Made in Fulham
It never fails to surprise us what a talented bunch you Fulham folks are. Each month Urban Village Ldn introduces you to THe Fulham face behind an idea, product or business and asks them what they love about being a local resident. This month we talk to Elizabeth Henderson, Trustee of the SANDS END ARTS & COMMUNITY Centre
How long have you called Fulham home? I still call myself a 'proper northerner' but my home is Fulham. We moved here 35 years ago and still live in the same house, that's how contented we are!
Tell us a bit about yourself / your family I worked in the finance sector whilst my elder two daughters were little but when my third daughter was born I realised that I needed to work more locally, flexibly and in another direction. I became a charity director and work for the Royal Brompton Hospital, also as a governor of the hospital and more recently at Guy's & St Thomas'. My daughters all went to Lady Margaret School and we all (parents too) still enjoy the friendships we gained there. I am delighted to be have been a trustee of Sands End Arts & Community Centre in South Park for the last two years and counting.
What’s your favourite local haunt and why? My father was a brewer and we were brought up knowing what a good pub should look and feel like. We are continually doing research but do enjoy the White Horse, Duke on the Green and Aragon House - all dog friendly!
What's your perfect Fulham day? I have two bizarrely behaved dogs and a perfect day would involve them being on their best behaviour. A walk down to the river with plenty of time to 'stand and stare', enjoying Bishops Park and Fulham Palace and if energy was still high, along to Chelsea Harbour to check out the boats and wind back through the streets to the Sands End pub for a drink and possibly a scotch egg.
Which local shop/service/business do you rely on? My husband has recently discovered a talent for cooking, which I am embracing and encouraging. The fresh ingredients from Randalls Butchers, Bridge Baker and CocoMelon (now Fulham Natural) help us to keep our shopping very local. The majority of my family are visually deficient and we really appreciate the friendly help from Diopter Eye Clinic keeping us continually in focus.
If you could do one thing to improve Fulham what would it be? I don't think I would be the first person to suggest that a reduction in pollution and traffic would be a massive improvement and something to strive for. And if I can have one other thing - more localised events would be a great addition.
Tell us about SEACC and how it came to be Sands End Arts & Community Centre is situated on Peterborough Road on the edge of South Park. It was commissioned by Hammersmith & Fulham council to replace the original community centre (on Broughton Road) and was then handed over to our charitable trust. The charity trustees are Fulham locals. It is the most beautifully designed building, winning awards left, right and centre. Fully accessible, sustainable and with fabulous views of the park. It is still early days for the centre but we are seeing the spaces being booked by lots of different groups and users, everyone is welcome and we invite people to pop in and see how they might like to use it. Very excitingly, we have just opened our community cafe - the Walnut Tree - and it is already becoming a popular destination and look forward to seeing how everyone can support it and watch it develop. I have learnt so much along the way. It has really been an on the job crash course in managing everything involved with a small business including making the products, sourcing, balancing the books, communicating with customers and managing stock. That said, I wouldn't change it for the world as I have had to jump in and adapt quickly. My advice if someone is thinking about starting a new business would be to take the plunge. Of course, seek advice, join online communities and build a support network, but all the time that you aren't starting opportunities are being missed. I have learnt so much from online networking and connecting with other similar businesses. It is overwhelming at times and it feels like I am ten steps behind especially when it comes to engaging with 'socials' but it most definitely is a driving force to keep pushing forward.
What advice would you give people thinking about getting involved with a charitable organisation? I would say do it! I love volunteering in it's many forms and have always wanted to join in. It is a unique opportunity to add another aspect to your life, a fun way of meeting new people and perhaps adding new skills; it's not always easy but working on a challenge with others creates a great sense of achievement and comradeship. Most of my friendships have been made through volunteering - people who I would not have met any other way. We will be opening our volunteer programme at Sands End Arts & Community Centre very soon and there are opportunities to apply to be a trustee.
What are you working on currently? SEACC occupies a lot of my thoughts and I continue to work with the charity at Royal Brompton Hospital. Very recently I have also started to work with the Superbloom project at the Tower of London. This is going to be an amazing immersive walk through a spectacular display of flowers in the moat of the Tower, it runs from June to September, make sure you book your ticket.
