how Winter Lights 2025 is set to illuminate Canary Wharf Pages 6-11
Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk, ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk
Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk, ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk
GIG | The Signatures
Where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place
Fancy an evening stu ed with Northern Soul classics? Look no further than the o cial backing band for acts that made the scene. Jan 29, 8.30pm, from £28, boisdale.co.uk
Where?
London Museum West India Quay
EVENT | Holding Emotions
The display aims to create space for anger, empathy, creativity and everything in between in response to the London, Sugar and Slavery Gallery. From Feb 9, 10am-5pm, free, londonmuseum.org.uk
KIDS | Tots At The Docks
Where? London Museum West India Quay
Welcome to issue 128 of Wharf Life and a Happy New Year to all our readers. 2025 is set to kick o with a bang, thanks to the return of Canary Wharf’s Winter Lights festival. This issue is also packed with diary dates to start lling up your calendar with, so get reading, planning, scheming and booking...
Concerts beneath the hull of the Cutty Sark are nothing new, but In The Dark promises a twist on the listening experience thanks to profound sensory deprivation. Black out and tune in... 30
Join the rst of these free monthly play sessions for kids under 5. Tots runs on a drop-in basis and the rst event is themed around celebrations Jan 29, 10.30am-2pm, free, londonmuseum.org.uk
Wood Wharf and Reuters Plaza dezamore.co.uk
The ght to save The Piehouse is up and running. Join in...
Check out a 5% deposit boost for homes at East River Wharf in Royal Docks 28 15
on the radar
TfL is set to o cially open the Silvertown Tunnel on April 7, taking tra c between Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula. Charges on both the new route and the Blackwall Tunnel will apply from that date, 6am-10pm. O peak journeys will be £1.50 t .gov.uk
Contrast therapy wellness specialist Arc is expected to open in the lower levels of Crossrail Place this month. The facility will o er communal sauna and ice bath classes with relaxation in a purposebuilt lounge space afterwards. Expect to pay £28 per class arc-community.com need to know
34
Pencil in a few dates for a pair of comic shows at The Yard Theatre
Why Newham All Star Sports Academy is using its 20th anniversary as a fresh drive to raise funds and grow as it continues its vital work to ght knife crime in London 32
BOOK NOW
Burns Week Boisdale Of Canary Wharf boisdale.co.uk
Why make do with a single evening of haggis and poetry when you could stretch the celebrations out over several days?
That's the question Boisdale Of Canary Wharf has asked itself and, after only a dram or two, has come to the conclusion there's no limit to indulgence in the Scottish character.
doing the deals
get more for less on and around the Wharf
Visit Sticks’n’Sushi in January for a pair of £19.50 set menus. Available noon-6pm, one features miso rice and ve sticks, while the other is seafood... sticksnsushi.com
Why Deun Deun is just lovely on a cold, wintry January night in 2025... 26 subscribe to our Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly
2-4-1
Enjoy two-for-one non-alcoholic cocktails at Market Halls o Adams Plaza this month. O er runs Sunday-Wednesday from 3pm-6pm. Must be the same cocktail markethalls.co.uk
Consequently Boisdale's Cabot Place restaurant will be hosting a series of Burns Week Spectaculars from January 21-24. These will feature a piper, an address to the haggis and a four-course menu all smoothed over with the sounds of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Tickets start at £59. There will also be a Burns Lunch on January 25 in similar vein with tickets starting at £49. For those, like the piper, presumably, who fancy a proper blow out the evening of the 25th is probably the one to save yourself for. Tickets for Frank And Dean’s Burns Night Hootenanny start at £99 and include a ve-course Taste Of Scotland Menu.
Expect a wealth of Scottish avours, not least drams of season sponsors Glenmorangie and the Ardberg that have been around more than a decade.
write me words you don’t know you need
noun, fake, from German
The exact point in time when a Waitrose or Tesco employee places the rst pack of Cadbury Mini Eggs on a shelf after Christmas. Sadly we can’t tell you exactly when that happened in 2025, but su ce to say it already has...
adjective, real, from English
This 19th century term for a person who is supple in their limbs and lithe in their body might come in handy during the inevitable rush to the gym in January. Then again people may look at you strangely
FILM
The Usual Suspects Everyman Canary Wharf everymancinema.com
Find out the identity of Keyser Soze, or remain forever mysti ed as Bryan Singer’s thriller returns as part of Everyman’s Throwback season. Starring Kevin Spacey, Chazz Palminteri and Gabriel Byrne with support from Pete Postlethwaite, the lm sees Verbal Kint attempt to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord is pulling all the strings. Catch this stone cold classic on February 2 and 4 at 8.45pm. Tickets cost £17.50 including popcorn and a
COS - 38% OFF
Padded Red Mittens, £28 Jubilee Place cos.com
Wharf - West India Quay
GANT - 30% OFF Active Cloud Jacket, £185.50 Canada Place gant.co.uk
POLO RALPH LAUREN - 40% OFF Polo Bear Jumper, £314 Cabot Place ralphlauren.co.uk
BOSS - 40% OFF Puffer With Logo Belt, £289 Cabot Place hugoboss.com
BOGGI MILANO Parka In Padded Fabric, £549 Canada Place boggi.com
Temporary installations will be in place alongside seven permanent works, forming a collection of 19 to explore at the festival
An artist’s impression of how Stitching Light will look when completed
how Winter Lights will be shining for all when it returns for a ninth edition this month
by Jon Massey
January 21 is set to see Canary Wharf’s Winter Lights festival return for 12 days of illumination, filling the estate with installations for a ninth edition. For 2025, there will be a total of 12 temporary artworks on show, combining with seven permanent pieces making a total of 19 for visitors to discover.
But when the electrons start flowing to create all those photons for our eager eyeballs to absorb, one work in particular will be shining for east London and beyond.
Commissioned by Canary Wharf Group for the festival, Stitching Light is the result of collaboration between Emergency Exit Arts (EEA), artist Ruhul Abdin in Bangladesh and Oitiji-jo.
The piece draws on the stories and experiences of British Bangladeshi women who migrated to
the UK early in their adult lives. The resulting installation will be placed at Wren Landing during Winter Lights.
“We work with hundreds of different arts practitioners and what we’ve noticed with lights festivals is that the pieces featured are often very beautiful but there may not have been participation or much of a story behind them,” said Daniel Bernstein, CEO of EEA.
“Often the artists involved in light pieces are white men, so we’re always interested in bringing in different stories and greater depth to the work.”
With Ruhul in place as creative director, work on the project began with workshops run by freelance artist Shama Kun via the Oitiji-jo Collective at Republic in Blackwall.
“I run a lot of sessions with the Bangladeshi community, dealing with crafts, so I’d bonded with the women locally,” said Shama.
“With this project, I realised that we had never looked into the stories of the mums and aunties.
“So we provided a safe space and invited them to contribute. We tried to be relaxed about it, having tea, a conversation, so the process started with that.
“We asked them to bring memorable objects, so the stories could start from there, then we drew maps, starting with their childhoods and what the transition to Britain was like.
“One thing that came out was they described their lifestyles as a rainbow. They said that their lives started as colourful, really continued on Page 8
from Page 6
amazing, and then their transition to here was a rollercoaster, not knowing people – it was a struggle. In the community we’ve relied on these women but haven’t looked in depth into their stories.
“They opened up for this project because they felt safe. They came here very vulnerable, without any support and talked about many things including being the victims of racism – that trauma is still there.
“After the workshops I realised I am here today because of their sacrifices, that we are resilient because of their resilience. This was a platform for them to tell their stories and I hope there will be more spaces like this for them to do that in future.
“We recorded the conversations – lots of discussions about their favourite foods, colours, smells and more – before turning over the material to Ruhul.”
That work formed the basis of the finished piece – a series of three metre-high fabric panels with illuminated thread stitched into the design which will be displayed in a 3D structure allowing visitors to walk through and around the work.
“What you see are very beautiful, soft, subtle layers of the stories we were told,” said Ruhul. “The panels are stitched and painted with a sound piece to accompany them reflecting some of the women’s thoughts and stories, the songs they sang and the songs they like.
“We worked with a folk artist to translate some of these ideas into Bangla-inspired paintings which would then be taken back to London – it was back-and-forth between Bangladesh and the UK.
“For me it’s important to have this piece on display in Canary Wharf because Tower Hamlets has hosted so many generations of Bangladeshis now – there is a need to be visible beyond the brown person walking our streets.
“There is also the multicultural aspect of London and this is a nice way to celebrate something without it being a research project or an academic exercise.
“We’re creating art together and it’s a beautiful way of highlighting who the women were and are, and the potential of art to begin to make some of these nuanced changes as Canary Wharf itself continues to evolve.”
Daniel added: “Being part of Winter Lights its really important
Scan this code to nd out more about Stitching Light
The women opened up for this project because they felt safe. They came here very vulnerable, without any support and talked about many things
Shama Kun, Stitching Light
for the participants in the workshops and for the people making the work.
“From an audience perspective, there are going to be layers. Perhaps half of the visitors will walk through the piece and be impressed by the lights and the images – but they may not understand the Bangla script on the panels, although there will be a panel explaining the work.
“Hopefully, anyone from a Bangladeshi background will come to the piece and see themselves represented. It’s quite subtle.”
Shama said one of the most important parts of the project was to celebrate the local community.
“There is so much out there for us to learn from our past generations,” she said. “These women might not boast that they have done this or that, but they have silently achieved things and we need to carry their flag.”
Ruhul added: “One of the biggest takeaways is the potential to hope that this work will continue.
“I have spoken to a colleague who is a Bangladeshi migrant elsewhere and they said how crucial it was to understand things from the elders.
“It is important to see that Stitching Light is inspiring, so the next generation want to understand more about who they are, where their families have come from – especially those of us who are not white British, but it’s vital for everyone.”
Emergency Exit Arts was founded in 1980 as an artists’ collective aspiring to make a positive difference to people’s lives – especially those who have suffered discrimination or economic exclusion. It has been based in Greenwich for more than 35 years.
Go to eea.org.uk for more information key details Winter Lights is set to run daily from January 21-February 1, 5pm-10pm, with 19 installations to discover across Canary Wharf. The festival is free to visit.
Go to canarywharf.com for more information and full event listings
forget to plan your visit – Canary
can get busy during the festival so booking into restaurants is advised
Scan this code for full details of Winter Lights
Don’t
Wharf
Winter Lights favourites Squidsoup will be showcasing Wave at Columbus Courtyard
top tips
Winter Lights is set for a blockbuster turn, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the estate over its 12-day run. We sat down with Canary Wharf Group’s associate curator of Arts And Events, Lowri Harries, and Arts And Events manager, Camilla McGregor, to get a few tips on what to look out for...
LH: Vendel And De Wolf are back in Westferry Circus with Error – an upside down pylon with a tornado of lights around it, 13 metres in the air.
Last year they created a piece called Sign, which looked like a huge re.
They specialise in taking mass produced materials and using them to depict natural phenomena. For Error, they’ve used technology to give the piece a random element, re ecting the idea that both nature and machines can go wrong.
CM: I’m looking forward to seeing Portal in the esh. It will be a 13 metre-high mirrored doorway in Union Square that visitors can walk through.
I think the scale and magnitude of it will make people feel quite small in comparison and also acts as a piece to frame the Wharf with great sight lines though it to other parts of the estate.
It’s one of the largest pieces we’ve ever hosted and it’s de nitely something new.
LH: I’m also especially looking forward to seeing Aj Vana Be by Benedikt Tola – it’s essentially a stack of 32 reclaimed bathtubs that have been taken from socialist-era residential buildings by the Czech artist. It draws attention to the scarcity of water. Even though washing is an an everyday act, it draws attention to that privilege.
CM: Putting Winter Lights on is essentially a year-long process. A month after it’s nished, we begin work on the next edition, sending out an open call for artists and organisations to contribute. Then we start looking for work to feature.
LH: It feels really lovely when we see people enjoying the installations. I think visitors really treasure a free event in January with people coming from the local community and from further a eld.
As with Stitching Light, we’re looking to work with and take inspiration from the local community more and more – we want everyone to feel comfortable coming here. This is a place for everyone. Go to canarywharf.com for more information
discover these temporary installations for Winter Lights 2025
● Aj Vana Be Mackenzie Walk
● Circa Canary Riverside
● Error
Westferry Circus
● Wave Columbus Courtyard
● Evanescent Droplets
Cabot Square
● Stitching Light
Wren Landing
● Mirage Montgomery Square
● Bird Passing By Water Street
● Arti cial Humans
Canary Wharf’s collection of permanent artworks will also be on show, including The Clew, above
Adams Plaza + Crossrail Place Roof Garden
● Portal
Union Square
● Positive Spin
Jubilee Place (indoors)
● Illusion Hole
Eden Dock
Scan this code to access the Canary Wharf Winter Lights map
13m
Height of both Error, below, at Westferry Circus and Portal at Union Square – two show stoppers to look out for on your visit
Towering light installation, Error, has been created by Vendel And De Wolf
Days Winter Lights will be in place across Canary Wharf, From Jan 21-Feb 1, 5pm-10pm
for a date
After a spell touring the installations, what better way to dazzle a date than with a table at one of the neighbourhood’s many romantic spots. Here are a few suggestions, but get in early as bookings will be going fast...
Tucked away on Mackenzie Walk beside permanent artwork The Clew, Humble Grape offers a fully stocked wine menu and a broad selection of small plates and larger dishes that are ideal for sharing.
Also off the beaten path is Kricket, a recent opening on the estate but one that certainly has the wow-factor. Minimal but warm, this restaurant serves up Indian cuisine. Our top tip is to book seats at the counter to watch the chefs work and get service straight from the bartenders.
Also on our list is No. 35 Mackenzie Walk, a restaurant and bar overlooking Eden Dock that has a relaxed, chic vibe. This one’s perfect after gazing down into Illusion Hole in the dark waters.
For a showstopper option, why not book a table at Roe at Wood Wharf. Located by the waterside at the base of One Park Drive, the restaurant offers a rich selection of small plates, skewers, flatbreads, larger dishes and more featuring ingredients such as snails, venison and cuttlefish. An adventure on the plate to rival the journey through the festival.
for families
Winter Lights has something for everyone in the family to enjoy and there are plenty of venues in Canary Wharf that cater for kids and adults alike.
Wahaca at Park Pavilion, for example, enjoyed a complete interior refit in 2024 and offers a kids menu with a range of dishes, puzzles and games to keep little ones entertained while they’re waiting to build their own tacos.
Pizza is a tried and tested crowdpleaser and Franco Manca’s sourdough offerings come in adult and kids sizes. The Canary Wharf restaurant is located at Crossrail Place beside two of the estate’s permanent light installations.
Those heading down into Jubilee Place can stop off at Wharf Kitchen, a market hall-style dining area with street food traders such as Thunderbird, iThai, Biang, Argentinian Grill, Indi-go and Poke House serving up
for veganuary
Those following a plant-based diet, whether for the first month of the year or on an ongoing basis, will find a wealth of options to delight their tastebuds on the menus of Canary Wharf’s restaurants.
Among our top picks for this section is Mallow, a restaurant that only serves plant-based dishes at its Wood Wharf branch on Water Street. Colourful, sustainable and flavourful, there’s even a Veganuary tasting menu available until January 31 with four courses promising a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine.
Head to Crossrail Place and you’ll also find plenty of temptations at Sticks’n’Sushi. For group bookings, the restaurant offers its Yasai plant-based menu with five courses, plus loads of a la carte options too.
Our final tip is to visit Vietnamese restaurant Pho in Jubilee Place. This consistently popular spot specialises in the dish it takes its name from, with two vegan versions to choose between. But there’s plenty more on the menu too, including curries and soups made with tofu, plant-based ‘chicken’ or mushrooms.
flavours from around the world. This is perfect for families who like a wide variety of dishes and cuisines to choose from.
Emilia’s Crafted Pasta serves up warm bowls of fresh pasta and sauce at its Wood Wharf branch, which overlooks Harbour Quay Gardens. The restaurant will also be hosting a graband-go pop-up during the festival for those who don’t wish to sit down.
Located in Cabot Place, Atrium Kitchen offers a selection of casual dining and takeaway restaurants for people after rapid refreshment. Visitors can expect kids to find a warm welcome at the likes of Nando’s, Marugame Udon, Zizzi, Gallio, Burger King and German Doner Kebab.
serves up plenty of warming, plant-based dishes
Wharf Kitchen serves up a wide variety of street food in Jubilee Place
Pho
Roe at Wood Wharf
Humble Grape
Pizza at Franco Manca
the beauty of
with hundreds of thousands expected to explore Canary Wharf for its Winter Lights festival, the best thing to do is make early reservations
advertisement feature
Those visiting the 19 artworks, spread across the Canary Wharf estate for this year’s Winter Lights festival will also have the opportunity to discover the area’s extensive food and drink o ering – we all need refreshment, especially if there’s a wintry nip in the air. Due to the
event’s popularity, we’re encouraging visitors to secure their tables early to ensure the best experience possible.
With more than 80 cafés, bars and restaurants – including many tempting openings since last year’s festival – warmth and welcome await across the neighbourhood.
Over these pages, we’ve selected venues catering for a range of options during the festival, with
places close to all of the installations, so those planning a route can nd a place to relax, refresh and re ect on the experience with family or friends. Go to canarywharf.com for full venue listings
Discover Canary Wharf’s full list of cafés, bars and restaurants here
Pergola On The Wharf can accommodate groups of any size
for groups
One of the best ways to enjoy the festival is to visit in a group. Canary Wharf boasts a wide range of venues that cater for larger bookings to help break up the evening when discovering the installations.
Market Halls, an extensive collection of bars and street food traders located opposite the Elizabeth Line’s western exit, makes an ideal meeting point. While walk-ins are available, bookings are highly advised as this is a popular venue.
Located a little further up the dock is Blacklock in Frobisher Passage. Specialising in chops and roasts, this restaurant o ers plenty of sharing options, the venue presents an opportunity to escape the crowds for relaxed dining and drinking beneath the DLR tracks.
If it’s serious size you’re looking for, Pergola On The Wharf, located at Crossrail Place Roof Garden has a maximum capacity of 700 and promises a botanical paradise strewn with owers, ferns and vines.
For those who prefer a more central location, The Parlour in Park Pavilion o ers plenty of room for larger groups, a wide selection of drinks and casual dining options on the edge of Canada Square.
Then there’s MMy Wood Wharf, which in addition to its inside street food market will be curating a series of pop-ups in Harbour Quay Gardens. Booking ahead is especially advised if you’re hoping to secure one of its popular outdoor igloos during Winter Lights or just to ensure plenty of table space for a larger group. This makes a great stop-o point after seeing PORTAL in Union Square.
hot drinks
OK, you can’t exactly book these spots, but one of the essentials for Winter Lights is knowing exactly where to get top quality hot drinks from and there are lots of options...
Recently opened, Chai Guys, brews up ne spiced, warming drinks from its base in Canada Place. In addition to selling takeaway cups, the business also o ers tins of its signature blends.
Head down into Canada Place mall and nd Joe Blake’s opposite Waitrose for co ee, tea and hot chocolate.
Badiani will also be trading from its three locations in Cabot Place, MMy Wood Wharf and Canada Place, o ering hot drinks alongside its speciality Italian gelato for those who enjoy an extra chill.
Well located for installations at both Montgomery Square and Union Square, 640 East o ers a range of warming drinks as well as beers, wines and spirits at its two Wharf locations.
do more...
While drinking and dining are a key part of enjoying Winter Lights, there’s a great deal more to do in the area. For families with kids, Flip Out o ers subterranean entertainment until 8pm each evening.
Other activity-driven venues include Fairgame, The Cube, Capital Karts and Ice Rink Canary Wharf for visitors who’d like to get that little bit extra out of their time in the neighbourhood.
Chai Guys
The Cube
taking the temperature of AI with Creative Virtual founder and CEO Chris Ezekiel as the company turns 21
by Jon Massey
Lego bricks are on Chris Ezekiel’s mind. His son Matthew, three, is already a proficient builder, while younger brother Harry (one) is quickly learning the ropes with Duplo. For Chris – CEO of Canary Wharf-based conversational AI firm Creative Virtual – the inspiring thing in their play is the way the boys use whatever materials are available to build exactly what they want.
“It’s now my kids who are giving me direct analogies for our approach,” said Chris, who founded the business on the Isle Of Dogs 21 years ago to provide customer service chatbot facilities for companies.
The firm has grown over more than two decades into a global operation serving customers around the world across multiple sectors in 23 countries and 40 languages but remains based in Canary Wharf close to where Chris grew up.
In that time, perhaps the biggest change in the marketplace it inhabits came in 2022 with the emergence of large language model AI technology, typified by the arrival of ChatGPT.
With the whole world seemingly abuzz and eager to get the most from the promise of this new tech, Creative Virtual stepped up, offering customers free proofs of concept showing how it might be deployed.
“It’s one of the best moves we’ve ever made,” said Chris. “It was costly, of course, but in those two years companies were becoming very excited about generative AI and needed help to navigate the capabilities – advice on deploying them in a way that’s safe and can be trusted.”
With competitors in the field simply bolting on AI facilities to existing customer relationship
Companies were becoming very excited about generative AI but needed help to navigate the sector, to deploy it in a way that’s safe
management systems, Creative Virtual saw an opportunity.
“They were doing that almost as an afterthought,” said Chris. “We’ve seen a real kick-back against it, with customers saying they don’t want to be tied into a single vendor.
“With the technology continuing to develop, we wanted a system where we could take the best conversational AI or best customer service system and plug them into each other – combining components. That’s where we’re having our biggest successes.
“It’s like building those Lego models, you pick the pieces you want and make something that’s greater than the sum of its parts. You want to be able to select the best of the breed.”
This idea of the “composable enterprise” is at the heart of the company’s approach, with its V-Person products and V-Studio platform allowing customers to choose and control the services they want.
It’s a strategy that also gives Creative Virtual an advantage because the firm can quickly adapt its offering to meet its clients’ needs and the changing landscape of the sector.
This flexibility is a strength in terms of allowing businesses to stand out too.
“Since OpenAI released ChatGPT, larger companies have set up teams to handle their ethical response to the technology,” said Chris. “So, while a business might be ready to go live with a project, the brakes might be applied to ensure compliance.
“The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act has also come in, which affects how organisations operating in Europe can use the technology and so must be taken into account.
“What we’ve done is to put appropriate safeguards – a really key word – in place around the AI systems to control what they can do. This means that no matter what changes occur and where a company is going to deploy the technology, there’s support there.
“Organisations want to provide information that’s accurate and consistent in a trusted way.
“They’re all trying to improve the customer experience and increase brand loyalty and this is the interesting part.
“Although price is very impor-
embedding a
Years since Chris Ezekiel founded Creative Virtual in east London
Chris Ezekiel, Creative Virtual
Chris says Creative Virtual’s approach o ers clients the opportunity to build systems that suit their speci c needs
The business works across the world with clients including the likes of HSBC, BT and Lloyds Banking Group
Scan this code to nd out more about Creative Virtual
tant today, what we still see with most organisations is that the number one thing that differentiates companies from their competitors is customer experience.
“There’s a real danger here with AI, because businesses have been sold off-the-shelf solutions. When you go to a website or use a mobile app to contact a company, the experience is often very vanilla – some firms are not really thinking about the brand they should be delivering.
“What we’ve done with ours is to make it very easy to create a blend between human and AI-generated content – this is the cornerstone of our product.
“This enables organisations to do what my boys do with their Lego bricks – to build bespoke customer experience offerings that align perfectly with their brands.”
Being able to embed that distinctive character in communications is an essential selling point for Creative Virtual as it continues to diversify into new sectors, whether its chatbots or voicebots are speaking to its clients’ customers or employees.
“We’re able to create a rich, brand-aware experience for users,” said Chris. “We’re increasingly seeing marketing, digital and the customer contact centre come together in more forwardthinking organisations. One of our big growth areas is in retail to help companies offer sales advice and customer contact.
“Employee experiences are just as important and we’re also delivering solutions for HR departments and IT service desks, for example, whether that’s to access information on a self-service basis or to connect with a human.
“That’s one of the pieces that can get lost when considering AI – the human aspect is still key so when the computer isn’t answering the question, then there’s a human at the end of the line to pick things up.
“All in all, we’ve got some really interesting projects happening in financial services, retail, travel, hospitality and government in different parts of the world.”
As for the future, Chris is excited by the rapid development of the technology and the benefits it can bring.
He said: “One especially interesting thing for me with AI is its ability to summarise information because we’re all overwhelmed at present.
“It’s one of the less risky ways of deploying the technology and it’s interesting that only now Apple, the biggest company in the world is starting to explore this. continued on Page 14
from Page 13
“One of the things we’ve done as a company working with the technology is to put guardrails in place to constrain the large language models we work with and ensure they are only ingesting and answering questions on the correct material. We have a good solution for that, where when the AI is giving a generative answer, it gives a reference for the information.
“While everybody working in this space is interested in the development of general intelligence, for us there are two other areas that are particularly relevant.
“The first is voicebots. For years we’ve been able to talk to our devices and dictate messages –people are getting more used to that and it’s improved over the years but some of the technology we’re seeing now is able to have much more natural conversations with people.
“You can pause and interrupt, as though you’re talking to a person. We’re doing some beta testing of this for one of our customers around that. It looks promising, but it’s got a way to go. The other aspect is about bringing in other media to interactions. We’re already seeing AI systems that generate images and video, but soon they will be able to make sense of them, answer questions about them and adapt them.
“All this stuff exists today, but it’s going to accelerate quite quickly, and that’s going to be part of the mix. The model’s going to be about much more than text –serving customers and employees with all sorts of other media to help people have very natural conversations.
“We are starting to work with customers on augmented reality, where they’ll create a customer experience in a virtual world.
“Augmented reality will plug into what we do, so that’s why it’s important to be working with customers now – we have to take a long-term view. As a company with no investment we’ve been able to do that over the past 21 years.
“Our team is incredible, many of them have been with me on the whole journey – you don’t get many chances in life to create a new sector in business and be a global success.”
Find out more about Creative Virtual at creativevirtual.com
Scan this code to nd out more about Creative Virtual
Coming on: This picture was created using Adobe’s AI image generator. While its attempt at “Lego bricks jumbled up” isn’t bad, there’s still a little way to go...
be part of the Canary Wharf conversation
To advertise in Wharf Life call 07944 000 144 or email jess.maddison@wharf-life.com
Let us help you reach readers across Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London. Wharf Life prints and distributes 15,000 copies every two weeks with a combined print and digital reach of 74,590 readers over a 14-day period.
Get in touch today...
PUBLIC NOTICE
LICENSING ACT 2003
LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE
Notice is given that: Maxim Rubanet has applied to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Licensing Authority for a Premises Licence under the Licensing Act 2003.
The premises are situated at: B. Bakery, London ,E14 9TS, on the corner of Limeharbour and Marsh Wall
The licensable activities and timings are: Selling alcohol (on and o sales), Monday-Sunday, 8am-7pm
Anyone who wishes to make representations regarding this application must give notice in writing to: The Licensing Section, London Borough Of Tower Hamlets, Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BJ or email: licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk Website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk Tel: 020 7364 5008
Representations must be received no later than04/02/2025. The Application Record and Register may be viewed between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday during normal o ce hours at the above address.
It is an o ence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum ne for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the o ence is up to level 5 on the standard scale (unlimited ne).
DELIVERY SERVICES
LICENSING ACT 2003 LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE
Notice is given that: Docklands Arts Ship Ltd – a not-for-pro t arts exhibition space on a converted historic ship moored at West India Dock – has applied to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Licensing Authority for a Premises Licence under the Licensing Act 2003.
The premises are situated at: Artship, West India Dock, Millwall Cutting Quay, London, E14 9SH
The licensable activities and timings are: Provision of Plays, Films, Live Music, Recorded Music: 08:00 to 00:00, Sunday to Thursday 08:00 to 02:00, Friday and Saturday
Supply of Alcohol: 11:00 to 00:00, Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 02:00, Friday and Saturday
Anyone who wishes to make representations regarding this application must give notice in writing to: The Licensing Section, London Borough Of Tower Hamlets, Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BJ or email: licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk Website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk Tel: 020 7364 5008
Representations must be received no later than18/01/2025. The Application Record and Register may be viewed between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday during normal o ce hours at the above address.
It is an o ence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum ne for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the o ence is up to level 5 on the standard scale (unlimited ne).
Cost of tickets to see The Tale Of Nobody Nose at Half Moon Theatre
The Tale Of Nobody Nose follows the adventures of three clowns as they help a puppet on a quest for a red conk
how The Tale Of Nobody Nose promises to take children and their loved ones on a magical, snow-filled journey of discovery
by Jon Massey
What better way for the family to chase away the January blues than by pelting (and getting pelted by) soft white snowballs in an auditorium? Half Moon Theatre is set to host two performances of The Tale Of Nobody Nose on February 1 and it promises to be a twinkling icy blast of carefully choreographed silliness and exploration.
The show by Goofus Theatre in association with Theatre Porto follows the
journey of three clowns – Boz, Yolo and Flo – as they set out on an adventure across land, sea and sky to help a lone puppet nd a red nose of their own.
This “fantastical wintery journey” sees the trio and their charge follow a magical map of dreams as the production embraces comedy, clowning, puppetry and – of course – snowball ghts.
The show is non-verbal, making it accessible for those who are deaf or hard of hearing and non-English speakers. The running time is one hour.
key details The Tale Of Nobody Nose is set to run at
Half Moon Theatre for two performances on February 1 at 11am and 2pm.
Tickets cost £8. It is suitable for ages four and up. As ever with the Limehouse venue’s shows, early booking is advised as productions often sell out.
Go to halfmoon.org.uk for more information and bookings
Scan this code to nd out more about the show
going on a
can’t make it?
diary dates at Half Moon Theatre
If the date for The Tale Of Nobody Nose doesn’t work for you, here are a couple of other shows coming up at the Limehouse venue to consider...
The Wonderland Garden Feb 7-8, various times (six shows), £8 Suitable for ages 0-3, this musical show promises an exploration of beauty in the changing season alongside a curious young person and their new friend Robin
The Noisy Garden Centre Feb 22, 11am, 2pm, £8
Suitable for ages 3-8, this piece follows Kid Carpe who really wants to win the Royal Fancy Garden Contest and the Noisy Animals who would like to run a garden centre. What could go wrong?
Go to halfmoon.org.uk for more information and bookings
Non-verbal, the show is accessible for a wide range of audiences
Limehouse - Wapping - Whitechapel - Tower Hill
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
Where? The George Tavern Whitechapel
As part of independent venue week, the storied east London stage hosts the self-styled cult gure plus sets from SL4P, Tommy Barlow and The Cowards. Feb 1, 7pm, from £6, thegeorgetavern.london
Where? Troxy Limehouse
GIG | Kaaris
The French rapper comes to Limehouse on the 10th anniversary tour of his breakthrough album Or Noir. Expect dark, menacing instrumentals. Feb 5, 7pm, from £45.53, troxy.co.uk
Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping
STAGE | Bradley, Flowers, Smithereens Enjoy extracts from three works of contemporary dance as students from the London Contemporary Dance School strut their stu live. Feb 4-8, 7.30pm, from £18, wiltons.org.uk
be quick
Expect a whole smorgasbord of sound and conversation as Steve Pretty And Friends: On The Origin Of Pieces arrives at Wilton’s Music Hall on January 16. The podcast will play live from 7pm, tickets from £10 wiltons.org.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about the show from the noted composer, performer and band leader
GIG | Bu ee
Goofus Theatre are set to perform The Tale Of Nobody Nose at Half Moon on February 1
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
how Deun Deun is a welcome refuge from the sharp teeth of January’s biting rain and wind as it serves up quality dishes
by Jon Massey
Poplar Union Poplar
TRY | Natural Tea Blending Workshop
This workshop from artist and creative producer Shaheen Kasmani looks at tea’s pivotal role in shaping world history and o ers a chance to get blending. Jan 31, 6pm-8pm, £15, poplarunion.com
Where?
The Space Isle Of Dogs
Over two evenings the Hepburn Hooks Theatre Company will take audiences on an exploration of femininity and creativity via eight works. Jan 31-Feb 1, 7.30pm, from £15, space.org.uk Where?
STAGE | Brown Skinned Girls
GIG | Spotted Pony
Where?
Theatreship Isle Of Dogs
Promising an evening of old-timey American folk, the line-up includes The Pegwells, Errant Moose and Tennessee Woodie. Expect a bunch of banjo pickin’. Jan 28, 7pm, £13.20, theatreship.co.uk
Wharf, a tutoring business o ering various sessions in maths, English and science from ages four and up at the Barkantine Community Hall on the Isle Of Dogs conexustuition.co.uk
Scan this code to read our interview with Pauline and discover her extensive background in teaching
As the wind tears between the Isle Of Dogs’ residential towers and cruel darts of free in rain find every vulnerable point in my clothing, I’ve seldom been as pleased to see the warm glow of a restaurant. January 4 may be the coldest day this winter, but Deun Deun has Korean heat enough to melt away the season.
Push past its sticky door and you’ll be welcomed in to a spare, minimal interior. There are bent plywood chairs that wouldn’t look out of place in a 1980s primary school classroom, pale wooden tables and plenty of white paper light shades.
The walls appear to have been tarted up with an assortment of products from Homebase – bamboo canes, trellis panels and bamboo screens. Remarkably, the end result is one of calm, chic cohesion – elegantly crumpled paper rather than a mess.
There’s style on the table too. Hot ginger tea (£3.60) arrives on a wooden coaster in a glass mug with generous splinters of the fier root lur in in the depths.
It’s exactly the thing to banish thoughts of January, the rich spice remorseless in its searing attack on all that is chilly.
Deun Deun passes the tap water test too with a bottle and glasses delivered almost instantaneously on request, arriving before the other drinks as it should.
and rapid in all
in mayo, perilla leaf, pickled daikon, vegan kimchi, spinach and carrot sliced attractively into generousl si ed morsels that ust a out fit in the mouth.
Both are beguiling companions as we sit snug in the restaurant’s golden glow listening to a jazzy soundtrack.
The Island has welcomed a clutch of new restaurants over the past year, man o erin uisine dra n from di erent parts of sia
Unquestionably, Deun Deun deserves its place amongst them. It’s not cheap. Two courses for two with non-alcoholic drinks comes in at £60, but the servings are generous enough for diners to be able to get away with a main on its own or, say, three starters between a couple.
This is a place of comfort, after all, and one that feels equally inviting as a dining spot on a date as it would for a larger gathering. Indeed, Deun Deun o ers set menus for roups althou h prior booking is required.
merest suggestion they’re done with. In an idle moment, I imagine a great
The service is cheerful, polite and rapid in all respects with the only slight criticism ein sta are almost too eager to whip plates away at the merest suggestion they’re done with. In an idle moment, I imagine a great beast behind the scenes with an insatiable appetite for dirty dishes as those on the oor desperatel seek to sate its unquenchable thirst.
This however is
a minor blemish on an otherwise excellent evening of food. We order a couple of small plates to start and two larger dishes to ensure su ient armth for the al home. Kimchi Jeon (£8.20) arrives as four crispy pancakes and a little bowl of soy sauce to dip them in. he avour is deep and su tle with a chopped cavalcade of ingredients adding complexity to the condiment. They are devoured. Similarly toothsome is Gyeran Jjim (£6.80) – a lightly steamed bowl of eggs that are scrambled but smooth as custard. We quickly learn these must be approached with caution thanks to the pockets of steam within, but appreciate the subtlety of this protein-rich o erin
Deceptively capacious thanks to a mezzanine level, the restaurant isn’t busy when we visit although the fact at least two other tables have made it through the inclement conditions is perhaps a ringing endorsement of hat s on o er iven the temperature nd hat more reall is there to say? That cosseted folk are prepared to brave the harsh elements, to venture forth e ond the under oor heating of their apartments and take up elegant metal chopsticks a freezing walk away shouldn’t be dismissed as the o vious vote of onfiden e it is Deun Deun – which incidentally translates as “my belly is full” in Korean – may be a relative newcomer. ut the spi smo avours of its gochujang sauce, the potency of its kimchi and the simple welcoming atmosphere created by its pretty, sparse interior should see it trade happily here for many years to come.
London needs more restaurants like this. Proper places serving wellhoned dishes with obvious passion that deliver variety on the plate and delight in the mouth. Hospitality is a tough trade and these guys are doing it well.
Jon Massey ★★★★✩
Things get even better as the mains arrive. Tofu Bibimbap (£15.50) is a fillin bowl of rice topped with bean sprouts, mushrooms, courgette, carrot and a fried egg. Tuna Kimbap (£16.30) is a sushi li e roll of fish
key details
Deun Deun Korean Cafe is located in Harbour Way on the Isle Of Dogs and is open Tuesday-Sunday from noon-3pm and from 5pm-10pm. Go to deundeun.uk for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about Deun Deun
Sanctuary in a mug, the hot ginger tea at Deun Deun is a spiced embrace for the soul
Deun Deun is located in Harbour Way on the Isle Of Dogs, a short walk from South Quay DLR or Canary Wharf’s stations
Fundraising target to reopen The Piehouse in Deptford this spring
Image by Sonya Woodru
Image by Jazz Noble
Image by Jazz Noble
Image by Sonya Woodru
Matchstick Piehouse played host to a wide variety of acts and performers following its launch in 2018 - now there’s a campaign to reopen the venue
how staff and supporters have banded together to battle for the future of The Piehouse in Deptford, hopefully reopening
by Jon Massey
The ght is on to save a cultural venue in Deptford. Former sta at Matchstick Piehouse in Edward Street have banded together following its closure due to rent arrears from the pandemic in a bid to reopen the space.
A previous fundraising campaign had generated some £30,000, with donations refunded in the end as this sum was insu cient to pay o the debt and stave o administration.
Now grassroots group The Piehouse Co-op is seeking to raise £15,000 having agreed heads of terms with the landlord to open as a not-for-pro t, worker run music and arts venue. It hopes to do so this spring.
After the original venue led for insolvency, the railway arch it occupied was stripped of all its assets including lighting, sound equipment and furniture.
The new company is seeking to open up in the same space and is fundraising to kit it out. With a capacity of 150, the venue is wheelchair accessible with a mission to provide access to its arts programme for the diverse commu-
Seeing amazing venues shutting down has been painful. We need to keep creativity alive and, for that, spaces like The Piehouse are needed
nity living locally and a focus on prioritising artist development for marginalised groups and hard-toreach audiences.
Money will also be spent on sta ng costs, business planning and rent.
“The Piehouse is such an important space for London to have because not only are there already too few venues, but the ones that have been able to hold on have had to make a lot of decisions to survive, which means that it’s a really di cult landscape for artists and musicians to nd a ordable spaces to put on events,” said sta member Sonya Woodru .
“The core ethos of The Piehouse is to create a cultural space that supports the community around it, to help people who are usually
under-represented in the arts see themselves as involved cultural actors, deserving of space to explore their ideas.”
Fellow sta member Rosetta Carr added: “As a touring musician trying to survive the current climate in the music Industry, having a place that allows me to work and have an income beside music and art is extremely valuable.
“Plus, I’d like to be part of a project that creates a safe space for thinkers and artists to gather and create community, especially in south London where creativity is proli c.
“Seeing amazing venues shutting down has been painful in the past years. We need to keep creativity alive and, for that spaces like The Piehouse are needed.”
key details
For details of how to donate to The Piehouse’s fundraising campaign and of fundraising events planned over the coming weeks visit the co-op’s website. Go to piehousecoop.co.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about the fundraiser
Where?
The Albany Deptford
The anti-racism campaign is set to host a gig with a message of unity in the face of far-right violence. The event will feature Dave Okumu and many more. Feb 1, 7pm, from £15, thealbany.org.uk
for the future
Rosetta Carr, The Piehouse
Image by Sonya Woodru
Image by Sonya Woodru
take a breath
by David Lefebvre Sell
Dive in: Nurturing a zest for life isn’t easy, especially in January, but does have bene cial e ects
Now is the winter of our discontent, so distant from the summer of our discount tent. Nothing to look forward to but paying bills, sweating out the cheese, and restoring our liver function. It is, perhaps, in January that we have the greatest seasonal need for resilience, the sheer bloody mindedness to wake up in the morning, and get behind the plough.
In the eld of Positive Psychology, various character strengths like bravery, kindness, humility, and gratitude, have been shown to have a benecial e ect on one’s ability to deal with adversity. Zest, is another of these strengths and the one that is most in opposition to depression.
The English philosopher, Bertrand Russell, said: “What hunger is in relation to food, zest is in relation to life.” It is a lust for life, for experience, an attitude that sees existence as a daring adventure. This ties into a sense of purpose and an enjoyment of challenge, which is obviously very helpful when you’re going through a hard time.
But we need to always understand that zest, like many mental heath issues, is made easier with lots of money. It’s easy to feel optimistic when you’ve got some nice holidays to look forward to and no nancial worries.
Developing a capacity for mindfulness helps us savour the good stu – perhaps it’s time to start that meditation practice
Having said that, we can help ourselves to develop zest, or at least remove some of the obstacles. Firstly, it’s important to look after our health. I know, typical January guilt trip. But exercise and a healthy diet improves our energy levels, releases all sorts of happy chemicals and makes us look better naked. Those are all ne things.
We can also try to be more optimistic focusing on positive outcomes and our successes. It’s easy to focus on problems –remember to dwell on the good stu too.
Developing a capacity for mindfulness helps us savour it –perhaps it’s time to start that meditation practice.
David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf
Follow @davetheyogi on X and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB
Scan this code for information about David’s work as a transpersonal counsellor and psychotherapist
how In The Dark is set to take sight out of the equation with a season of ground breaking musical performances
by Jon Massey
In one important sense, or lack of it, In The Dark is a tough sell. That’s because, despite positivel fi in ith enthu siasm for the project, founder and director Andrea Cockerton can’t talk much about the actual ontent of its forth omin perfor mances in anything other than eneral terms o do so ould e to shatter the secrecy and ruin the experience.
What she can tell me is the basics. In The Dark aims to do for musi hat ele rated pit h la dining experience Dans Le Noir has been doing for food since the earl nou hties in ler en ell Audiences don eye masks for the hour lon performan es ithout no in hat musi the ill hear oth measures that are intended to intensify the listening experience.
n a a at hin people performing is a distraction,” said Andrea. “You’re looking at them, at the other audience members, perhaps checking the time. I ondered hat ould happen if ou too that a a “When you can see, you’re
making
processing a great deal of visual information ut ith sound surrounding you in the dark, your rain does all inds of di erent things.”
Andrea, a pianist, composer, and arts entrepreneur, developed the idea initiall for lar e s ale musical collective We Are Sound, a group she founded in am rid e that puts on lori ously chaotic” gigs featuring more than 120 amateur performers. e d done uite a fe sho s in London at Scala, Union Chapel, Bush Hall and loads in am rid e she said t as ith that roup that as tr in to thin a out hat else e ould do So told them e ere oin to do some sho s in dar ness he idea as that it ould be a really great experience both for learning music and for performing.
“I put the tickets on sale and the sold out ithin half an hour e added e tra sho s and the just kept selling. a h performan e as a out 30 minutes and the feedback as phenomenal ormall ith musi ou don t et mu h ut it ame o in a to us eople ere sa in it as the
Audiences wear eye masks to listen to the performance
most extraordinary experience, that the ould never for et it Audiences found it profoundly moving.”
ust as ndrea ho studied music at Cambridge before spendin time in the orld of business, and the project as ettin into its stride the pandemic arrived and upset things.
ne our final perfor man e that anted to tr n he ar ith professional musi ians because I thought it had the potential for a ider run perhaps in the West End,” she said.
t s ta en five ears for t o reasons irstl as ver si ith ovid and on ovid and se ondl as dia nosed ith cancer.
m no and m a up to full speed felt this needed to happen and I’ve never been someone ho doesn t follo m dreams So then it as a ase of findin some venues and a roup of musicians.”
In The Dark, featuring Andrea’s Hush Collective, is set for a run of performan es at St artholome he reat in Smithfield rinit Buoy Wharf in Leamouth and a ouple of sho s under the hull of the utt Sar in reen i h in celebration of Burns Night.
ut h see out hara terful venues at all, if audiences can’t even see them
hile the sho s di er sli htl in format depending on the venue hat s ommon to all of them is that they are in beautiful buildings, beautiful settings,” said Andrea. “People have a little bit of time to enjoy that before sitting do n
“It’s a calm, slightly visceral atmosphere. People are given masks and they put them on efore the sho e ins
“The acoustics are an important factor in the choice of venue too it s unplu ed so ou need some kind of resonance.
“While the audience don’t see the performers, there’s quite a lot of movement too hi h han es the sound and the experience for the listeners so e need spa e for that to happen.
“There are no monitors, no metronome li s for the musi ians no ondu tor nothin and that s oth ris and extraordinary for the performers.
“It’s all done through rehearsal the pla ers have to no the material ell enou h so the no e a tl hat s oin to happen and hen
“As an audience member you’re
David Lefebvre Sell
There’s this fantastic freedom and that’s why people have responded to it so well. I’d listen to a performance like this every night if I could Andrea Cockerton, In The Dark
not seeing how you respond, and as a performer you’re not seeing how you perform – there’s this fantastic freedom and that’s why people have responded to it so well. It really is magical, I’d listen to a performance like this every night if I could.”
Audiences only see members of the Hush Collective at the end of the performance, when details of the programme are also revealed. Without endangering those precious secrets, we can at least say there might be elements of ambient, Scandi, nu-folk and experimental music with hints of electronic and classical thrown in for good measure.
Beyond the music itself, there’s another dimension to In The Dark, which Andrea hopes to develop and grow beyond this run of performances.
“If this goes well in London, the aim is to take it into Europe, especially the Scandinavian countries,” she said.
“Part of our ethos is to pay our musicians fairly – we want to do things right for people working on the project.
“Some years ago I set up The Dosco Foundation to support music related projects and we’ve given out about £20,000 over the years to a variety of initiatives.
“We’ll be giving 5% of the profits from In The Dark to that organisation to help fund it.”
key details
In The Dark performances in east London are set to take place at St Bartholomew The Great in Smithfield on various dates and times from January 16 and at The Chain Store at Trinity Buoy Wharf in Leamouth from March 20. Tickets start at £35.
The Cutty Sark will host two shows on January 25 at 7.15pm and 9.15pm. Standard tickets for these cost £40. Performances are suitable for ages eight and up. Go to in-the-dark.com for more info and tickets for the first two venues and rmg.co.uk for the Cutty Sark
Scan this code to nd out more about In The Dark
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Bullet For My Valentine + Trivium The Welsh metallers are joined by American prog metal out t in the tent for the Poisoned Ascendency Tour. Expect support from Orbit Culture. Feb 1, 5pm, from £48, theo2.co.uk
STAGE | Die Fledermaus Merry Opera present Richard Strauss’ operetta with an ensemble of singers directed by Guido MartinBrandis. Expect a witty English translation. Jan 31-Feb 1, times vary, £25, greenwichtheatre.org.uk
|
Willows will be
and
doed as the work of Scotland’s national poet is celebrated. Expect plenty of whisky-fuelled fun. Jan 25, 6.30pm, £15, woolwich.works
Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks Live Glow + Fire roars into The O2 from Jan 10-12 with stunt shows at various times over the three days. Tickets start at £27 with a host of premium options available for super fans theo2.co.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks Live Glow + Fire at The O2
Arena
EVENT
Burns Night Ceilidh
stripped
dosies,
Andrea Cockerton is the creator of In The Dark
Two of the gigs will take place beneath the Cutty Sark
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
Where?
Brick Lane Music Hall North Woolwich
EVENT | Pinocchio And His Wooden Whopper
Enjoy a three-course lunch and watch a distinctly adult take on a festive classic as Vincent and the crew o er a bawdy, grown-up pantomime on stage. Jan 23-Mar 8, times vary, from £60, bricklanemusichall.co.uk
Where?
Excel
Royal Victoria Dock
EVENT | The Festival Of Genomics And Biodata Now celebrating a decade, this gathering of genomics and life sciences professionals claims to be the fastest-growing event of its kind in the world. Jan 29-30, 8am-6pm, registration only, excel.london
CLUB | Pearson Sound B2B Peach
Where? Fold Canning Town
Promising seven hours of house and techno, the two acts are set to dig deep into their record collections for this London debut. Already a hot ticket. Jan 31, 11pm-6am, from £20, fold.london
super y
Guernsey’s o cial airline, Aurigny, is set to increase ights between the island and London City Airport from 13 to 15 per week over the summer, taking advantage of the hub’s increased passenger allowance aurigny.com
Scan this code to nd out more about the airline and the destinations it ies to
Natasha Hart founded NASSA two decades ago after taking her sons to the park to teach them basketball
Young people reached by NASSA’s Carry A Basketball
how Newham All Star Sports Academy
by Jon Massey
I’m still so passionate about it, 20 years after we started,” said Natasha Hart. “NASSA is one big family – once you set foot in there, you don’t want to come out. We have volunteers who started with us when their children were small – they’ve grown up and left, but their parents are still helping out. The young people who have been through our hands stay in touch, even two decades later.”
This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the day Natasha took her two sons to Balaam Park in east London to tea h them as et all o erin to make it a weekly treat.
They invited their friends, word got round and soon she was coaching groups of more than 30 kids. The demand was there.
With £20 in the bank she registered Newham All Start Sports Academy (NASSA) as a charity and never looked back. In 2008, her son Anthony Okereafor launched NASSA’s Carry A Basketball Not A Blade campaign in response to the fatal stabbings of two of his friends within weeks of each other. Its work, tackling knife crime and gang culture, while breaking down barriers between youngsters and the Metropolitan Police, has seen more than 100,000 young people aged 10-18 attend its sessions.
In that time NASSA’s teams have also won league titles, its initiatives have been recognised with a multitude of awards and Natasha has received an MBE as its CEO.
But the demand for the charity’s blend of sports and education is unrelenting. The pandemic and cost of living crisis have taken their toll and its work is sorely needed because it’s ultimately about more than a child learning the discipline of sport – it’s in the business of creating community.
“NASSA is always attracting young people,” said Natasha. “Some want to meet new friends, some want to play sports, some want to be away from something and others want to progress and develop.
“We are always learning from them because it’s not only about the child. They’re a brother, a sister, a son or a daughter. Once the young person trusts us e find the hole famil oins in “From a single session they get involved and the ball starts rolling –we’ll be asking how are they doing in school, what life is like – then after a few weeks you build that trust.”
Those relationships allow the charity to help address a wide range of issues facing those living locally. It works to tackle domestic violence, addiction and unhealthy peer pressure and knife crime through a blend
wants to build on a foundation of two decades
basketball, which is so important because they are the people you need to call when you’re in trouble.”
Over its first t o de ades NASSA has been successful in securing support from the likes of Excel, Tate And Lyle, UEL, Sport England, L&Q, London City Airport, the Mayor Of London, Newham Council, the Royal Docks Team and Basketball England.
“We’ve been very lucky with the supporters we have, the volunteers, the coaches and the sponsors who all enable us to deliver,” said Natasha.
“We have a rich history with what we’ve done in this community and a great track record in helping change and save the lives of people in this part of London. That we are able to do this is very satisfying for all those involved with the charity whether it’s our sponsors our sta or me
To mark its 20th year, NASSA is planning a renewed focus on generating funds for its activities, with an ambition to roll out its mission to other parts of the capital.
A fundraising event is set to be held in June at Brick Lane Music Hall in Royal Docks as a celebration of the charity’s anniversary to help spread the word about the work its doing and o er usinesses and individuals ne ways to get involved in its activities.
NASSA engages young people through sport in east London
The fundraising event will be an opportunity to showcase what we have done over the past 20 years and to reach new supporters
Natasha Hart, NASSA
of mentoring, coaching, support and education.
f e an find a solution to a pro lem then we will, or we can refer people on to specialists who can help,” said Natasha.
“We always want to be growing as a charity, to reach more people and embrace new ideas. For example, when e first started our or shops ith the police, the relationship with young people was poor.
“Now each year we play a friendly ame ith servin o ers and that builds trust – the young people can see they are human and that they play
“We want the event to help us reach new supporters and a new audience and for them to be able to come together with our existing sponsors,” said Natasha. “It’s an opportunity for us to showcase what we have done over the past 20 years and what we are going to do in the future.
“We know we have expertise and I would love us to be able to roll that out to the surrounding boroughs.
“With knife crime the way it is in London, our work is needed more and more and I believe this is a model that could work across the city, helping to save more young people’s lives.”
key details
NASSA, based in Royal Docks, is always looking for support from volunteers, businesses and organisations to help deliver its sport and education programmes.
If you or your company think you could help in any way by providing resources or funding, you can contact the charity via its website. Full details of NASSA’s fundraising event in June will be published in due course.
Go nassasports.org.uk for more information about the charity and ways to get involved
how
The Yard Theatre has lined up a pair of comic turns to kick o 2025 as it prepares for monumental change
by Jon Massey
The Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick is set to enjoy a brightly comic start to 2025 with the arrival of two award-winning shows from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
First up is Nick Cassenbaum’s Revenge: After The Levoyah. Billed as an “outrageous comedy-heist”, the play follows two twins and one ex-gangster with an extremely messy plot to kidnap Jeremy Corbyn.
Starring Gemma Barnett and Dylan Corbett-Bader, the Fringe First award-winner promises madcap laughs and biting political satire with a Jewish twist. Performances run from January 9 until 25.
Also a recipient of a Fringe First is Kelly Jones’ My Mother’s Funeral: The Show, which is set to play at the Hackney Wick venue from January 29 to February 15.
Audiences can expect a “razorsharp examination of class, death and who gets to tell their story” as the playwright picks apart her grief by turning her late parent into art after discovering she an t a ord the ost of a urial What happens when loss becomes someone else’s entertainment?
oth i and ell first worked with The Yard through its Now Festival programme in 2019 and 2014 respectively.
The Yard’s artistic director, Jay Miller, said “These two extraordinary shows feel like the perfect a to e in our final series of shows in our current venue.
“Both Nick and Kelly started
their journeys here and now they return with exactly the kind of bold, provocative theatre this building has always championed – work that knows how to entertain while it challenges, to play while it provokes. It’s a celebration of everything The Yard stands for.”
Last year the venue secured £700,000 grant from Arts Council England for its project to build a new theatre in Hackney Wick. That sum – added to support already pledged by the London Legacy Development Corporation, the GLA and a number of private trusts, brings the funding amassed for the scheme to more than £6million.
The new venue will be built on The Yard’s current site and involves a a major refurbishment and extension of the organisation’s current building, creating a new auditorium which will double the seated capacity to 200.
The facility will also include a workshop, dressing rooms, showers for performers and a permanent Young Artists Space as well as a cafe and bar that will continue to be home for independent nightlife collectives that champion new performance and under-represented communities.
key details
Revenge: After The Levoyah is set to run from January 9-25 with shows at various times over those dates including some matinees.
My Mother’s Funeral: The Show will run from January 29-February 15, again at various times. Tickets for both shows start at £10 with early bookings costing less. Go to theyardtheatre.co.uk for more information and bookings
£10
Starting price for tickets to see the rst two shows of the year at The Yard in Hackney Wick
My Mother’s Funeral: The Show - from January 29
Revenge: After The Levoyah - from January 9
Scan this code to nd out more about shows at The Yard Theatre
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
STAGE | Bollywood Time Machine
Immerse yourself in the enchanting voices of legends such as Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Ra , Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. Tommy Sandhu hosts. Jan 24, 7.30pm, from £16, stratfordeast.com
Where?
Sadler’s Wells East East Bank
DANCE | Our Mighty Groove Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu blends club styles with African and contemporary dance as Sadler’s Wells East announces its opening in Stratford. Feb 6-9, times vary, from £15, sadlerswells.com Where?
GIG | Mötley Crüde
And Horses Stratford
Established in 2015, this tribute to the LA rockers claims to be Europe’s longest-running act imitating the sound of Sixx, Lee and Neil. Feb 1, 7pm, from £17, cartandhorses.london
ash back
Greek restaurant and bar Hera has opened its doors on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at Here East. Diners can expect elevated takes on classic avours and a menu of signature cocktails at the Stratford East spot herarestaurant.co.uk
Scan this code to read our interview with Hera’s marketing manager and nd out more about the venue
Sudoku
How to play
To complete Sudoku, ll the board by entering numbers one to nine such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
More to play
You can nd more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca
Notes
crossword
Down
1. Line of small cars could be a TV drama? (10)
2. Cleric with a collection of written works? (5)
Take a break from that phone Across 7. Personal estimate makes me angry (5) 8. Personal mourning confused by illness (7) 9. Personal unpunctuality (7)
beating the whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy
Cryptic Quick
Singer (5)
Deeds (7)
Low wall (7)
Garden tools (5)
Leading (10)
Something to be economical with (5) 12. Living next door, we’re anything but ignored (10) 15. Happening eventually and punctually (2,4,4)
18. Mates in a mess can get up a good head of this (5)
19. Be economical. It’s no good! (7)
21. Sounds like genuine insects have absconded! (7) 22. Ancient tribe might freeze in Northern Ireland (5)
3. This could beat a trial version (4)
4. Back end of racing vehicle could be a job, we hear (6)
5. Stand here for election, literally and metaphorically (8)
6. Gets out of bed and gets to the truth (7)
11. Sounds like pleasure from impaled bonce? (10)
13. What 4 down might sound like? (8)
14. Confused about end of video using hot rocks? (7)
16. When you’re not economical with 10 across at all (6)
17. Greek woman to call when you’ve built 1000 ships? (5)
