August 2023

48
Wanstead Village Directory
Wild Weekend
James Heal, chair of the Wren Wildlife Group, reports on the success of
the first Wanstead Wildlife Weekend, two days of exploring the wildlife
on our doorstep through a range of family-friendly activities
The Wren Wildlife and Conservation
Group is 51 years old, but we are keen
to keep adapting and trying new
things to ensure we see our 100th birthday.
Since 2016, the Wren Group has often
organised an annual flagship weekend full
of activities around the summer solstice –
the purpose has often been to find as many
species as possible: a ‘bioblitz’. This year, under
the direction of Wren secretary, Gill James, we
did something a bit different. We organised
a weekend of activities again, but with more
of a creative and even more of a family feel
than previous years, and with a number of
different partnerships. We even secured a
small amount of funding. The first Wanstead
Wildlife Weekend was born and held on
24 and 25 June.
There were some activities we have done
before: a spider walk with expert David Carr
(highlight was the nationally scarce jumping
spider, Salticus zebraneus, found on some of
the tree trunks in one of the copses); and two
well-attended pond dips (where amongst
many other things, a carp fry was netted). But
there was also some new ground trodden.
Particularly special were two art-themed
activities, one of them led by Wren Group
patron and international artist Dr Gayle
Chong-Kwan. We partnered with the
Newham-focused charity Ambition Aspire
Achieve, and a small group of young people
were able to explore their artistic creativity
with Gayle’s help, and also explore the world
of wasps, bees and other invertebrates with
Wren committee member Dr Tony Madgwick.
Watching the amazing bee-themed art pieces
the young people created, or watching as they
discovered one of the beautiful Jewel Wasps,
Holopyga generosa, was wonderful.
The other art event was led by another local
artist, Jo Wood, who helped a group of adults
engage with nature-inspired art. We also
had Vision RCL leading a popular wildlife
walk in Wanstead Park, a climate picnic with
various child-friendly activities and a macrophotography
workshop on Wanstead Flats.
Watching children use a sweep net or look
at an insect with a hand lens for the first
time was magical. It was wonderful to see
so many people come together and explore
new ways they can embrace and support
biodiversity. It was particularly encouraging at
a time of such concern regarding biodiversity
and the climate crisis. As Margaret Mead
famously said: “Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing
that ever has.”
Finding new ways to learn about the natural
world will inevitably mean we can attract
wider audiences, and I am immensely proud
of how Wren Group volunteers stepped up to
the challenge. It has certainly set a high bar for
the future.
For more information on the Wren Wildlife
Group, visit wnstd.com/wren
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com