remain closed for the start of term.

The position was clarified later in the course of Wednesday following the announcements in the House of Commons. Redbridge council leader Jas Athwal confirmed that Redbridge primary schools would remain closed next week.

NEW: Redbridge *is* added to the list. Primary schools will not re-open to all pupils on Monday.

We have a situation where lists are being updated only minutes after publication. This is an utter shambles. I’m so sorry to parents and staff affected by Government incompetence.

— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) December 30, 2020

The government messaging on schools reopening has been dismal.

We've put together a simple guide for Redbridge schools.

All of the following is subject to change from @educationgovuk

For specific start dates please check with your child's school directly. pic.twitter.com/XVf6eepbhF

— Jas Athwal (@Jas_Athwal) December 30, 2020

As the situation develops it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye on @RedbridgeLive

The ever-popular Ginger Pig, which has faithfully helped keep Wanstead’s meat-eaters satisfied through the past year, has suffered what looks like some kind of protest with its front window being smashed.

The attack might of course have been mere vandalism, rather than a protest, but in any case it has not put off the queues of customers who are keen to show the shop their support. One member of staff posted elsewhere: “I work for Ginger Pig and to say we re upset is an understatement. We haven’t stopped working since March and to have this happen just after Christmas is mindless, the shop is open as normal today and we’ll keep going “

Jim and Sue Carroll, organisers of Wanstead’s Poppy Appeal collection, write:

A huge thank you to the people of Wanstead for their response to this year’s poppy collection for the British Legion. In spite of the difficult circumstances and the very last minute change of plans (apologies to those of you who missed Jim the Poppy Man later in the week) as a result of the Government’s newest lockdown, you still gave extremely generously to the cause.  A one day ‘flash sale’ of poppies outside the old bakers shop (sadly missed but very helpful for us) netted £1,184.48 in a single day, with socially distanced queues forming at the table! It took a little while to get the odds and ends in and counted because of the sudden door closures, but we are proud to say that the Wanstead area collected £3,247.35, a bit over half of the normal annual rate.

Specials mentions to Moments and Wanstead Station, both of whom really surprised everyone and also to Daisy the Florist, Harveys the Grocers and Cafe ChiChi, not only for doing really well, the last two as first time collecting stations, but for staying open during the lockdowns to keep us supplied with what might not be life saving essentials, but were certainly mental health essentials!

With the vaccines coming on line we hope that next year will have something like normal service, but in the meantime we would like to wish everybody a happy and most importantly healthy 2021.

Thanks again
Jim and Sue Carroll
Wanstead poppy people

Front-of-house Christmas decorations have got more elaborate and brighter than ever this year – a by-product of lockdown perhaps – but we’ve not seen anything to top this display on Cranbourne Ave.