We are delighted to announce that as of Wednesday 20th April, 26 councillors and candidates in the local elections have already pledged to ‘love Epping Forest’. These represent a huge range of political parties across all four authorities that contain Epping Forest.
Here is a list of those who have signed up so far.
In the meantime, we also received positive comments from councillors and candidates supporting the campaign and expressing their love of the Forest. We have selected some here.
Supportive quotes from councillors and candidates
“As a resident in Loughton, my family and I have enjoyed visiting the forest for walks or picnics, and it is indeed a place we should all work together to preserve.”
Cllr Chidi Nweke, Loughton Residents Association. Current member for Loughton Alderton, Epping Forest District Council.
“I absolutely value the importance of Epping Forest and understand the huge pressures it faces. Parts of my ward are green spaces managed by the City of London as part of Epping Forest, and the western border of Churchfields is adjacent to a fantastic area of woodland.
“Open spaces – where people can walk, hear birds sing, see beautiful trees, and smell the aroma of flowers – are important for everyone’s mental health. They drown out the noise of traffic, screen out unsightly developments and – vitally – take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The UK has been described as one of the least biodiverse countries in Europe, so areas like Epping Forest and its buffer lands are doubly important.”
Cllr Rosa Gomez, Labour. Current member for Churchfields, London Borough of Redbridge.
“Grew up with [Epping Forest] and have a special love for our wonderful forest.”
Cllr Louise Mead, Loughton Residents Association. Current member for Fairmead, Epping Forest District Council.
“I have used and enjoyed our wonderful Forest for my entire life (63 years). As a keen runner, I have covered very many miles of running and walking within its environs and therefore know it very well, particularly the areas of Epping, Theydon Bois, Loughton, and Chingford.
I fully appreciate its importance as a special area of conservation (SAC) and understand the council’s responsibilities under the Habitat Regulations to protect this internationally important site.
That’s why I always ask myself how any policy might impact the Forest, vigorously support better public transport and more recently very closely involved myself in the consideration of the partnership agreement for the delivery of Strategic Access Management and Monitoring measures for the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAMM).”
Cllr Stephen Murray, Independent. Current member for Loughton Roding, Epping Forest District Council.
“I am a huge fan of Epping Forest and will do what I can to support it.”
Cllr John Gray, Chair of Newham Labour Group. Current Councillor for West Ham, London Borough of Newham.
“You are right to highlight the important powers that district councillors have. If elected, I will vote against cuts to services and to ensure any house building is environmentally friendly and council owned so it is genuinely affordable for families.
For us living in and near the forest, public transport is a critical issue. Too many people rely on driving because bus routes are unreliable, expensive or take too long. We need a fully funded public transport infrastructure that connects residents across the district. This would not only reduce the pollution in the forest (and the congestion) but would also make the forest accessible to all to enjoy. This is something I am already campaigning for and will continue to do so if elected.”
Bea Gardner, Trade Union and Socialist Candidate for Waltham Abbey Paternoster ward, Epping Forest District Council.
“[Epping Forest] is the most wonderful resource and lung for the countless thousands of our district and of north-east London generally. And it is in peril from toxic air.”
Cllr Chris Ponds, Loughton Residents Association. Current councillor for Loughton Broadway, Epping Forest District Council.
Thank you to all those who have shown and pledged their love for Epping Forest! We will be continuing to set up stalls throughout the last two weeks of April. Please visit here for our stall plans including dates and locations.
More ways to support
- Download a print-ready poster to put on your window, or leave it in the library, doctor’s office, supermarket…
- Watch our campaign webinar recording here
- Download our Manifesto and write to your local councillors and election candidates to promise to show their love for the Forest in their decision-making
- Change your Social Media cover photo to spread the word and show your love of Epping Forest