January/February 2020

8 South Woodford Village Gazette
Water refill scheme launched in South Woodford
to help reduce plastic use
A nationwide water refill scheme
has been launched in South
Woodford to help shoppers
stay hydrated and to reduce the
use of plastic bottles. “South
Woodford is now part of the
network set up by Refill, and a
number of local businesses have
already signed up, including
the recently relocated Tipi
Coffee (117 George Lane), Atkins
Physiotherapy (154 High Road)
and Greggs (168 George Lane).
So now, whenever you are out
and about in South Woodford,
look for the refill droplet logo
and you can ask for your water
bottle to be refilled,” said Louise
Burgess of the South Woodford
Society. By downloading the
app, users can search for their
nearest refill station wherever
they are. “This makes it easy to
reduce the number of plastic
bottles you need to buy and join
the increasing number of people
whose individual action will have
a global impact. According to the
Environmental Audit Committee,
seven billion plastic water bottles
are used each year in the UK.”
Visit refill.org.uk
Local MPs re-elected with
reduced majorities
Poetry and Art Workshops
With leading poet Chris Tutton
A word from UK’s youngest
parliamentary candidate
© Roger Hammond
Left to right: Iain Duncan Smith MP,
John Cryer MP and Wes Streeting MP
The three MPs representing the
local area were all re-elected in
December’s General Election,
albeit each with a reduced
majority. In the Chingford and
Woodford Green constituency,
Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative)
received 23,481 votes (48.5%),
with Labour’s Faiza Shaheen
taking 22,219 votes (45.9%). In
Leyton and Wanstead, John
Cryer (Labour) enjoyed a
larger margin of victory, with
28,836 votes (64.7%) compared
to Conservative candidate
Noshaba Khiljee’s 8,028
votes (18%). In Ilford North,
Labour’s Wes Streeting was
returned to parliament with
25,323 votes (50.5%); Howard
Berlin (Conservative) received
20,105 votes (40.1%). In all
three constituencies, Liberal
Democrats were placed third,
each with an increased vote
share from the 2017 election.
Can a poem be written about an image or a piece of art? Is there a
link between the two art forms? Join poet Chris Tutton for this series
of friendly and interactive workshops creating poetry inspired by art.
Explore a different art movement each session
Thursday
and
7
be
February
inspired!
There are six workshops at Wanstead Library, held on Thursdays between
integral to his own personal
journey and to so many
6.30pm and 7.30pm on January 16, February 6 and 20, young March gay men who 12, found April 2 and 16.
Following these workshops an exhibition
of work created will be displayed at
Wanstead Library from April 14-25.
Wanstead
Library
Redbridge Libraries
@RedbridgeLibs
Good As You: from pride to prejudice 30 years of gay Britain with Paul Flynn
Good As You is an important book that celebrates the seismic shift that turned gay men in Britain from enemies to
friends of the state. It’s a story of how the power of pop culture can place real pressure on the government and the
media, to make tangible steps towards change. From ‘Smalltown Boy’ to same sex marriage, Paul interviews the figures
their voices were finally
being heard in the 1980s.
This is the story of public
outrage and personal loss,
the (not always legal) highs
and the desperate lows, and
the final collective victory
as gay people were finally
recognised, as Good As You.
Copies of the book will be
available for purchase
and signing.
Wanstead Library
6.30pm-8pm
FREE, please book with the library on 020 8708 7400 or via Eventbrite
www.redbridge-events.eventbrite.com
Friday 8 February
Film Screening and Panel Discussion
This special event hosted by Positive East will reflect on
the progress made in terms of LGBT+ rights and the
journey made in relation to HIV, along with the journey
still to be travelled. Positive East will also be screening
their film “30 years of living with HIV”.
from Thursday 16 January, 6.30pm–7.30pm
£15 to attend any or all of the six sessions
£3 per individual workshop
Redbridge Central Library
York Room
6.30pm-8.30pm
FREE, just turn up
Tickets are available on Eventbrite or at the library 020 8708 7400
www.redbridge.gov.uk/libraries
If you would like further information about any of these events please contact
Rhonda Brooks on 020 8708 2409 or email rhonda.brooks@visionrcl.org.uk
www.redbridge.gov.uk/events
Green up your street in 2020:
January deadline to adopt a tree pit near your home
Residents keen on beautifying
the streets of South Woodford
for the year ahead are urged
not to miss the 2020 deadline
for adopting a tree pit near
their home. “Planting beefriendly
flowers under a street
tree will make your road look
beautiful, reduce chemicals
being sprayed and help local
wildlife,” said a spokesperson
for South Woodford Gardeners,
which is aiming to increase
the number of street trees
across the neighbourhood
planted at their base to support
Tuesday 26 February
Play Reading Group
Have you ever wanted to act but not had the time to
take part in a play? Then come along to this group which
will read aloud a chosen play, each participant reading
a variety of characters and there’s no need to prepare in
advance. The play for this session will have LGBT+ themes.
South Woodford Library & Gym
7pm-9.30pm
FREE, just turn up
RedbridgeLibraries
LGBT Feb2019 Flyer_4.indd 2 14/12/2018 16:19
Henry Scott stood as an
independent candidate By Paul for Flynn
the Leyton and Wanstead
Published by Ebury
Press on 5
constituency in December’s
th July 2018
£9.99 | Paperback
General Election. Having
Good As You is an important book that celebrates
recently turned 18, he was the
the seismic shift that turned gay men in Britain
from enemies to friends of the state. It’s a story of
UK’s youngest candidate.
how the power
“The
of pop culture can place real pressure
on the government and the media, to make
tangible steps towards change.
election has been brilliant, and
From ‘Smalltown Boy’ to same sex marriage, Paul
interviews the figures integral to his own
it’s given me a lot of experience,
personal journey and to so many young gay men
who found their voices were finally being heard in
the 1980s. Paul speaks to Holly Johnson about an-
but also ‘Wonderful educated book...sensitively me a lot on
written and well researched. I’m and Davina McCall about the landmark of reality
TV. He speaks to Gary Hailes about being half of
the issues honoured to in be our included’ area and in the first gay couple on EastEnders, and to David
Furnish about being in one of the first publically
country. From the homeless celebrated gay couples in to the UK.
- David Furnish
But for Paul, Good As You is much about
business owners, everyone celebrating the unsung has heroes out of the limelight.
Alison, a life-long friend talks about the
individuals she met and helped undergoing
problems that need to treatment have for HIV at The Lighthouse, while
activist Rupert Whitaker, discusses his early
encounters with an unknown disease, his own
a change in the way they are
diagnosis and the impetus behind the Terrence
Higgins Trust.
dealt ‘Lively, with… timely and I lovingly was surprised at
researched: thoroughly gay, in This is the story of Britain’s brothers, cousins and
sons. Sometimes it is the story of their fathers and
some both of the old the and the abuse new senses myself husbands. It is one and of public outrage and personal
of the word’
loss, the (not always legal) highs and the desperate
lows, and the final collective victory as gay people
other parties received, were final but recognised, I’ve as Good As You.
- The Sunday Times
been told that’s just how politics
works… I am definitely going to
run for a councillor position next
time. The campaign has spurred
me on and @RedbridgeLibs built me up with
enthusiasm,” said Henry, who
received a 1% vote share with
427 votes.
thems, Kylie Minogue about icons, and Will Young
pollinating insects by creating
stepping-stone habitats between
surrounding green spaces. “Just
email the council by 25 January
to tell them the location of
the tree you’re adopting and
they’ll provide a label to stop it
being sprayed. Plant the base
with wild flowers, geraniums,
herbs or any other small plants.
They can be really successful,
even if there isn’t much soil.”
Visit swvg.co.uk/treepit for
council contact details, more
information on what to plant and
street gardening safety advice.