The Chiswick Magazine November 2021

CHISWICK

®

T H E

M A G A Z I N E

November 2021 | Complimentary

Love Dance

Meet the cast starring in Chiswick Playhouse's new rom-com

Chiswick Flower Market

Planting up the High Road

HEALTH SHAK

Find out more about the Chiswick-based posture specialist

John Griffiths

chiswickmagazine.co.uk

Actor turned author discusses new book

ABOUT LOCALS, FOR LOCALS, BY LOCALS

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

CHISWICK T H E

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M A G A Z I N E

is brought to you by

EDITOR Áine McGinty aine@chiswickmagazine.co.uk

FEATURES EDITOR Dia Stronach dia@chiswickmagazine.co.uk

ADVERTISING Simon Hossack simon@chiswickmagazine.co.uk

PUBLISHER Paul Williams paul@chiswickmagazine.co.uk

DESIGN Catherine Clarke

Dear Reader, Welcome to the November edition of The Chiswick Magazine.

I think I speak for us all when I say, where has this year gone?

It has been a pleasure working on The Chiswick Magazine once again, especially now we are able to do so many of the things we love again.

Paul Williams paul@chiswickmagazine.co.uk

I’m cautiously excited for the festive period. Of course we all know the current data isn’t looking good but I hope to be able to safely attend some of the wonderful events that will be happening across Chiswick over the next couple of months.

Vencor Ltd Unit 22, 295 Chiswick High Road London, UK W4 4TT. Telephone: 020 3623 0567

Anyway, as always, I hope you enjoy the read.

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© Vencor Ltd 2019. THE CHISWICK MAGAZINE is published by Vencor Ltd. Registerd Unit 22, 295 Chiswick High Road London W4 4TT. chiswickmagazine.co.uk.

All rights reserved. ®THE CHISWICK MAGAZINE is registered as a trade mark, trade mark number UK00003257230.

Áine x

Cover photo: Love Dance's Jacoba Williams

chiswickmagazine.co.uk @chiswickmag thechiswickmagazine

Contents West Middlesex University Hospital

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John Griffiths

Local hospital receives largest legacy gift in its history

Actor turned author discusses his book The Write Escape: How one actor coped with Covid

Godolphin and Latymer School

Chiswick Auctions

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Hammersmith school wins award for response to Covid Chiswick Flower Market

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24 exceptionally rare paintings to be offered as a complete set for the first time in their more than 200-year history 10

HEALTH SHAK

CIC makes first investment into the community, planting up the High Road Love Dance

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Chiswick-based posture specialist wants to help returning office workers get back to their postural best I know a place down Chelsea way…

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Sloane Place: the ultimate west London social sanctuary

We speak to the cast of the new rom-com coming to the Chiswick Playhouse

The views of the writers and interviewees in THE CHISWICK MAGAZINE are not necessarily the views of the publisher. All images have been used with permission of the copyright owner. Any imagery supplied by a third party eg advertising, marketing or pr agency, will be published on the understanding the images have been supplied for publication with the permisson of the copyright owner. Any imagery that incurs copyright infringement, the supplier of that image (s) will be held responsible and liable for any royalties or licence fees. The contributor acknowledges that material submitted may be published in any publication or on any website owned by Vencor Ltd. By submitting material to THE CHISWICK MAGAZINE, Vencor Ltd is automatically granted the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and licence to use, reproduce, edit, distribute and display such material, in whole or part and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content.

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Local hospital receives largest legacy gift in its history Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and its official charity CW+ have announced that a late resident of Twickenham, has left over £1 million to West Middlesex University Hospital via CW+, which is the largest legacy gift to the hospital in its 100-year history.

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he long-time resident chose to change his will following the amazing care his mother received from West Middlesex University Hospital. The generous legacy, through the sale of his Twickenham residence, will have a huge impact on the hospital to which he was forever grateful.

its patients and their families, both now and in the future.”

The donor’s property in Twickenham was bought by local residents Mr and Mrs D’Amico, who are delighted that the money from the purchase of the house is going towards the hospital. The D’Amico’s say: “Our son was born at West Middlesex University Hospital and we’ve been patients there too.

We were delighted to hear that the estate had been left to the hospital to help local families like us”.

This year, West Middlesex celebrated its 100-year anniversary and the donation will be used within different areas of the hospital, including for a £25,000 equipment call for staff, which will see a variety of departments benefit from new state-of-the-art facilities to improve patient care and experience.

Remembering CW+ through a gift in will can help the charity continue to support the Trust to provide world-class care and facilities. A gift, no matter the size, will ensure that patients today and in the future benefit from the latest health innovations and technology as well as from an optimised healing environment through the CW+ unique arts in health programme.

Kerry Huntington, Fundraising Director at CW+, says: “We are incredibly grateful for the generous donation, which will help ensure that West Middlesex can continue to provide the very best care, facilities and experience for 6

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For more information about leaving a gift in will, please visit www.cwplus.org.uk or contact Kerry Huntington at CW+ by emailing Kerry.Huntington@cwplus.org.uk 7

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Local school wins award for response to Covid Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith has won the prestigious Independent Schools of the Year 2021 Special Award for Outstanding Response to Covid-19.

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resenting the award, the judges paid tribute to the school’s ‘inspiring community outreach activities – including the sector-leading Bridge programme – which provided an astonishing level of digital learning support to state primary and senior school partners during the depths of lockdown’.

Other community initiatives included supplying PPE to adult social care provider, Certitude, and the NHS Rapid Response Appeal, and raising over £9000 for NHS Charities Together. The school collected and donated food to the local Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank, Christmas gifts for the Salvation Army, and supported Ready Tech Go and Battersea Power Station and Wandsworth Council by donating used IT equipment, laptops and tablets for children who didn’t otherwise have access to the internet.

During the pandemic Godolphin and Latymer stepped up its support for the wider community, particularly for local primary school pupils who continued with its Saturday morning outreach Bridge programme by logging-on remotely with iPads provided by the school. Its Higher Education University Subjects programme was relaunched as a series of 30 – 40-minute online lectures bringing together students virtually from local schools including West London Free School and Kensington Aldridge Academy.

Head, Dr Frances Ramsey, congratulated the school community on receiving the award saying, ‘‘Over the last eighteen months our students and staff have demonstrated great imagination, energy and commitment in supporting each other and the wider community.’’

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Godolphin and Latymer School Iffley Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 0PG godolphinandlatymer.com 9

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Chiswick Flower Market

CIC makes first investment into the community Chiswick Flower Market was created in September 2020, the first new flower market in London for 150 years. Established as a Community Interest Company (CIC), the founders are local residents who work without pay to create a market that is sustainable, joyous and commercially valuable, bringing footfall and business to a struggling High Road.

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© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2021

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Chiswick for many years and had successfully designed local gardens including an outstanding public perennial meadow and the walled gardens at Chiswick House, as well as specialist gardens in Berlin, to produce a planting plan that would be sustainable, bio-diverse, beautiful and resilient. The council contractors, Hounslow Highways, worked in partnership with the Chiswick Flower Market team, and prepared the beds for replanting, as well as supplying some of the new planting. The bulk of the planting was paid for by the Flower Market CIC and was supplied by Rochfords Nursery, with bulbs from Chelsea gold medal winners Jacques Amand, and Eurogarden.

Planting was carried out over two days in late October, by the Flower Market team and other volunteers.

The planting focussed around a structure of Hydrangea arborescens (smooth hydrangea), Phormium ‘Sundowner’ (New Zealand flax), and Sarcococca confusa (sweet box), interplanted with grasses, Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ (cow parsley), Hebes and Persicaria.

White narcissi varieties, Chionodoxa (glory-ofthe-snow) and alliums made up the 3000 interplanted bulbs.

The Flower Market is now looking to other projects to improve the High Road area. Meanwhile it is planning a festive Chiswick Christmas Flower Market, with choirs and other seasonal offerings.

ne year on and the Flower Market is well on its way to achieving many of these aims. The market has not only survived lockdown, but is now expanding from 30 stalls to around 60 on special occasions (such as Christmas, spring planting) and now includes music, entertainment and special events.

Having established the market on a stable organisational and financial footing, the CIC is now looking at ways to fulfil its constitutional aims – to improve the High Road area.

As a first step, following overwhelming support from a survey, the decision was taken to redesign and replant the flower beds that run along the High Road, bordering Old Market Place. These had become neglected and weedridden. Chiswick has a long and proud horticultural history; it was the site of the Horticultural Society’s early flower shows (before it became the RHS and moved to Wisley and Chelsea), the training bed for many great gardeners including Joseph Paxton and William Kent. Many plants, including the earliest Camelias, were first bred in the area.

Chiswick High Road, and the Chiswick Flower Market, deserve an appropriate horticultural setting.

The Flower Market commissioned Jutta Wagner, a German designer and gardening author who lived in

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For more information, visit chiswickflowermarket.com

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LOCAL MAIN LOCAL FEATURE LIFELIFE

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LOVE DANCE:

Meet the cast starring in this uplifting rom-com at the Chiswick Playhouse by Áine McGinty

Jacoba Williams and Derek Murphy will be gracing the Chiswick Playhouse stage this month in heartwarming romantic-comedy, Love Dance.

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irected by Lesley Manning and written by animatorturned-playwright Andy Walker, the play explores the rocky path of the two most unlikely characters finding love. ‘‘It’s like your favourite rom-com movie on stage,’’ Derek tells The Chiswick Magazine. Whilst Jacoba describes it as, ‘‘A rom-com about two people who couldn’t be further from each other.’’

father for her child in exchange for a sofa to sleep on, all the while unaware he’s falling in love with her.

When asked why he wanted to star in the play, Derek says, ‘‘It has fun, lovable characters and an interesting story. That on top of the opportunity to work with Lesley Manning and Jacoba is just the icing on the already delicious cake!’’

Brought to audiences from the team behind Chiswick Playhouse’s 5-star play Delivery, Love Dance looks at the balance of highflying careers and motherhood goals.

Jacoba’s character Rose has a fiveyear plan, whereas Adam, she says, ‘doesn’t even know what he did 5 minutes ago’. An accomplished surgeon, Rose’s life is sorted apart from one thing - she desperately wants a child but not a long-term relationship. Immature musician Adam agrees to help Rose find a

Jacoba echoes Derek’s view. ‘‘Writer Andy Walker’s text is so bouncy, when I first read it I couldn’t put it down until I had finished. I love the growth of their relationship and the twists and turns. I have worked with Lesley Manning before and I was so excited to see her spin on it. The pair of them together is a creative match made in heaven.’’

This is actually the first time both Jacoba and Derek will be 14

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Derek Murphy

Jacoba Williams

stresses of everyday life. ‘‘Fingers and toes crossed, things are getting back to normal. It’s so sad how many theatre companies and theatres have really struggled and some have not returned.

It’s incredibly lucky to be in this position and it’s a pleasure to go and watch theatre again, in person!

Nothing beats it, ’’ says Jacoba.

performing at the Chiswick Playhouse. Jacoba spoke about her excitement to share the play with Chiswick audiences, ‘‘The team have worked here pre pandemic and said how warm and welcoming audiences were.’’ Derek adds, ‘‘The Chiswick Playhouse is a venue that has always been on my radar and has such a great reputation, so I am ridiculously excited to get the opportunity to perform there.’’

Love Dance has everything you need to cheer you up during these colder, darker nights. As Derek explains, ‘‘Comedy. Tick. Romance.

Tick. Heart-warming. Tick. What’s not to love? Come see us.’’

If you’re yet to revisit your local theatre, this seems like the perfect play to get back to what you love whilst being able to escape the

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Love Dance at the Chiswick Playhouse Wednesday 10th November 2021 Saturday 27th November 2021 Tuesday - Saturday, 7.30pm Saturday matinee, 4pm

Rehearsal images credit: Molly Manning

Tickets £22.00 or £19.50 preview www.chiswickplayhouse.co.uk/ lovedance 0208 995 6035 You can also follow Derek on Twitter @DerekMMurphy or Instagram @Dirkelsmurf

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Brentford actor turns to writing to escape Covid nightmare by Áine McGinty

Life was turned upside down for all of us in March 2020 when we were ordered to stay at home to help stop the spread of Covid-19. Some were saving lives, some were key to keeping society running, some were able to work from home, and some were forced into the unknown, with their income and identity ripped away from them. One of those was actor John Griffiths.

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orn and raised in Swansea, John has lived in west London since 1970 moving from Ealing to Brentford ten years ago. ‘‘It’s been such a brilliant move.

It must be one of the friendliest streets in west London!’’ John couldn’t praise his community more, telling me all about their impromptu socially distanced parties and his neighbours coming out to clap every Thursday. ‘‘It’s true what they say, Brentford is brilliant.’’

taken to writing to document the unusual, although familiar to many, situation he found himself in when the curtains closed on his livelihood. He went from being out of work thanks to Covid-19 to being a part of the Chiswick Book Festival 2021 Local Authors’ Party.

But how does an actor turn to such a different creative outlet? It all started with the three P’s, John explains, prayer, poem and psalms. ‘‘I decided early on I needed some creative focus,’’ he tells me. But like many of us, John couldn’t settle and was so preoccupied with

Thanks to the pandemic, John went from an actor to an author, having

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Photo by Steve Ryan

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of his identity. With acting, John explains, ‘‘You are your business, you are the product. You do take loss of work very personally.’’

what was happening around him that he needed something short, he couldn’t read a novel, so the 150 psalms was the answer. Originally a chapel boy from the Valleys, John is religious but had never read the psalms from beginning to end.

Starting his day with the three P’s became a form of meditation for John and he quite quickly started to write himself. This then evolved into a daily blog which was met with rave reviews and requests for it to be turned into a book.

John eventually succumbed to the flattery and The Write Escape: How One Actor Coped with Covid was born.

The book looks at John’s daily routine, the change of seasons, good days and bad as well as chance meetings on daily walks.

However, that’s not all. Readers meet a whole host of characters, there’s lots of local history, sports reports and even recipes. It’s a real mixed bag.

The Write Escape: How One Actor Coped with Covid promises to cover the good and the bad, with humour and sadness and most importantly, it makes an uplifting read, a story of the human ability to adapt and survive.

Don’t worry, this isn’t a book solely about the coronavirus pandemic. ‘‘Although Covid inspired the book, it’s not really about Covid.

That would be too depressing for words,’’ John says. The Write Escape: How One Actor Coped with Covid explores the triple loss this actor experienced last year, the loss of his livelihood, the loss of his colleagues and the loss

It’s nice to hear about something positive that has come out of the dreadful times we’ve all been through, and for John this book has almost saved his year, ‘‘As I held the book in my hand, I thought last year wasn’t a complete write off.’’

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You can purchase John’s book online at troubador.co.uk or waterstones.com 21

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CHISWICK AUCTIONS

Exceptionally rare paintings reunited ahead of Asian Art sale Works acquired on Lord Macartney’s Embassy to China in 17921794, which have passed through four generations of the British nobility are being offered for sale for the first time in more than two centuries by Chiswick Auctions on 18th November 2021.

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exhibition lists only 23 remaining extant works.

he 24 paintings of outstanding historical value and artistic importance were presented to Lord Macartney himself on behalf of the great Qianlong Emperor.

By a stroke of luck the curator was contacted by an anonymous source who claimed to possess information about the whereabouts of the lost painting.

In fact, the present owner of the work was said to have acquired it from a junk shop for the princely sum of £10. The claim was verified, and the family came perilously close to reuniting the complete collection. However, a bitter

Legends of the art world, these works have been rarely viewed, having passed for two centuries through generations of the Crewe family. In the 1980s after a terrible error, one of the paintings was misplaced and thought lost forever, which is why the 1997

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displayed) in the landmark 1997 exhibition, A Tale of Three Cities: Canton, Shanghai and Hong Kong, Three Centuries of Sino-British Trade in the Decorative Arts, where the catalogue describes them as ‘a remarkable set of paintings’. Much of the material from the Macartney mission passed into the public collection of Cornell University in 1918 through the Wason collection.

dispute over legal title meant that the case could not be resolved and the set remained broken up almost to the present day.

The final chapter in the story came just hours before the Chiswick Auctions Asian Art catalogue went to press when a resolution was struck, meaning that the works are offered as a complete set and will be offered for public exhibition and sale in 2021 for the first time in their more than 200-year history.

The set of paintings passed to the youngest member of the mission, Lord Macartney’s cousin, John Crewe, 2nd Baron Crewe (1772 – 1835). John Crewe was famously

The works were only once publicly shown (when 23 of 24 were

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painted as King Henry VIII at age 3 by Sir Joshua Reynolds on which Horace Walpole famously noted, "Is not there humour and satire in Sir Joshua's reducing Holbein's swaggering and colossal haughtiness of Henry VIII to the boyish jollity of Master Crewe?”.

Despite amassing significant debts in later life, the paintings have been treasured by his descendants ever since, hanging in the historic Crewe Hall, with an inventory of 1898 noting their hanging in the Parsons Bedroom.

The historical importance of the works stems from the momentous nature of the diplomatic trade mission. The endeavour marked a turning point in the relationship between China and the Western powers. It was Britain’s attempt

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to balance a massive trade deficit fuelled by its demand for tea and other Chinese products. However, the failure to establish bilateral diplomatic relations shaped the world economy for years to come with the Opium Wars occurring 1840-1842, and the eventual fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912.

The works perfectly encapsulate the spirit of trade and industry which underpinned the initiative.

They depict the production of tea with the many details of the process being illustrated. Tea was a crucial component in international trade for centuries and has come to define both British and Chinese identities.

The paintings show international connections in various ways. One

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scene shows a Chinese and Western trader engaging face-to-face.

Another, Western style buildings in a Chinese setting – possibly one of the rare Jesuit monasteries present in China at the time.

The works are artistically significant showing a fine level of technical detail, but also details of everyday life including children sheltering from the sun in a make-shift "den” and vast imaginary mountainous landscape vistas. Whilst sets of paintings of tea preparation were common in the 19th Century, this set is exceptionally early, detailed and extensive.

Speaking about the discovery, Asian art specialist Lazarus Halstead, said: ‘‘These exceptional works shed light on a key moment in the shared history of China and the UK. Their beauty and refinement underpins the momentous political, commercial and historic currents that they represent and speak to.” ‘‘Reuniting this set has been hugely gratifying and this is one of the most thrilling stories within Chinese art this season.”

They are estimated to fetch £30,000 – £50,000 when they are offered in the Fine Chinese Paintings sale at Chiswick Auctions Asian Art sale on 18th November 2021.

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EVENTS & WELLBEING HEALTH

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Is hybrid working a pain in the neck?

Chiswick-based specialist helps returning office workers get back to their postural best

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s workers return to offices in their droves, Chiswickbased posture specialist and chiropractor HEALTH SHAK is expecting a surge in patients seeking bespoke help for neck and back pain, caused by working between home and in offices where many will now be sitting in a variety of non-customised seats ‘hot-desking’.

According to a 2020 study by the Institute for Employment Studies, there was a ‘significant increase in musculoskeletal complaints’ during lockdown. More than half of those surveyed reported new aches and pains: 58% in the neck, 56% in the shoulder, and 55% in the back. As many as 7 in 10 Brits said

they’d experienced more aches and pains since working from home.

HEALTH SHAK launched a year ago in the middle of the pandemic and has seen a steady stream of customers from all over the UK looking for help with back pain caused by working at kitchen tables, sofas or desks not fit for long hours of screen time. New hybrid working patterns may exacerbate this trend further as many office workers are not clear how to sit properly, whether at home or away, or what to do when the pain in the neck becomes a frequent work companion.

HEALTH SHAK Co-Founder David Harvey, DC MChiro explains:

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return to offices and shared workspaces, hot desking at different workstations is likely to mean that these old office best practices may be a casualty of post-lockdown work life.”

So what to do? David Harvey shares four top tips for an optimum work posture, though if you are experiencing frequent neck or back pain already it’s probably time to book a posture consultation with HEALTH SHAK or another General Chiropractic Council (GCC) Registered Chiropractor.

“Lockdown happened so suddenly that many people weren't ready or properly equipped to work from home. In the office, many had some kind of occupational health assessment at their workstation, to ensure that desks, chair, screen and keyboard were all positioned properly, to optimise posture.

Many had their own ergonomic office chair specifically to tackle problems they had. However, studies reveal these important pieces of furniture were not transferred from the office into employees’ homes. As workers

HEALTH SHAK’S Top 4 Tips For Optimum Posture While Working: When you create a slight anterior (forwards) tilt of your pelvis while sitting, you allow your lower back to maintain its normal curve and your body will maintain an upright position with less effort.

To do this, you will need to lift the back of your seat - the part you are actually sitting on, not the backrest - relative to the front. This can be done in a few different ways: • Use a seat wedge • Fold a towel to create a wedge shape • Some chairs may have an adjustable seat pad, which you can tilt forwards

1 . Make sure the top of your knees are slightly lower than the midpoint of your hips: If you are ever sitting with your knees higher than your hips, you will be creating a posterior (backwards) tilt of your pelvis. This will cause you to slump and slouch, forcing your body into a position it doesn't want to be in.

To achieve the knees being lower than the hips, you may need to raise the height of your chair, or sit on a taller chair.

2. Check that your pelvis is in a slight anterior (forwards) tilt: 32

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HEALTH & WELLBEING LOCAL LIFE

HEALTH SHAK Co Founders: Tania Vicera Estavillo and David Harvey MChiro

hour or so to move, whether it's to stretch or walk around. Taking some time to move will aid blood flow around your body and will help refresh your brain to stay sharp and focused while you work.

3. Make sure the top of your screen is at or slightly below eye level: Even if your pelvis is in the perfect position, you will end up slouching if you're looking down at a screen which is too low. To get your screen to be the right height, you may need to: • Put your laptop/monitor on a stand or box • Get yourself a monitor and keyboard if you are predominantly using a laptop

An initial 3-part consultation with HEALTH SHAK costs £120, comprising one Zoom consultation followed by two in-person sessions.

To book a postural consultation or for further details about HEALTH SHAK, visit healthshak.co.uk

4. Get up and move often: As perfect as a sitting position may be, there is no substitute for movement. Try to get up every 33

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I know a place down Chelsea way…

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Cradled in the property of a famous members only club, a newly refurbished boutique hotel, public bar and dining space, Sloane Place in the heart of Chelsea is without doubt the ultimate west London social sanctuary 35

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f you like a sense of exclusivity without the price tag then I know a place down Chelsea way that will satisfy your notion; Sloane Place, an addition to the property portfolio of the renowned Sloane Private Members Club, is a breath of fresh air to the cliche drenched boutique bars and eateries.

The first thing that you notice about Sloane Place is it has the alluring feel of a neighbourhood bar/cafe and classy without the opulence.

Rich colours, and attention-to-detail furnishings, the scene is set; this is the sort of place that will amaze many and trust me, you know you'll be back - even without touching a drop or nibbling a single morsel. Its charm is immediate and so is that of the staff; attentive from the off, cool, friendly and relaxed, their air of chilled out professionalism is ever present.

Warmly welcomed at reception, the room for the night is basically a Pied à Terre - suave, beautifully adorned stylish interior, the space has been used to great effect, and with a free gin tasting 'course' courtesy of Sipsmith (a lovely bottle with juniper berries supplied) what more could you ask for? Perfect for a couple looking to have that city stay with the King’s Road round the corner.

Skip the lift, check out the ornate original staircase and make your way to the main atrium, where you’ll find the perfect bar for a sunny afternoon relaxing with a few drinks. Used by the private members of the Sloane Club and visitors to the hotel, you'll feel a bit spesh - it truly is a glorious centre piece to this stunning building.

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Cocktails before dinner is a must; quality procured ingredients making for the most elegant aperitif recommend the Tequila Cooler or Fiery Rose Margarita.

Dinner, well to be honest...it's perfection incarnate - Rose County beef fillet tataki, charred diver scallops followed by spatchcock chicken and Welsh lamb chops - simply presented, reassuringly prepared and incredibly tender, this choice is a 100% dead cert example of excellence - hat's off to chef and team.

Dining here, and as mentioned earlier, really has that neighbourly vibe - an obvious choice for locals; always a good sign, but the stranger in town will feel quite at home thanks to the take it easy atmosphere projected by the staff and clientele which along with the great menu, makes this, dare I say, a perfect evening.

Nodding off in a sumptuous bed, window ajar, the sounds of the Chelsea night fill the air, a fitting, almost musical backdrop to a stay in this exclusive suite.

Breakfast, London cure Scottish smoked salmon with scrambled eggs & lemon, and eggs benedict – need I say more? That’ll do nicely.

Sloane Place is without doubt the best in its class in Central London.

I’ve stayed in what you’d attest to be similar, in all aspects, but I have never experienced the sheer second by second brilliance of the staff here anywhere else, and the suite was comfortable, enjoyably lush, without the opulence – in short, the stay was effortless and luxurious.

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They like to keep things quiet, so I’ll shout out across the Chelsea rooftops – Sloane Place, you rule!

Nightly rates at Sloane Place start from £200 on a B&B basis. For bookings and further information, please visit www.sloaneplace.com Upcoming events include a Chef Residency with one of the UK’s most highly acclaimed chefs, Lee Westcott, from 17-20th November. A six-course menu with a glass of bubbles costs £75 and can be booked on the Sloane Place website.

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B U Y, S E L L A N D D I S C OV E R AT C H I S W I C K A U C T I O N S

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Welcome to The Hogarth, a unique independent health club in the heart ofa Chiswick.

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