January 2024

18
I
took this photo of a fox in the snow a few
weeks before Christmas 2022 in the City
of London Cemetery, which lies adjacent
to Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats.
There are several families of foxes there,
and when the snow came that year, I just
had to head over and bide my time to get
the shot I wanted.
Foxes develop a thick winter coat, so their
cold-weather behaviour isn’t much different
from any other season. They devote most of
the winter to hunting or foraging, with no
need for a den until the mating season begins.
So, it’s not uncommon to find a fox sleeping
in the open beneath a blanket of snow! They
breed from January to March.
I now work part-time for the Corporation of
London. I retired fairly young and wanted to
do something in the outdoors. I do some litter
picking over Wanstead Flats and Wanstead
Park and through this, I’ve got to know some
great photographers. And it was because of
these connections that I put together a 2024
calendar of Epping Forest photos.
I must say a word of thanks to the other
volunteer litter pickers and groups who do
such a wonderful job looking after our open
spaces. Sarah Shaw leads the Wanstead Flats
Pickers and Gill James coordinates the Friends
of Wanstead Parklands’ monthly clean-up.
And not forgetting Eileen Elton, a one-woman
band (unless her sister is over from Australia).
Alongside this, I’ve also discovered the Wren
Wildlife Group and always love meeting up
with their members.
I also belong to the Orion Harriers running
club and I’ve completed many marathons. I
love adventures and probably the maddest,
most dangerous activity I took part in was
driving a Tuk Tuk 2,000 miles through India!
I love Epping Forest, and having only taken
up photography in the last few years, it has
provided everything I need to snap away!
Wanstead Village Directory
For more information on the Epping Forest
2024 calendar, visit wnstd.com/ef24
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com