Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11

Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

+

hunt

Martin Gettings on the need for potent activity to beat climate change Page 16

treasure

why there’s no better time for a trip to see the Queen’s House in Greenwich as it launches a pair of free exhibitions Greenwich - Pages 48-49

inside issue 28

Barge East - Move It 2020 Future Proofing London’s Economy Royal Wharf - Vertus - Havering Hoard Wood Wharf Bites - FutureFest 2020 Elasko - Jamie Hale - Puzzles - The Gun

A Meissen porcelain parrot from the Woburn Treasures exhibition currently on show at the Queen’s House in Greenwich

celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - nonsense

Image Woburn Abbey Collection

2

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

read

fortnightly find

this issue’s Tiger Treasure

14 days later

plan your life from Mar 11-25 where?

Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay

feast your eyes on these

We’ve left two in the picture, because it would be heartbreaking to split them up, especially as they’ve coordinated their skirts for the dance number they’re about to break into. They’re also a timely reminder, perhaps, that orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra are critically endangered, with charitable efforts to save them much deserving of everyone’s attention Soft Toy, £10 each (£20 really) Go to uk.flyingtiger.com

TOUR | London On Wheels: East End Women Author Rachel Kolsky invites people to join her on a vintage Routemaster to explore the extraordinary lives of East End women. Includes refreshments.

Mar 15, 1.30pm, £30, museumoflondon.org.uk

06 A chef serves up paella at Spanish Homemade from a giant heated pan

where?

Shopping Malls Canary Wharf

Revealing a mystery as the Havering Horde goes on display

Inset, a bowl of grilled steak from Guasacaca

10

SHOP | Spring Fashion Event Ok, so we’re a day outside this column’s scope but it pays to be prepared – this three-day event offers shoppers up to 30% off at selected stores.

Mar 26-28, daily, free to visit, canarywharf.com

Why JP Morgan is working to develop young talent in schools

where?

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Square

diary dates

Wood Wharf Street Bites, Thursday-Friday until March 27, 11am-3pm TASTE | New Wave Spain Sample the likes of Louro Do Bolo by Rafael Palacios and Extramundi by Bodegas Pazo Tizon as Boisdale delivers fresh flavours from Iberia.

Mar 24, 6.30pm, £15, boisdale.co.uk

ongoing attraction

Visit The Clew at Cubitt Steps Bridge – an installation left in place following this year’s blockbuster Winter Lights festival. Obviously the team behind the glowing work liked the crossing, they put a ring on it... canarywharf.com

Wharfers have a the most important reason of all to explore the estate’s new district.

Following the arrival of Wood Wharf’s first residents, Canary Wharf has organised a weekly street food market to tempt workers east over Montgomery Bridge to Water Street.

Curated by Karnival Food, hungry wanderers can expect stalls such as The Three Little Pigs offering grilled souvlaki, Bulgogi Bowl serving Korean bibimbap and You Bao’s steamed buns.

Checking out the market’s opening week, I was especially impressed by the Venezuelan offering from Guasacaca (guasacacalondon.com).

My £8 bowl came with a generous helping of freshly grilled steak on top of rice, black beans, salad, grated cheese and fried plantains.

A warming feed for a chilly day, the potent south American flavours can be mopped up with a toothsome arepa bun served on the side.

Equally pleasant was a hearty serving of seafood paella (£7) from Spanish Homemade (spanishhomemade.com).

With Karnival’s usual high-calibre offering, Wood Wharf needs to be a destination that dominates the end of your week.

Go to canarywharf.com Jon Massey

get in touch

correct us

Editorial email stories@wharf-life.com call 07765 076 300

we want to hear from you

14

How Canary Wharf is developing thought leadership in London

the joy of six Every fortnight Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 42

need something fixed?

Sample huevos rancheros at The Pearson Room for a great start to the day thepearsonroom.co.uk

Advertising email advertising@wharf-life.com call 07944 000 144

Our editorial team works hard to ensure all information printed in Wharf Life is truthful and accurate. Should you spot any errors that slip through the net or wish to raise any issues about the content of the publication, please get in touch and we will investigate.

want more? @wharflifelive

Go to wharf-life.com for more information

Email info@wharf-life.com

spot check one to try

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

3

Canary Wharf

on the radar

doing the deals

get more for less in and around the Wharf

need to know

£10

Setting off all the alarms on our radar this issue is the newly opened branch of Joe And The Juice in Churchill Place. Expect turmeric shots, organic coffee and Scandi cool from the Danish brand, weekdays from 7am, weekends from 9am joejuice.com

44 Expected early April, we’re feeling pretty excited about the arrival of chai and coffee house Pamban, set to open in Canada Place. Wharfers can expect bright colours from the hand-brewed chais, cakes and pastries on offer pamban.co.uk

For lunch served in 20 minutes? That’s the promise Electric Shuffle in Cabot Square is making with its new daily set lunch menu, which includes a drink electricshuffle.com

52

How Elasko’s founder wants to disrupt the fitness industry

50% 42

How RevolYOUtion founder Rasheeda Page-Muir will use her platform at Future Fest 2020 in Wapping to teach young people the importance of talking face-to-face

OFFICIAL HOSPITALITY AGENT FOR THE LONDON E-PRIX The E-Prix is racing to ExCeL London on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July 2020.

Experiences which include guest presenter, Jake Humphrey, Celebrity Television and Radio Broadcaster are on sale now.

Limited availability, secure your space!

CALL 0208 3925 1709 TO FIND OUT MORE OR VISIT: KEITHPROWSE.CO.UK/WHARFLIFE

Or thereabouts off a classic burger, chips and a glass of Malbec at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf weekdays, noon3pm and 6pm-7pm – £14.75 from £28.75 boisdale.co.uk

Why Barge East is well worth a visit for the food and its cosy atmosphere

4

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

words you didn’t know you need

facical

buy me

this fortnight’s must-have item

adjective, fictional, from French Relating to or resembling the feeling of absurdity experienced when lying back during a facial as a beauty therapist explains all the weird and wonderful unguents you really ought to be spending your time deploying

bucket list

write me

fard

verb, real, from French To decorate the face with colour or paint (especially the cheeks) or to gloss over something. As both usages date from the 17th century you may not be at the cutting edge with this word but perhaps it’s due a revival

This pair of free tours on Saturdays offer Wharfers a chance to place Old Flo in context ● Booking List Join architectural photographer Grant Smith for Art, Architecture And Old Flo – A Guided Tour on February 29 and March 21 taking in Henry Moore’s Draped Seated Woman and artwork and buildings across the Canary Wharf estate. There will be ample opportunity to take pictures and soak up tips. Tours run 11am-1pm and are free, although places must be reserved canarywharf.com

Big Drop Galactic Milk Stout £1.49 Holland And Barrett, Jubilee Place ● Back List Muscles giving you gyp? Neck a pain in the proverbial? Contact New Body Osteopathy on the Canary Wharf estate to ensure those niggles are remedied with appropriate action. Clients can expect an extensive initial consultation followed by treatment and advice newbodyosteo.com

No fashion to fret about this week, just 0.5% ABV beer you can drink at your desk that’s sold in a health food shop. Join the lowto-no revolution

● Bite List An oldie, but this time without the meat – Wagamama in Jubilee Place is to be applauded for its yasai katsu curry (£10.45), made with sweet potato, aubergine and butternut squash. A wholesome vegan treat at a decent cost wagamamani.com

read me

how to do battle with bias Factfulness, £9.99 Waterstones, Cabot Place Shining a light in the darkness, Hans Rosling has produced an upbeat and crucially important work that draws attention to why almost all the things we think we know about the world are wrong and discussing the reasons why. Hans, along with co-authors Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund, offers a toolbox of ideas to help us deal with our desire for drama, our flawed interpretation of statistics and our tendency to rush to judgement waterstones.com

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

5

skin deep

Canary Wharf

tester kit

Inc.Redible Flower Power Hydrating Sheet Mask, Waitrose, £5 What are we testing here?

This Flower Power sheet mask has a garland of posies on the forehead, but I’m also excited to see there is a unicorn mask available. Serious mask envy.

What is it for?

It’s the usual sheet mask story, clean face, leave on for 15 minutes, take off and voila. This one is enriched with botanical flower extracts and vitamin E, which the makers claim helps “provide antioxidant protection, intense hydration, plumpled, smoothed and refreshed skin”.

First impressions?

Its strawberry milkshake colour, isn’t especially flattering on initial viewing – but then I wasn’t going to wear it for a night out, so who cares?

The mask seems quite small.

I don’t know whose face it was designed for but it definitely isn’t mine.

My nose protrudes from it and I’m concerned it won’t provide full coverage of my (faint) frown and smile lines – I have a lot of feelings.

How does it perform?

By the end of the 15 minutes. the mask has started to dry out – so much for the instructions’ promised excess that I would need to rub in. There isn’t really a eureka moment, although I try to find one. My skin looks the same as it would have had I just cleansed it and maybe put on a light moisturiser.

Determined to make the most of things, I notice there’s some gel left in the pack and I apply it to my face. I’m rewarded with some pore shrinkage and an impression of plumping up.

The verdict?

Rubbing in the leftover gel from the pack was satisfying but the flower mask didn’t really perform. It also wasn’t a great selfie op. My friends’ verdict was laughter. Would I show the pictures to someone I want to fancy me? Not unless drunk.

Where can I get them?

Find this at Waitrose.

Follow @incrediblecosmetics on Instagram Mary Tadpole

OFFICE RESCUE MON-FRI | 3-6PM BUY ONE GET ONE FREE Peroni (bottle), house wine (175ml) or prosecco (125ml) *Get the same drink free. Cannot mix and match

27 COLDHARBOUR, LONDON, E14 9NS WWW.THEGUNDOCKLANDS.COM 0207 519 0075 | GUN.EVENTS@FULLERS.CO.UK

6

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

45

Combined weight of the pieces that make up the Havering Hoard in kilograms

hoarding advertising a

problem

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

7

Canary Wharf

how the display of the Havering Hoard at a special exhibition in Docklands raises questions

by James Drury

T

he discovery of the largest bronze age hoard ever found in London has left experts with something of a mystery on their hands. The 453 items, including axe heads, swords, knives, sickles, ingots and razors, had been deliberately broken before being meticulously placed into four 50cm holes in the ground and packed with straw.

But why were they buried? And why on the banks of the Thames in Havering? “We just don’t know,â€? said Museum Of London curator of archaeology Kate Sumnall, who is organising a major exhibition of the Havering Hoard, set to open at its Docklands site on April 3. “There are many theories, including that it could have been an oering to the gods, a display of power and status, a ritual oering or an attempt to control the amount of bronze available to make it more valuable. “Maybe it was a storage site – the hoard weighs 45kg, so it’s not an amount you’d like to carry around.â€?

Among the highlights of the hoard is a pair of terret rings – used to prevent the reins from tangling on horse-drawn carts.

This rare discovery is the ďŹ rst example of its kind to be found in the UK, although such items are more commonly found in France.

Also discovered was a ďŹ nely-crafted bracelet believed to come from what is now the French-German border, which suggests a well-connected community of travellers and traders, say archaeologists. “What’s interesting is how

“

There are many theories including that it could have been an offering to the gods or an attempt to control the amount of bronze available Kate Sumnall, Museum Of London

connected to Europe we were at this time,â€? said Kate. “From Portugal to Scotland we ďŹ nd the same designs of tools, such as swords and axes, but with slight regional variations, which shows a lot of movement and of people coming together and sharing ideas and culture.â€?

She said the area around Rainham where the Hoard was found was the site of many Bronze Age settlements.

The Thames was an important transport highway, and connected to the Channel, so it was the location of a lot of trade travel and therefore likely to be wealthy.

The hoard – the third largest found in the UK – was discovered in late 2018 by Archaeological Solutions, which had organised a dig at the site.

Aerial photos from the 1960s showed tantalising evidence of an enclosure on the site, but the team had no idea such a treasure lurked underground.

Continued on Page 8

The hoard comprises 453 items including axe heads, swords, knives and sickles that were broken up and buried in four 50cm holes in Havering

Images by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta

SHAPING CANARY WHARF I NORTH QUAY

Public Exhibition North Quay, Canary Wharf Canary Wharf Group is preparing new proposals for the development of North Quay, part of the Canary Wharf estate.

As part of our ongoing consultation process, we will be holding a second public exhibition to present our more detailed proposals.

Please come along and have your say.

Date, Time & Location Tuesday 10 March, 3pm – 7pm London Marriott Hotel, Canary Wharf, 22 Hertsmere Road E14 4ED Thursday 12 March, 3pm – 7pm Idea Store Canary Wharf, Churchill Place E14 5RB

Saturday 14 March, 10am – 2pm St Matthias Community Centre, 113 Poplar High Street E14 0AE

,

3pm - 7pm, London Marriott Canary Wharf Hotel, 22 Hertsmere Road, E14 4ED public exhibition Â

Â? Â? Â?

If you can’t make it to our exhibition, you will be able to view the information on our website after the events at: group.canarywharf.com/planning/north-quay/consultation

Contact Us For further information or if you have any questions please contact consultation@canarywharf.com

8

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

453

Pieces of bronze make up the Havering Hoard, which is going on show at the Museum Of London Docklands

A pair of terret rings from the Havering Hoard

Left, axe heads and right, a bracelet

from Page 7 “As we were cutting one of the samples e found the first hoard, said prehistory and Roman pottery specialist at Archaeological Solutions Andrew Peachy.

“As an archaeologist you’re trying to get very carefully excavated layers but a chunk just fell away. Staring out of the ground was a green colour – very noticeable in the winter sunlight. It’s not what you’re expecting to see.

“It was incredibly exciting.

Everyone stops and comes to see – which is good because you need all their help to record everything.

“We were there until 9.30pm in the middle of inter, or ing by torchlight

“

Staring out of the ground was a green colour – very noticeable in the winter sunlight. It’s not what you expect to see Andrew Peachy, Archaeological Solutions

Once the four deposits had been e cavated and cleaned up, ron e Age specialists discussed interpretations of what they could mean and why they’d been buried there.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t get them to agree, said ate ut

watch this space – work is continuing on the items and there’ll be much more information coming to light about them as those studies continue The exhibition at the Museum Of London Docklands will set out the different theories and sho how the items were used in daily ron e ge life isitors ill also have a chance to decide for themselves which explanation they think is most convincing. ate said e ill be saying ere are the clues, form your o n conclusion avering oard ron e ge Mystery runs at the Museum Of London Docklands from April 3-November 1. Entry is free.

Go to museumoflondon.org.uk for more information

Museum Of London curator of Archaeology Kate Sumnall

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

00992_SPRING20 Fashion Event_Wharf Life_268x340mm_AW.indd 1

9

25/02/2020 10:50

10

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

12

Schools took part in the challenge, which culminated in final presentations at Here East in Stratford

how JP Morgan is working with schools to boost students’ career opportunities and passion for STEM

JP Morgan’s Rebecca Hooper took part in the Schools Challenge as a mentor for the first time this year

by Jon Massey

I

challenge setting a

nspiring the next generation is something JP Morgan takes seriously. While Canary Wharf may be home to the European headquarters of the investment bank, its activities increasingly reach beyond the estate’s borders with the aim of helping young people from a diverse range of backgrounds gain the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for them to compete in the global economy.

Its philanthropic arm, the JP Morgan Foundation, recently hosted the final of its largest Schools Challenge competition at Here East in Stratford. The four-month programme saw 192 students, aged 13-14, from 12 London schools work to come up with creative ideas to make London a better place with a focus on climate change and sustainability.

The challenge was also designed to promote the study of STEM subjects by demonstrating to students the breadth of careers possible once ualified in them One of two teams from St Paul’s Way Trust School in Bow – Re-greener-ate – were named overall winners for their electricity-generating footwear, which beat ideas for water-soluble packaging, a power-generating gym, a bus with a green roof and a water bottle made out of fruit skins, among many others.

“The foundation has had a very long-standing commitment to young people globally, but particularly in London,” said Hang Ho, head of philanthropy for the JP Morgan Foundation in Europe and Latin America.

“We have done that for a couple of reasons – supporting the next generation is something everyone agrees is important, both from an altruistic perspective but also as a company. We are making sure that the talent of tomorrow is diverse and comes from as many different backgrounds as possible.

“The foundation has been investing in programmes to support young people both through funding, but also through the skills and expertise and time of our people.

“We know young people can

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

11

Canary Wharf

Overall winners Re-greener-ate collect their Schools Challenge award on stage at Here East in Stratford

“

We know young people can only make informed decisions about careers if they have exposure to different kinds of jobs and companies

The overall winners came up with ZheuSole, an insole that generates electricity from the energy created when people walk, allowing it to be captured and used to charge devices such as laptops and smartphones.

Team members Amaan and Dimtrije had the following to say about the Schools Challenge experience:

Hang Ho, JP Morgan Foundation

only make informed decisions about careers if they have exposure to different inds of obs and companies, whether it is through insight days, workplace visits and work shadowing.

“At the most basic level, the School’s Challenge gives them that exposure to professionals from JP Morgan and our partners. ”One of the topics that it is really, really important for us to address, is the myth that young people Continued on Page 12

Re-greener-ate from St Paul’s Way Trust School present their final pitch for the ZheuSole at the School’s Challenge

Did you enjoy it?

Amaan: “I more than enjoyed it – I loved it. It was a dream come true.”

Dimtrije: “I have loved every second of it.”

Did it help you gain experience you otherwise wouldn’t have had?

Amaan: “Definitely, I really improved my presentation skills.”

Dimtrije: “I learnt how to work as part of a team,

which was really important as I was the project manager.”

What’s been your favourite part of the Challenge?

Amaan: “The award ceremony was my favourite part.

I screamed when they called out our team name.”

Dimtrije: “I loved being in the MakerSpace and designing our prototype.”

Has this opened your eyes as how fun and useful STEM subjects can be?

Amaan: “I’ve always loved Maths and Science but the Schools Challenge has confirmed to me that these are subjects that I want to pursue in the future.”

Dimtrije: “I’ve always had a passion for Maths but now I’ve learnt that my passion goes beyond just this subject.”

12

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

192

Students participated in the latest iteration of JP Morgan’s Schools Challenge

from Page 11 have that, if you study STEM subjects, the only choices left to you are to become a maths teacher or a physics professor. There is a plethora of opportunities – the world is your oyster. Our CEO came from a nuclear physics background, for example – you can do so much if you continue to do STEM until A levels.”

To that end, the Schools Challenge deliberately picked a scientific theme designed to engage young people Hang said: “We’ve all heard

from the younger generation about sustainability of their community and of the planet.

“As a company, we want to make sure we will do whatever we can to support communities through socio-economic activities.

“We are open to ideas and the other reason behind the choice of topic was that, when we were doing the focus groups to set up the chools hallenge four or five years ago, it was one of the points that was raised by students at the time. They said that they were very interested in doing stuff outside the curriculum to help boost their skills.

Above, a member of The Redeemers presents her team’s idea for a bin that takes fruit and vegetable waste and uses it to generate electricity Mentor Rebecca Hooper said seeing the group take their idea from conception to prototype during the programme was ‘pretty amazing’

“Setting up the challenge like this was in direct response to those young people and we hear again and again that it is one of the most important topics for them.”

The Schools Challenge is one of a number of outreach activities the bank runs to engage and help young people, including its Aspiring Professionals Programme, which supports high achievers from low income backgrounds in partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation.

While its engagement with these activities is philanthropic, it’s also of benefit to e isting staff and the organisation as a whole.

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

13

Canary Wharf

“

The students got a better understanding of all the different roles that are available and how everybody works together to make an organisation run Rebecca Hooper, JP Morgan

Rebecca Hooper, who works in corporate communications at JP Morgan took part in the Schools hallenge for the first time, as a mentor supporting The Redeemers team from Robert Clack School in Dagenham.

She said: “They developed a super bin which would digest and break down fruit and vegetables and generate electricity.

“I decided to volunteer because, since I started working, I’ve always been very passionate about social mobility and making young people aware of opportunities that are available to them.

“There were six mentors in our group and we decided which specific sessions e ere going to run. We had at least four of us in every session and we met with our group at least once a month.

“We decided that sections of the sessions would be planned the way teachers might plan a lesson and had very clear guidelines as to what we were trying to get out of the students and how that fed into the bigger project.

“For example, one of the later sessions was all about pitching and presentational skills.

“I really enjoyed taking part, I’d heard wonderful things about it before I signed up, but it really exceeded my expectations.

“Watching our group of students taking their idea all the way through from initial thoughts to prototype was pretty amazing.

“We also built up a real rapport with them and I think they got a few things out of it.

“First of all, they got a real understanding of why STEM subjects are important – mentors in our group could talk through how these subjects are brought to life in the workplace.

“They also got a better understanding of all the different roles that are available and how everybody works together to make an organisation run.

“We had a lot of fun together as a group, and I think they got something out of it that way as well. We were an extra resource for them beyond their teachers, families or friends, where they could test out ideas.

“For me, it was really fascinating to see how sustainability is such a hot topic among young people.

“I was really impressed by how informed they were, and it was fascinating to see how young people generally are viewing the orld and approaching different issues.

“I was so proud when they presented in the final - it sounds very obvious - but it as a brilliant moment, just seeing how elated they were at that moment. They had worked so hard and it really paid off Go to jpmorgan.com for more information

picking winners

David Lomer, co-head of UK investment banking, JP Morgan Having mentored on the Schools Challenge for a number of years, David acted as a grand final judge at Here East in 2020 He said: “The students have been on an amazing journey since September. They have developed a number of skills – like working in a team, entrepreneurship, planning, meeting deadlines, communicating, staying positive, aiming high – they will all be valuable in everything they do from here.

“The Schools Challenge is a fun, rewarding and healthy way for our mentor teams at JP Morgan to engage with ambitious young people in London.

“Most importantly, we can learn from and be inspired by these remarkable young people. Their new perspective on challenges and problem solving is something our people can also learn from. It’s all about getting these students enthused about academia and showing how STEM subjects can lead to rewarding and exciting careers.

“Whether it’s in banking, engineering or technology, if the challenge can open their eyes to their potential and the opportunities out there, we’re achieving our objective.”

Help your loved ones to help you kiddrapinet.co.uk/understandinganlpa

You can’t control what the future holds, but you can control who makes decisions on your behalf.

Download our FREE guide to MAKING A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) Book a consultation with Gemma Hughes today on 020 7205 2896 or email ghughes@kiddrapinet.co.uk

14

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

why Canary Wharf has created a roadmap for the capital’s ongoing prosperity

2m

Square footage of office space that will be built as part of the Wood Wharf project

by Jon Massey

T

his is a year of change for Canary Wharf.

The estate has already elcomed its first residents (more about that from Page 17) and the first buildings and open spaces at Wood Wharf are set to come onstream. Hand-in-hand with those developments, the company that o ns it is increasingly turning its attention to thought leadership reaching out across the capital ith the aim of ensuring mutual prosperity anary harf roup s hobi han made his first public appearance at the launch of Future roo ng ondon s onom a report created by the developer into the challenges and opportunities facing the city s entrepreneurs, residents and environment. e said anary harf roup has overseen the largest urban regeneration pro ect ever underta en in urope and transformed ondon s business landscape, consolidating the city s position as a global business capital Thirty years later, ood harf is set to transform the city again, providing space for a ne generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs, and a neighbourhood for people shaping the future of ondon ith tree-lined al ays, street-level outlets for independent retailers, industry leading sustainability initiatives and an abundance of public spaces ood harf is an environment that will allow future talent to thrive and communities to prosper ood harf is our commitment to the continued success and gro th of ondon, its economy and its businesses anary harf is an unbelievable brand internationally they had the foresight to build the estate years ago and they ve seen hat s happening ith social capital, ith sustainability, here the ne economy s going in terms of hat the talent ants and that s hat e ve built at ood harf The report, hich is available to do nload in full online and as produced ith contributions from , icrosoft, isco, Tf , and the ommittee n limate Change as well as senior Canary

proof reading

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

15

Tech & Innovation

Bright future: This artist’s impression shows how Wood Wharf will look when complete

“

Reach out: Head of Level39 Ben Brabyn has called for firms to look beyond London to ensure the benefits of their activities are felt in wider society

Wood Wharf is our commitment to the continued growth and success of London, its economy and its businesses Shobi Khan, Canary Wharf Group

harf roup staff, recommends ondon businesses embrace financial inclusion, prioritise digital s ills, or collectively ithin the private sector to fight climate change, boost investment in connectivity and or to create a climate in hich companies can gro uic ly ts launch this month sa contributors and e perts engage in a series of panel discussions ith topics inspired by its content ne of the areas discussed at length as ho ondon could best ma e use of its attractive ualities to ensure its ongoing success ead of anary harf tech accelerator evel , en rabyn, both contributed to the report and spo e at the launch e said t s hard to ignore democratic events recently that indicate there are different perspectives in different parts of the country thin that ill not harm but help ondon if it becomes more effective in ta ing the rest of the country ith it This has al ays been a great centre for e port e ve got very good indeed at e porting soft po er around the orld and e need to re-learn that habit, particularly around the rest of the country and then beyond ould suggest e inherit , years of history e re standing on the shoulders of giants and e should be a little bit cautious about saying the ne t years are going to be radically different to hat s gone before because at the heart of it all you have the thing that has changed least and that s the individual This has been the home of the rights of the individual to a greater e tent than any other city on the planet and ma ing sure our financial services industry in particular is properly governed and supported by technology, regulation and investment is ey e need to ma e sure people can e press a set of values that bring them together and that ill be as true in years as it is today n the report he ma es a case for ider o nership of businesses, going beyond ondon s borders, as a ay to spread a sense of purpose and belonging to the benefit of all Go to canarywharf.com for more

Improve your employee experience & increase efficiency with personalised chatbot, virtual agent & live chat solutions.

IT support HR support Staff support Employee onboarding info@creativevirtual.com 020 7719 8332

www.creativevirtual.com

16

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar11, 2020 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

7 getting greener

by Martin Gettings

T

he current climate and ecological crisis has rightly led to activists, rallies and protests. There’s no doubt these groups have helped raise the profile of sustainability to a point where it can no longer be ignored.

Businesses are now, more than ever, examining their place in society and their environmental impact, both positive and negative.

As we move into this new decade, perhaps it’s time to transition more from activists to activators. We want to create positive transformation by making real, practical changes and supporting everyone who visits, works and lives in Canary Wharf to do the same.

Employees of Canary Wharf Group only make up around 1% of the population of Canary Wharf – imagine if we could empower the entire 120,000-strong population in order to address our collective impact.

Small changes to your everyday routine can add up to make a huge difference. Not sure where to begin?

Start by swapping your disposable coffee cup for a reusable one and, as a bonus, many retailers on the Estate will offer a discount for bringing your own cup.

Carry a reusable water bottle and fill it up at one of the seven refill stations installed across the malls.

Download the Helpful app and get rewarded every time you reuse or recycle something.

Think about your energy use at work and at home, ask yourself: Can I save energy, can I switch to renewable electricity?

This month, the very first residents moved into 10 George Street, Canary Wharf Group’s rental offering from Vertus, at Wood Wharf. Our transition from a commercial district to a thriving 24/7 micro-city means we have to be even smarter about managing our impact.

We are looking at the way we use resources, setting challenging targets for ourselves and encouraging others to do the same. As our community continues to grow, it’s crucial that we’re bringing everyone on board our sustainability journey.

We want to enable every company at Canary Wharf to make positive decisions on sustainability.

As a business we’ve been embedding sustainability in our developments throughout our 30-year history and we want to share our experiences and learn from our neighbours.

We have a quarterly tenant sustainability forum that is working to bring every business at Canary Wharf on board with the same goal – to tackle the climate and ecological crisis through collective positive impact.

Water refill stations spread across Canary Wharf to encourage people to use reusable bottles at work and when visiting

activate it’s time to

Martin says the activism must be translated into action as the world grapples with the climate and ecological crisis

“

Imagine if we could empower the entire 120,000-strong population of Canary Wharf in order to address our collective impact Martin Gettings, Canary Wharf Group

The activists have given us the awareness. It’s time for us to be activators and to be a part of the solution.

If you work, live or visit Canary Wharf and want to get in touch, or you represent a business and would like to get involved in the tenant sustainability forum, please email us at sustainability@canarywharf.com

Martin Gettings is group head of sustainability at Canary Wharf Group Go to canarywharf.com or breakingtheplastichabit.co.uk

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

41

Advertising Directory

find our advertisers’ messages here Chase Evans print Pages 1, 34, 35 online chaseevans.co.uk

Ballymore print Page 25 online ballymoregroup.com

Keith Prowse print Page 3 online keithprowse.co.uk/wharflife

Vantage Properties And Management print Page 26 online vantage-uk.com

The Harley Street Fertility Clinic print Page 4 online hsfc.org.uk

City And Country print Page 27 online cityandcountry.co.uk

The Gun print Page 5 online thegundocklands.com

National Landlord Investment Show print Page 28 online landlordinvestmentshow.co.uk

Canary Wharf Group print Pages 7, 9 online canarywharf.com

Notting Hill Genesis print Page 29 online nhgsales.com

Kidd Rapinet print Pages 4, 39 online kiddrapinet.co.uk

Berkeley Homes print Pages 30, 31 online berkeleygroup.co.uk

Creative Virtual print Page 15 online creativevirtual.com

Higgins Homes print Page 33 online higginshomes.co.uk

My London Home print Pages 17, 36, 37 online mylondonhome.com

Galliard Homes print Page 40 online galliardhomes.com

JG Chatham print Page 24 online kitchenerbarracks.com

be part of the Canary Wharf conversation To advertise in Wharf Life call 07944 000 144 or email advertising@wharf-life.com

Wharf Life is published by Massey Maddison Limited, printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge. Copyright Massey Maddison Limited 2020

42

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

bright

200

Young people reached each year

by RevolYOUtion’s program to help prepare pupils for life beyond school

spark

how 22-year-old Rasheeda Page-Muir will be using her platform at FutureFest 2020

by Laura Enfield

D

ebate has been part of Rasheeda Page-Muir’s life since she was a tiny girl. Politics, religion, social activism – no topic as off limits in her dining room and, what started as a family tradition, is now a way of life for the ambitious 22-year-old.

“My house has always been very political,” said the School Of Oriental And African Studies student.

“My parents grew up with black British civil rights and used knowledge to socially mobilise and engage in politics so those kinds of conversations were always very prevalent in my home.”

She founded social enterprise RevolYOUtion when she was 16 to host discussions for young people across London and provide them with the same freedom of speech she’d had growing up. Currently in her sights are combative, hate-filled social media spats, such as the recent “anti-woke” furore sparked by actor Laurence Fox. Her aim is to bring people together, face-to-face to solve the world’s problems.

“A lot of perception of wokeness or anti-wokeness has come from social media and people wanting to maintain a certain position on there,” said Rasheeda, who is in the final year of a degree in social anthropology and politics.

“You can very easily take part in these frivolous but visceral arguments with people online without ever having to really engage in real life.

“It’s very easy to tell someone they are ugly and stupid on Twitter, but in real life, most normal people wouldn’t do that.

“That’s why it’s important for us to create actual physical spaces, where people have to look each other in the eye and engage in more loving dialogue.”

Rasheeda, who has delivered TED talks and lectured at universities across the country, will be sharing her views with a live audience at FutureFest 2020 in Wapping on March 20.

She will join 20-year-old climate activist Clover Hogan and award-winning editor Jamie Windust for a panel debate titled A Young Person’s Guide To The Future, looking at how younger generations are tackling the world’s most pressing issues.

“I feel like we will be very surprised by what the world will look like in 20 years

time,” said Rasheeda. “Even now we are seeing people adopting more minimalist lifestyles and getting off social media because of the excesses of modernity – we feel they are going too far. People are beginning to realise it’s not the best for us.

“Some people would argue we’ve had one already, but I feel we’re due a really massive crisis that will shake everything up.”

She has already scaled back her social media usage as she dislikes the way Twitter can create “demigods of certain issues” and instead pumps her energy into evolving RevolYOUtion. Based in Woolwich, it was awarded YMCA Family Project of the Year in 2018.

It runs monthly #RevDebates for young people across London, asking questions such as: “Should citizens be automatically signed up for organ donation? Is international aid a new form of colonialism?

Is having multiple sexual partners really sexually liberating?”.

“It may sound cheesy or simple but I thin listening effectively is really hat s going to ma e the difference in the decades going forward,” said Rasheeda.

“There has been a lot of unwillingness to listen to the demands and concerns of people who don’t look or sound like us.

“One of the most valuable things I have seen come out of our debates is how people at opposite ends of the political spectrum, have very different ideas or are from differing demographics and able to sit down and understand other people’s world view. That is what moves things forward.

“It’s really important we create spaces where communities are engaged in helpful and productive dialogue because that’s the only way we can move towards a world that’s more collaborative and more understanding.”

The youngest of five sisters, asheeda said what inspired her to set up the enterprise initially was wanting to capture the spirit of the impassioned debates she still has with her parents.

“I want us to create a sense of family for people and it to be a community space where young people can feel safe and challenged so they can learn and grow,” said Rasheeda.

“I want them to really be prepared to understand some of the dynamics that are at play in our environment and be able to have some of the tools to engage in that discourse.”

Founder of RevolYOUtion Rasheeda Page Muir wants to teach young people the importance of talking face-to-face to solve local and global problems

She was also inspired by the divide she saw in Greenwich growing up.

A former pupil of Plumstead Manor School and Thomas Tallis Sixth Form, she said: “People from outside the borough think of Greenwich University, the National Maritime Museum or the Cutty Sark but the parts I grew up in don’t look like that and people from the north and south can’t always engage in the culture it’s known for. Young people from my area aren’t always encouraged to have certain conversations or aren’t equipped to have them.

“So when they get to universities that are very white and middle-class they feel unable to engage. It’s important we start to do work with kids as young as si so that they feel confident in hat it is they have to say and can make valuable contributions to our communities.

“It’s something I absolutely had. My dad especially always wanted us to feel that we were just as intelligent as kids who went to the top schools.

“I was always made to feel that my voice was important. But even so, when I have gone into certain spaces I have felt

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

43

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

insecure and not as confident as people ho have had a different education to me ut it is a process There is al ays going to be impostor syndrome, but it s really important for young people ho don t come from the ind of home have to feel important That s hat ant us to provide asheeda had her o n crisis of confidence hen she ent off to university in irmingham and uit after t o ee s had this sin ing feeling that it asn t here as supposed to be, she said t felt really scary at the time because it as one of the first huge decisions have made by myself he had al ays been a een poet but bac home her creativity disappeared, as did the success of evol tion hich she d founded in felt very pu led about hat as happening ne t had a lot of doubts and fears about faith and felt li e as having an e istential crisis at , she said started uestioning a lot of things and felt very alone and confused about my place in the orld and the purpose of life really t as disabling and depressing he added hen started evol tion as in the si th form and it as really vibrant and everyone as engaged ith it hen came bac all my friends and a lot of people my age ere gone and asn t sure ho to continue building it or hat to do ne t fter trying her hand at blogging, vlogging and going bac to her ob at andos, she blagged her ay into hosting panel tal s and found she had a nac for it n my T itter bio said as a host and a guy reached out and as ed me to host a creative net or ing event for minorities called ring e n t as really great and he got me to host the event every month and a lot of creatives sa me and built a lot of connections The former reen ich outh ouncillor realised eeping evol tion alive meant reaching out beyond her borough t s or no includes hosting an annual mentoring and net or ing event for more than - year olds called e change and they have launched intergenerational debates ith topics such as s tradition holding us bac ith youth movements you have to or out ho to continuously recruit people or it ill ust die, said asheeda o during the gap year, e built more connections ith schools and reached out to younger people involved in debating or ho ere interested in politics and social issues

“

It’s important for us to create actual physical spaces, where people have to look each other in the eye and engage in more loving dialogue Rasheeda Page-Muir, RevolYOUtion

Above and below, Charlotte Church, Richard Ayoade, Louis Theroux and Elif Shafak will also be speakers at the event at Tobacco Dock in Wapping

e started ma ing our events more visible on social media so people from all over could come e people are made to feel incredibly elcome because that family aspect is really important for us hen people feel loved and appreciated they are more inclined to be respectful in conversations t is a concept she learnt from her parents both former teachers hose families hail from uyana, amaica and arbados They also made sure she as proud of her heritage and asheeda is paying homage to her bac ground by riting her dissertation on hether blac omen in the conte t of carnival use fashion and the body to interact ith ider systems of po er he said people often underestimate her get people saying ou re so young and doing all of this , she said There are times hen might be the youngest person in the room and the only blac person and that can feel over helming and people are surprised by me uite a bit ut in my vie that is ust due to pre udice get told ou spea so ell, hich in my mind is ust li e really racist bullshit any ay o ever, for her, e uality is not the biggest challenge she ants her generation to overcome e need to do something radical to stop the destruction of this planet, she said There needs to be a big shift in ho e are doing things environmentally and e must develop strategies that really centre on sustainability There s a conversation about it no but it is no here near translating into hat it should be translating into or me it intersects ith gender and race e uality started having conversations about environmentalism because it came from a blac feminist The first person ho as ac no ledged to have died from pollution in this country as a little blac girl ho lived minutes from me so, for me, these are issues to do ith climate change ut e might not have a planet to even fight some of these other battles if e don t ta e seriously the stuff that is happening no nd the conversation needs to be more all-encompassing tinction ebellion is very hite middle class and there are certain issues they are having ith the conversations despite their seemingly radical agenda o ever, it is not all doom and gloom said asheeda, hose heroes include singer auren ill, rapper, activist and riter ala and merican academic, author and activist arc amont- ill feel li e the future is bright and there are people or ing to ma e sure it s not as devastating as e thin it might be, she said m inspired by them and their or and ant to be one of the people that contributes to that or in a real and tangible ay uture est ill be at Tobacco oc in apping on arch Tic ets cost and spea ers include ouis Therou , ichard yoade and harlotte hurch For more information go to futurefest.org or revolyoutionlondon.com

14 days later

plan your life from Mar 11-25 where?

Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

STAGE | Walking To Jerusalem A one-man play written and performed by Justin Butcher and inspired by a real-life pilgrimage from London calling for equal rights in the Holy Land.

Mar 18-19, 7.30pm, from £14, wiltons.org.uk where?

Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

SHOW | Dust Puppetry and poetry combine in this heartfelt story about love, loss, identity and memory. With haunting music by Hugo White of The Maccabees.

Mar 18-27, various times, £7, halfmoon.org.uk where?

Jamboree Three Colt Street

MUSIC | New Orleans Jazz The Prospective Collective, a band of Londonbased jazz musicians, will give a Sunday afternoon performance of beautiful, old jazzy classics.

Mar 15, 3.30pm, free, jamboreevenue.co.uk

to do before March 11

One of Poland’s most popular bands Perfect arrive in London to take over the stage at Troxy for the evening and perform favourite songs from their back catalogue on March 1.

Doors 6pm, tickets £31.90 troxy.co.uk

spot check worth a visit Stop by the Yurt Cafe for a menu of locally sourced food served under canvas. precinct.rfsk.org want more? @wharflifelive

44

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

riverside recipes

by Matt Colk

T

he pork chop is one of my favourite cuts of meat. If cooked properly it forms the basis of dishes that are perfect for indoor meals or can even be done on the barbecue.

The meat comes from the loin of the pig and is portioned through the ribs keeping, as much rind or fat on as possible as this is where all the flavour comes from.

I prefer to cook pork with something sweet as this works well with the salty flavours of the pork chop. Pan-frying one on a high heat works best before letting it rest.

how Elasko aims to disrupt and stretch the fitness sector with its powerful moves and bespoke bars

£75

Cost of a one-to-one session of Elasko with Sonja or one of her fitness trainers

by Jon Massey

E Matt’s pan-fried pork chop with sausage potato cake, caramelised apples and mustard sauce Ingredients (per portion) 280g pork chop 100g potato 100g sausage meat 5g chopped parsley 5g salt 4g pepper 50g sugar 50g butter 80g double cream 1 apple 15g wholegrain mustard vegetable oil cress for finishing Method Bake the potatoes at 180ºC until they are soft, then scrape the potato out of the skins.

Once cool, add the sausage meat, parsley and half the salt and pepper. Mould into a round, flat patty, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Peel the apple and cut it into seven segments.

Heat the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan until it begins to caramelise. Slowly add the soft butter and cream but be careful to avoid letting the mixture bubble. Simmer for five minutes, add the apple segments and leave to one side.

Pan fry the pork chop in the vegetable oil until it’s golden on each side and then place it fat side down (standing it up in the pan) on a low heat until it’s crispy.

Depending on the thickness of the meat finish in the oven for three-tofive minutes then let it rest for five minutes. Remove the pork chop, add the mustard to the juices in the pan with the apple to make the sauce and serve immediately.

An ideal garnish is some fresh cress.

Matt Colk is head chef at The Gun in Coldharbour, Blackwall. Owned and operated by Fuller’s, it offers dining, drinking and relaxation by the Thames Go to thegundocklands.com or follow the @thegundocklands on Instagram and Twitter

lasko is completely embodied in the body and apparently boundless energy of its founder – Sonja Laskowski.

The dancer, choreographer and fitness studio o ner has drawn on more than 30 years of experience to conceive a system of dynamic stretching aimed at disrupting the way people exercise and she s recently opened her agship site on the ground oor of ntario Tower in Blackwall.

“This is my life’s journey,” said Sonja. “I always say it’s my baby because I don’t have children.

“Elasko is something that grew organically throughout my life. I started ballet when I was very little, perhaps five, then gymnastics, fitness, you name it.

“I am German – I grew up near Hamburg – but I moved away very quickly. I’ve lived in the States, in Malta and in Spain.

“I was also on stage and then working as a choreographer. I had my o n fitness studio in pain offering all kinds of classes – Pilates, Yoga, spinning – but I realised there needed to be something different for people “That is Elasko, for me. It’s a completely new discipline in the fitness mar et, so sold everything and just concentrated on developing that concept.”

Sonja moved to London ith her partner five years ago and, with one Elasko studio already open in Spain, opened the Blackwall facility in November last year.

“It was a beautiful lifestyle where I was living in Spain,” she said. “I could have stayed there and had a great life, but I want to bring this beautiful system out to the world.

“I want to grow bigger, and the reason for this is that I always care for people, want to help them and support them. In order to do this, you have to grow and bring it to a broader audience, so it was clear to me that it had to be London.

“It’s a city of creativity, of health and nutrition – of new waves coming in. A lot of things start up here and a lot of people are extremely open to new things, especially when it comes into the area of health and fitness and

Elasko uses the elements of earth, fire, air and water as a framing device for the different exercises and methods it employs

Sonja designed Elasko’s distinctive wall bars, which are manufactured in Germany from walnut

Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

45

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

“

A lot of people think stretching is very passive or boring. I want to bring fun and dynamism into it Sonja Laskowski, Elasko

sense making

even more so in Canary Wharf. We have a lot of big plans.”

Those spending an hour with Sonja can expect a full sensory workout as well as a series of challenging exercises divided into four elements – earth, fire, air and ater ach comes with its own scent and lighting to set the tone ith, for e ample, fire comprising more vigorous, faster movements in contrast to the relaxation of earth. “ I always say it’s an experience, for the body, the mind and the soul,” she said. “There’s one problem with this – people say: ‘What kind of experience?’ las o is a ne ave of stretch fitness t s very important people understand stretching has so many sides to it. People either do it as a warm-up, as a cool-down – it’s something that hurts that they don’t really

want to do. Then we have the other side of the menu, where we have Yoga and Pilates, which are beautiful, but a bit sedate for me.

“I am very powerful and energetic and I need a discipline that combines stretching with power. I need to feel my body when I work out.

“A lot of people think stretching is very passive or boring. I want to bring the fun and dynamism into stretching and greater e ibility comes ith that “For me, the priority is power and the strength the confidence you get from it and the body awareness.” las o has been conceived as a holistic system, intended to address both the mental and physical needs of its practitioners. That includes work on posture, relaxation and breathing as well as using the walnut wall bars designed by Sonja to support

more than 150 exercises at a range of intensities. It’s a setup that allows her to constantly vary the workouts.

“It is German-engineered – I am German and you will feel the German in uence in it, strong and po erful and very e cient, very technical, she said. “The training consists of four elements – people can expect that it’s not only stretching, there are little surprises, lots of bits and bobs, which are very important for me, because, when people come in, I gauge their state.

“Sometimes they need to relieve their stress before we get started so we go ith the fire the room red-lit f they’re athletes, then we run a bit on the spot, if they like dancing, then we dance a bit and get the heart-rate up, and then they can let go.

“Then we go into the water section, which is the stretching where we have the bars that I have designed because my stretches are unique.

“We also have air, which is learning how to breathe and earth which is about relaxation – everybody gets pampered. I use oriental massage techniques, but I always mould them into the las o style “We give energy to the head and the feet and that’s to give people a beautiful oating e perience so at the end they’re happy.

“People think they have to sweat, to pump it and to be focused all the time.

That is all very important, but it’s not fun and it’s not sustainable.

“There are a lot of disciplines out there where you feel absolutely shattered after the workout and you don’t want to do anything any more you’re just tired. I want people to feel strong, dynamic, athletic and good – for them to be full of energy when they leave That s hat fitness should do – it should enhance, not take out all the energy.” las o is also designed to give people a clear break from the tyranny of technology by helping them reinvigorate their senses. eople are so fi ed to their devices, like the mobile phones when they walk outside, they don’t even hear the birds,” she said.

“They don’t smell any more. People standing next to me wonder why I always smell things, but I open up to it. You can really practise those senses.

“I give kids’ classes as well. We use the candles, so they learn the different scents and how they go with the lights – the colours.

“Hearing is important too. I use music – sometimes classical, sometimes with a beat or sometimes live.

The sense are extremely important for us and that also makes us special.”

Following her London launch, Sonja intends to expand her brand online with a range of products allowing people to ta e part in las o or outs in their homes. One-to-one sessions cost £75, which can be split in half if two people want to attend together. las o also runs classes for up to four people and sessions for families.

For more information go to elasko.com

14 days later

plan your life from Mar 11-25 where?

The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Julius Caesar The UnDisposables deliver a politically charged adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic text that’s heavy on moral ambiguity and the ethics of power.

Until Mar 21, 7.30pm, £15, space.org.uk where?

The Gun Blackwall

OFFER | Express Lunch Menu Peckish when 12pm rolls around? The Docklands stalwart is offering two courses for £25 or three for £29 Monday-Friday. Expect steak, sole and sugar.

Weekdays, noon-3pm, from £25, thegundocklands.com where?

Poplar Union Poplar

GIG | Kongo Dia Ntotila The band bring their blend of modernised African dance music garnished with a neat twist of jazz to east London for an evening of “pure Afro-joy”.

Mar 14, 17.30pm, from £8 online, poplarunion.com

to do before March 11

The Space shines a spotlight on dance and physical theatre with its Emerge Festival.

Running until March 7 with performances at 8pm, the two-week programme showcases 10 works. Tickets cost £15 space.org.uk

spot check worth a visit Head to Maureen’s Pie And Mash in Chrisp Street Market for a classic feed maureenspieandmash.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive

46

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

playwright and poet Jamie Hale on gender, nature, disability and talking about difficult topics

by Laura Enfield

L

abels are helpful as long as they’re not misused, according to writer Jamie Hale. The disabled, trans, queer creative who prefers the pronoun “they”, said wheelchair users were still branded as benefit scroungers or deserving recipients of charity, which had moved their liberation backwards.

“I get a lot of people who see my e istence as brave, said the 28-year-old. “Or people saying if they were in my situation they would rather be dead – which they think is a compliment but isn’t.”

The poet and playwright wants to make work that challenges people’s perceptions and reveals commonality rather than differences “Whatever system you live under, we all have so much in common and our actions impact each other so much in ways we will never know about,” said the Lewisham resident.

“We have a duty to be gentle. We have a duty to each other and the orld to not e ploit and to lead for future generations.”

Jamie will be living this advice by running a workshop at Deptford Literature Festival. The one-day, mostly free event on March 14 is run by writers’ development agency Spread The Word and will include performances, readings and walks led by local creatives, including Inua Ellams, Jay Bernard and Ella Frears.

Jamie’s workshop Dissembling Nature ill e plore hat it means to write about nature from a body that diverges from the straight, white, cisgender, male, non-disabled canon.

“Nature writing has historically been very much about the human, usually the white man, overseeing his fiefdom and m really een for my workshop to deconstruct that,” they said. “Once you take the focus off the people you start to get a sense of people writing in collaboration with nature rather than writing over it anted to e plore nature as if we were a part of it rather than the guardians of it.” amie, ho li es e ploring adywell Fields and Limehouse waterways, will be taking participants on a trip – weather permitting – to encourage this deeper appreciation of the outdoors. The Home Counties native, who started writing poetry aged 10, feels a “moral obligation”

to make work that highlights the climate crisis.

“I don’t think it’s enough to create beautiful work,” said Jamie who has performed at Tate Modern and written for The Guardian, Poetry Quarterly, and Unite Magazine. “As an artist you have an obligation to create the world you wish to see.”

Another way the decade-long wheelchair user does this is by focusing on knocking down barriers placed in the way of disabled people.

They said: “I regularly get people stopping me in the street asking what’s wrong with me, which is part of the reason I decided not to answer questions about it. ut people ill often confide in me about their own fears and aspirations because they can see I’ve had a health journey. It’s an honour people choose to trust me with something so personal. People are so dissuaded from talking about this kind of thing that often they are starved for the opportunity.

“I guess my work tries to open up those opportunities to talk about di cult topics, to ma e space for people to talk about something they don’t feel heard on.”

The writer is working on a narrative solo show about disability and transitioning. eing disabled definitely made it more complicated,” said Jamie.

“There came a point where my health was too fragile to continue with any further surgeries so I had to come to an understanding of myself that didn’t rely on access to procedures.

“I have reached a point at which I’m reasonably happy with my gendered body and that’s all anyone can ask when they go into transition.

When I transitioned I very much identified as a man but no have come to see myself in a much more intermediate space.

“I chose to be called ‘they’ as I didn’t want to be able to pretend I wasn’t trans and that part of my life hadn’t ever happened.

“Given that I didn’t perceive myself as the typical role of man born in the wrong body, it feels more comfortable to use pronouns that ac no ledge the comple ity of my identity and e perience eople do find it hard to understand, but what matters more is that people are willing to engage with the comple ity of gender rather than getting the pronouns right every time.”

The Quaker, who said they preferred the word “queer” because it was genderless and nuanced, added umans need to bo things up and labels make it possible to do that. It’s when we’re using them as limiting they become a problem.

When we’re saying that label can’t go with that one – you can’t have both e periences “But when we use labels as shorthand for something more comple , then they serve a purpose.

“I don’t get negativity around se uality because people perceive heelchair users as being se less and genderless.

“I get a lot more of people’s attitudes around disability but it mostly rolls off me as don t ant to let that rent space in my head. It feeds into my creative work.”

Last year Jamie created show Not Dying hich e plores the assumption that I wouldn’t have a happy life or a life worth living, which broadly I do”.

They said: “Coming close to dying reminds me I’m lucky to be alive and I don’t want to take that for granted.

“Being happy is something I work on. It doesn’t come naturally to me but I don’t want to spend my life being miserable.

“Getting out of depression is not a matter of simply deciding to, but I have made a series of conscious choices that have enabled me to be happier with my life.”

W

hile Jamie is happy to talk about the ups and downs of being disabled, the physical reasons why are private.

“One of the political decisions I’ve made in the conte t of my or is to focus on the barriers placed in my way by society rather than the details of diagnosis,” they said. “So I have chosen always to be private about my medical condition but open about the effects of it The UCL student has round-theclock help with everything from breathing to eating, and made a choice a while ago to not rely on the usual agency workers but instead to employ a team of personal assistants to provide care.

Jamie said: “It’s paid for by the NHS but I do the coordinating. It is a lot of work. I do all the rotas, the legal implications of being an employer, timesheets, payroll and everything else.

“The advantages are choice and control. I can have the people I want doing the things I want at the times I want. I wouldn’t be able to do any of the projects I’m doing at the moment without this care package.”

Those projects include a walking trip to the Chilterns and an intensive si -month theatre training course with Graea, a deaf and disabled theatre company.

Jamie is also hoping to make radical change in the borough as recently appointed chair of Lewisham Council’s Disabled People’s Commision.

“It’s very much a public enquiry into their position on disabled people with a focus on council services and what changes need to happen to improve them,” they said.

“One thing we’ll focus on is whether disabled people are involved in the making of decisions.

“It’s a problem everywhere. I think historically, councils think of

“

We have a duty to be gentle. We have a duty to the world not to exploit and to lead for future generations Jamie Hale, writer

providing services to, rather than co-ordinating services with, disabled people.”

Jamie has a condition that has grown steadily worse over the years but, aged 19, he moved out of home to do a degree at Royal Holloway and lived in halls and then abroad in Spain for a year with paid support before arriving in London.

As well as working on a show for et i , a series of articles for the Wellcome Trust and a debut collection of poems and essays, the writer is also studying for a masters in the philosophy, politics and economics of health at UCL. no hat it is li e to e perience the vagaries of a health system not designed to meet my needs and it seemed like a way I could study towards working in the health system and trying to improve things,” they said.

“So my job for Lewisham is an early part of that. The work I’ve done on my masters is about liver transplants and organ transplants more broadly. I was interested in it because there’s a lot of ethics involved.

“The big question is whether moving to opt out will increase donations and, even if it doesn’t, should you do it anyway because maybe it is the right thing to do? s someone ho has benefited from the system I believe it is my absolute obligation to be an organ donor. A lot of my work focuses on mortality and a lot of people don’t like considering organ donation because it forces them to interact with their own mortality.”

Jamie faced it head on with Not Dying, having to put it on at the Barbican from a hospital bed after suffering from malnutrition They said: “I wrote it during a period in which my health and deterioration looked very unstable and it was about trying to live in the face of reminders of my own mortality.

“I feel about dying the same as most people. The human brain is designed to protect itself from conceiving of a world in which it does not e ist ut thin if you don’t want to think about something, then that’s a very good argument for thinking about it.”

Deptford Literature Festival is set to take place on March 14 at various locations in Deptford.

Go to spreadtheword.org.uk or jamiehale. co.uk for more information

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

47

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey

Jamie will run a workshop

14 days later

as part of Deptford

plan your life from Mar 11-25

Literature Festival on March 17 to explore what it means

where?

Deptford Lounge Deptford

to write about nature

OPEN | Deptford Live!

This open space offers people the chance to perform or share a skill for minimum of 15 minutes.

Apply via programming@thealbany.org.uk.

Mar 21, noon-4pm, free, thealbany.org.uk where?

Deptford Cinema Deptford

FILM | Satantango (screened with intervals) Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr’s 1994 feature chronicles the effect of a large financial windfall on a defunct agricultural collective post-communism.

Mar 21, 12.30pm (450mins), £6, deptfordcinema.org where?

The Albany Deptford

WORD | Inua Ellams’ Rap Party Remix The poet and local oversees an open mic for rappers, wordsmiths and MCs. DJ chooses the songs. Part of Deptford Literature Festival.

Mar 14, 7.30pm, free (ticketed), thealbany.org.uk

to do before March 11

words the power of

Images by Holly Cant – find more of her work at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta

Be quick off the mark and check out Joygernaut at Canada Water Theatre on February 27 – Andy Craven-Griffiths’ meditation on kindness. Doors 8pm, tickets £10. Open mic from 6.45pm in the cafe thealbany.org.uk

spot check worth a visit Find solace and breakfast at Dirty Apron in Deptford Market Yard’s arches @dirtyapronuk on Insta want more? @wharflifelive

48

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

why there’s no better time to pop over to the Queen’s House in Greenwich and investigate the art

by Jon Massey

I

t really is a must-see – the Queen’s House is one of the most important buildings in the country and it’s no exaggeration to say so,” said Dr Allison Goudie, curator of art pre-1800 at the Royal Museums Greenwich.

“The collection is really magnificent and I think it would be a surprise to anyone who hasn’t been before.”

Even allowing for a certain amount of bias given her position, few would argue that now is one of the best times there’s ever been to visit Inigo Jones’ classical creation that sits at the heart of present day Greenwich.

That’s because in addition to displaying paintings from the National Maritime Museum’s collection, it’s hosting two special exhibitions – Faces Of A Queen until August 31 and Woburn Treasures until January 17, 2021.

“It is the original house of delights and we’re really delighted to be living up to that name,” said Allison. “Faces Of A Queen unites the three versions of the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I – from Royal Museums Greenwich, the National Portrait Gallery and Woburn bbey for the very first time on public view.

“It is arguably the most famous image of her and possibly the most famous portrait in British history.

“People will remember seeing it in history textbooks at school – it really is iconic. It is so familiar people often don’t realise that there are three versions of it. That also makes it easy to skim over it and take if for granted.

“Having the three together really asks us to look closely, take time out and marvel at these three extraordinary paintings.

“It asks interesting questions about how power is portrayed, then and now and, in particular, how powerful women are portrayed, and what the power of images is. It’s so familiar that we really don’t take the time to stand in front of a picture like this and really think it through in its incredible detail.

“It’s also a really important moment for scholarship, because the three portraits have only ever been brought together once before,

and that wasn’t on public view, it was in a conservation studio at the National Portrait Gallery a number of years ago, but even then only really eetingly This is a very important moment for scholars to get to grips with this incredibly important portrait of Elizabeth.”

With the identity of the painters unknown, it’s likely the portraits were based on a common pattern, commissioned from various workshops by courtiers intending to express their devotion to the Queen following the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

“It wasn’t about who had painted these portraits, it was about who they depict – it’s all about Elizabeth and she is the star of the show,” said Allison. “It’s uite a different ay of thin ing about image-making.

“It’s thought they might all derive from a miniature portrait of Elizabeth by Nicholas Hilliard. She almost certainly didn’t sit for any of the three full-size paintings that we have on display.

“In fact she sat for very few portraits. Those for which she did sit would be turned into a pattern which could then be reproduced by different or shops “Rather than this being all part of a big propaganda project, they were probably commissioned as part of the big celebration of the defeat of the armada – a way for courtiers to jockey for position and associate themselves with this great victory.

“It would have been a very shrewd move to commission one of these portraits to show your allegiance to Elizabeth.”

While all three images are similar, there are significant differences bet een them “In the Royal Museums Greenwich version, the seascapes were over-painted in the early 18th century – we can date that reasonably precisely on the basis of the particular kind of pigment used, which was only introduced in the early 18th century, called Prussian Blue.

“However, we know from technical imaging scanning techniques available to us, underneath are the original 16th century seascapes, and they seem to closely resemble the ones you can see in the Woburn Abbey version.

“

It’s really exciting to bring these three portraits together and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to see them together Dr Allison Goudie, RMG

“That is quite interesting for what it reveals about the importance of this image down the centuries. It was clearly just as iconic in the early 18th century as it was in the 16th century and as it is today in the 21st.

“If you look closely, the ships are 17th century vessels intended to represent the armada. From what we can make out from the technical analysis, there doesn’t appear to have been a conservation or restoration need for updating.

“It was just an exercise in updating to bring this image into the contemporary time of the early 18th century.

“Interestingly, in the Woburn version, the seascapes are framed by columns on either side, so the ideas is you are looking through a window onto the English Channel.

In the Greenwich version the columns are done away with, and are replaced with what resembles picture frames.

“Now we’re looking at two paintings in the background – a change that coincides with a moment in the history of collecting and the history of taste in England, hen seascapes ere ta ing off “In your country house you would typically have a calm and a storm and this is a nice way of combining the historical narrative of the armada with the latest fashion. It’s really exciting to bring these three together and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see them in public.”

2

Free exhibitions that are running at the Queen’s House featuring treasures from Woburn Abbey

W

ith one of the portraits borrowed from Woburn Abbey, which is closed for 2020, visitors wandering around the Queen’s House will be able to see many other works from the same source. t s one of the finest collections in private hands in the country,” said Allison.

“Woburn Abbey is often referred to as the Treasure House and there are lots of fascinating connections between the collections there and the Queen’s House. What we’ve done with Woburn Treasures is dot the loans throughout our permanent displays as a series of interventions. These have been carefully chosen to cast new light on our collection and the history of the Queen’s House.

“There’s an absolutely stellar line-up of artists and masterpieces, including works by Van Dyck, Canaletto, Joshua Reynolds and Gainsborough – the quality is just magnificent “One is an absolutely fabulous portrait of Anne Of Denmark dressed in a resplendent, finely

Images Woburn Abbey Collection

Detail of works from the Woburn Collection, from left, Regatta On The Grand Canal by Canaletto, Woodcutter And Milkmaid by Thomas Gainsborough and a Meissen porcelain parrot circa 1890

embroidered dress. Anne commissioned the Queen’s House, and it’s thanks to her that it exists, so I’m delighted to have that portrait in the same room as another fulllength painting of one of her ladies in waiting – one of her closest friends – Lucy Harington Russell who was Countess Of Bedford.

“In her portrait the Countess is dressed for a court masque – an elaborate, immersive performance that was very popular in the Stuart period in an outfit designed

by Inigo Jones who was also the architect of the Queen’s House. e is a fascinating figure a little like the grand choreographer of the Stuart court – and we are delighted to have these two

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

49

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

image public

From left, the portrait from Woburn Abbey, Royal Museums Greenwich and the National Portrait Gallery are on public display for the very first time and entry is free

14 days later

plan your life from Mar 11-26 where?

Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | The Incident Room Follow Sergeant Megan Winterburn as she joins hundreds of officers working round the clock to catch the Yorkshire Ripper. Expect tense pressure.

Mar 17-21, times vary, £20, greenwichtheatre.org.uk where?

The O2 Arena Peninsula

FESTIVAL | Country To Country 2020 The cowboy hats and boots return for three days with headliners Eric Church, Darius Rucker and Luke Combs topping a bloke-heavy bill.

Mar 13-15, 4.30pm, from £39 per day, theo2.co.uk where?

Blackheath Halls Blackheath

COMEDY | Josie Long: Tender The comedian presents her latest show inspired by pregnancy, childbirth, becoming a mother and how her fear of climate change feeds into that.

Mar 14, 8pm, £16, blackheathhalls.com

Dr Allison Goudie of Royal Museums Greenwich takes a look at the three versions of the Armada Portrait on show

to do before March 11

at the Queen’s House until August

full-length portraits from Woburn, because it emphasises the all-encompassing nature of the arts and culture of the Stuart court – the idea of performance that feeds through absolutely everything, from architecture to costume, music, theatre and so on – Inigo Jones is at the heart of that.”

Entry to the Queen’s House, which is open daily, is free and includes both exhibitions.

A series of lectures will take place inspired by the Woburn Treasures from February 27-April 2 e amining specific pieces in both collections as well as a meditation on running a country house in the modern era. Tickets cost £8 For more information go tormg.co.uk

Detail from Marcus Gheeraets portrait of Ann Queen Of Denmark, consort of James I and loaned to the Queen’s House by Woburn Abbey

Slip beneath the Cutty Sark in Greenwich on March 5 to see new play I, Elizabeth. Written and performed by Rebecca Vaughan, it examines the woman behind the crown. The performance starts at 7.20pm, tickets £17 rmg.co.uk

spot check worth a visit

Image Woburn Abbey Collection

Try Market Table on Greenwich Peninsula for provisions, food and drink markettablenewlondon.com want more? @wharflifelive

50

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

barriers breaking

how Bury-born boy Layton Williams is living his childhood dream as a dance ambassador and gay icon

by Laura Enfield

F

airytales sometimes do come true. Just ask Layton Williams. He was 12 when he left his family behind for a move to the bright lights of London to follow his dream of making it as a dancer.

At the time he had no idea he would be high-kicking his way through so many barriers.

“It’s shaped who I am and made me into the man I am today,” said the 25-year-old, who got his big break as the lead in the stage version of Billy Elliot. e as the first mi ed-race boy to play the part and almost backed out of the auditions when he showed up and found himself surrounded by a sea of white faces.

Fortunately he persevered, beating thousands of other hopefuls to the part.

“It was very much right-place, right-time but I sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I hadn’t gone through with the audition,” he said.

“I’m sure I’d be here somehow ust in a very different ay He is currently a star of stage and screen, touring the UK playing the titular role in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – the true story of a teenager who overcomes prejudice to become a drag queen.

Layton, who is openly gay, is also the first person of colour to play the role.

On stage he has had roles in smash hit musicals Rent and Hairspray and on the small screen as overtly camp character Stephen Carmichael in Bad Education.

Recently he was named creative ambassador of Move It 2020 for its 15th anniversary event, which is set to be held at cel in oyal Docks from March 13-15 and will see some 30,000 dance professionals and fans brought together.

“I was buzzing when they asked me,” said Layton, who will run workshops with his company Pros From The Shows.

“I was like: ‘What? Little old me?’ I couldn’t quite believe it because I used to go back in the

day. So to be asked to literally be the face is a moment.”

“I fully feel like a grown-up – learning how to run a company and being on tour as well. I just hope it all pays off one day ut the biggest pay off for me is seeing the students in the workshop – how much they are buzzing and how much it inspires them.”

His company is a way of “giving back” and encouraging young kids who, like him, might have passion but not have access to proper dance training.

When he landed the role of Billy in the Elton John musical the media lapped up the story of the Bury-born boy.

Like the character, he was a northern lad full of natural talent ho had to defy e pectations and prejudices to become a dancer.

“I had a fun childhood like a normal kid just running about playing – very humble beginnings,” said Layton, who was one of nine kids raised in separate homes by his parents.

He was the only performer in the “crazy household” and said: “I don’t think I got it from anyone.

I think I just got it from within myself.

“I always remember dancing in front of the TV to Spice Girls and I used to make up dances whenever anyone came round and put on costumes and made them watch me. I have always been a bit of an entertainer I think.”

His mum spotted the advert for the Billy auditions in the local paper but when they arrived, Layton almost gave up as it was “just white boys everywhere”.

His raw talent impressed the judges and Layton said his guts got him through the rest and to where he is today.

“It took almost two years to get on the stage,” he said. “It was a long process because I didn’t actually have the proper training but they could see potential.

“There were many bumps in the road but I got here in the end.

I couldn’t do ballet or tap so they just said to pretend and that’s what I did.

“I didn’t think much of it

or e pect to get the ob out of thousands of people. I was very rough and ready.

“I kind of just got on with it, I’ve never really been nervous but have always thrown myself into it.

“With age I have probably got more nervous because you overthink things but I have tried to keep a bit of that child in me and be fearless and go for gold – that’s my vibe.

“On stage I just go and immerse myself because otherwise, I’d be thinking every second about what could go wrong. Live the life on stage, that’s what I like to think.

After moving to London as a child, Layton said he “found his tribe” and went on to train at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, which featured in CBBC’s School For Stars documentary.

“It’s become what I thought it would be,” he said of life in the capital.

“It can be very fast-paced but I love the hustle and bustle, it keeps me alive.

“I love Soho and Shoreditch and where I live in Peckham – I feel like I’ll stay here forever.

“I love going for a good boogie when I’m not working and walking in Dulwich Park in the summer.

“I’m very much into LGBTQ scene. There isn’t a bar in Soho I haven’t been to.

“It’s nice to have a place and space you can go with all your friends and be open. That’s one thing that is fab about London, we have these happy LGBTQ venues.”

Layton is also a strong supporter

“

What I am doing is not just a job or my own dream. I am helping people trying to live theirs and fulfil their fantasies Layton Williams, Pros From The Shows

30,000

Dance professionals and fans who will be at Excel to share their love of performing

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

51

Royal Docks - Canning Town

Layton Williams, creative ambassador of Move It 2020 at Excel, will be sharing the dance skills he learnt starring in smash-hit shows in the West End such as his role as Jamie in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre

Image Johan Perrson

of charities Stonewall and Ditch The Label and said he was happy to talk about his sexuality and race.

“It is me, my identity and who I am so I don’t mind people talking about it,” he said.

“I’m proud I have broken down some barriers – Billy Elliot and Jamie right now – they weren’t played by a person of colour until I came along.

“So it’s nice. In a way it is setting an example and hopefully inspiring others. There’s a mixedrace boy playing Jamie right now in the West End, so things are changing.

“Hopefully, it means others can follow suit. So I’m really proud to be that guy.”

Layton, who is in a relationship, said he never had to come out to his friends and family.

“I didn’t have to bother to be honest,” he said. “It was quite a smooth process and not much shock horror.”

But he is pleased he can help others do so.

“The fan mail I get is really cute,” he said. “Lots of people have said they have come out or feel more comfortable in their own skin.

“It’s really nice to hear and you feel like what you are doing is not just a job or my own dream. I am helping people trying to live theirs and fulfil their fantasies It’s also why he is so passionate about Pros From The Shows, which he founded three years ago. He will be taking his dance workshops to 15 venues while on tour as Jamie. And he will be teaming up with Britain’s Got Talent 2008 winner George Sampson to teach them.

“We’re going out there doing our thing and spreading some love around the UK,” said Layton.

“I’m excited to get out there and grooving with everybody. It’s the biggest thing I have done through my company so I hope it’s a hit.

I’m hoping to reach about 5,000 kids if all goes well.”

The performer, who has toured the UK with six shows, said he definitely sees a difference in opportunities in different parts of the country. ondon has a lot more to offer – hence why I take my workshops around the country,” he said.

“There’s places in Norwich for example, smaller venues where they don’t have professional workshops.

“So many of my workshops are girl heavy, maybe one boy or none so when I see a boy dancing it’s fab. Boys might not have the role models but hopefully, they will see people like me and think they can do it.”

Layton, who is vegan and rates Ethos restaurant in Fitzrovia, said getting recognised “comes with the territory”, especially after having

his face “slapped all over London for a year” on the posters for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

“It’s very 50/50. Sometimes it’s cute, sometimes not so much,” he said. “If I’m tucking into a vegan pizza while someone is trying to take a snap, it’s not. But if someone comes up and is genuinely a fan it s fine The hardest part of his job is being constantly on the go.

“It would be nice to have more time because it is very unsociable hours and it’s hard to keep relationships going with friends and family and spend quality time with my partner,” said Layton.

“As an actor you never know where your life is going to take you. That’s the exciting part but also the hardest. But I just embrace it.

“I’ve not been dancing much recently, most of my work has been

14 days later

plan your life from Mar 11-25 where?

Excel Royal Victoria Dock

EVENT | Guest Experience Show The UK’s newest show aimed at hospitality, tourism and travel specialists is looking to supercharge businesses to attract repeat visitors and sales.

Mar 12, 9am-5pm, £40, excel.london where?

Learning And Activity Centre Albert Road

EVENT | International Women’s Day A celebration of all things female, featuring inspirational speakers, panel discussions, workshops, vision board making, fitness sessions and more.

Mar 11, 11am-2pm, free, royaldocks.london where?

Excel Royal Victoria Dock Layton hopes Pros From The Shows will reach 5,000 children with its dance workshops doing other things and the odd high kick. I would love to do some more while I can, because I’m not getting any younger.

“I love it and teaching it because it lets people be free and makes them happy and keeps them moving which is always good.

“It’s a moment in your life when you can forget about everything and enjoy and be with like-minded people and have a laugh.

“It doesn’t matter if you are not the most incredible dancer. You don’t have to be the most technical or e ible as long as you come with a good vibe and soul you should have a good time. It’s a remedy for anyone in life.”

Move It 2020 will be at Excel from March 13-15 and runs daily from 10am. Tickets start at £21.

A host of famous faces will be in attendance alongside Layton including Brendan Hansford, Clare Halse, Dane Bates, Danielle Peazer and Jess Baddie.

For more information and bookings go to excel.london or moveitdance.co.uk

EVENT | Unleash Spring Stephen Fry will be a guest speaker at this event aimed at helping businesses understand the latest advances in the HR technology revolution.

Mar 24-25, full access £1,095, excel.london

to do before March 11

Insta-mums Louise Pentland and Nilly Dahlia will be among the speakers at The Baby Show. The one-stop shop for parents and their little ones runs February 28-March 1 from 9.30am-5.30pm at Excel. Tickets £17.50. excel.london

spot check worth a visit Try Airline Cafe And Diner for an all-day breakfast costing just £4.95 airlinecafe.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive

52

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

east heading

14 days later

plan your life from Mar 11-25 where?

Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

STAGE | Movement Masterclass Join Jess Williams of Frantic Assembly for a fourhour workshop for artists who wish to develop their own practice of physical work.

Mar 14, 10am, £20, stratfordeast.com where?

Stratford Circus Stratford

MUSIC | Jamboree Oily Cart present a vibrant piece of gig-theatre made for and with teenagers who have profound and multiple disabilities. A sensory riot.

Mar 20-21, times vary, from £8, stratford-circus.com where?

The Nunnery Bow

HEAR | 61 Years Of Malvern Press Father and son Les and Peter Wynn share memories of the business they built in Hackney and Harlow – part of Bow Arts’ Lightboxes And Lettering series.

Mar 14, 2.30pm, £5, bowarts.org

to do before March 11

Frantic Assembly celebrate their 25th anniversary with I Think We Are Alone – co-directed by Kathy Burke and Scott Graham – a bitter sweet play about fragility and resilience. Until March 21, tickets from £10 stratfordeast.com

on the radar Look out for The Gantry on top of Stratford’s new Curio Collection hotel in 2020 ardmoregroup.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive

114

Age of De Hoop – the vessel that’s been turned into Barge East

Barge East head chef Stefano Camplone checks a dish before it’s sent out

why visitors to Hackney Wick in search of fresh flavours should climb on board

by Jon Massey

L

ess than five minutes al from ac ney ic verground station, ith the ondon tadium rearing up in the bac ground sits arge ast oored at eet ater, here the ertford nion anal meets iver ee avigation, the restaurant and bar inhabits -year-old vessel e oop The ope ought and sailed from the etherlands, she as lovingly refurbished before opening in oint pro ect bet een three friends tuart Tommo Thomson, yan raig and ob land she boasts a dec -level dining room ith tables made from her massive metal leeboards, a private dining space dubbed the aptain s abin and a belo dec s restaurant complete ith ood burning stove and bustling galley itchen t all came about hen used to live on a narro boat moving around every t o ee s and one of my favourite spots to moor up as right opposite here arge ast is, said Tommo, ho still lives on the ater, although has relocated to the Thames as in the process of loo ing to start a business, and discovered the opportunity as there for something to move onto this site used to help other people start businesses, or ing for a government organisation providing assistance ith funding and mentoring eeing people so passionate about hat they ere doing obviously made me ant to do it myself hen sa an opportunity to ta e on a space in the ueen li abeth lympic ar , having lived opposite, thought it ould ma e an ama ing place for a restaurant Tommo is no stranger to a uatic ventures, having launched otTug s hot tub boats in ngel in before bringing them to anary harf in That company, hich recently re-branded to una oats after starting to offer barbecue craft for those een to coo up on oc lands

aters , remains distinct from arge ast, ho ever, hich pitches its small and larger plates at discerning diners y business partner, yan, is in charge of the itchen side of things, said Tommo e s been a chef for years including or ing on yachts and he too a bit of convincing, but a couple of years later, here e are ob is the manager on a day-to-day basis and my ob tends to be the less glamorous stuff The voyage to opening as not ithout its challenges, ho ever t as about t o years bet een having the idea and opening, said Tommo e loo ed for a boat and scoured the country to try and find one ith this location, e obviously anted something that fitted it t had to have character and history, and also something that e could afford e couldn t find a boat in the at all, and our search too us to olland, here there ere some fantastic utch barges that ere uite reasonably priced o e ent to en elder, on the northern tip of olland, and e found e oop, hich yan and immediately fell in love ith e encountered a fe things along the ay love can ma e you short-sighted sometimes There ere holes in the bottom of the boat and there as a lot of or to do before it even left olland, because it asn t sea- orthy e did some or before e left e re-plated a lot of the hull to ma e it sea- orthy and e managed to get that or done in a couple of months ut a boat li e this is not designed to go on the sea, so one of the big challenges as to ait for a eather indo rossing the orth ea ta es about three days and e had to have a five-day period hen the forecast as for absolutely perfect conditions and e aited si months it as very frustrating hen the boat arrived, e did most of the refurbishment during

Business partners Tommo and Rob strike a pose in the main dining area

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

53

Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick

the Beast From The East, which was certainly chilly.

“It was a big race for time really as while it’s a really cosy place in the winter – we’ve got a log-burner downstairs – it’s the upstairs space that attracts a lot of people in summer. We knew that, to have a chance of getting through our first year, e needed to open in the summer.

“The ticking clock was counting down but we managed to open partially in June 2018, and then fully in late August.

“The best thing is that we get to enjoy it, when we’re not working. We can sit back and see other people enjoying what we’ve built and put our sweat into – that’s a real pleasure. It’s so nice to see people enjoying the food and the service – it’s a great feeling.”

W De Hoop has spaces for dining on deck as well as below, including a private table accessed through the wheelhouse

Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

hen I visit, the narrow galley kitchen is a hive of activity as head chef Stefan Camplone and his team ready a seemingly constant stream of dishes for eager diners. Small plates cost around £8 and include the likes of mama sardines with black tomato, tomato water, basil and sourdough; N’duja scotch egg with black garlic and onion BhajEast potato kromeski with piccalilli and onion ash.

Larger dishes are priced around the £18 mark and include whole lemon sole with Toyko turnip, rhubarb, mussels and buttermilk; Sutton Hoo chicken with kale, barigoule artichoke and Madeira and a punchy, meaty vegan dish of Szechuan aubergine, XO sauce, cashew cream and crispy nuts and seeds. The latterv alone is worth the voyage to Hackney Wick.

Tommo said: “The food here is really exceptional and that surprises people. People arrive, and they like the unusual aspects of the boat itself, but they’re not expecting the quality of food they get. We’ve got a fantastic team in the kitchen, headed up by Ryan and Stefano.

“The best way to describe it is modern British cooking with a lot of orld- ide, interesting avours and tastes. Because Ryan used to be a chef on yachts travelling the world, he’s used to being on a boat

“

It is a cosy and intimate atmosphere – people are not afraid to talk to each other and that’s what we like to create Stuart ‘Tommo’ Thomson, Barge East

cooking in small kitchens but also using whatever ingredients he could get – he’s incorporated a lot of that into the menu.”

Stefano added: “We always use the freshest ingredients. I grew up in a very big family in Italy in Pescara which is right on the sea. ll my family are fishermen so ve al ays been eating fresh fish and fresh vegetables.

The vision we have with Ryan is that e ant to re ect as much as possible what we do and what we’d like to do. Many restaurants have similar kinds of things on their menus and it can get quite boring.

“We want to keep customers interested. We don’t want people to come here once, we want them to keep coming back and having different dishes “The lemon sole is the dish I’d order from the current menu. The uality of the fish e are getting right now is very high – I’m very happy with all our suppliers who help us make this delicious food.”

With its log burner and plenty of outdoor space by the canal and some on deck, Barge East is also a decent stop for drinks.

Tommo said: “We are very proud to stock as many east London products as we can possibly get our hands on.

“The majority of beers we have are produced within about 500m of here.

“We use Truman’s for a lot of our beers and we also have Beavertown, from just up the river.

“On the spirits side of things, we have house gins and house vodkas from the East London Liquor Company in Bow and soft-drinkswise we use Dalstons, which is great.

“It’s a cosy and intimate atmosphere and, when you’re downstairs in the evening and the restaurant is full, it is fantastic – people are not afraid to talk to each other and that’s what we like to create.”

Barge East also runs events and following the success of its first urns ight in anuary, it s hoping to attract merrymakers for St Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 17. Tickets cost £45 and include four courses, live music and a mini Guinness.

Go to bargeeast.com for more details

54

Wharf Life Feb 12-26, 2020 wharf-life.com

high impact placement

15,000 copies every fortnight

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

55

power print the

of

creating and publishing campaigns for businesses in Canary Wharf, Docklands and across the new east London email info@wharf-life.com for a quote

56

Wharf Life Feb 26-Mar 11, 2020 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

1

Medium

Previous solution - Easy

5 4 9 8 3 1 7 2 6 Sudoku 2 a7break 1 from 5 6 that 4 phone 8 9 3 Take 3 8 6 7 9 2 1 4 5 How 9 to1 play 8 4 7 3 6 5 2 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 5 such 2 1 4 row, 7 8column and 3x3 box one6 to3nine that9each contains every number uniquely.

7 2 4 6 5 8 3 1 9 6 find 2 strategies, 1 8 5 hints 9 and 3 7tips online You4can at sudokuwiki.org 1 9 7 3 2 6 5 8 4 8 to 5 play 3 9 4 7 2 6 1 More

9 4 6 1 8 7

1

9 4 1 6 8 9 3 2 2 6 3 1

3 5 7 8

You can find more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection ofTo others available in apps and books at str8ts.com. This complete Sudoku, fill the board Sudoku is supplied by Syndicated Puzzles. by entering numbers 1 to 9 such

5 2

that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

Notes

© 2018 Syndicated Puzzles

5

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com

crossword Down

1.

1.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

15.

18.

19.

21.

There’s bound to be a charge for this current treatment (5,7) A mount, one hears, for the local dignitary (5) Food-grinder (5) Almost benevolent members of the family (3) Trial marriage is an important sporting occasion! (4-5) It’s pointedly one-eyed (6) Responds to a hundred in tears, very upset (6) Parts also recast for bucolic compositions (9) poil some of the firm arrangements (3) Mass disagreement in Civil Defence (5) Drinking-vessel seen in the window (5) Price-lists read in court! (6-6)

Notes

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

10.

13.

14.

16.

Lively rate - at which the naughty child gets smacked? (8,4) Kind of note required for the tonic (3) Where sycophants show a nonconformist attitude within (6) Is mindful about those in society (9) He’s likely to be above ground – but look in the mine! (5) Suitably arranges the star score! (12) Means to change a clerical address (5) A requisition for a skyscraper, for instance! (4,5) Miltonic piece the company must cut short (5) Fish after tea – for seaweed! (6) Be quiet about many showing laziness (5) Timber fire ill leave this (3)

Quick Across 1.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

15.

17.

18.

Convalescence (12) Rise (3,2) Long crest (5) Fib (3) Conversation (9) Whole (6) Money-lender (6) Irritability (9) Rug (3) Due (5) nfit 21. Light meal (12)

Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

10.

13.

14.

16.

20.

Remembrance (12) Place (3) Rest (6) Slowcoaches (9) Senior (5) Festivities (12) Hail (5) Short pistol (9) Transmit (5) Lax (6) Backbone (5) Purpose (3)

Across: 1 Recuperation; 7 Get up; 8 Ridge; 9 Lie; 10 Discourse; 11 Entire; 12 Usurer; 15 Testiness; 17 Mat; 18 Owing; 19 Inapt; 21 Refreshments.

Down: 1 Recollection; 2 Put; 3 Repose; 4 Tortoises; 5 Older; 6 Celebrations; 7 Greet; 10 Derringer; 13 Remit; 14 Remiss; 16 Spine; 20 Aim.

Across

whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy

Cryptic Solution

Cryptic

beating the

Across: 1 Shock therapy; 7 Mayor; 8 Molar; 9 Kin; 10 Test-match; 11 Needle; 12 Reacts; 15 Pastorals; 17 Mar; 18 Crowd; 19 Glass; 21 Charge-sheets.

Down: 1 Spanking pace; 2 Key; 3 Heresy; 4 Remembers; 5 Pilot; 6 Orchestrates; 7 Manse; 10 Tall order; 13 Comus; 14 Tangle; 16 Sloth; 20 Ash.

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Quick Solution

No. 216