Wansteadium

Wansteadium was delighted to host Wanstead Bookshop’s first book launch – the new thriller from A.K. Turner, the author formerly known as Anya Lipska (above).

Alison joined us via Zoom, along with award-winning advanced pathology technician Barbara Peters – who has helped Alison with many of her insights. 

 

Wanstead Bookshop book launch: A.K. Turner's Body Language from Giles Wilson on Vimeo.

The book is the first tale involving Camden mortuary assistant Cassie Raven, who is convinced she can hear the last thoughts of the dead person in front of her. It has had great reviews and will delight people who enjoyed Alison’s previous Kiszka and Kershaw series. 

You can order the book below from Wanstead Bookshop, or go to the online shop itself.

Wanstead cricketing legend Arfan Akram has been highlighted by the Daily Mail as an unsung hero in an article which explains some of the work done in East London and Essex to engage diverse communities.

The article by Paul Newman is here.

An appeal to help give homeless people accommodation during the winter has been launched by the Wanstead Parish.

The churches are hoping to raise £3,500 to help give homeless people somewhere to stay – in part because the parish is unable to offer winter night shelter accommodation, as it did last year, because of coronavirus restrictions.

The appeal would give the homeless people somewhere safe and warm to stay, a meal, professional support from a caseworker and medical experts, and befriending from volunteers. The cost for each person is £25 per night – but £5 of this will be funded by the local authority.

Full details of the appeal are here on the Aviva Community fundraising site.

While many residents across Redbridge have in the past few months objected to ‘quiet streets’ projects – roads closed with planters to reduce through-traffic – people living in one Wanstead road are calling for the council to stop it being used as a rat run.

Mansfield Road is used by vehicles avoiding the traffic lights at George Green – in part to get to and from the A12 slip roads – but residents say the number of pedestrians and Wanstead High School pupils who use the road make it unsuitable for the traffic levels.

A petition residents have started on the Redbridge site says: “Traffic often builds up halfway down the road. The air quality is severely affected during peak times, posing a serious threat.”

They are asking the council to investigate and introduce traffic calming measures such as speed bumps or a one-way system.

Longtime Wansteadium reader Kat Ibrahim is encouraging fellow readers to avoid spending loads of money on shop-bought decorations this Christmas.

She said: “I want to share this idea to adorn our homes with fallen branches, stems and other items from nature. I hope it will inspire people to forage in their garden and see what they can make. It’s a very relaxing process, it’s very economical and there’s no need to buy more stuff.”

The next phase of Redbridge doing its bit for the climate emergency is to be considered on Monday by the council – and it could mean the wheelie bin pilot being extended across the whole borough.

Other measures recommended in a report to the council include:

• Considering putting solar panels or heat pumps at existing Redbridge sites, including schools
• Encouraging residents to cut food waste, increase composting and take part in improved recycling
• Making council buildings and vehicles meet environmental standards
• Improving cycling infrastructure
• Increasing facilities for charging electric and hybrid cars
• Encouraging businesses and resident behaviour to make 50% of journeys by “active, efficient and sustainable” modes of transport
• Increase biodiversity by increasing the proportion of the borough which is covered by trees by 10%
• Ensure new developments – especially those in urban areas – include requirements for diversity.

The full list of recommendations which is being presented to council leaders is available on the Redbridge website.