Wharf Life Jan 2-15

Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

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inside issue 24

Why a fresh look for Wasabi appears to spell more plastic waste Page 2

NASSA - Third Space - iOrbit My London Home - Rics Ping Pong - Spotlight Musica Antica - Puzzles David Lefebvre Sell Balans Soho Society

how Barker makes the gleaming pairs in its Canary Wharf store

shoes new year, new

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

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Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

read

fortnightly find

this issue’s Tiger Treasure

14 days later

plan your life from Jan 15-29 where?

Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay

feast your eyes on these

Take flight in 2020 or glide over the inevitable currents and eddies that flow your way by creating your very own cardboard waterfowl to remind you that even though people might project an image of sublime serenity, they’re likely to be furiously paddling beneath the water, just to stay still. It also looks pretty decent on a shelf or in pride of place on a mantlepiece Build Your Own Swan, £2 Go to uk.flyingtiger.com

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EVENT | Docks After Dark Tour the museum by lantern light and hear the chilling accounts of men, women and children who worked in the docks. Prosecco included.

Jan 16, 6.30pm, £25, museumoflondon.org.uk

What Third Space can offer those embarking on a fitness programme

where?

Across The Estate Canary Wharf

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SEE | Winter Lights Back for a sixth year, Canary Wharf brings light into January with more than 25 spectacular installations to divert and delight. Sharpen up those Insta skills Jan 16-25, 4pm-10pm, free, canarywharf.com where?

Various Locations Canary Wharf

Orange, spicy, tasty

How iOrbit is reinventing the way startups can access flexible staff

but none-too-palatable with its side of plastic - must try harder

taste test EAT | Christmas Lights Bites At various times Cabot Square, Montgomery Place and Crossrail Place will host street food and drink stalls to help refresh those viewing the art.

Jan 16-25, times vary, free to visit, canarywharf.com

to do before January 15

Walk over the bridge to the Museum Of London Docklands for performances of Sleeping Beauty by Ruggieri Dance Academy on January 4 and 5 at 1.30pm. Tickets are free but only returns are available museumoflondon.org.uk

sweet chilli chicken bento, Wasabi, Cabot Place - £6.15 I miss it. The long snaking queues at lunchtime, the furiously bubbling water bath, warming a line of woks, the special line for chicken katsu curry, the steaming containers of hot bento.

Following Wasabi’s refurbishment, these are things of the past. Replaced by warm shelves stocked by hidden chefs from behind – meals simply waiting to be taken to the tills and paid for. It’s more efficient but less personal. I get it, though. Things move on. Judging by the lines back into Canada Place mall, the enormous popularity of Farmer J is a pressure that can’t be dismissed.

Even Wasabi has to streamline

its operation to compete. Buying this punnet of alarmingly orange chicken, however, feels like a step in the wrong direction. There’s less interaction with the staff – no real opportunity to customise my order.

And worse still – presumably because these portions are made to sit on shelves – there’s been an increase in packaging. A little tray has been added to separate out the meat and sauce, perhaps for fear the rice will get too soggy. Hardly very 2019, let alone 2020.

In short, a spicy dish that’s none to palatable with a side of plastic.

Go to wasabi.uk.com Jon Massey

get in touch

correct us

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

we want to hear from you

31

Celebrating the work of snappers capturing nature on the Wharf

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 33

need something fixed?

Still on the meat? Hunt Black Bear Burger at Giant Robot for a delicious patty blackbearburger.com

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

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spot check one to try

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Canary Wharf

on the radar

doing the deals

get more for less in and around the Wharf

need to know

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It’s coming back.

Following the rebrand and refurbishment of its Westferry branch, the unfailingly popular Cafe Brera in Cabot Place is set to reopen its doors after a similar update on February 1 after work is completed. Can’t wait to visit when it opens cafebrera.com

38 Fancy being one of the first people to live in Canary Wharf? With apartments available from early 2020, Vertus offers a selection of rental options on the estate, including 10 George Street in the newly developed Wood Wharf thisisvertus.com

Meals plus a wrap and a shake – Natural Fitness Food in Canada Place is offering to sort your day’s food for £24.95 on its lean, clean, vegan or performance plans naturalfitnessfood

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David Lefebvre Sell on helping to heal minds

Shining the spotlight on Spotlight – as the youth service enters 2020

50% 40

How Newham All Star Sports Academy grew from a mother coaching her sons in the park to a multiple award-winning force for positive change in the community

Get up to half price discounts in store at Sweaty Betty in Jubilee Place while stocks last for its seasonal sale.

Ideal for getting in shape for 2020 sweatybetty.com

#RunToTheGun This January!

Book via the website www.thegundocklands.com

27 Coldharbour, London, E14 9NS gun.events@fullers.co.uk 0207 515 5222

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Canary Wharf

resovlution

this fortnight’s must-have item

noun, fictional, from Latin

The about-face U-turn that arises as one attempts a New Year’s resolution only to discover in practice it’s much too hard and that everything will be alright if things just continue as normal after all. Pass the bacon...

Image by Sean Pollack

buy me

words you didn’t know you need

bucket list

write me

Off Piste will be trading in Canada Square until February 29, Monday-Saturday

taradiddle noun, real, unknown origin

Either a ludicrous fib or a term for pretentious nonsense. Try it as a colourful alternative to modern boardroom language: “I believe our strategy for using influencers as a marketing channel is just so much taradiddle.” Then explain...

● Bar List With cabins sponsored and styled by The Office Group, drinks from Pravha and Bacardi as well as food from Radio Alice, Off Piste in Canada Square is awash with attractions and that’s before you even get to the flame-heated, log-clad terrace, lit by a gigantic screen showing images certain to transport drinkers and diners to the wilds of the ski slopes offpiste.bar

Dos Blue Watering Can, £16.50 Oliver Bonas, Jubilee Place ● Blackwall List Wharfers are set to once again be able to reach The Gun pub in Blackwall without having to walk round Wood Wharf as a path through Canary Wharf’s new district opens up the east of the island to the estate from Jan 6 thegundocklands.co.uk

Coated in navy blue enamel, you’ll be the envy of all your friends and neighbours as they gaze through the window at you watering your house plants

● Bite List For those not engaged in Veganuary, Boisdale Of Canary Wharf is hosting a Scottish Wild Game Tasting Dinner on January 15 from 7pm.

Tickets cost £65 and the menu includes pheasant and game tea (consomme) boisdale.co.uk

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

read me

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

or give me to someone you like In A House Of Lies, £8.99 Waterstones, Cabot Place The latest of Ian Rankin’s John Rebus novels sees one DI Siobhan Clarke re-open an inquiry into the murder of a private investigator. As she questions all the officers involved in the original case, it appears everyone has something to hide and everything to lose. In the midst of this tissue of falsehoods sits Rebus himself - the only man who can help her reach the truth, but following the trail could mean more than revelation – it could be the end of him waterstones.com

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

CANADA PL ACE, LONDON E14 5ER

07-December CW News-191216.indd 4

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T H I R D S PAC E . L O N D O N

16/12/2019 14:41

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1880

The year Arthur Barker began making shoes at a workshop in his garden

how Barker Shoes creates its pairs at a factory with 140 years of history and tradition sewn in

by Jon Massey

W

hat you see in the warm windows of Barker Shoes’ Canary Wharf store is the shine of leather, bright hues and sharp stitching.

Its men’s and women’s footwear is designed to turn the head, but also to engage the brain. The styles look luxurious – they’re objects of desire as well as being thoroughly servicable, the kind of reliable shoes that will remain comfortable for decades. There’s a timeless solidity to them.

That’s because of what you don’t see in the window – the brand’s factory and the talents of its workers.

It’s an extensive facility that somehow manages to (more or less) completely hide itself in the small Northamptonshire village of Earls Barton.

Leather at the factory is cut, sewn and then placed onto lasts, around which the finished shoes are formed using the Goodyear Welt method of construction

Every pair on the shelves of the company’s Cabot Place shop (located on the mall level by Leon, opposite Hugo Boss), has passed through the fingers of a highly skilled workforce at the factory – with many individuals having spent more than three decades on its production line honing their craft.

Every box of finished shoes has also left via its warehouse – incidentally a one-time location for the film Kinky Boots – before travelling past the village’s Anglo-Saxon church with a tower dating to 970AD, built when Christianity was still in its first millennium.

It’s testament to the factory’s architects that the current building and its own octagonal tower have limited visual impact on the village – perhaps an allegory in brick and glass for Barker’s attitude to its own heritage.

Its production facility may date from the late 1980s, with the brand now owned and operated by an Indian firm, but its roots stretch back to 1880 and the skills of Arthur Barker.

He founded the company and started off making shoes in a workshop at the bottom of his garden, located in the same village where the present day factory sits.

It’s a place where tradition and fashion come together and the footwear created within, fit for shelves all around the world, is an expression of that.

How do I know? I drove up the M1, around Northampton for a factory tour to see just how Barker goes about making its shoes today and exactly what Wharfers that buy them can expect.

patents – even crocodile – can be found here. Its shelves are piled high, ready and waiting for the workers upstairs to transform them.

The factory maintains a team of craftspeople skilled in cutting the pieces of leather for uppers and sewing them together so it can create prototypes for the design team and deal with any other specialist work.

But in the main, the production process is about what happens when the upper meets its “last” – essentially a hard plastic stand-in for the foot, around which each shoe is formed.

Workers cut soles and insoles before a canvas and cardboard rib is glued to the latter, which will eventually have the upper sewn to it and the welt – a method of construction that allows the sole of each shoe to be relatively easily detached and replaced again and again to prolong the product’s life.

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he production line at Barker appears relaxed – an atmosphere born, perhaps, of the sheer levels of experience in the room. The men and women creating the shoes move with the practiced air of musicians – each providing his or her contribution to the symphony, driven by the constant clicking of the machine that moves each pair from one station to the

Cutting a sole

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uided round the factory by recently arrived marketeer Lee Fleming and production services manager Steve Flint, the trip was an education and an opportunity to see many of the more than 200 processes that go into making each shoe.

Slipping one’s feet into a pair and lacing up, it’s easy to forget leather shoes start life as flat, tanned hides. While much of the pattern cutting and sewing of the uppers – the part of the shoe that wraps the top and sides of the foot – is done in India, there’s an extensive collection of leather in Earls Barton’s storage facility.

Hides of every hue and finish, from soft suedes to shiny

A rib awaiting a last and a welt

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next. Everywhere, there’s focus and concentration as leather is stretched and then set over the last, sewn and nailed into place as it settles into new forms.

While each job is executed with swift care and precision, it’s the workers who effortlessly pick up and deftly spin the shoes through the various machines that deserve special mention.

Steve, who has spent decades working for the brand, is at pains to emphasise the skill and accuracy of Barker’s employees – years of experience in every touch – and a resource that enables the company to make more than 200,000 hand-lasted pairs each year.

skill in every stitch

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eeing shoes made in this way is seductive.

We stop for a minute by a man using what appears to be a palette knife to smooth a granular substance into the cavity formed once a shoe’s upper is sewn to the welt.

Steve tells me it’s cork, part of the secret that has seen this method of shoe construction endure.

Once worn, the filling takes on the shape of the shoes’ owner’s feet in a similar manner to memory foam, with the aim of ensuring a comfortable fit.

While this is a feature hidden from view, perhaps the most striking part of the whole manufacturing process is simply the sheer number of hands each shoe passes through on its way to the customer – something else that remains unseen in the final product.

Extraordinary care is taken to

Trimming a sole

“

The production line at Barker appears relaxed – an atmosphere born, perhaps, of the sheer levels of experience in the room Jon Massey, Wharf Life

slice away excess sole material, when fixing the heel and tidying everything up.

Steve bids me stop and watch one young man who passes a shoe against a blade that’s moving so fast it can’t be seen with a series of movements so rapid it’s a wonder all of his digits remain attached.

But the shoe clicks back onto the production line and it’s time for the next one and then the next.

The craftsman’s movements are precise and efficient, taking no more sole off than necessary, confident any refining necessary will be taken care of further on.

And, of course, it will. If one worker cuts, the next shaves a little more off, then the next sands down the edge with increasingly fine grades before another buffs the finish to a shine.

It’s a lesson in the ballet of efficiency – a study in the benefits of dividing labour.

Colours are applied to the soles, necessary details added, all in turn.

Eventually, protective plastic wrappings come off and the finished uppers are buffed, burnished and finished off before the all-important laces are threaded.

Then final quality control takes place to ensure nothing has slipped through the net.

It’s notable that throughout the factory, pairs have been Continued on Page 8

Images by Jon Massey

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£60

Cheapest pair of men’s shoes available from Barker in its January sale at the time of going to press - a pair of brogues costs around £200

time line

from Page 7

1880 Arthur Barker founds the company, personally making footwear in Earls Barton but sending most of the work out to other home-workers

singled out where issues have been spotted. Steve tells me that the most common is a failure in the leather over the toe where the greatest stretch occurs. Inevitably, splits in natural materials occur – not least due to the scars and nicks in the animal’s skin – and those pairs that don’t make the grade are simply taken back for replacement pieces to be substituted for the offending components.

Those that pass the quality checks, however, make it into crisp, tissue-lined boxes before being stacked in a warehouse that recalls the final scene in Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark. While the almost deceptive calm of the factory floor to some extent conceals its impressive levels of productivity, stepping into the storage area is demonstration enough that this is a place of powerful industry.

a brief history of Barker Shoes

1905 Arthur and his sons relocate to a small factory in Station Road.

The eldest son Charles became a leather importer. Ernest and Arthur Jr work to fulfill World War I army boot contracts 1920 The business develops to produce fine footwear and enters the export market – 75% of its output is exported to South Africa 1921 Arthur Barker dies 1945 After the Second World War Barker expands in Earls Barton, building a new factory in Station Road to make ladies shoes. The older factory concentrates on men’s footwear 1948 The third generation of Barker – brothers Albert and Charles, join the firm – the former becomes a designer and the latter the head of the operation 1955 Barker Shoes celebrates its 75th anniversary 1956 The fourth generation joins the business. Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, William (Albert’s son), becomes a respected shoe maker and designer in his own right 1986 The modern factory opens in Earls Barton

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hould Wharfers decide to purchase a pair, they can rest assured that, assuming their upper remain intact and viable, Barker can relatively simply remove an old, worn-out sole and heel and replace them, giving the shoes are a new lease of life.

In a world increasingly focused on environmental issues, this opportunity to reuse and repair is an added asset, especially welcome in a pair of shoes that’s likely to cost around £200. While the service will set customers back £110, it does see worn pairs put through many of the same processes that each new pair goes through handled by the same skilled workforce.

That includes a fresh lick of colour, a full polish and return in a Barker box in addition to the new sole, a fresh layer of cork and some new laces.

Not quite the new shoes experience, but there’s something pleasant in the thought that you’re rewarding old friends with a makeover.

Barker has stores in Jermyn Street, Regent Street, Old Broad Street, Cheapside and Bow Lane in London as well as its Canary Wharf shop.

Barker offers free delivery on all orders over £150 and returns within 28 days of delivery.

Go to barkershoes.com

Steve Flint with a Barker shoe following a refurbishment process on its original last

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getting inside the Barker DNA with the designer behind its current styles

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here’s little question Steven Topping is creative. His office at Barker is strewn with prototype footwear, lasts coated in masking tape – part of the traditional process of shoe design – and a model of a Tie Fighter from Star Wars.

To the untrained eye, it’s chaotic but for Steven, everything fits together. This is how he goes about designing new ranges for the brand.

“I generally start with the shape of the last – that gives me the direction I want to take,” he said. “We have traditional lasts that are perfect fitting, then we have a fashion last which might be a little bit longer.

“It’s all a bit trying to interpret something traditional with a twist – people who buy our shoes are looking for a little bit extra attention to detail.

“There’s so much that goes into the working of these shoes that sometimes they are not appreciated for what they are.

“Everybody on the factory floor is a skilled craftsperson.

We treat them like gold and we have to because to lose that experience would really hurt us.

“Once I have the last, I tape it up with masking tape. When I started in the trade, this is how we did it, although now we have digitising pens – tradition moved on and we are doing things on computer.

“I grew up in Scotland, which is famous for footwear. I was always obsessed with shoes, and ever since I was little

I used to save up my money for trainers.

“I also used to decorate shoes – my mum used to buy me white Converse boots and I would draw little guys break dancing and stuff like that, but I never thought of taking it up as a career.

“Then I was studying for my Highers and a position came up at the Baby Deer shoe factory as a trainee designer – so that’s how I started, and I’ve never looked back since.

“It’s a job but I’m also a bit of a shoe geek. I’ve got so many at home, but I probably only wear about three or four pairs.

“When I’d finished my trainee job at Baby Deer, I went to study in Leicester and then I got a job at Doctor Martens – I was there for 11 years and I loved it.

“From there I went to G-Star, which was very political and I didn’t enjoy it one bit, so I lasted about three or four months.

“Then this position came up and its remit was to make Barker a wee bit more exciting, because it was a very traditional brand.

“A lot of people questioned my decision to come here, because of where I had been before, but I thought it was really an exciting challenge.

“What Barker had done previously was very straightforward – nothing on the edge – it was for me to make the brand more relevant to a younger guy.

“At the beginning I found it easy because we didn’t have anything at all, so it was just a case of taking a last and lengthening it. At the time – 10 or 11 years ago – Geoffrey West was killing it, so everything was getting longer.

“We took the 29 and lengthened it and that became the 460, which is one of our more successful lasts. I am conscious that I’ve got to stick to the DNA of what a classic English shoe is – you cannot take it too far – sometimes it’s hit and miss, and sometimes I get it and sometimes I don’t.

“That’s why they brought me here – I’ve sort of got a free rein and I appreciate that the company gave that scope, that

Designer Steven Topping

Decorating

freedom. With the market at the minute being sneakers, we’re really tightening up what we’re doing – we’ve got direction.

“We’re actually moving into a vegan collection, which is really exciting, because the synthetic side of the industry has come on so much, it actually looks like leather.

“In contrast to sneakers, we’ve really got to pull it back to the classics. For me, Barker has got to produce shoes that ooze craftsmanship.

“When you work at places like DMs, the manufacturing is done in the Far East, it’s a lot harder to get it right. I’m not patient enough for that. When I design something, I want to see it in an hour. Here I can cut it, see it stitched and, if I don’t like it, I can stop it.

“I want people to pick up one of our shoes, look at it and just feel the quality. That’s pretty much it - my obsession knows no bounds.”

“

When I design something, I want to see it in an hour. Here I can cut it, see it stitched and, if I don’t like it, I can stop it Steven Topping, Barker Shoes

the sole

Burnishing the leather

Staining the shoes to give them their final colour and patina ready to be laced, inspected and boxed for shipping

Images by Jon Massey

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100k

Square footage of Third Space in Canary Wharf including its gym, swimming pool and climbing wall

Third Space personal trainer Ben Norris is passionate about helping the club’s members achieve their goals

how Third Space can help Wharfers combat all of the damage done over the festive period

by Jon Massey

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begin it’s time to

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

o it’s January. Another 12 months has been marked with militarygrade fireworks around the world. Food has been consumed in extraordinary quantities, more alcohol has been drunk than is strictly necessary.

The nights are still long, the weather cold and the fat has hit the belly. But resolutions have been made – fitness options feverishly googled. Action must be taken. Kilos must be shed. It’s 2020. Everyone’s vision will be especially clear. One must look one’s best.

Those working or living in Canary Wharf may wish to investigate the extensive offering presented by Third Space.

Located above Waitrose in Canada Square, its three floors offer 100,000sq ft of space dedicated to helping its members achieve their goals.

And with more than 240 classes every week, a climbing wall, swimming pool and The Yard – 8,000sq ft of crossfit-focused space – the variety alone is a significant plus for those wary of boredom.

I sat down with personal trainer Ben Norris to ask him what beginners could expect from Third Space.

“The thing here at is that we have so many different aspects of training,” he said.

“You’ve got people who come in for Pilates or Yoga – some people are here for swimming, others are power lifters or just regular gym-goers.

“You’ve got body-builders – we can cater for so many different styles, so no matter who you are or what background you come from, there’s a place here for you.

“Looking at it from the personal trainer side of things, once you decide to join the gym, you automatically get two complimentary sessions with a trainer – we call those ‘outsets’.

“Your first session will generally be a meet-and-greet. The trainer sits down with the new member, has a discussion, talks about their goals and lifestyle.

“We do a movement screen, which is quite different from most

other clubs, so we can check how mobile they are.

“We can also arrange an InBody scan at this stage if you want it. It’s our body composition analyser – quite a complicated bit of kit.

“Some people try to track their progress with photos or by the way their clothes feel. A lot of people come in saying that they want to lose weight, but what they typically mean by that is that they want to reduce the amount of fat in their bodies and to build muscle.

“The analyser will give a person’s total weight but it also gives us other details, such as how much of that weight is composed of fat, how much of muscle and where both are located in the body.

“Members can have scans periodically to track their progress as the machine stores your data and will give you a print out of your results.

“After the first meeting and the scan, we go away and design a programme and workout for the new member’s second session, specifically tailored to that individual, the way they move and what they’re looking to achieve.

“We consider what exercises would be best based on the movement screen and the second session is a run-through of that workout so the member can then go on and do the programme in the gym.

“Members can then choose to have a personal trainer with them for every session – there’s a cost attached to that – or to train on their own.

“For those doing the latter, we have our academy team in the gym who are there to help members out, to answer any queries and to make sure people are training safely.”

A

sked why he became a personal trainer, Ben simply answers “I like helping people,” and it’s clear during our conversation that he believes the Canary Wharf club is well kitted out to do just that.

“My mum, who’s retired now, used to work as a nurse and that level of empathy was always there,” he said. “Fitness can be confusing – a grey area rather than black and white.

“I know what it’s like to be a beginner. My first experience in a gym was when I was 16 years old – it was one used by body-builders.

“I was really skinny and tall so I know what it’s like to go into an intimidating environment. At that gym there was loud music, lots of mirrors, lots of people who looked as though they knew exactly what they were doing.”

Having travelled extensively, working in a range of industries, Ben’s first job in the fitness sector was in New Zealand in 2015 before returning to the UK, becoming an

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academy trainer at Third Space in 2017 and gaining promotion to his current level. His particular area of focus has “changed many times,” but currently resides in functional training.

“I started out with bodybuilding but I guess it’s more strength training at the moment,” he said. “You’ll see me in The Yard doing my workouts – bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or squats and I use the sled quite a lot.

“I’ve always found the pull-up a very humbling exercises – if you can do five, then you’re doing alright.”

However, should the prospect of even attempting one fill you with dread, Ben is quick to emphasise that exercise needn’t be about competition.

He said: “I’d say that, if you’re someone who hasn’t worked out regularly, or if your last experience of physical exercise was at school, then you’ll get a better quality of sleep from training.

“A lot of the time even going for a walk on your lunch break can make you feel better.

“It’s just getting that blood flowing around the body, getting your heart rate up – it just makes you feel good to be alive. You’ve got a body – use it.

“People in Canary Wharf are typically sitting down all day in one position. To remedy that, they need to be doing the opposite of that position in the gym.

“New members also complain of having a weak core when they come in for the first time.

“So we look at what their range of motion is like and focus on trying to strengthen up areas like their glutes, back and hamstrings – all of those muscles that would otherwise be stretched in that position sat at a desk.

“Realistically, I would say that new members might see the most notable changes within their first six-to-12 weeks.

“Whatever you feel is niggling your body, you might expect those aches and pains to go.

“If you feel your shoulders are tight and rounded because of sitting at the desk, then we would get your body moving out of that position.

“You would expect to see better posture – your cardio’s going to improve, so you might not feel shortness of breath through simple tasks such as running up the stairs.

“Your core will feel better, and you’ll feel like you’re carrying yourself better as a result.

“The fat loss will come, but the main thing people will notice in that time is better body awareness.

“It’s very rewarding to see people improve and make progress and that’s why we do what we do.

“The results are often linked to how often

clients see their trainer, although people exercising regularly will make progress.

“I see most of my clients two or three times a week and we’ve been training together solidly for over a year.

“I would say to anyone: ‘Just try a personal training session and see what you think’. Even if you consider yourself advanced, there’s always something you can learn.

“If you want to continue after those sessions, we have various packs or direct debit options.”

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ot everybody wants to work out on their own or with a trainer, however. In addition to its extensive gym, Third Space also offers a packed timetable of classes designed both to make full use of its facilities and to give its members real variety.

“A common observation from new starters is that they are scared to go into the classes, because they feel that everybody will be at a higher level than they are and they will struggle,” said Ben “But that’s never the case here because the classes are designed so that they can be

tailored to any level from beginner to advanced.

“My advice to those joining would be to start off with the smaller classes and build up your confidence.

“Get to know people in the class, make friends and then start tackling the bigger classes when you’ve got that level of confidence and understanding of how your body moves and responds to certain exercises.

“It’s worth noting that if you’re joining in January or February, you’re going to meet other people who’ve also just joined.

“And there are so many classes that are relevant for beginners – it’s a big gym so I’ve put together some recommendations.

“Good ones to try include sessions such as TRX – look for the smaller classes on the timetable.

“We have Hatha Yoga or Yin Yoga, where the postures are held for up to four minutes and those are quieter classes in our Mind And Body studio, tucked away.

“We also have Core 15 and Core 30 – our easier core classes and they’re designed for any level.

“If you’re new to regular exercise, it’s always a good idea to improve your core as it supports the rest of your body.

For the beginners: Third Space offers all new members two personal training sessions called ‘outsets’ where its staff assess movement, body composition and create a gym programme tailored to an individual’s needs and goals featuring exercises specifically selected for their abilities

“

I would say to anyone: ‘Just try a personal training session and see what you think’. There’s always something you can learn Ben Norris, Third Space

“Other relevant classes would be Barre Burn and Pulse sessions, which again take place in our smaller studios.”

In contrast to boutique fitness studios, often limited by their concept and facilities, Third Space offers a programme of classes designed to satisfy all of its members.

If, after trying Yoga for the first time, individuals want to progress in their practice, there are plentiful sessions of Vinyasa and even Rocket Yoga.

Those into resistance training can try Lift – a guided class that teaches participants good form with kettlebells and dumbbells or Yard Strong, which offers those at all levels an opportunity to get to grips with heavier weights in sessions inspired by classic strongman challenges.

There are plenty of bike-based classes too such as Poweride and Hardcore Cycle, combat options with Kickboxing and Fight Klub and sessions for those who like to move to the music with Aero Dance and Zumba.

With The Yard acting as the gym’s centrepiece, the largest classes take place within the blockbuster crossfit space with the Workout Of The Day taking centre stage and Yard Circuit offering more than 80 members the chance to work out across 20 stations.

All classes are included in the membership fee and, while a few need to be booked via an app in advance, most operate as walk-ins.

Membership at Third Space in Canary Wharf costs £170 per month for individuals. Group membership allowing access to all of the brand’s sites is £205, covering facilities in the City, Soho, Marylebone and Tower Bridge. Prospective members can sign up online for a free tour of the Canary Wharf gym, including a Natural Fitness Food shake.

Those joining receive two free guest passes, the outset sessions, a Natural Fitness Food meal or shake, 25% off their first spa treatment and 5% discount thereafter as well as 1 off at The Pearson Room.

Go to thirdspace.london for more information

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Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

how iOrbit helps startups thrive by harnessing the potential of working mums with flexibility

by James Drury

L

ouise Power says she’s always had an entrepreneurial streak. But it wasn’t until she became a single parent in 2013 that it really came to the fore.

“I didn’t have the childcare support that meant I could do 40-hour weeks any longer,” she said.

“I wondered how I was going to support myself financially and still raise my son.”

She struck on the idea of offering virtual PA support to people, and reached out to friends on social media.

Quickly, Virtual Lou, as she called herself, took off and grew from helping friends’ businesses to larger organisations such as laundry app, I ate Ironing.

As the number of clients grew, Louise realised she needed to understand more about business and, not having any formal business qualifications put herself through a degree.

“I was looking after my son, completing my degree and running a business,” she said.

“I wanted to make sure he had opportunities I didn’t.”

The company, which has really taken off, is now called iOrbit and is based at Stratford co-working space, Plexal.

The concept is simple – it provides PA, marketing, and other business support services to startup and scale-up companies that don’t have the resources to employ someone on a full time basis.

It means founders can focus on the core objectives of their business, while things such as diary management, administration and project management are handled

by Louise’s team. hat makes her offer stand out is that she engages an often-ignored source of experienced, intelligent and willing workers – specifically mums.

She said that while all her team had been trained, the fact that there were different tiers of pricing, depending on what’s expected of them, meant iOrbit’s prices were very reasonable – key when getting a business off the ground.

All the workers understand that being part of a startup often means no day is the same, and roles can be very flexible.

In eight months, the company has worked with 18 companies and 10 women from the Olympic boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest and ackney.

One of them, Shahara Miah, started working at iOrbit seven months ago.

“Growing up I was always into politics and law,” said Shahara.

“I studied law at university, and I was planning to be a solicitor, but it wasn’t working out for me being a mum of three.

“I needed a job that could be flexible about the hours and I needed to be able to work from home.”

She said after just a few weeks with iOrbit, her confidence grew massively.

“There are women out there who are qualified and have experience, but they give up work because it’s impossible to balance work life and childcare,” she said.

“Not many companies cater for single mums or busy mums who have had a career gap while they had their children.”

Sharaha currently works with a client, providing personal assistant services.

“I really enjoy it,” she said. “I like that I can work from home in the morning, which allows me to attend to my children, and then I come to the o ce when I’ve dropped them at nursery. This is what mums need.”

Louise said: “The odds are often stacked against working mums in terms of flexibility, and childcare, especially if you’re a single parent and that puts barriers up to prevent them working.”

She’s also passionate about empowering women in the workplace.

“There’s great value in employing women back into work,” said Louise, “There’s not only the social corporate responsibility element, but also if you have a full-time role, you could offer a job share so two mums could split the contract

18

Companies iOrbit has worked with in its first eight months of operation

power she’s the

behind startups

“

Women might be out of work for seven or eight years while they have children and even very capable people can feel like they’re not up to date after some time away from offices

Louise Power, iOrbit Images by Matt Grayson – find his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

13

Innovation

Louise Power says her entrepreneurial streak came to the fore when she became a single parent

between them – that means you get two skill sets and you’re supporting two families, who are then contributing to the economy.

Aside from the value to the local economy, it’s very important for women’s mental health and confidence.

“It prevents people from feeling isolated, and makes them feel like they’re part of society.

“Women might be out of work for seven or eight years while they have children and even very capable people can feel like they’re not up to date with technology, the jargon, or what’s happening in the world of work after some time away from o ces. “ e offer mentoring and support for those front line opportunities.”

With a great start under her belt, Louise is now looking to expand to other co-working spaces and wants to reach out to more mums.

Go to iorbit.org.uk for more information or details of the company’s services

iOrbit’s Shahara Miah works as a personal assistant and says she finds the flexibility fits in with raising her children

Bring your 2020 customer engagement strategy into focus with our expert team and innovative chatbot, virtual agent and live chat solutions. info@creativevirtual.com 020 7719 8332

www.creativevirtual.com

14

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

Time is of the essence when you are buying or selling a property.

At Kidd Rapinet we believe a timely conveyancing transaction is only truly successful if the process and cost to you is completely transparent.

View our processes and example pricing Your purchase kiddrapinet.co.uk/purchaseinlondon Your sale kiddrapinet.co.uk/sellinginlondon

Request an online estimate or call 020 7205 4021

Fast, transparent, conveyancing services Expert knowledge of the area Competitive, fixed fees A dedicated lawyer until completion A secure personal service Contact one of our expert property lawyers on 020 7205 4021 or email property@kiddrapinet.co.uk

kiddrapinet.co.uk

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

31

Canary Wharf Directors’ Choice Award Bubbling Up Candy Blackman

how Wharfers have captured exquisite pictures of wildlife and nature across the estate

each a stunning

The winners of Canary Wharf’s Wildlife Photography Competition 2019 were recently announced – a contest open to all amateur snappers inviting tenants and visitors to capture the diversity of flora and fauna on the estate.

We’re celebrating entrants’ efforts here and on Page 32

Up Close And Personal Category Winner The Pollinator Sean Batten

Street Photography Category Winner I Can’t Stand The Rain Dean Scott

Junior Under-12 Category Winner Thirsty Izzy Broome

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Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf Directors Highly Commended Feeding Time Nigel Boulton

Architecture Category Winner Crossing A Bridge Elena Chaykina

Junior 12-18 Category Winner Abstraction At Citigroup Centre Nathan Phua

Adult category winners received Canary Wharf gift cards worth £250 with a further £750 for the overall winner.

The Junior Under-12 winner received a camera worth £150 and the Junior 12-18 winner a Canary Wharf gift card worth £150 For more details go to canarywharf.com

OVER WINNAELL 2019 R

Directors Highly Commended Rainbow Stef Stelea

Wildlife And Water Category Winner Goldfinch Portrait Derek Bezuidenhout

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

33

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

£26

The cost per person of the Lazy Sunday deal at Ping Pong Pungent parcels: The spicy vegetarian dumplings come in a clutch of three, nestled in a bamboo steamer

14 days later

plan your life from Jan 15-29 where?

Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

STAGE | Macbeth The Watermill Ensemble return to Wilton’s to give the Scottish Play a fresh presentation to the sounds of Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones.

Jan 22-Feb 8, times vary, from £12.50, wiltons.org.uk where?

Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

why a bottomless deal at Ping Pong is perfect for all those choosing to eschew meat for January

by Jon Massey

W

ouldn’t it be nice, to get on with me neighbours,” sang Steve Marriott of the Small Faces on their 1968 hit Lazy Sunday.

Whether inspired by the classic single or not, Ping Pong is offering something that might serve well as a gelatinous lubricant to community cohesion.

The chain, which has a branch in St Katherine Docks overlooking the marina’s ever-present fleet of shiny yachts, is currently offering a £26 all-you-can-eat Lazy Sunday deal that allows diners to order vast quantities of dim sum at a discount.

Marching up to the reception desk, we’re told our failure to book means there’s only space for my companion and me on a shared table. I have reservations (while ironically not having any), but we take our seats and begin ordering furiously with the pencil and paper menu provided.

Our neighbours – two solo diners and a quiet pair of women – remain silent on the subject of ravers.

But as we all consume, a warmth steels over the table. Nothing’s said, but the solo diners visibly relax. Slipping headphones in, one begins to listen to what I imagine is a mindfulness podcast. The genesis of this atmosphere is undoubtedly the food.

Having decided to try being vegetarian for a bit, I’m all delight that the bottomless offer features a substantial quantity of vegan dishes.

The steamed and fried dumplings typically arrive in clutches of three – inconvenient for sharing but great if you want each bamboo serving vessel to yourself.

Spicy Shanghai chilli wontons (a must)

KIDS | Mimi And The Mountain Dragon Adapted from the book by Michael Morpurgo, this epic mountain adventure is a heart-warming tale packed with snow, songs, puppets and a dragon.

Jan 18, 11am, 2pm, £7 (ages 3+), halfmoon.org.uk where?

Jamboree Three Colt Street

GIG | Helter Skelter Julian Gaskell And His Ragged Trousered Philanthropists present garage-gypsy music with a dose of skiffle on the side. Folk and roll.

Jan 18, 7pm, from £6, jamboreevenue.co.uk Ping Pong’s warm glow sits beneath offices overlooking St Katherine Docks – a inviting, colourful presence on the quayside go well against spring rolls and parcels of sticky vegetable rice wrapped, steaming in leaves. The flavours are full and dipping sauces myriad. Especially good are the spicy vegetarian dumplings, little bags of plant matter that warrant a second round.

The service is swift and polite by staff who have the well-worn feel of explaining unfamiliar ideas to perplexed diners. And this is key because, to maximise the benefit of the offer, it is necessary to re-order after the first wave of 10 dishes or so has passed.

In the end, we manage to end about £14 up on food thanks to the Lazy Sunday deal – not bad for an unplanned stop. Should Ping Pong invest in some more comfortable seats, there really would be nothing more to worry about.

Go to pingpongdimsum.com

to do before January 15

Interested in the technical side of music?

Under 30? Why not apply to Wilton’s Music Hall, which is offering a free course ahead of a festival in May dubbed Music 4All. Applications must be in by Jan 10 at 6pm wiltons.org.uk

spot check worth a visit Check out Il Bordello for gorgeous interiors and some Italian bites ilbordello.com want more? @wharflifelive

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Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

how Spotlight supports and guides the young people of Tower Hamlets to help them thrive

by Jon Massey

L

ook at the panels that cover the outside of youth service Spotlight’s flagship centre and you’ll see they’re dimpled – almost as though the thousands of 11-to-19-year-olds who have used its facilities since they opened in 01 have left their fingerprints on the fabric of the building.

Walk around the structure with director Daniel Rose – the man tasked with overseeing the organisation’s activities across six locations in Tower Hamlets – and it quickly becomes apparent that its work runs much deeper than the imprints on the surface of its headquarters.

Conceived in 2009 and opened in 2014 beside Langdon Park DLR station, Spotlight is run by east London housing association Poplar Harca. Created using cash from the Department For Education, topped up with funds from the local authority and businesses including Canary Wharf Group, the £7million mothership of the service is an impressive structure.

But for Daniel, it’s always a work in progress and 2020 is set to be something of a milestone.

“We continue to invest in the facilities,” he said. “This centre is six years old in 2020 and we need to make sure the place is fit for purpose.

“To create it, Poplar Harca consulted with more than 1,600 young people to find out what kind of space they wanted and then really developed their ideas.

“Now, we’re doing further consultation with young people around what the facilities look like – do they use them? Do they like to use them? What are we missing?

“We’re planning to completely

“

Our youth workers are there to build relationships and trust with young people.

That’s like a golden thread in their lives Daniel Rose, Spotlight

re-fit some of the areas, to make sure they’re completely compatible with the people using them today, not those who created the space initially. Some of the elements might have a complete physical transformation.

“We want our young people to be aspirational, so why shouldn’t we? If it’s the case that we need more money, then we’ll find it.

“There are barriers, but we’ll overcome them and make sure it’s fit for purpose.”

That’s not, of course, to say Spotlight’s facilities are not already impressive. Whether it’s the sprung dance floor of its sky-lit performance space, the inumerable knobs on the mixing desks of its recording studio, the swinging heavy bags beside the boxing ring in its training facility or simply the Xbox chuntering away in its common room, this is a youth centre that isn’t short on kit, space or plans.

One of the initiatives on the slate for 2020 is an increased focus on and provision of healthcare at the Lansbury site, which already offers counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy to its users, allowing them to access services in privacy and often at greater speed than they’d be able to outside the organisation.

“This year our counselling rooms are going to be transformed into a GP surgery for young people,” said Daniel, who lives in Tower Hamlets. “It’s huge for us because we’ve been talking to our young people and some are living in di cult circumstances, in poverty, and are sometimes unable to access healthcare.

“We know there can be barriers to going to a GP surgery – maybe just having a receptionist who asks what’s wrong – and booking an appointment is sometimes di cult. rom a young person’s point of view, the big factor is confidentiality.

“A lot of young people are not going to look for healthcare, particularly when it’s private, personal or to do with their mental health, because they fear there may be slippage on that.

“We feel that an holistic adolescent healthcare model is the way to go and the fulcrum for that will be the GP service. It will run when young people are here in the evenings.

“We’ve done multiple surveys and engaged hundreds of young people in conversations to really fine-tune what they wanted, what the issues were and how we were going to provide a solution. It’s a three-year piece of work and weve got a complete buy-in from the GP Care Commission.

“The other thing we’re looking to develop is a project working with families.

“We recognise young people

Spotlight users take on footballer Bobby Zamora

Young artist Mouhamed Birem explores spraypaint

Spotlight’s flagship facility is located next to Langdon Park DLR

Young rapper Diamond takes the stage at Spotlight

Activity images Mark Lucas - Portrait and centre images James Grimshaw , find more of his work at jamesgrimshaw.co.uk

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

35

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

Spotlight director Daniel Rose is set to launch GP services for young people at the centre

light shining

Dancers trained by One Youth Dance perform

Young boxer Jonathan Okundaye trains at the centre

need support individually, and the best place from our point of view is youth workers, but then it’s important to ask: ‘Can we work with the families to make sure there are joined-up solutions?

“Maybe a parent needs help finding a job, or with paying the rent. Can we find solutions as a family to support the young people?

“It’s about doing for families what we’re doing already for the those who use our services.

“It’s about taking the youth workers into the families and we think that could have a lot of impact. The good thing is we know many people in the area so we can really delve into who needs support and make a real difference.”

Arriving soon after Spotlight opened its doors, Daniel is unwaveringly passionate in his desire for the service to continue making a difference in the lives of Tower amlets’ young people.

“Poverty is still a big issue here,” he said. “There have been a few bits of research in 2019 and, after accommodation costs, 57% of children live in poverty in this borough. It’s a disgrace.

“Supporting young people who are living di cult lives is crucial.

The fact is that 50% of mental health issues will start by the age of 15 and can continue into adult life. Then there are things around health – eight out of 10 children who are obese as teenagers will be obese adults and 80 of drinking, smoking and drug abuse starts in the teenage years.

“So it’s really important to make interventions early. Our youth workers are there to build relationships and trust with young people – to get to know them really, really well.

“That’s like a golden thread running through their lives – something that’s there as a constant. We’re open all year round and we re not going anywhere. e’re there for the long term. “ aving this centre, which is completely free to use, is a huge statement for young people that we believe the facilities for them and the activities they can engage with should be world-class.

“That our expectations for them are raised and that they can be whatever they want to be.

“From a delivery point of view, having the centre is hugely beneficial, because you can do so much with these facilities and you can use different areas in a wide variety of ways. If you worked in a shed, you’d be able to do this, but not at the aspirational levels we’re trying to achieve.”

Spotlight is always looking to hear from organisations that can help it with its work.

Go to wearespotlight.com

14 days later

plan your life from Jan 15-29 where?

Poplar Union Poplar

LEARN | Sunny Jar Eco Hub DIS Workshops Learn to Do It Sustainably at this green workshop.

Discover the many uses of white vinegar and learn to make your own eco-friendly cleaning products.

Jan 19, 1pm-3pm, from £15, poplarunion.com where?

The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Us Two Written by investigative journalist Lucinda Borrell, this play explores the consequences for women on the fringes of stories we see in the media.

Jan 21-25, 7.30pm, £15, space.org.uk where?

Parkour Generations Trinity Buoy Wharf

HEALTH | Wellness 101 Workshop Get serious about your recovery with Barbora Hovorkova on mobility, Charlotte Miles on nutrition and Alex Pownall on sleep and supplements.

Jan 18, 2pm-6pm, £75, parkourgenerationslondon.com

to do before January 15

Billed as ‘stunning physical theatre’ Feeling Lonely At Parties takes the audience on a journey from mania to melancholy and is set to play at The Space from January 14-18.

Doors 7.30pm, tickets £12 space.org.uk

spot check Check out Mthr at The Collective on the Isle Of Dogs mthrlondon.com want more? @wharflifelive

36

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

Creative Space

this space is yours

here’s some uncomplicated adult colouring paper to help distract you from your decision to go dry in this dark month – share it with @wharflifelive or #keepittoyourself

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

37

Rotherhithe - Bermondsey - Deptford

how Musica Antica aims to tackle climate change musically 14 days later

Cast members perform in another of Antica Musica Rotherhithe’s productions, namely Lo Spedale in 2018

plan your life from Jan 15-29 where?

Canada Water Theatre Rotherhithe

STAGE | The Light In Your Heart And The Way... ...Back Home is a collection of stories about the human pursuit of inner light and life. Thunder Troupe present the tales as inspiration for all.

Jan 17, 7.30pm, free, canadawatertheatre.org.uk where?

Sands Films Studio Rotherhithe

sound

FILM | The Good Soldier Schwejk See this satirical comedy, adapted from a novel

by Jaroslav Hasek, written and directed by Christine Edzard, captured as a live show.

Jan 22, 7.30pm, donations, sandsfilms.co.uk where?

Deptford Cinema Deptford

a great flood of

by Jon Massey

C

limate change, God and 17th century Italian opera are set to collide for an evening of performance in February thanks to Musica Antica Rotherhithe. Founded in 2016 by local musicians Oliver Doyle and Jessica Eucker to bring early music to SE16 the group specialises in chamber music from the 1600s, extending into opera and the works of composers writing in the high-late middle ages.

On February 22, however, it’s baroque composer and Catholic priest Michelangelo Falvetti who’s in the spotlight for the first UK performance of his Il Diluvio Universale, which translates as The Great Flood.

Oliver said: “The piece is a forgotten masterpiece, and

“

We founded Musica Antica in 2016 to try and make performances of rare, stunningly beautiful music from the 17th century accessible Oliver Doyle, Musica Antica Rotherhithe

begins with Divine Justice calling on the Four Elements to give a sales pitch to see who can best punish humankind for ruining the earth. Water wins, and so follows the famous story of Noah’s Ark in beautiful music.”

In a move appropriate to the storyline, all proceeds from the concert will be contributed to UK-based Christian charity

Operation Noah which works to tackle climate change – a move made possible by the financial support of Chinese business man Weekuang Tai. Oliver said: “We founded Musica Antica in 2016 to try and make performances of rare, stunningly beautiful music from the 17th century accessible and pertinent to our time.

“Weekuang Tai has gone above and beyond to make this possible, and to ensure it has a positive impact on one of the greatest challenges of our times” The concert, which will feature a cast of singers and instrumentalists, will take place at Holy Trinity Church Rotherhithe and is set to start at 7.30pm.

Adult tickets are priced at £15 with under-18s able to attend for £2.

Go to musicaantica.org.uk for more information

FILM | Even When I Fall This documentary traces the journey of Sheetal and Saraswoti, trafficked to Indian circuses as children and their journey to reclaim their breathtaking skills.

Jan 24, 7.30pm, £6, deptfordcinema.org

to do before January 15

Timbuktu explores the brutal effects of strict Sharia law on a family in Mali following an accidental killing in this 2014 film, set to arrive on Deptford Cinema’s screen on January 11. Doors 7.30pm, tickets £6 deptfordcinema.org

spot check worth a visit Pop over to Surrey Docks Farm and learn all about its workings surreydocksfarm.org.uk want more? @wharflifelive

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Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

14 days later

plan your life from Jan 15-29 where?

The O2 Arena Peninsula

how Greenwich psychotherapist David Lefebvre Sell gives his clients space to air their problems

by Jon Massey

GIG | Slipknot The cuddly, mask-wearing, heavy metallers are set to bring their trademark family fun, flames and boiler suits to the tent. Behemoth support.

Jan 25, 6pm, resales only, theo2.co.uk where?

Royal Observatory Greenwich

FILM | Blade Runner 2049 The Peter Harrison Planetarium screens Denis Villeneuve’s pitch-perfect sequel to the sci-fi classic, even if Ryan Gosling is a little clunky in the lead.

Jan 18, 6.45pm, £12, rmg.co.uk where?

Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | Dr Faustus Splendid Productions offer a fresh adaptation of this classic play with a cast of three taking on the doctor’s dubious deal with the devil. Morality meets mortality.

Jan 17, times vary, £13, greenwichtheatre.org.uk

to do before January 15

After a mere four decades at The Lakeside the BDO World Professional Darts Championship arrives at its new home – Indigo At The O2 – from January 4-12. Doors are 11.30am daily, tickets from £26 theo2.co.uk

spot check one to try Keep tabs on the calendar at Magazine as the event venue hits its stride magazinelondon.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive

H

ow many opportunities do you have in your life to sit down and say exactly what you want to someone? To discuss your problems, your innermost thoughts, your desires, the way things really make you feel and how you, in turn, feel about that? Probably not that many.

While communication with friends, family and loved ones may be healthy, open and beneficial, it is nevertheless underscored by ongoing relationships with those people – a fact that can temper such conversations.

That’s where psychotherapy comes in. Blackheath resident David Lefebvre Sell has been helping clients navigate the problems in their lives for more than nine years. Practising at Greenwich West Community Centre, he typically sees clients for 50-minute sessions on a one-to-one basis – time that’s dedicated to exploring their issues and needs.

David said: “Psychotherapy offers a space to talk about whatever you want to talk about, and that’s very rare.

“Almost everyone in our lives has some sort of an agenda – they want us to be OK, funny and generally to not have needs.

“The first question is often ‘What’s not going right?’ Very often this comes back to something that’s happened in a person’s life, in early childhood, or something more recent – a bereavement, for example.

“It may be something quite traumatic, so it’s about giving somebody a space to navigate through some emotions.

“Sometimes it can be educational – somebody might have a very specific adaptation to something that’s happened in their life.

Maybe they’ve had bad models from relationships or their parents and they might be re-enacting those behaviours.

“It can be about calling attention to patterns a client might be repeating and trying to find a way out of them.

“Normally people come to psychotherapy because something is definitely going wrong – they’re

not functioning or they’re not happy. Some people have mental illness and others will have a feeling of not being OK in their lives and are not sure why. They’re looking for some sort of healing and relief from that.

“Most come to psychotherapy, especially as there’s something of a taboo about it, to be OK again.

“Then, for some clients it’s about self-development, although that’s rarer. Maybe everything’s fine and they’re mostly happy but there’s not necessarily a feeling of fulfilment in their lives.

“Once there’s knowledge about what we are there to do, then it’s the creative process and the second part is always harder.

“That’s because while a lot of the groundwork that needs to be done is in the room between the therapist and the client, the things they have to change are out in their lives – moving job or altering relationships, for example – and that is the part that can be di cult to accomplish.

“It is very important to remember everyone has mental health needs. There’s a lot of arrogance from some people that it won’t happen to them and, in some jobs, only lip-service is paid to supporting people.

“When you’re on the other side of the fence – searching for the thing that’s going to make a difference to a client, knowing their story – it makes perfect sense why some people have di culty at work or getting on day-to-day.

“We just don’t know the struggles that someone else has in their life. It’s always important to remember that it is OK to not be OK – to get to a certain point in your life and decide to seek some sort of support. Then it’s nice to have a dedicated space and time in your week, where you can address what’s not working in your life.”

D

avid is originally from Vancouver where he trained as a Yoga teacher before moving to the UK from Canada with his wife in 2003 in pursuit of further education.

It was then he began studying psychotherapy, going on to complete a masters in the subject.

“It’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time,” he said. “In some ways I’ve always been a counsellor – the kind of person that people went to with their problems.

“The story of my life was that I’d be the guy that would go to a bar, pick up a girl and spend an hour counselling her about her ex-boyfriend before giving her my last £10 so she could get a ride home.

“I love the idea of feeling and all its faults. Years ago I was looking at courses that were available, took some taster counselling

“

I have the best job in the world because I get to see people have epiphanies. It’s one of the most beautiful things that there is David Lefebvre Sell, Psychotherapist

sessions and enjoyed them. I love the work and I find it interesting.

London exerts a certain pull – it has a gravity to it, so we said that we would stay here for a year to a year-and-a-half, and that’s more than 16 years ago now.

“I happen to think that I have the best job in the world because I get to see people having epiphanies.

“I get to facilitate and observe them – to see them happen in front of me. It’s one of the most beautiful things that there is.

“Of course, it’s very hard when you feel like you’re not helping.

It’s tough to see someone who’s suffering and, sometimes, progress can be very slow.

“But sometimes it’s so rapid, it’s amazing. Being able to be a participant, a witness to that process is a very privileged position.

“It’s something most people get to see a very few times in their lives and I get to see it through my work. It’s wonderful.

“I would say anyone can benefit from psychotherapy, although there’s always a time and a place.

“One of my tutors likened any process of therapy or self-development, to renovating a house – it always takes three times longer and costs four times as much as you think it should.

“You begin to talk to somebody and that process of uncovering yourself can lead to finding things you’ve never thought about that have been buried.

“That can be scary. We don’t necessarily want to be in floods of tears, to suddenly open up certain memories, and find that there’s a lot of unprocessed emotion there.

“It’s not for everyone. For some people, it’s enough to get on with their life sometimes – and there is something to said for being self-contained, being stoic.

“The British mentality of ‘keep calm and carry on’ is a fine thing.

But it doesn’t leave a lot of room for the individual to feel like it’s OK to not be OK. “I absolutely believe anyone can benefit from therapy. It’s a conceit of what I do that I always think that things are better out than in – that it’s better to go through the process than never go through it.

“If you leave unconscious things buried, then they have power over

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

39

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

Blackheath resident David Lefebvre Sell offers psychotherapy sessions at Greenwich West Community Centre

you. Anything that is unprocessed – that hasn’t been brought fully into consciousness – is ultimately something that can control you.

“Let’s say that you have a parent that you never properly connected with, for example someone who was always distant. Part of you will be looking to repair that relationship. You will always want to impress or want that person to show you a bit more attention.

“If you are not aware of this and you are not aware of how this affects you, then you might find yourself in certain relationships in your life acting like a fool – trying to impress people, trying to get someone’s attention and you’d have no idea why.

“The mind has an amazing ability to always look for some sort of healing. It’s always trying to rework things – sometimes in dreams, sometimes behaviours – always wanting to fix that thing that never quite got fixed.

“But when it’s not conscious, it’s just acting out and often doesn’t get resolved. If you become fully conscious of the behaviours, then it helps you to understand why you’re doing something. By being aware of it, we can sometimes change those behaviours and to process those feelings.”

W

heal helping minds to

and process

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

hile David’s work as a Yoga teacher, which includes running regular classes at Third Space in Canary Wharf, is distinct from his role as a psychotherapist, he finds practising the two disciplines can be mutually beneficial.

“I find that the two inform one another, but they are also quite separate at the same time,” he said.

“A lot of people come to Yoga to deal with stress and, at times, even more intense emotional feelings, such as depression, in just the same way they would use other forms of exercise for getting over things.

“My training in psychotherapy makes me much more attentive to and aware of how people’s mental health issues might be affected by that.

“Conversely being a Yoga teacher helps me a lot as a therapist, in that a lot of people come to therapy with anxiety and stress-related issues, and a lot of those things are improved through the body, sometimes more so than through talking therapies.

“I’m very comfortable doing breath work, for instance.

Sometimes specific things such as trauma can be held in the body.

For example, you might have injured your knee very badly while skiing. The memory of that event is held in the body to some degree and you are never quite confident of that knee again. There’s always

the memory of what happened to that knee and there’s scar tissue.

Getting the trust back can take a long time.

“Another, more extreme example could be someone who has been physically abused, especially from a young age when they weren’t really able to process it.

“That would be something they were largely unconscious of but that some stimulus could suddenly bring out. For instance, they might be having a massage one day and the next thing be in floods of tears and have no idea why.

“Not everyone is going to experience something like that – some people just don’t – but the connection between the body and the mind is quite deep and it’s helpful to be respectful of that.”

Psychotherapy is also something avid has felt the benefits of first-hand.

“As part of my training, I had a long period of psychotherapy myself and I went into that with the very arrogant idea I was fine and that I was just doing it to fulfil a course requirement,” he said.

“I wasted a certain amount of time with my psychotherapist, before I realised I had quite a bit of unfinished business there.

“So one of the ways that training and practising has changed me is that I hope I am a little less arrogant about being OK. “I am much more aware of my own mental health needs, some of my less attractive personality traits, where they actually come from and the kinds of things that I might do in a relationship.

“One of my most uncomfortable realisations was that I quite like an audience – I like to be heard.

“It’s a very uncomfortable thing to realise that I have this need to be seen.

“Teaching Yoga, I have unconsciously engineered a situation where I have a roomful of people listening to me.

“It’s a realisation that this is, to some degree, about me. But then, on the other side of it, of course, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

“Because that need is, for me, more conscious, I can keep an eye on it and ask questions. Am I being too needy? Am I getting this need met in an unhealthy way, or is this a perfectly healthy way?

“It’s a better thing to be conscious of that, and a better thing to keep an eye on it, but it’s OK to have the need.

“I believe that absolutely, people can change and do, very much, over time. While the basic shape of ourselves might be set in stone at a very young age, the way we express that is always something that we have a choice over.”

Sessions of 50 minutes in Greenwich with David typically cost £50.

Go to davidlefebvresell.com

40

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

how NASSA uses sport to improve the lives of young people in Newham with education and aspiration

15

Years since NASSA was founded in Newham

by Natasha Hart

Charity founder Natasha Hart is determined to see NASSA grow and develop over the course of 2020

by Jon Massey

C

apturing a snapshot of Newham All Star Sports Academy (NASSA) arrives is a challenge – as an organisation there’s so much to talk about. The charity’s roots stretch back more than 14 years to a mother taking her two sons to play basketball in east London’s Balaam Park. Word got around and soon she was running impromptu sessions for dozens of youngsters, before registering the charity o cially in 00 and fielding its first team in the same year. ast forward to 0 0 and Teddy Okereafor is playing for Great Britain while his brother Anthony runs an anti-knife crime education programme called Carry A Basketball Not A Blade through NASSA that reaches thousands of young people every year. He was named one of the s Points Of Light in 01 by then prime minister David Cameron.

Meanwhile their mother, Natasha Hart, continues her tireless work as founder of ASSA, offering young people in Newham an alternative to crime and gang violence in one of the country’s most deprived areas. hile the world’s focus was firmly on the borough in 01 as the Olympics transformed east London, much of that attention – and its associated cash – has moved elsewhere.

But Natasha is determined to press on, grow and expand the charity as it enters its 1 th year.

“NASSA is one big family – once you’re in, it’s very hard for you to leave,” said the Stratford resident who was awarded an MBE by the ueen in 01 for services to sport in east London. “The main thing we do is promote community – the most important thing is family, education and then basketball. Sport is a hook – something young people love.

“Once they are hooked, after two or three weeks, we might be meeting with their parents to discuss any issues and finding out how we can tap into that and help.

“It’s important, it’s part of the process. ASSA offers a lot of life skills – being on time or meeting new friends, for example.

“Many young people come to us with no confidence and leave aiming to get a good education, to go to university and to have a career.”

Aspiration is the watchword at

e g n cha delivering

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

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

41

Canning Town - Royal Docks

“

NASSA players in action at UEL

We’re a local charity but one that could have a national impact. We believe that we can replicate what we do here in other boroughs

14 days later

plan your life from Jan 15-29 where?

Excel Royal Victoria Dock

Natasha Hart, NASSA

NASSA. Young people train at UEL’s Sports ock in Beckton – a facility used by the USA basketball team during 2012. It also hosts NASSA’s home games and houses the charity’s trophy cabinets, which are stuffed with awards, as well as the two Olympic torches Natasha carried in the run-up to the London Games and the Paralympics at the 2014 Winter Games.

Her ambitions for the charity in 2020 roughly divide in two. With an increasingly competitive climate for funding, she’s keen to place its ewham operations on a firm sustainable footing for the long term.

But she also wants to see its work spread wider, transporting the model to other areas to increase its impact.

“The biggest challenge is funding, and everyone is fighting for the same money,” she said. “ e need financial sustainability. In 2020, of course, we want to get more kids involved as well as more parents participating.

“At the moment we train Mondayto-Friday and we play games on Saturday and Sunday.

“Our players could be in Brentwood, Newcastle, Leeds or Kent on any given weekend.

“The minimum size for a training session is about 25 kids, but we have held them with 50, 60, or even 70.

Then we have to split the group.

“Usually we train from 4pm-10pm with three, two-hour, sessions for the juniors, then the 16-18s and then the men. If you assume the minimum of 25 at each session, you’ve got 75 kids off the streets.

EVENT | 100% Optical 2020 View the wares of more than 200 exhibitors at the UK’s largest optical event. Expect designers, experts and opticians galore. 2020 vision.

Jan 25-27, 10am, free (ticketed), excel.london “My target for this year is to get a couple of coaches on board as well as some admin support – running a trust is very hard work and it’s vital we get that sta ng structure in place.

“We’re a local charity but one that could have a national impact. We believe that we can replicate what we do here in other boroughs – we want to go national in 2020.”

NASSA is actively looking for support from businesses and other organisations to help it achieve its aims over the course of the year.

Already a committed partner, Excel in Royal Docks is currently working on a project to transform the charity’s website.

Set to launch early this year, the intention is to give NASSA a digital presence fit for the third decade of the millennium. It’s all a long way from the picnic in Balaam Park that started everything off.

“It’s been quite a journey, but I would not change it for the world,” said Natasha. “I never ever thought I would be standing in front of the Queen, receiving an MBE. I’ve been blessed with people throughout the whole journey.”

Born in Russia to a father who was a champion middleweight boxer and a mother who played basketball at

Aiming high: Natasha said one of the charity’s aims was to foster aspiration in the young people it trains

university, she followed in the latter’s footsteps rising to play at national level. She moved to the UK with her now ex-husband to avoid racial discrimination in Russia and gave birth to her sons in Newham General Hospital.

“I wanted a football team,” she said.

But in 1994, while in labour, her third baby died as she waited to give birth, alone in hospital and unable to speak English. Her subsequent divorce left her facing a fresh set of challenges that she tackled with characteristic drive.

“I thought to myself that it was a brand new life,” she said. “So I went to East Ham College and I studied English because I needed to learn this language until I could understand and communicate. I wanted an A* and I got one. Then I worked as a waitress, a cleaner and a lifeguard.

“I’d always loved basketball. We formed the first team with ASSA in 00 and I’d gone on to finish every level of coaching. The paperwork is enormous and you have to be the coach for a team. I’m also a tutor, verified by Basketball ngland – not bad for a girl who never knew any English.”

That can-do attitude inhabits much of the charity’s work as it offers participants a range of sports to try as well as pathways to careers.

Natasha said: “Being based at UEL – you can see the facilities – it’s all about aspiration. I started in the park with £20 in a bank account.

“We set up projects to guide our young people. For example, from the age of 14 a young person can get qualified to o ciate and do the scoring, or as a referee – this is the path to volunteering from that early age, either in schools or in the national league.

“That is a stepping stone for young people to go further. We want to take them off the streets to engage in something positive.”

Over the course of the next 12 months, Wharf Life will feature a series of stories about NASSA’s work as the charity continues to enrich and improve the lives of young people.

Go to nassasports.org.uk

where?

Excel Royal Victoria Dock

EVENT | Bett 2020 A chance for more than 850 education technology companies to connect with more than 34,000 attendees under one roof. The future’s in bits.

Jan 22-25, 10am, registration needed, excel.london where?

RA Fold Canning Town

CLUB | Cartulis Day Welcoming clubbers to 2020, attendees can expect sounds from Raphael Carrau, Junki Inoue, Unai Trotti and Z@p until 10am the following day.

Jan 25, 11pm, from £10, residentadvisor.net

to do before January 15

Whether your Down Dog needs sharpening up or you just want to relax, Weekly Yoga Sessions at RAW Labs in Royal Albert Dock offer a chance to stretch out on Sundays from 9am. Priced at £10 per session bowarts.org

spot check worth a visit Hitch a ride on Boris’ folly the Emirates Air Line for excellent views of London tfl.gov.uk want more? @wharflifelive

42

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

Advertising Directory - Acknowledgements

find our advertisers’ messages here Third Space print Wrap, Page 5 online chaseevans.co.uk Chase Evans print Pages 1, 24, 25 online chaseevans.co.uk The Gun print Page 3 online thegundocklands.com Kidd Rapinet print Pages 4, 14, 29 online kiddrapinet.co.uk Creative Virtual print Page 13 online creativevirtual.com JG Chatham print Pages 21 online kitchenerbarracks.com My London Home print Pages 22-23 online mylondonhome.com Vantage Properties And Management print Page 30 online vantage-uk.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 and distributed by Willis News Distribution. Copyright Massey Maddison Limited 2019

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

43

Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick

£9

The cost of a breakfast burrito at Balans Soho Society Log of joy: The burrito comes stuffed full of scrambled eggs and cheese with a tiny sprinkling of spring onion to make you feel all veggie

14 days later

plan your life from Jan 15-29 where?

Stratford Circus Stratford

KIDS | All Wrapped Up Aimed at children aged two-five, Oily Cart’s mischievous wintery show features magical characters, sensory stories, light and shadow.

Jan 17-18, times vary, from £8, stratford-circus.com where?

Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

how my position on Balans Soho Society in Stratford has been transformed by its breakfast

by Jon Massey

O

h Balans Soho Society – will you ever forgive me? I once reviewed you harshly for the quirky tat on your walls – an attempt to inject personality into a space that’s really a chain restaurant.

But my head has been turned, my tastebuds hijacked, by your splendid vegetarian breakfast. Let’s just gloss over, for a minute, shall we, the face that it’s a plate of un-viable chicks, scrambled up with milk that’s been left to go off and revel in the silky, warm joy of its breakfast burrito.

Topped off with something actually plant-based and wrapped in a soft flour tortilla, it’s a soothing caress on a cold morning in an uncaring world – an antidote to the January blues.

Such is its effect that I leave your Westfield Stratford City premises quite charmed. Where once a dead tree among the tables was a curious eyesore, now it’s an engaging talking point.

Ditto the fencing mask and dismembered doll encased in their boxy shelves too high for anyone to reach and play with.

And I’m not alone. The place isn’t packed at 9am, but neither is it deserted. Couples sup coffees and teas while awaiting plates of fried this and that.

Young parents chat about the menu while their tiny child clambers over them in an unceasing quest for freedom.

Is it me, or do the smiles on the faces of the staff appear welcoming and genuine, the service swift and precise?

Don’t underestimate the power of animal proteins at breakfast. It’s either that or there’s something in the mysterious little bottle of hot sauce on every table.

Go to balans.co.uk

STAGE | The Gift Billed as an outrageous play about imperialism, cross-racial adoption, cultural appropriation and tea, expect Queen Victoria and plenty of sponge.

Jan 29-Feb 15, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com where?

Copper Box Stratford

SPORT | Vitality Netball Nations Cup England, New Zealand, South Africa and Jamaica go head-to-head over two days in a bid to be crowned champions. All teams play both days.

Jan 25-26, times vary, from £15, englandnetball.co.uk Balans’ quirks appear charming after a mouthful or two. Below, the bruschetta comes with a fat helping of halloumi

to do before January 15

Watch Akeim Toussaint Buck blend dance, song and spoken word in Windows Of Displacement at Stratford Circus on December 11 and 12. Expect ancestral memories and politics. Tickets from £13 stratford-circus.com

spot check worth a visit Try Village Vanguard for food, drink and a sense of community in E20 villagevanguarde20.com want more? @wharflifelive

44

Wharf Life Jan 2-15, 2020 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

Medium

3 9 5 3 8

Previous solution - Easy

4 2 9 6 8 1 3 5 7 Sudoku 1 a3break 6 from 7 5 that 4 phone 2 9 8 Take 7 5 8 3 2 9 4 1 6 How 6 to4 play 1 8 9 7 5 3 2 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 3 such 5 that 6 2each 8 row, 4 1column and 3x3 box one9to7nine contains every number uniquely.

5 8 2 4 1 3 6 7 9 9 find 5 strategies, 1 4 6 hints 7 2and3tips online You8can at sudokuwiki.org 3 1 4 2 7 8 9 6 5 2 to 6 play 7 9 3 5 1 8 4 More

7

2 1 5

5

3 9 2

1 8 9

6 7 4 4

8 1 3

3 8

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

Notes

© 2019 Syndicated Puzzles

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

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

6.

1.

Breed of dog that will change someday (7) 7. Peers out for a lively frolic (5) 9. Quick, you may have a bad turn (5) 10. The star is upset by what anonymous letters may contain (7) 12. Protest about mean rotters (11) 14. Not far from being humid (6,5) 18. Excess weight? It’s his danger (7) 19. Smarten up a man on his wedding day (5) 21. Matter for thought (5) 22. Refuses permission to fly - giving reasons

Notes

They fly or take a train (5) 2. Art Gallery for the blind! (6) 3. Do part of the housework (3) 4. A new paper to be published (6) 5. Willingly die? (7) 8. Sound cheerful while going round the short way (7) 11. There are many sides to it (7) 13. It’s high in theatrical circles (7) 15. Keep your thanks in check (6) 16. Shoot something to eat (6) 17. Rum sort of drink (5) 20. Shout and weep (3)

Quick Across

6. Sediment (7) 7. Stupid (5) 9. Linger (5) 10. Deadlock (7) 12. Itinerant (11) 14. Rash (11) 18. Sundry (7) 19. Gin (5) 21. Hesitate (5) 22. Widespread (7)

Down

1. Reimburse (5) 2. Rough (6) 3. Mine (3) 4. Swell (6) 5. Mouldable (7) 8. Bestows (7) 11. Exhibit (7) 13. Armoury (7) 15. Fold (6) 16. Immature (6) 17. Test (5) 20. Chop (3)

Across: 6 Deposit; 7 Silly; 9 Tarry; 10 Impasse; 12 Peripatetic; 14 Precipitate; 18 Several; 19 Snare; 21 Pause; 22 General.

Down: 1 Repay; 2 Coarse; 3 Pit; 4 Dilate; 5 Plastic; 8 Imparts; 11 Display; 13 Arsenal; 15 Crease; 16 Tender; 17 Trial; 20 Hew.

Across

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

Cryptic Solution

Cryptic

beating the

Across: 6 Samoyed; 7 Spree; 9 Alive; 10 Threats; 12 Remonstrate; 14 Fairly close; 18 Glutton; 19 Groom; 21 Brain; 22 Grounds.

Down: 1 Rails; 2 Louvre; 3 Sew; 4 Appear; 5 Testate; 8 Whistle; 11 Polygon; 13 Gallery; 15 Retain; 16 Sprout; 17 Toddy; 20 Cry.

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Quick Solution

No. 836