Samantha Wood

Essential information Average property price: Flats £350k, houses £600k Average rent: £650pcm per person Nearest transport: Wanstead, Central Line  Bus routes: Lots of buses to Walthamstow, Stratford, Forest Gate and Manor Park Local MP: John Cryer (Labour) Tell me about the local tribe Young families, middle-aged creatives, kindness activists and guerrilla gardeners make up Wanstead Village. What’s new in the area? There’s a new Nando’s in South Woodford but the Spreading Kindness in E11 Movement has left an even sweeter taste in the mouths of locals. A week of random acts of kindness established by a school girl, this year included workshops for scribing pledges into clay, which are now strung up on the high street. Are there any community spaces? Facebook’s Wanstead Community Hub is a vibrant place to share tips and look out for each other (and each other’s cats). There’s a Female Voices Community Choir at Wanstead House and the Social Knitworks group, who meet in The Cuckfield to craft blankets for the Celia Hammond Animal Trust’s cat sanctuary. Where can I grab a morning latte? The Square Mile coffee served in Bare Brew is hard to beat: there’s a laidback LGBTQ+ vibe and free biscuits for dogs on the counter. If pastries are your thing, the freshly baked, French offerings from La Bakerie reach the next level. Is the area family-friendly? Yes. There are regular arts, crafts and Rhyme Time drop-ins at the library, Buggy Fit on the green and more baby yoga, massage, sl