April 2024

Contents
Features
Inspirational ...........................................20–21
Fence defence .............................................24
Medical emergency ................................ 28
Out in the cold ............................................32
Away from home ...................................... 36
Wanstead’s style ........................................ 44
The Lord Shamash ...................................48
Listen and learn ..........................................52
Wanstead Flats at war .....................56–57
Loving mothers..........................................60
Organising CHAOS...................................66
Puzzles & competitions
Sudoku ............................................................ 26
Crossword competition ........................40
Wanstead anagram ................................. 54
Every month
Local news ...............................6–10, 12 & 14
Community events ...........71–72, 74 & 76
Community groups ..................................78
Useful numbers .........................................80
Index of advertisers ................................. 82
Contact Us
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Welcome...
Hailed a blithe spirit and a creature of plenty,
The Percy Bysshe Shelley poem of 1820,
Tells of a joyous, carefree bird,
With music more sweet than ever heard.
A spirit so beautiful, springing from the earth,
Soaring high and singing for all its worth,
Compared in verse to a rainbow cloud,
Shelley enjoys the song, pure and loud.
A Skylark, of course, such a fine sight,
Even when unseen, ‘thy shrill will delight’,
So says Shelley, and it’s hard to disagree,
A force of nature that fills us with glee.
Two centuries later, Skylark numbers are low,
Shelley’s words hold true, and the loss is a blow,
But on Wanstead Flats, the blithe spirits still breed,
Upon the ground are built the nests they need.
A fence surrounds them as they brood,
It helps our spirits, it helps their mood,
Protection from trampling feet and canine might,
Shielding their haven, day and night.
Yet vandals’ hands with callous grace,
Have left the fence a broken embrace,
Like birds, the human spirit abhors a cage,
But this simple barrier is worthy of no rage.
May the fence be repaired and its purpose restored,
To protect these treasures, so adored,
Do come and look, do come and listen,
Just leave these spirits to their own partition.
In the heart of the Flats, let harmony reign,
Let Skylarks dance, untouched by pain,
We all share the Flats each time we visit,
And as Shelley said, ‘hail to thee, blithe spirit!’ Lee Marquis, Editor
Calling local residents...
The Wanstead Village Directory proudly supports local
businesses and we encourage you to do the same.
Help us help these businesses by mentioning the
Wanstead Village Directory when responding to adverts.
A note to businesses...
If you are a business based in Wanstead, or if you have a
presence in the local community, we can help you get your
message across to our readers. The deadline for inclusion in
the May 2024 edition is 19 April 2024.
editor@wnstd.com
wnstd.com
wnstd.com/socials
Wanstead Village Directory
PO Box 2491, Ilford, IG1 8JT
The Wanstead Village Directory is
published monthly with a circulation of
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Wanstead, Snaresbrook and Aldersbrook.
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ISSN 2059-013X
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