Wharf Life, May 17-31, 2023

how Kinaara head chef Imamuddin Khan brings the flavours he grew up eating together with progressive Indian cooking techniques on Greenwich Peninsula Pages 26-27

Where? Canada Square Canary Wharf

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Welcome to the 88th issue of Wharf Life. Charity and health are two themes that come across strongly in this issue, with the arrival of Randox on the Wharf, the return of the Prost8 Challenge in Stratford and Care For St Anne’s project to open up the Limehouse Church for wider community use. Get involved

KIDS | Family Film Club

Enjoy free screenings of classic movies on Saturdays in June and August with the likes of Encanto, Inside Out and Paddington on o er. From Jun 3, 10.30am, free, canarywharf.com

Where? Secret Locations Canary Wharf

GIG | Sofar Sounds

A series of secret gigs with surprise line-ups is set to take place on the rst Wednesday in June, July, August and September in Canary Wharf. Book fast. From Jun 7, 8pm, £23, canarywharf.com

Where? Canada Square Canary Wharf

FILM | Movie Nights

Running on various Tuesdays in June, July and August, Canary Wharf will be screening icks such as Black Panther, Mamma Mia and Bend It Like Beckham From Jun 6, 7pm, free, canarywharf.com

How St Anne’s Limehouse is looking to raise £7million to create step-free access at the church and clear and convert its crypt into a exible space with a cafe for the local community

out more about the venue

How life at Greenwich Millennium Village goes beyond four walls 2613

We interview head chef Imamuddin Khan of Kinaara in Greenwich

on the radar

need to know

Sustainable venue The Greenhouse Theatre is set to return to Canary Wharf from June 19 to July 14. Expect a packed programme of performances and a brand new zerowaste bar as ethical entertainment comes back to Jubilee Park thegreenhousetheatre.com

The Space celebrates winning funding to replace its lift access

The next in the series of Wharf Talks – a partnership between UCL and Canary Wharf Group – is set to take place on June 20 with author Adam Kingl who will discuss the next generation of leadership and how they will adapt to a di erent racial mix canarywharf.com

FEATURED TREATMENT

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Why Greenwich Theatre’s double bill is a perfect match

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NEW GROWTH READY FOR SUMMER 2023

JON HALA X AESTHETICS

Find new growth at Jon Hala in May through aesthetic treatments including Mesotherapy , facials , microneedling , skin peel , non-surgical fat removal and hair fillers , all delivered in the privacy of the salon’s exclusive VIP room

How a cancer scare led former HSBC banker Malcolm Grieve to create The Prost8 Challenge, now in its second year at the VeloPark in Stratford

HAIR | BEAUTY | AESTHETIC TREATMENTS

I’m lucky to have good genes when it comes to my hair. It’s thick and I’ve always worn it long, except for a period in school when I got a one length bob – and resembled a mushroom – but the less said about that the better. It is naturally wavy and I used to battle this in high school when super-straight locks were on-trend, even resorting to using an iron on it occasionally.

However, adulthood has brought its own hair challenges. Heat and colour damage, post-pregnancy hair loss and those pesky white hairs that keep cropping up. I really have to work hard to keep my hair in decent condition. I get regular trims, and try to limit my use of things such as hair straighteners, but recently I noticed the ends of my hair were becoming frazzled and broken. So, I’ve rounded up my current favourite haircare products to help.

● Garnier Ultimate Blends collection is made from 98% natural ingredients, is vegan and silicone-free, which means less build-up and a healthier scalp. I love the Hair Food Coconut Hair Mask, £7.99 for 390ml at Superdrug branches in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and Greenwich. It smells divine and drenches my hair with much needed moisture.

● Post-wash, I wrap my wet hair in the Micro bre Hair Towel from H&M in West eld Stratford City for £5.99. This is so absorbent and really helps to remove excess water, meaning less drying time (and therefore less heat). It also claims to reduce frizz and is especially great for curly hair, as it won’t rough up your ringlets, like a terry towel would.

● The INKEY List PCA Bond Repair Hair Treatment, 100ml, priced £13.99 at Boots branches in Canary Wharf, is an a ordable yet quality product I have been spraying on towel dried hair. I concentrate on my ends and, once fully dry, they look and feel noticeably less damaged.

● When it comes to brushing my hair, I turn to Tangle Teezer The Wet Detangler Hairbrush, Marlin Blue – available at Superdrug, priced £12.99. When hair is wet, it’s at its most delicate, and this brush gets through it easily and gently.

● I usually dry my hair naturally, then nish it o with my hair dryer, and style. The last product I use on my hair is L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Hair Oil For All Hair, £13 for 100ml from Boots. It’s such a versatile product and can be used on wet hair as a heat protector and on dry hair to smooth frizz and add shine.

Natasha Maddison @pazzanatasha on Insta

diary dates

COMING UP Summer Sounds

Jubilee Park, Jun 7-Aug 9, noon-2.30pm, free Get entertained over lunch by a selection of artists from Busk In London as they play their tunes in the open air for the enjoyment of all-comers on Wednesdays. First up is Clarissa Mae on June 7, followed by Modupe on June 14 and Anatomy Of Ghosts on June 21 - canarywharf.com

hot list

rumours tips and rankings

NEW STUFF

Everyone’s into competitive socialising now, right? Well Sports Bar And Grill, at Crossrail Place, has jumped on the bandwagon and is now offering “augmented reality darts” to help tempt punters through the door. We’re also very much looking forward to the return of the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival complete with Dancing City on September 9-10. Pencil it in.

OUR PICKS

If you do nothing else in Canary Wharf this fortnight, consider indulging in the below:

1. Make a date to go down and watch something on the Canary Wharf Summer Screens, which are back in Canada Square from June 1 – canarywharf.com

2. Book at table at Emilia’s Crafted Pasta. Tucked away on Wood Wharf, it remains one of the best value restaurants on the estate – emiliaspasta.com

3. If you really must socialise competitively, then Fairgame takes a lot of beating, even if its inflatable duck has gone awol – wearefairgame.com

GIG - Toyah Wilcox

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf, Cabot Square Jun 8, 9.30pm, from £29 (show only) boisdale.co.uk

Known for her 1980s bangers and, more recently, extrovert performances alongside husband Robert Fripp during lockdown and since, Toyah brings her potent personality to the Boisdale stage. The perfect gig for all those who loved It’s

KIDS STUFF

The Curious Tale Of Polly Pickles

Museum Of London Docklands, May 30-Jun 1, free Fun for the under-5s, this interactive family show takes audiences back to Victorian London to meet the titular pickpocket with a penchant for danger. Times for the show vary and while entry is free, spaces are limited so tickets will be allocated on arrival at the museum - museumoflondon.org.uk

and ideas to make your Canary Wharf life just that bit sweeter...

by Jon Massey

Unprecedented’ was one of the words that got more than its fair share of exercise during the pandemic. But it is perhaps one of the best terms to describe the levels of information about ourselves that we can measure and record. Never before have so many people been able to capture such a vast quantity of data about themselves.

What was once mostly the preserve of the healthcare sector, has now become part of daily life for the populace, with easy ways to measure everything from steps and sleep to blood sugar and oxygenation levels. ne of the effects of the pandemic is that most people have become used to the idea of testing themselves regularly – a normalising of such behaviour in a section of the population that might otherwise have not had much contact with the medical world.

Cost of Randox Health’s Everyman and Everywoman packages, which feature two rounds of tests

Randox Health’s Everyman and Everywoman packages o er customers up to 150 data points based on blood and urine tests

by Ed Bucknall - edjbucknall.com

It’s against this backdrop that Randox Health is engaged in a roll out of new clinics, including its latest opening in Canary Wharf’s Cabot Place. While the brand first emerged in the early 2010s, it has grown from four locations to 20 with many more in the pipeline. Essentially the consumer-facing arm of Randox proper – a provider of laboratory, health and toxicology services to some 145 countries that was founded in County Antrim more than 40 years ago – Randox Health offers an extensive menu of tests to paying customers.

“The plan was to make our services more accessible to the public,” said Celine Hasson, operations manager at the company who oversees six of its clinics in the capital.

“We already had locations in west London and then in central London but we weren’t reaching out to east London and we saw a demand for testing, which is why we’ve opened in Canary Wharf. It was our busiest opening with 22 appointments on the first day.

“ he services we offer range widely over concerns about any aspect of a person’s body. continued on Page 8

watercolour

how Randox Health provides an extensive range of services to help customers know their bodies better

from Page 6

“We can test for conditions related to the kidneys, thyroid and hormones as well as things like sexually transmitted infections and genetic factors such as lactose intolerance.

“We like to give people a fullbody MOT so they can get a better understanding of their bodies and any lifestyle changes which may be necessary to ensure good health. For this we offer a range of packages from smaller ones to the larger ones that incorporate everything.

“Depending on the results, we might suggest a customer seeks further guidance from a GP if there is anything in the results that needs to be flagged up.”

Randox Health’s flagship offerings are its Everyman and Everywoman packages, both costing £295. These provide up to 150 data points over two rounds of testing and include a personalised health plan.

“We arrange an initial appointment for blood and urine testing,” said Celine. “Our clients will get their results within two to five working days through our app and also sent out by post. These are presented via a traffic light system – green’s fine, amber may be something to look into and red is where further investigation is needed. Included is an optional discussion with one of our scientists – although this isn’t a clinical or medical appointment. Customers can also talk to a GP for a consultation fee of £70.

“Then people come back six months later for a repeat set of tests – the biomarker tracking –and another consultation.”

The cost, excluding the doctor, works out at less than £25 per month as Randox’s ongoing expansion brings prices down. It previously worked out at more than £40.

“We feel it’s not that much money to spend on your health,” said Celine. “We are providing preventative healthcare and, in the wake of the pandemic, we’re finding a lot of customers are concerned about their health.

“That’s why we’re opening new clinics. It’s up to the customer how they want to interpret their body – how often they feel they need to be checking in with themselves.

“We have some who come back every year, to ensure they are making any lifestyle changes that are necessary – diet, exercise or taking supplements, for example. Some have their tests and then take that information to their NHS GP to discuss the findings. In general they are very focused on what changes they could make to improve their health.

“We get a very broad range of people who come to us, with people aged 18, right up to those in their 50s, 60s and 70s. It’s for anyone who is concerned about their long term health and wants to take measures to improve it.”

Randox Health also offers other packages including its £2,600 Signature option, which provides 350 data points alongside genetic testing and GP advice. There are options aimed at pregnant women and athletes too.

In addition, the firm offers a range of more specific tests covering everything from genetic cancer screening to hormonal health for both sexes, gut health and a £45 test for prostate health.

“Two weeks ago, we had a customer in our Liverpool clinic who had a PSA test as part of their Everyman package,” said Celine. “The results were elevated and quite concerning and their GP was able to refer them for cancer diagnosis at an early stage.

“The customer was really grateful because that was a potentially lifesaving result and it’s things like that which make it very worthwhile.”

While Randox Health stresses that it’s not a clinical or medical company at heart, it has just struck a deal to offer intravenous vitamin infusions in its clinics in partnership with US firm Reviv. Potentially, it’s a way for customers to top up their vitamin levels and address any imbalances in their bodies revealed by testing.

“This is something new for us, so we thought it would be good to partner with a company that has experience in the field,” said Celine, who splits her time between Northern Ireland and the London clinics she oversees.

“We have qualified nurses who do the canulation and then it’s a 45-minute appointment for the infusion drips.”

A selection of IV drip therapies are available starting at £85 for a Miniboost intended to help recharge energy levels in response to stress or jet lag. It contains a blend of B vitamins, Vitamin C and antioxidants.

The priciest option on the menu is the Heliix, which promises to deliver “a powerhouse of antioxidants, including vitamin C, glutathione and alpha lipoic acid” intended to help detoxify the body and support collagen production, sleep, mood and immunity. A selection of booster shots is also available.

Go to randoxhealth.com for more information

Scan this code to find out more about Randox Health services

Randox Health recently opened a clinic at Canary Wharf’s Cabot Place

Cost of a PSA test at Randox Health, which helps people assess the health of the prostate £45

We like to give people a fullbody MOT so they can get a better understanding of their bodies

INCREDIBLE VIEWS AND WARM SPACES

Whether it’s The Cabin Room, The Red Room or The River Room for indoor dining, the Riverside Terrace or the Garden Bar for time beside the Thames or simply the pub’s bar and dining room, The Gun – just 10 minutes’ walk from Canary Wharf –is the ideal venue for your next event

Celine Hasson is operations director for Randox Health which is rolling out branches across the UK and Ireland

Celine Hasson, Randox Health

legal matters

by Graeme Bellenger

QI’ve been reading a lot about artificial intelligence lately and all of the jobs it could do instead of humans. Will AI replace the need for human solicitors, in your opinion?

AAI software purports to be able to provide legal advice, document review and other services that were previously reserved for human lawyers. But it’s far from perfect. Indeed there are many concerns.

AI software is not yet advanced enough to fully understand the context and nuances of the law. While AI algorithms can analyse vast amounts of data and find patterns, they still lack the ability to comprehend the complexity of human language and our legal system’s intricacies.

Therefore, relying solely on AI software for legal advice may lead to errors and oversights. Clients still need legal issues to be explained to them in plain English, with the pros and cons spelt out.

Legal advice is not only about applying the law, but also about providing ethical and moral guidance.

As solicitors we use our judgement and experience to weigh the different options and provide advice that aligns with our clients’ best interests.

AI, on the other hand, lacks the ability to understand human emotions and values, which are often critical in legal advice. Every client is different and has a unique set of needs to be fulfilled.

For example, in a personal injury claim some clients would simply be after a financial resolution to a claim. Others may be looking to have their rehabilitation needs addressed.

Legal advice requires an understanding of the client’s circumstances, goals, and preferences. While AI software can analyse data and provide generic advice based on similar cases, it cannot fully understand the context and personal circumstances of a situation.

AI, in my opinion, will always lack the personal touch and empathy clients require. The use of AI software for legal advice also raises ethical and legal concerns, such as data privacy, bias and accountability.

In conclusion, while AI soft ware is going to become more widespread and often used, I do not hold the opinion that it is going to ever replace your personal human lawyer.

Scan this code to find out more about the full range of legal services available at Kidd Rapinet’s Canary Wharf branch

Graeme Bellenger is both a litigation solicitor specialising in residential and commercial property and employment law and the managing partner of Kidd Rapinet Solicitors at Harbour Exchange.

Graeme says AI technology is not at the point where it could take over from human lawyers

timefora

June is really our party month and, in addition to the main celebration, there will be activities for both adults and children

Douglas Gilmore, MOLD

diary dates

activities at the museum

Check out these upcoming events at the Museum Of London Docklands, all part of its plans to mark 20 years since opening:

Dal Puri Diaspora screening + Q&A

May 31, 6.30pm, ages 14+, paid Follow the journey of dal puri across space and time, from indentured workers from India’s Gangetic Plain in 19th-century British and Dutch Caribbean colonies, to today’s global Indo-Caribbean community.

LGBTQIA+ Life In Limehouse

Jun 17, 2pm, ages 18+, paid Join The Urban Rambler, Nick Collinson, for an afternoon jaunt through the streets of Limehouse stopping at queer-friendly and owned pubs along the way

Family Knees-Up

May 30, 11am / 2pm, under 5s, free Listen and sing along to the sounds of the inimitable Tom Carradine as he brings a family friendly version of Carradine’s Cockney Singalong to the Museum. Expect plenty of ivory tinkling and bananas.

Spital elds Ballad Walk

July 1, 11am, ages 14+, paid

Join folk singer and researcher Vivien Ellis for a musical walking tour focusing on the rich history of street vendors and others who used song to make a living on the streets. Learn about unsung heroes of the East End and discover how music brought communities together.

The Big Docklands Street Party on West India Quay will include a headline performance by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Vanity Milan

Urban rambler Nick Collinson

from Page 11

because most national museums wouldn’t get anywhere near that. That’s partly because of where we are – the local boroughs around here are quite diverse – but also because we are one of only three museums in the country that has a permanent display about the slave trade, which is a diverse subject in terms of the audience it affects.

“These are the main reasons we’re doing so well already. However, we want to improve because the Museum Of London has an ambition to represent the city in terms of both our staff and the people who visit us. London’s population is around 40% diverse, so while 23% is good, it is only about half way to where we should be.

“The way we want to do that is partly through what we show here. This month we have a new display called Indo + Caribbean and that’s very relevant for us as we tell the story of migration and Indian indenture.

“In October we’ll be opening Fashion City here as part of the 20th anniversary, which is a different thing for us to do and hopefully will bring in a new audience.

“The strap-line is how Jewish Londoners shaped global style, telling the story of how immi grants came to the East End and started making clothes here, with some moving to the West End to start couture houses.

“There will also be Windrush Day, with readings and perfor mances from poets of Caribbean heritage on June 20 as we mark the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks.

“For everything we do, we need to think about the audience we’re attracting here. One thing I definitely want to achieve while I am here is record visitor numbers.

“We’ll also be producing a masterplan this year to define where we want this building to be in 10 years’ time. From this, we’ll work backwards to see how we can achieve it – how the museum will look inside and what that might mean for the way it’s laid out.

“We could definitely use our outside space more to make the quay really come alive.”

The Bobby Dazzler stage will certainly be a vibrant starting point to that process. Go to museumoflondon.org.uk for more information or to book tickets for the party

Scan this for more about The Big Docklands Street Party

Proportion of visitors to the Museum Of London Docklands who come from diverse backgrounds. In contrast, around 40% of the capital’s resident population is made up of people from diverse backgrounds

Canary Wharf - West India Quay

For everything we do, we need to think about the audience we’re attracting to the museum

Douglas Gilmore, MOLD

Above, Museum Of London Docklands managing director Douglas Gilmore. Below, celebrating London’s rich history

Images copyright Museum Of London Docklands

Image by Jon Massey

how

by Jon Massey

On the face of it, The Dumb Waiter is a play about a pair of hapless, ground down hitmen awaiting their next job in a dingy basement in Birmingham. This has little to do with the subject of A Slight Ache, which follows the musings of a couple whose relationship becomes increasingly pressured by the presence of a mysterious match-seller.

But Harold Pinter’s tragi-comic short plays sit surprisingly well together on stage at Greenwich Theatre, especially when – pause for dramatic effect – presented by an overlapping cast.

The double bill, which runs until June 3, is everything live theatre ought to be. Despite a cast of only three actors and a spare, minimal set, the production is a sharp, lean sliver of a thing, twisting and turning as the characters wrestle with their precarious situations.

The performances that director James Haddrell has coaxed from his cast are exactly right for the material. Jude Akuwudike, Kerrie Taylor and Tony Mooney each breathe rich, believable life into the five characters we meet across the two plays, in a way that effortlessly lets the audience focus on the ideas and topics teased and hinted at. These are skilled professionals laying bare the strangeness of Pinter’s plots, making them whole with flesh and blood people.

A Slight Ache, has Edward (Akuwudike) and Flora (Taylor) incarcerated in the claustrophobic existence of their brittle relationship. Much remains unsaid. Instead, the horror is all in the detail – the brutal execution of a wasp trapped in marmalade using boiling water is juxtaposed with cheerful chit chat about the various plants in the garden.

But what are we to make of the mysterious figure of a match seller just outside their tranquil oasis?

A brooding, constant presence that Edward is both terrified of and obsessed by. ade flesh by

brittle expressing the

a completely impassive Mooney, this figure is the impervious rock against which main characters pound themselves to wreckage – a study of buried truths, fantasy, repression, fear and desire – both sexual and maternal.

While all three are powerful – notably Mooney’s ability to convey a completely leaden, static presence – it’s Akuwudike who shines. With much of the play in monologue, his depiction of Edward finds layers in a proper man confronted with the unknown – a breakdown inevitable as he wears himself down against the granite face of the totally unresponsive match seller.

The switch to The Dumb Waiter comes as something of a shock as Akuwudike is transformed from arch middle class essayist to a working class football fan and hitman.

Along with Ben (a much more active Mooney) the pair are found in a claustrophobic basement bedsit as they grapple with boredom and the expectation of the next job.

While Pinter’s twist is over-tel-

egraphed, the pressure-cooker atmosphere acts as an ideal counterpoint to A Slight Ache

Here the unknown isn’t a character, but a series of mysterious messages via envelope under the door and what appear to be kitchen orders from an unseen and possibly defunct cafe above. ore dynamic than the first play, it casts its two characters as treading a fine line between the rational and irrational as they attempt to make sense of their lives, the dreadful murders they commit and the significance of why their boss hasn’t laid on any gas to make the tea.

This play too is a tense portrait of two people struggling and, along with its companion, makes for a refreshing, thought-provoking night out at the theatre. Go to greenwichtheatre.org.uk for more information or to book

Scan this code to nd out more these plays or to book

Price of a ticket to see The Dumb Waiter and A Slight Ache on the same bill at Greenwich Theatre

The Dumb Waiter and A Slight Ache are perfect doublebill bedfellows in Greenwich

Tony Mooney and Jude Akuwudike as a pair of bored, hapless hitmen in The Dumb Waiter

Jude Akuwudike, left, and Kerrie Taylor in Harold Pinter’s A Slight Ache at Greenwich Theatre

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

£7m

Total projected cost of the Hawksmoor 300 project to restore and refurbish St Anne’s Limehouse by 2030

>> While the grand interior and exteriors of the publicly accessible parts of Hawksmoor’s church speak for themselves, the crypt still contains the bodies of more than 100 people in walled o tombs as well as facilities such as toilet cubicles and sick bays from its time in use as a bomb shelter in the 1940s during the Second World War

>> The Hawksmoor 300 plan would see the area cleared and brought back into public use

by Jon Massey

St Anne’s Limehouse has a long history of welcoming and protecting the people of east London. Completed in 1727 to a design by Nicholas Hawksmoor, the towering white structure is home to a diverse congregation under current rector, the Rev Richard Bray.

But the church also has a long history as a place of refuge for all, with its crypt converted into a bomb shelter for local residents in the 1940s during the Second World War. Today, that partly refurbished space offers a place for the homeless to sleep in safety.

However, the church and Care For St Anne’s (CfSA) – the charity whose mission is to conserve and celebrate the building’s architectural heritage – have ambitious plans to go much further.

In addition to restoration and refurbishment, they want to open the building up to a wider audience with a scheme that should see its doors flung wide beyond the timings of services and its regular Friday and Saturday opening hours. To that end, CfSA recently received some £613,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to launch its Hawksmoor 300: A Landmark For Limehouse campaign.

This is money it will use to move forward with an application for a further £2.9million National Lottery Delivery grant from 2025, as part of a £7million scheme to remodel significant chunks of unused space and improve access to the building by 2030.

“This project will infuse our historic building with fresh life for future generations, establishing it as the East End’s biggest, most accessible and welcoming community space,” said Rev Bray.

“We look forward to welcoming many of our neighbours into the renewed building before too long.”

There are really three parts to the project, as outlined to me by CfSA chair Philip Reddaway on a recent tour of the building – the steps, the crypt and the garden.

“There are a number of things we intend to do,” said Philip.

“First of all, there’s no step-free access to the church, which really doesn’t work in this day and age. Our plan is to install a lift from the crypt level to the nave and up to the gallery, which is a major project in itself. In terms of the

building, the other big thing is the crypt.

“Part of it was cleared and refurbished in the 1980s with funding from the London Docklands Development Corporation. While that part is being used, it’s mainly for the church itself and we want to create a flexible, multi-use space – rather like Christ Church Spitalfields – that we can open to the wider community. That’s one of the things you have to demonstrate to get the Lottery funding – that it’s a pro ect that will benefit and be used by a wide range of local people. At present, there are still more than 100 bodies buried in the crypt in walled off family tombs dating from the 18th century. You had to be rather grand to be interred here rather than in the churchyard, but as part of this project those spaces will need to be cleared and the remains reburied.

“That’s a complicated process and there are lots of specialists involved to ensure all the correct procedures are followed.”

The unconverted space is also littered with decades of detritus – the dumped ephemera of operation, placed out of sight and out of mind. A further challenge for the renovators is the extensive network of blast walls and facilities left over from its time as a wartime bomb shelter.

These include ancient toilet cubicles and a pair of sick bays for Londoners to use while the explosives rained down outside.

“When we carried out our

consultation, we found some people thought the church had been deconsecrated because the doors were often shut when no services were taking place,” said Philip. “We now have a team of volunteers opening up on Fridays and Saturdays to help change that.

“But it’s not just being physically open, it’s about building on the things we already do –creating all sorts of partnerships with local organisations.

“We’re working with Queen Mary University, the Museum Of London Docklands, Whitechapel Gallery and the Building Crafts College in Stratford.

“Queen Mary’s history department, for example, spent time finding out more about the lives of the people buried in the crypt and gave a presentation about some of them.

“Sadly, but inevitably, this was one of the great shipbuilding areas of London, and several buried here were involved in the slave trade and we have at least one major slave trader buried here. “We don’t walk away from that and I would like to see a permanent exhibition putting it in context.

“ nother interesting finding was two brothers – John and Samuel Seaward – who lived near my home on Newell Street.

“They were maritime engineers who were involved in pioneering the first transatlantic steam ships – big cheeses in their field at the time. Queen Mary’s engineering department used their story as inspiration for a project with Cyril Jackson Primary School in Limehouse that saw 10-to-11-yearolds build boats in the spirit of the brothers, to help them learn basic engineering principles, with a view to building a working boat that can sail on one of the local canals.”

In addition to opening a cafe in the crypt, another of the ambitions for the Hawksmoor 300 project will be to update the church’s grounds.

how St Anne’s Limehouse is working to refurbish and open up its crypt in full for use by the whole community

We want to create a exible, multi-use space – rather like Christ Church Spital elds –that we can open to the wider community

Philip Reddaway, Care For St Anne’s

Philip Reddaway, chair of charity Care For St Annes

- Limehouse - Shadwell

open for everyone

“We want to create something called the Remembrance Garden to commemorate the waves of migrants who have come through Limehouse over the years,” said Philip. “From the Huguenots, the Jews, the Chinese, all the way through to the Bangladeshi community, we want to have different parts of the churchyard planted to reflect the people who have settled here so there’s something that’s relevant to all of them.

“We’re working with a great charity called Groundwork, who are specialists in this kind of thing, as well as with pupils at Cyril Jackson to create this.

“The churchyard is lovely –dog-walkers love it – and it’s one of the biggest green spaces in the area, but it is under-utilised and we want people to come here and enjoy it.”

CfSA is now embarking on a fundraising campaign to raise a further £3.5million in addition to the £3.5million anticipated from the Lottery.

his latest drive comes off the back of another successful project, that will see the church’s massive stained glass window removed, restored and put back in place.

During the 12 months or so

that it’s absent from the massive arch in the church’s east wall, a replacement window by artist Brian Clarke will occupy the space before it finds a new home, hopefully in the East End.

Then, following more than £100,000 worth of work, the original window will return to pride of place, its panels cleaned and the extensive buckling of the metal frames rectified.

“Inside, the church requires quite a lot of cosmetic attention, which has to happen to tackle the legacy of water getting in and things like that,” said Philip.

“But when the window returns, it will be another wonderful asset to the building opposite the fully restored organ that plays beautifully.”

Anyone interested in getting involved with the project in a fundraising or volunteering capacity can find out more online via the charity’s website. Go to careforstannes.org for more information

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

KIDS | Pinocchio

Hear the tale of the puppet who wanted to be a real boy as Geppetto carves the titular character live on stage in this semi-improvised show. Suitable for 4+. Jun 8-10, various times, £7, halfmoon.org.uk

Where?

Troxy Limehouse

STAGE | Juno Birch

The alien drag queen stars in her own theatrical one-entity show, packed with slapstick, song, dance and delusional self love. Expect lots of lobsters. Jun 8, 7pm, from £31.75, troxy.co.uk

Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

STAGE | The Mikado

Sasha Regan presents an all-male version of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic – expect a more masculine take on Three Little Maids From School Are We Jun 7-Jul 1, times vary, from £12.50, wiltons.org.uk

ash back

This is Uli Shiefelbein, founder and head brewer at the Krafty Braumeister. You can nd his excellent selection of beers on sale every Saturday at Wapping Docklands Market, from 10am-4pm come rain or shine kraftybraumeister.co.uk

Scan this to read our piece on Uli and nd out how he went from homebrew in Iraq to ‘retirement’ in Su olk

want more? @wharfwhispers

Wapping

The grand exterior of St Anne’s Limehouse was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, who also worked with the likes of Christopher Wren and John Vanbrugh

The stained glass window in the church’s east wall will soon be taken away for a year of restoration and cleaning

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

Cash raised to replace The Space’s lift to improve the accessibility of the building and its bar area

KIDS | Drama Club

Suitable for ages 6-10, this club is led by Imogen Faires and o ers youngsters the chance to explore drama, poetry and spoken word for an hour. Jun 13, 4pm, £3, poplarunion.com

Where?

Poplar Union Poplar

TRY | Pilates

Explore the all-over body workout of Pilates with tness trainer Kate Bishop as she leads hour-long sessions based on balance, posture and alignment. Jun 2, 9.30am, £10, poplarunion.com

Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Our Last First

Written with no pronouns, ages or genders, this play about relationships can be performed by any actor with di erent combinations every night. Jun 6-14, times vary, £16, space.org.uk

bake sale

The Bakineer aka Spiderman suit-wearing baker Hash Mastan is taking over the Ruby Red converted horse trailer at Mudchute Park And Farm to sell his sweet treats and sling the odd web, Thursday-Sunday thebakineer.com

Scan this code to read our interview with Hash and nd out how he went from UCL student to blondie master

want more? @wharfwhispers

the experience

how The Space is set to get a new lift in its Grade II listed premises following a fundraising drive kicked o in 2022

by Jon Massey

The Space is set to get a new lift after hitting its £31,000 fundraising target. Grants from the Theatre’s Trust, the Gar eld Weston Foundation, the East End Community Foundation and the Foyle Foundation have combined with money from various fundraising events and donations to see the Isle Of Dogs arts centre hit its goal.

Adam Hemming, director of The Space said: “Our initial target had to be extended as the cost of replacing the lift increased due to in ation and the dimensions of the building.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the funders who’ve supported this campaign, the individual donors and the brilliant team of

volunteers who’ve worked on fundraising events.

“It’s the largest capital fundraising campaign that we’ve completed since the building was renovated in 1996.”

Fundraising events included a beetle drive, a wine and cheese tasting, a live recording of the TV DNA podcast and a new writing festival.

The campaign has received support from the community including audiences, performers, workshop participants and partners.

Go to space.org.uk for more or to nd out what’s on

Scan this code for more information about The Space

‘L’ is for lift o : The Space is set to get a new elevator following a fundraising drive

Adam Hemming, director of The Space arts centre on the Isle Of Dog’s Westferry Road

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey

Price of a decaf americano with as much oat milk as you want at City Brew in Canada Water station £2.70

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? Bermondsey Square Bermondsey

GIG | Free Jazz Sundays

Running until September on the rst Sunday of the month, these gigs feature a diverse selection of collaborators for afternoons of free entertainment. Jun 4, 2pm-5.30pm, free, bermondseysquare.net

Where? Deal Porter Square Canada Water

in

VISIT | Canada Water Market

The market is now open all weekend with plenty of street food stalls, crafts and produce straight from the farm. Plus live music and jollity. Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm, free to visit, squid.org.uk

Where? Ha’Penny Hatch Deptford

EVENT | We Scream For The Sea

Billed as a celebration of Deptford Creek, DJ Y’Mum and local dancers will perform the same dance as performers worldwide to highlight water quality. Jun 10, 11am, free, ymum.co.uk

by Jon Massey

Go to Berlin and you’ll nd its U-Bahn stations stu ed with subterranean food and beverage concessions to keep the masses lled with everything from hot drinks to hot sausages. In comparison, such venues on the London Underground are few and far between – the odd kiosk, a vending machine or two. There are a few points of light, however, and one of those is Canada Water station with its GreenZen Poke And Bubble Tea Bar and neighbouring takeaway cafe City Brew.

A delicious beverage to accompany a journey from City Brew

The latter is exactly the right thing in the right place. In addition to the friendly demeanour of its comprehensively inked baristas, it boasts a counter piled high with enough sweet pastries and snacks to satisfy a whole Jubilee line train of commuters. But the thing that really stands out is its co ee. Its roasts boast superior depth and complexity – what a nd in a unit that could so easily be occupied by a chain. Try it. Go to citybrew.co.uk

ash back

This is David Caetano, tness coach and co-founder of Baldr Cross t in Deptford –which is designed as a safe space for everyone to train in, irrespective of their gender or sexuality. Classes plus personal training baldrcross t.com

Scan this code to read our interview with David and nd out more about the gym at wharf-life.com

want more? @wharfwhispers

City Brew is located in Canada Water station, right next to a bubble tea outlet

praise of

how City Brew at Canada Water Station is exactly the right thing in the right place – a fleeting haven

by Jon Massey

If your mouth isn’t watering by the end of this article, I haven’t properly reflected the passion that Imamuddin Khan has for the food that he cooks and the cuisine that he grew up with. As a boy of eight or nine he was fascinated by the apparent magic of the way his mother prepared dishes in the kitchen.

First he started watching, then questioning her before starting to help with the cooking himself.

“I had so many questions – all the time I’d be asking her why she was using particular ingredients, why some things were shallow fried and others deep fried,” he said. “I was curious. I always wanted to know what the reasons were. For example, take onion seeds – the kalonji. If you eat them with no preparation, you don’t taste or feel anything. There’s no taste.

“But when you sauté them, they release their aroma and flavour into the oil. Then, when you cook your vegetables or meat in it, you will get that aroma and texture.

“When I learnt these things from my mother it was amazing. I’d be going into the kitchen, tasting spices and not getting much. But when she explained how they worked in recipes it made me say ‘wow’.”

hese were the first sparks that lit the fire of a lifelong passion for cooking that finds Imamuddin today residing in Dagenham and working as head chef at Kinaara.

Named for the Hindi word for being on the shore, the principal restaurant at InterContinental London - The O2 boasts some of the city’s best views over the Thames towards the capital’s skyline.

The Greenwich Peninsula venue is a rich environment of deep blues, golds, thick carpet and everywhere the river flowing

past its expansive windows. But all this is just a backdrop to the food, and that has its roots firmly planted overseas.

“ bout of the flavours on the menu come straight from my mother’s kitchen,” said Imamuddin. “I was born and brought up in Delhi. It’s the capital of India, so there is so much to eat, so much to see.

“Every culture in the country is in that one place – it’s very diverse and so I learnt cuisines from all over the country there.”

After training in the culinary arts, Imamuddin came to England at the behest of celebrated chef Vivek Singh of The Cinnamon Club on the recommendation of his brother, also a cook.

“Vivek taught me many techniques to give classic Indian dishes a modern twist,” said Imamuddin. “After working with him on several restaurants, I went to the North East to open Haveli in Ponteland near Newcastle.

“But London for me is my home town and I was homesick so I came back to the city, working in hotels again before this opportunity came up.

“I came to the InterContinental and found it very tempting. The place was beautiful and the views were amazing. It’s one of the best locations in central London, so I said yes straight away.

“For me the challenge was to live up to the views with what I create on the plate, drawing on my background and all the experiences I’ve had as a chef.”

Spend any amount of time with Imamuddin and it quickly becomes apparent that the spices he uses are the backbone to all of his dishes. It’s a palette of subtle tones and shades that he uses with the aim of transforming good ingredients into something more.

“At Kinaara, we are serving recipes with deep roots but modified into dishes that reflect progressive Indian food,” he said.

“Some people have the perception that Indian food is always hot or spicy. Here we have a hint of spice, but the flavours we use are aromatic.

“Take our halibut dish with mangosteen and curry leaf, for example. If you can’t taste the delicate fish then there’s no point to eating it. It’s all about enjoying the tastes, textures and the ingredients in balance.

Price of Kinaara’s three-course pre-show set menu plus a cocktail at Eighteen Sky Bar, which is available between 5pm and 7pm, Tuesdayto-Sunday. Diners need not be attending a show to access this o er

how Kinaara takes classic flavours and gives them a modern twist to do justice to its views over the Thames

When I learnt these things from my mother, it was amazing. About 35% of the avours on the menu come straight from her kitchen

Imamuddin Khan, Kinaarassss

Kinaara head chef Imamuddin Khan takes inspiration from his mother as well as his mentor – Vivek Singh – when creating his dishes

serving up the avours of India

“I want to create memories for people. his is a fine dining, desti nation restaurant and that gives us a lot of opportunity to make dishes with beautiful ingredients.

“All of the time our suppliers help us. We have very good relationships with them and they’re always bringing us the best ingredients that are in season.

“Then we work with the spices to create the dish. nowing the spices and how they work together is very important. hen the ingredients we receive give a body to the food.

“We use a lot of turmeric. I remember my grandmother saying to me that it makes the body soft – which is why it’s put on the couple’s skin during weddings – and that’s how we use it too.

“We cook it with meat to keep it tender and to give it flavour. We eat with our eyes too, so we use ashmiri chillies, which have no flavour but such a beautiful colour and a wonderful aroma that will keep meat very red and shiny.

“ hen there’s nutmeg. hat helps lend a completely unique essence to food. hat’s true of saffron too, which we use in our biryanis.

“We cook rice and meat together from scratch with royal cumin, covering the ingredients with a dough lid, which is edible too. It’s quite similar to a pie in that respect.

“ hen you have the star anise, they will give a flavour and sweetness and will work with anything sweet for dessert.”

lthough Imamuddin isn’t averse to a bit of fusion and complexity – with gruy re and tru es both finding their way into some dishes – in the end he always returns to his roots.

“I think we can say the Dal akhani is my favourite dish on the menu – the black lentil,” he said. “It’s one of the simplest dishes on the menu, but also one of the best.”

● inaara serves a selection of small plates, starting at , from the grill and tandoor on its a la carte menu, while main courses start at . ne of the most popular options is the pre show set menu served between pm and pm, uesday to Saturday. iners get three courses at inaara for per head plus a cocktail at Eighteen Sky ar. his menu is ideal for those seeing a show at he or who simply want to enjoy an early meal. Go to iclondon-theo2.com for more information

Scan this code to nd out more about Kinaara or to book

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? The O2 Arena Peninsula

GIG | Wu-Tang Clan + Nas

RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna plus ODB from beyond the grave do it all live. Jun 13, 6.30pm, from £77, theo2.co.uk

Where? Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | Emma

Jane Austen’s misguided matchmaker is brought to life on stage as The Pantaloons Theatre Company deliver a riotous Regency rom-com. Jun 11, 7.30pm, £17.50, greenwichthreatre.org.uk

Where? Visitors’ Book Cafe Woolwich Works

STAGE | Absurdocles

This is the rst of three dates for this improvised Greek tragedy. Audiences can expect madcap characters and plenty of woe from the chorus. Jun 1, 6.30pm, £8, woolwich.works

ash back

How Outrivals on Greenwich Peninsula, is a gym that puts community at the heart of its small class tness operation thanks to the leadership of entrepreneur Matt Lo and the team on the ground outrivals.com

Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with Matt and to nd out more about memberships at Outrivals

want more? @wharfwhispers

Kinaara is located right on the Thames with views over Canary Wharf

be part of the Canary Wharf conversation

To advertise here call Jess Maddison on 07944 000 144 or email jess.maddison@wharf-life.com

BEAUTY SERVICES

BODY WAXING BY THE EXPERTS IN CANARY WHARF

Services Include

Female Waxing - legs, bikini, eyebrow, full body, facial, pregnancy and vajacial

Male Waxing - eyebrows, chest and abs

Book at perfectwaxing.uk or call 07411 068 541

Perfect Waxing, 37th Floor

One Canada Square

London, E14 5AA

MARINE AND COASTAL ACCESS ACT 2009

APPLICATION FOR SS Robin Pontoon Relocation

Notice is hereby given that Mr Eric Reynolds, SS Robin Trust, 2D-2E Royal Victoria Place, London, E16 1UQ has applied to the Marine Management Organisation under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, Part 4, for a marine licence to undertake the installation of two steel tubular piles, which will be utilised to secure the SS Robin pontoon in place and the installation of a new access platform and access brow at Trinity Buoy Wharf.

Copies of the application and associated information may be viewed on line in the Public Register at www.gov.uk/check-marine-licence-register.

Representations in respect of the application should ordinarily be made by:

- Visiting the MMO public register at https:// marinelicensing.marinemanagement.org.uk/ mmofox5/fox/live/MMO_PUBLIC_REGISTER/ search?area=3 and accessing the `Public Representation? section of case reference MLA/2023/00102;

However, we will also accept representations via the following formats:

- By email to marine.consents@marinemanagement.org.uk; or alternatively

- By letter addressed to Marine Management Organisation, Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7YH

In all cases, correspondence must:

- Be received within 28 days of the date of the rst notice (1); 17/05/2023

- Quote the case reference; and

- include an address to which correspondence relating to the representation or objection may be sent.

The Marine Management Organisation will pass to the applicant a copy of any objection or representation we receive.

CLEANING SERVICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO VARY A PREMISES LICENCE MADE UNDER SECTION 34 OF THE LICENSING ACT 2003

Please take notice that we: Squid Ltd

Have made application to the Southwark Council to Vary the Premises Licence in respect of: Deal Porter Square, 21 Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7AR

The Proposed variation is as follows: The premises licence currently authorises licensable activities from 10:00 to 16:00 on Sundays. The applicant now seeks to operate on Saturdays as well as Sundays, and from 10:00 to 18:00 on each day. No variation of the conditions or licensable activities permitted is sought.

The relevant licensable activities and proposed times to be varied:

The Retail sale of alcohol - Saturdays & Sundays - 10:00-18:00 (on and o sales)

The Provision of Live music - Saturdays & Sundays - 10:00-18:00

The Provision of Recorded music - Saturdays & Sundays - 10:00-18:00 Opening hours - Saturdays & Sundays - 10:00-18:00

A register of all applications made within the Southwark area is maintained by: The Licensing Service, Hub 1, 3rd Floor, 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH

A record of this application may be inspected by visiting the o ce during normal o ce hours by appointment on 020 7525 2000; details are also available on our website at http://app.southwark. gov.uk/licensing/licenseregister.asp

It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely e ect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Service at the o ce address given above (or by email via licensing@southwark.gov.uk) and be received by the Service within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below: 09/05/2023

Note: It is an o ence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such o ence is liable on summary conviction to a ne not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS SPECIAL TREATMENT LICENCES

Notice is given that: Browns Tanning

Has applied to the London Borough Of Tower Hamlets for a special treatment licence for: UV Tanning

Licence for the premises: Unit 38D, Jubilee Place Mall, Canary Wharf, E14 5NY

Anyone wishing to oppose the application must give notice in writing to David Tolley, Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Trading Standards, Place Directorate, 4th Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall 160 Whitechapel Road London E1 1BJ WITHIN THREE WEEKS specifying the grounds of opposition. Persons objecting to the grant of a licence must be prepared to attend in person at a hearing before a Committee of the Council.

LONDON

Notice is given that: Landor Residential Ltd

Has applied to the London Borough Of Tower Hamlets for a special treatment licence covering the following: Sauna, Steam Room, SPA Pool

Licence for the premises: Health Club At New Providence Wharf, 11 Biscayne Avenue, London, E14 9AY

Anyone wishing to oppose the application must give notice in writing to David Tolley, Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Trading Standards, Place Directorate, 4th Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall 160 Whitechapel Road London E1 1BJ WITHIN THREE WEEKS specifying the grounds of opposition. Persons objecting to the grant of a licence must be prepared to attend in person at a hearing before a Committee of the Council.

BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS SPECIAL TREATMENT LICENCES

Loan from Homes England to fund the construction of the bridge as part of the planned development

how The Silvertown Partnership is planning a step-free bridge to help future residents access transport at Excel

by Jon Massey

Plans have been submitted for a new pedestrian bridge across Royal Victoria Dock. The scheme comes from The Silvertown Partnership – a joint venture by Lendlease and Starwood Capital – which is redeveloping a vast site on the south side of the waterway including the derelict Millennium Mills building.

The proposed crossing will link Excel and Custom House station (for the DLR and Elizabeth Line) directly to the 6,500-home development. In contrast to the existing high-level footbridge, the new structure will be step free for pedestrians and cyclists, rising along its extensive curved

Royal Docks - Canning Town

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? Various Locations Royal Docks

EVENT | London Festival Of Architecture

Walks, workshops, tours and happenings are set to descend on various locations across the Royal Docks with numerous free activities to get involved with. Various June dates, free, londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

Where? Newham Borough-wide

length to allow small boats underneath. There will also be an opening mechanism in the middle to enable larger craft to still use the dock. The bridge is part of the £5billion plan to redevelop this vast tract of land and will be funded by a £233million loan from Homes England, agreed to support the delivery of housing on the site. Under the scheme Millennium Mills is set to be fully restored to form the centrepiece of the new development. The bridge should enable commuters to reach Canary Wharf in less than 15 minutes. Go to silvertown.co.uk for more

Scan this code to nd out more about the new bridge plans

EVENT | Newham Heritage Month

Expect a whole 30 days of events and online activities to explore the history of the borough, including many in the Royal Docks themselves. Various June dates, newhamheritagemonth.org

Where? Britannia Village Hall West Silvertown

EVENT | Madge Gill: Portal To The Flower Future

Join the young creators of a lm celebrating the work and life of artist Madge Gill with this free screening event and storytelling show. Jun 7, 3.30pm-5.30pm, free, royaldocks.london

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Zero waste venue The Greenhouse Theatre is set to pop up in Royal Docks’s Thames Barrier Park from May 11-Jun 4 to host Sea Change artworks amongst other happenings as part of the At The Docks arts programme royaldocks.london

Scan this code to read our interview with Greenhouse co-founder and artistic director Oli Savage

want more? @wharfwhispers

An artist’s impression of how the new bridge will look when construction work is completed

An artist’s impression of how the new development could look when work is completed

by Jon Massey

Over the course of the next 45 minutes, a man will die from prostate cancer in the U . ffecting only men, it is the third most lethal form of cancer, having overtaken breast cancer in 2019. Around 475,000 men are currently living with and after prostate cancer, with around one in eight being diagnosed with the condition. That statistic rises to one in four for black men.

“ lot of really great work has been done on breast cancer, which has led to a reduction in deaths,” said alcolm Grieve, managing director of Eighth Floor Events.

“ t the moment, to get tested for prostate cancer, a man has to identify that he may have a problem himself and seek medical advice – there is no screening programme.

“ few years ago I had some symptoms myself – I thought something was wrong and I knew it was a urology type issue, but I certainly didn’t think it could have been cancer.

“I was in my early s and I didn’t really think it could be anything like that. ut the PS test I took indicated it might be.

“When the word cancer’ was mentioned, I was glad I was sitting down. ou try to come to terms pretty quickly with what that means. I’ve got three kids and

while they’re all grown up, the prospect that the disease could accelerate – that they could lose me and I could lose them – was a pretty horrible thought.”

he more reliable physical examination – literally a finger up the bottom – resulted in alcolm getting the all clear, PS tests being notorious for false positives. ut the experience got him thinking.

“When you go through something like that, there is a realisation that there are other people out there who experience very different outcomes,” he said. “ roadly, you see that there is a lack of funding and messaging to help people get diagnosed early and I wondered what I could do to help.

“I didn’t want to set up a charity in competition with any others – instead I wanted to create something and then partner with a charity to raise money and help drive the message that way.

“ y background is in pro ect and programme management and I saw this as an issue that was becoming dear to my heart because of the experience and thought’s I’d had during my own cancer scare – something I could do to help others.”

The result is the Prost Challenge, an km run or walk, scheduled to return to the road circuit Lee Valley eloPark for its second iteration on uly . Participants run or walk five laps of the one mile track to travel a total of k – a distance selected in honour of beneficiary, the Essex based charity Prost U . he organi sation campaigns to widen the availability of new prostate cancer screening methods, to fund focal therapy equipment to help treat men suffering early stage cancer in HS hospitals with fewer damaging side effects and to raise awareness of all the treatment options available for the disease.

he challenge costs to enter finishers get a sustainable goody bag and medal , with participants encouraged to raise sponsorship and donations for Prost .

his year’s race will be started by former lympic athlete and

how the Prost8 Challenge wants to raise awareness and funding to help tackle the UK’s third deadliest cancer

Malcolm Grieve created the Prost8 Challenge after his experience with a cancer scare

multiple European record-holder, the sprinter Dwain Chambers.

“Dwain heard the statistic that 25% of black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and that’s why he wanted to get involved this year,” said Malcolm. “He was very surprised by that figure and will be our celebrity ambassador this year through our partner, sports nutrition company Bio Synergy. He’s said he’ll run at least the first 100m.”

Malcolm is a man who likes to take action.

Having joined the Royal Navy straight from school, he spent 13 years serving on submarines before injury set him on a course for the banking industry.

Having worked for Lloyds and then HSBC in Canary Wharf, he’s now set his sights on building the Prost8 Challenge into a multi-location event inspired by the success of the likes of Race For Life, which has raised nearly £550million over the last two decades to help fight breast cancer.

“We’re starting small, but thinking big – I don’t think there are any limits to what this could become,” said Malcolm. “We’d love to emulate the success of Race For Life and the levels of funding that achieves.

“Ultimately I would like it to be one day a year when many people across the country take the Prost8 Challenge and to do that we intend to grow the number of locations that host it so we can raise as much as possible.

“We want to support Prost8 in its aim of getting at least eight focal therapy units into NHS hospitals. But it’s also about the awareness, because men are often a bit sensitive about what’s going on downstairs.

“They might feel it’s a threat to their masculinity to admit they may have something wrong with them like that and the difficulty with any cancer is that the longer you leave it before testing and diagnosis, the more dangerous it becomes. That’s why screening could potentially be so important in the future.”

prostate cancer symptoms to look out for

● Needing to pee frequently, often during the night.

● Needing to rush to the toilet.

● Di culty in starting to pee.

● Straining or taking a long time while peeing.

● Weak ow.

● Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully.

● Blood in urine or semen.

>> If you’re experiencing any of the above, it’s worth going to your GP and asking for a test

Malcolm is supported in his endeavour by Alba Partners, a consultancy firm co founded by Canary Wharf resident Richard Jacobs.

“We met in 2014 working together in financial services in Canary Wharf and we’ve remained friends ever since,” said Richard.

“About 18 months ago he threw out the idea that he was going to be putting on the Prost8 Challenge and was looking for input and ideas.

“It sounded really exciting, and like a cause I could get behind. We’d had a scare and some history in the family as well.

“Since we originally met, I’d started Alba with my sister and, as a growing business, we wanted to sponsor the event – something we’ll keep doing for the foreseeable future.

“It meant something to me and it was a cause we were happy to really throw our weight behind.

“ he first event last year was great fun. There was a real buzz when we arrived with a DJ and a party atmosphere. The VeloPark was an Olympic venue, so it felt great to really be at the heart of sport.

“It’s a serious problem that the challenge is addressing, but events like this also help to lighten things up and we’ve made it one of our annual team event days.”

Registration is now open for the latest Prost8 Challenge, which kicks off at am on uly . Eighth Floor Events is also looking for support and sponsorship from local businesses and organisations for this year’s challenge and going forward.

Go to theprost8challenge.com for more information or to register for a place at the event

Scan this code to nd out more about The Post8 Challenge

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? London Stadium Stratford

GIG | Burna Boy

The rst African artist to headline a British stadium brings his mammoth tour to east London’s biggest stage. Expect something very special. Jun 3, 5pm, from £85, queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

Where?

Sub Zero Fish Island

COMEDY | I Love Comedy

The stand-up brand returns with the promise of a night of un ltered East End gags from a series of diverse performers at this basement venue. Jun 10, 7.30pm, from £8.50, rulezero.co.uk

Where? Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

GIG | An Evening Of Classic Reggae

Don’t Stop The Beat productions returns with an evening paying tribute to the music of Sir John Holt and Dennis Brown – pure reggae royalty. Jun 2, 7.30pm, from £10, stratfordeast.com

ash back

The International Gay And Lesbian Aquatics LGBTQIA+ Masters Championships is set to take place at the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford from June 25-30 including a vibrant, celebratory event called the Pink Flamingo london2023.org

Scan this to nd out more about the event or to book spectator tickets for the contests

want more? @wharfwhispers

Alba Partners co-founder Richard Jacobs is supporting the Prost8 Challenge and hoping to beat his 8k time

Former Olympian sprinter and multiple European recordholder Dwain Chambers will start the Prost8 Challenge

When the word ‘cancer’ was mentioned, I was glad I was sitting down. You try to come to terms pretty quickly with what that means

Malcolm Grieve, Eighth Floor Events

Sudoku

Take a break from that phone

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 beating

Cryptic Quick Down

Across

3. In the past, a period of remorse, perhaps (2,3,4)

8, 14, 7dn. Improvise a repair? (4,2,3,4)

9. Checking the projection (9)

10. Annex empties, to stay out of it (6)

11. The face to set sail for? (5)

14. See 8acc.

15. A wise herb? (4)

16. Wander, alternatively a mistake (5)

18. Sounds like you must prepare the dough (4)

20. Move a top smoothly with ease, we hear (5)

21. Sounds like recent males have spirit (5)

24. They’re sweet to confuse and rag us (6)

25, 26. A toll for the A1 is a send off , , ,

27. Wow! That agreement makes sense (9)

1. In short, I am on the ‘to do’ list, any minute now (9)

2. Egyptian king confuses gratitude, we find

4. How to nail down diplomacy, sort of (4)

. eg oints sound sti y like a female relative (5)

6. This weighty poem is heavily mixed up (6)

7. See 8 across

9. Call this a harsh reality? (5)

11. See her on the water, wading (5)

12. Finds their way at a roving pace? (9)

13. As decades go, they’re all dead (9)

17. A show to look at again, we hear (5)

19. Ransome’s one who’s better drowned (6)

22. Find a fairytale ‘n’ sign up (5)

23. Let loose and destroy (4)

24. An attempt to sort out the rubbish (4)

Across

3. Brief time (9)

8. Big screen (4)

9. Cheers! (7,2)

10. Creators (5)

11. 12 (5)

14. Girl he just met? (5)

15. Baby biscuit (4)

16. Tempers (5)

18. Exhibition (inf.) (4)

20. Music genre (5)

21. Potatoes (inf.) (5)

24. Red wine (6)

25. Occupy again (9)

26. Author unknown (4)

the

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