What’s New, On & Happening in Fulham

What’s New

B-Board from West Coast to West London

If you’re looking for a new workout to spice up your exercise regime - check this out.

Eric Vandendriessche, a Level 4 Personal Trainer with 18 years of experience in the Fitness Industry, spent the last 4 years in Los Angeles where he created the B-BOARD®, a new inflatable Balance Board on which all exercises (squats, lunges, push-ups, crunches, yoga combinations, stretching etc) can be performed. Eric told us that the B-Board workout is “super effective for core engagement, balance and overall fitness. Inspired by paddleboarding it mixes different types of training including HIIT, Yoga and Pilates”. Kids classes are also available.

Before Eric got in touch with Urban Village LDN we spotted a purple inflatable on Eelbrook Common and were intrigued so it was great to hear more about B-Board. Eric kindly offered us a personal training session which we haven’t taken him up on yet, yes we should have guinea pigged it for you and written a review; after getting the September issue out we’ll have no excuses! Caroline T has tried it out and said “Eric is a fab and encouraging instructor that invented this amazing B-Board that will help you with your core in no time. Highly recommend him and the outstanding B-Board”.

Eric is offering Urban Village LDN readers 30% off their first 1-2-1 personal training session which can be taken in the comfort of your own home or outdoors in one of Fulham’s green spots/parks. Eric assures us no experience is needed. Get in touch on 07518 476640 or email info@bboardworkout.com to hear more and try it out. Let us know how you get on; still intrigued. https://www.instagram.com/bboardworkout/?hl=en

Parsons Green PA

Genevieve Collett set up Parsons Green PA after being made redundant from her senior assistant role at Knight Frank at the start of the pandemic; seizing the moment as an opportunity to finally set up her own business. 

Genevieve told Urban Village LDN “my focus with Parsons Green PA is on helping busy professional women with their personal admin and household tasks. Jobs that they could do themselves perhaps but don't have the time, inclination or skill set. It is for women who don't need a full time assistant but do need regular help in maintaining a good life/work balance. They have someone like me who can work from their home, office or virtually a day a week say. I can also work on an ad hoc basis on a specific project, like a house renovation or house sitting while they are away on holiday. It can be something workaday like popping to the post office for them with a package, organising new passports, or vetting a carer for their mother. I've got the experience not to get phased by anything!”

After some chalet seasons in Austria and Switzerland Genevieve’s first proper job was working for Sarah, Duchess of York no less as her private chef and household manager. “It taught me first hand the pressures of a busy, high profile family in the public eye and I learnt quickly how to work under pressure whilst maintaining a calm exterior! Most of the rest of my career has been spent supporting CEO's and Chairmen as their assistant. I've worked in publishing, design PR, luxury fashion retail and high end real estate. I genuinely liked helping my bosses be the best they could be whilst retaining a sense of fun.”

Genevieve has different plans to suit different needs from a custom (£35 per hour) to advanced (24 hours a month £720) or why not try a 3 hour taster session for £99. https://www.instagram.com/parsonsgreenpa/

Quirky Gadgets founder opens second shop

Edumundo’s, a new shop launching this month, comes to you from Omar Khan the founder of Quirky Gadgets. Located on the Fulham Road (668) opposite his fabulous emporium of gadgets, toys and all things quirky, Omar told us that this second venture is a cigar shop that will also offer customers luxury gentlemen’s grooming products from Truefitt and Hill, the St James’s gentlemen’s barbers, board games and other lifestyle products. We wish Omar every success with his new venture and can’t wait to visit! In the meantime we’re loving seeing the shop come together especially the gorgeous aubergine coloured shop front and awning. So good to see at least one “to let” sign come down along the Fulham Road.

Agewell Plan

In April last year Urban Village LDN ran a piece about The Agewell Project, a book written by Fulham residents Annabel Abbs and Susan Crook Saunders, a wealth of health advice for those in mid and later life including information on what to eat, how to exercise and sleep better. It was an Amazon bestseller and their blog https://agewellproject.com also has a loyal following.

Susan Crook Saunders has now gone on to create The Agewell Plan out this month (3 September). Susan told Urban Village LDN. “I wanted to take things one stage further: discovering how to age well has transformed my life so completely and I wanted to help others gain the same benefits. I qualified as a health coach and now help people all over the world enjoy the years to come feeling fit and fabulous. The Age-Well Plan is an extension of my coaching experience, helping others to enjoy healthy longevity.” 

In The Age-Well Plan, Susan draws on almost a decade of extensive research into healthy longevity and her experience as a health coach to give you the tools you need to live your own age-well life. Her simple, clear and easy-to-follow six-week plan will show you how to make changes - small and large - to support healthy ageing, and prioritise the changes most appropriate for your body, lifestyle and circumstances.

“The new book is a six week programme to kickstart a longer, healthier, happier life. It provides do-it-today strategies to including the right foods in your diet, easy ways to introduce more movement and exercise into your daily routine, the actions to take to get more and better quality sleep, how to maintain a positive mindset towards ageing and steps to reduce the impact of pollution (very important in Fulham, sadly!). The book is packed with practical resources including recipes, meal plans, journal space and check lists to help you chart your progress, stay on track and prioritise the actions that will change the way you age. For me, that's the most important element of ageing well: understanding that we can change the way we age. Our destiny isn't written in the stars, or in our genes (although they play a role). The actions which make the biggest difference are often the simplest ones, it's doing them every day, or every week that makes the difference to how we age”.  

https://www.instagram.com/agewellproject/?hl=en

What’s On

We weren’t sure when this page would go live again. Feels good that that time has come, even if it’s a slowly but surely, dipping toes in the water kind of way. We know that there will still be readers keeping a low profile and others who are still nervous about heading out and about; we’re sort of in the middle to be honest. It doesn’t feel completely normal yet (we are after all still in the midst of a global pandemic) but we are tentatively taking steps to try to get back to a more normal way of life. We’ve ventured out and about more each week even if we’re slightly zig zagging to keep social distance. One day at a time, and to the more adventurous a taste of some of the events that are taking place this month.

Couture Collective Open Day: Sat 26

The Couture Collective at 659 Fulham Road is a group, including two Fulham residents, who design and make haute couture clothing, occasion wear, artwork, fabric bags, face masks and baskets in their shared workspace and shop. Their open house days are held on the last Saturday of each month and sound like a great opportunity to have a look, without appointment, at how the Couture Collective work and what designs they’re creating.

The collective are keen to welcome the local community through their doors and will have various items available for purchase or to order. If you’re a designer looking to rent a rail or trying to find affordable new workspace why not pop in to say hello and view the available spaces. Margaret from Bledsoe Bags told Urban Village LDN “The Open Days are a great way to get a sense of what we make and talk to the makers. We’ll have clothing, bags, fabric remnants, fun fabric face masks and loads of other beautiful things available. We are a 'shop local, shop safe' environment, with hand sanitiser available and limits to the number of people in the shop at one time”.

The current members who have workspaces in the collective, and who will be part of the Open Days, are Antonia Pugh-Thomas, haute couture womenswear, https://www.antoniapugh-thomas.co.uk, Jacqui Johnson, couture clothing designer, https://www.instagram.com/jacquijohnsonatelier and Margaret Doyle, Bledsoe Bags handmade fabric bags https://bledsoebags.com

Dog day at Aragon House: Sun 27

We heard about this event as we were about to go to press. When we got in touch with Aragon House to find out more, they told us to expect an all day event showcasing dog care brands, a dog food and drinks menu, goodie bags and dog grooming. Sounds fun so stay tuned on our social media channels and we’ll let you know all the details when we have them.

Fulham Comedy Club

It was a toss up between “What’s New” or “What’s On” for this one! We went for “What’s On” in the end as somehow this sneaked under our reporting radar! The Fulham Comedy Club landed in their new Fulham venue, the Broadway Bar and Grill, at the end of July where they’ve been running roof top comedy and BBQ’s on the terrace. The gigs are socially distanced and move to an indoor space if the weather changes. Every Monday and Wednesday is their new material nights with professional comedians trying new jokes before they take them onto TV and bigger stages.

A friend went along to one of their nights recently (we love a roving reporter) and told us “ it was great, very intimate which makes it fun. The night we went had two established headliners and ten others who were starting out and/or trying new material. Lots of audience interaction”.

At the moment they are running “an unfunded seat out to help out scheme” from 2 September until they no longer have to socially distance. All tickets are 50% off which means a weekday ticket is £5 and a week-end ticket is £7. Sounds like extremely good value to us! Hit the link below to find out what events they have coming up this month.

Open Mike Nights

We wrote about Bishops Bar in our last issue click here if you need to refresh your memory https://www.urbanvillageldn.com/whats-new-aug?rq=bishops%20bar

If you’re missing live music or are a performer looking for somewhere to gig this new venue has recently started holding open mike nights called “Acoustify”. They take place every Thursday between 7 - 10 pm; at their first session last month they had ten performers lined up. Book early to avoid disappointment as there is limited availability due to social distancing. Singers, songwriters get in touch on Insta @bishopsbarfulham if you’d like to take part.

 What’s Happening

Time running out for Age UK H&F mini bus appeal

Age UK Hammersmith & Fulham reached out to Urban Village LDN as they have limited time to raise funds for a new eco-friendly minibus before the new emission standards in London are implemented. By the time you read this there are days left to reach the fundraising goal of £66,000. They are currently at the half way mark in their appeal to replace their 12 year old bus which is vital and allows older people living in our borough to socialize with other passengers, retain their independence and dignity.

With the coronavirus pandemic and no events allowed, Age UK Hammersmith & Fulham has struggled to raise enough funds to buy the new minibus. The charity is running a #DonateYourCommute campaign asking people to donate funds saved in commuting costs whilst they’ve been working from home. Even after social distancing measures are gone, the older neighbours of Hammersmith & Fulham will remain isolated if the minibus service disappears.

Karolay Lorenty told us “the minibus provides an essential shopping service for older people with mobility issues, as well as an opportunity for our seniors to fight isolation and loneliness. For some of them, it’s the only time they go out”.

One of their beneficiaries Lillian Urban, a lively 87 year old widow in the borough, is on a mission to save the mini bus service and was interviewed by ITV London last month. “We have got to have a bus because it is my lifeline.” Housebound and with no family, Lillian says that looking forward to the fortnightly trips is what has stopped her from giving up. The minibus has become her way to freedom, the only opportunity to go outside and feel part of her community. Known by beneficiaries as “the shopping bus”, the service doesn’t only provide an essential shopping service, but also day trips, summer outings in and outside of London that are enjoyed immensely by the beneficiaries.

Sands End Arts & Community Centre update

How lucky were we to get a look inside the new Sands End Arts & Community Centre? We’ve been watching the build progress with interest from behind the metal barriers in South Park and over the boundary wall on Peterborough Road so were delighted when we were invited to take a socially distanced tour. At the moment there is no official opening date, due to you know what, but we will keep you updated, in the meantime what we can tell you is that the the new centre is a lovely mix of old and new.

The Lodge has been retained and renovated alongside the new building. In addition to The Lodge, which will be available for hire or a perfect space for an artist in residence, there will be a community run cafe with tables both inside and out, a nursery (currently out to tender) with a separate entrance on Peterborough Road and it’s own outdoor area with sand pit and logs to climb and the centre includes a welcoming reception, a large airy, bright hall and a bookable meeting room.

The courtyard area looks onto the walnut trees in South Park which are due to have some much needed tlc, insect hotels are to be assembled, guttering is eco friendly collecting rain water and channelling it into bedding and a pond area. Planting throughout is historically sensitive having been inspired by what was originally grown in the parks seed banks; these still exist but aren’t currently in use.

There is no doubt that this will be a valued community asset when the doors can finally open. We can’t wait to enjoy a coffee looking out onto South Park and to see how the space is enjoyed and used by the community. Who knows perhaps one day our next Fulham social could take place here - one can but dream and hope.

The Smile Brigade continues to adapt

22 weeks ago The Smile Brigade began their emergency food operation in response to the coronavirus crisis adapting their service from a weekly community kitchen in Clem Atlee Hall to meet the needs of the environment. During this time they have provided 72,000 free meals and 13,200 bags of groceries to residents in need. They have also saved a staggering 84 tonnes of food waste by turning surplus food donated via their charity partners and local businesses into nutritious free meals for local residents.

Founder Monique Newton told Urban Village LDN “If there is one thing we have learned – it’s the importance of community organisations like ours to be flexible in their approach allowing them to act quickly and freely in response to a crisis. With the UK having entered into the 'largest recession on record' as declared by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and with a surge in unemployment, millions of workers having seen their income drastically reduce and latest statistics from child poverty action group showing that 80% of low income families are financially worse off with 83% stating the crisis has affected their ability to buy food – it is clear that there will be a rising need for support services and community organisation like ours”.

After consulting with their clients to help assess and identify additional support needs The Smile Brigade has adapted once again. They are introducing a new buddy system to support those facing anxiety at the prospect of leaving their homes, struggling with day to day tasks such as travelling to appointments and running errands. They’re looking for "Walking Buddies” to offer care and support to those who feel vulnerable and help them regain their confidence getting out and about after months sheltering indoors.

If you'd like to become a walking buddy or volunteer by helping pack groceries, making deliveries and collections, assist with food preparation (alongside a trained member of the kitchen team) do get in touch on the link below.

We can’t believe it’s been a year since we wrote about the launch of The Smile Brigade’s community kitchen and what a year it’s been! Monique told us “We are extremely proud to have created a truly remarkable, unique and inclusive space where everyone regardless of background or age are welcome and free to express themselves in a warm and non judgemental environment whilst enjoying a free meal, a chat and some live entertainment! What started as a small idea to unite residents of all backgrounds, ages and circumstances for just 2 hours a week over a free meal and shared interests has now become a lifeline for so many with a reach far wider than we could have ever imagined.  If anyone had told us less than a year later we would see a 1085% increase in demand for our services, we would have struggled to comprehend how a small team such as ours could manage. Yet with the backing and support from our wonderful volunteers, partners and funders, not only have we managed, but collectively we have achieved incredible things”.  

We look forward to the community kitchen reopening when it’s safe to do so and in a new venue, we will of course keep you updated on that, in the meantime Happy 1st Anniversary and Congratulations to Monique, the entire Smile Brigade team and all the volunteers for everything they’ve achieved in such a short space of time. We’ve witnessed first hand on the ground what a lifeline the work they’ve been doing has been to those who were sheltering, at risk and who are still vulnerable.

Normand Park Bowling Green consultation

Hammersmith & Fulham council are running a consultation to get residents views and ideas for any alternative uses for the unused bowling greens at Normand Park. Share your thoughts before 7 October by answering a short questionnaire. Hit the link below and search Normand Park.

 Spotlight

Post LOCKDOWN uRBAN VILLAGE LDN has been shining A light on a different FULHAM business each MONTH. in this issue we talk to fulham resident and THE Hot SPOT Studio Director Melissa McIntyre

I always had the desire to own my own studio.  Having been an existing client and teacher already I wanted to put my creative stamp on the business and set a challenge for myself.  It is definitely a passion project to say the least, my love of bikram yoga was the main driving force.  I felt people who didn't know about this exclusive style of hot yoga were missing out! The studio had actually been established in Fulham since 2006 then I bought it from the previous owner in 2014.  It was all very grass roots:  I started practising there shortly after it opened, became a bikram yoga teacher in 2010 and eventually the owner - you could say I did my research!

I have lived in Fulham for 20 years and (as I mentioned previously) was a client at the studio and also a teacher.  I had experienced the studio in all its forms - mainly as a successful business with a great local community (the local aspect also provided the added advantage of allowing me to walk to work with my dog!).  It was basically a no-brainer.In regards to the yoga, bikram yoga is a very specialised form of hot yoga - in my opinion nothing else beats it.  The added heat (40c) adds another dimension not found in other styles of yoga. It ticks all the mind/body boxes - you get a great work out and really go inwards mentally for the duration of the class.   In regards to the studio, our amazing community of students, staff and teachers is second to none - it's a joy to turn up every day with everyone having a laugh and finding something to smile about, priceless.  

We had to shut for the government directed four months which was tough all around, not just for us.  We are thankfully now open again and thriving.  The USP of the heat, as mentioned earlier, has got loads of people back into class - we even have waiting lists at the moment.  I think people who practise this style of hot yoga know how beneficial it is to one's health and how it helps to build immunity and over-all wellbeing - the foundations of a healthy lifestyle for creating resistance to all forms of illness, not just COVID. We ran online classes for the duration of lockdown.  So many of our amazing clients stuck with us and we were able to provide a suitable alternative to the studio experience while keeping our incredible community connected.  Now that we're back in the studio we have protocols in place to alleviate any concerns:  we have reduced class sizes with everyone socially distanced up to two metres, have placed protective shields on reception, take everyone's temperature on arrival, have reduced the number of people allowed in reception while checking in, have invested in a medical-grade industrial UV air filter in the studio which runs continuously and have created a one-way system for entry and exit which has worked quite well.  

'I have  been coming to The Hot Spot Yoga since it opened and the work that the team have done during lockdown and now gyms are open is FANTASTIC. A sign that they care about us!' - Louise F (5 August 2020)

 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 Liz Wilson from Ma Baker.

How long have you called Fulham home? I have lived in Fulham for nearly 30 years. It was quite a different place in the 1990’s, a time when you could still pick up a house for a bit of a bargain!

Tell us a bit about yourself/and your family. I am originally from Australia so London took a bit of getting used to. The weather, of course, the busyness, the polite queuing, appliances without plugs, no BYO restaurants, the traffic and flip flops! However, I have learnt to really love it, as have my three children who were all born and bred here.

What’s your favourite local haunt and why?   I love the parks and being by the river. South Park is my local, and I love sitting in the little private herb garden at the back and picking some rosemary to use in my bread. There is never anyone there and it is so peaceful. I am looking forward to the opening of the parks’ new Sands End Community Centre, the design is great. I regularly walk around the bridges and never get bored by the changing mood of the river.

What is your slice of Fulham heaven and why? Being in our tiny garden, eating my freshly baked bread, with hot coffee, my lovely husband Michael, the paper and a little bit of sunshine. Perfect. I love wandering into the Middle Eastern shops on the North End Road and seeing all the gorgeous produce, the array of spices, the piles of pulses and the selection of sweet treats. Brunch at BonBon on the Wandsworth Bridge Road is lovely and it is wonderful to see them reopened and busy, and a pint and a sausage roll at the Sands End is always a good thing.

What have you missed about Fulham life during the pandemic? Like everyone, it was seeing my family and friends and though technology helped, it could not replace a hug with my kids. I really missed teaching my bread classes and having people in home and sharing the joys of bread. However I did not miss the aeroplanes, the cars and the noise of the school run. I loved the new quiet and the sounds of the birds and the bicycles pedalling by.

What local shop/service/business has helped make life easier during the pandemic? We were recommended Word of Mouth Fruit and Veg, by one of our bread customers, they deliver the best fruit and veg boxes ever. I loved it when they knocked on the door with their beautiful bounty, and it was exciting planning what meals I could make from such beautiful produce. What also made it easier was all of the lovely delivery people, especially those who were delivering my hundreds of kilos of flour. Always with a smile. Thank you. And also my wonderful customers, all over Fulham who supported our little business and ensured that we survived.

If you could do one thing to improve Fulham what would it be?  Now it would be the traffic. Wandsworth Bridge Road is awful, even worse than before lockdown.

Tell us about Ma Baker and how it came to be.  Ma Baker is Fulham’s only award winning micro bakery and bread school. About 6 years ago, I was at a crossroads in my life. I took a bread class and absolutely fell in love with the stuff. I volunteered in bakeries, washed up in cooking schools, talked endlessly to bakers and I baked and baked, and I read and I took more classes and I baked some more. I gave away my loaves to neighbours and friends until they said ‘Liz, stop giving it away, we will pay for it’. And they did. And then more people did. I went part time with my primary school job. And I baked some more. I started teaching bread and there is nothing like sharing something you are absolutely passionate about with others. At the end of 2015, I started my full time bread adventure, and it has been the most surprising time of my life. When lockdown hit I became a full time baker, delivering bread to those who were self isolating or vulnerable (my husband became logistics manager!). I don’t think we have ever worked harder. I have just reopened my bread school which is great. Smaller classes but it is lovely to be teaching again, and I am still baking and delivering two days a week.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting their own enterprise? Be the best that you can be. Love what you do. Listen. Ask questions. Never stop learning.

What is the key piece of advice you always give to clients?  Practice. Never add flour to the table when kneading. Use a shower cap to cover your dough. Every mistake is a learning opportunity.

Beyond the Hood  

Sam’s Larder

W6 isn’t exactly “Beyond the Hood” but you and I know that Urban Village LDN is exclusively all things SW6. We wrote about Sam’s Riverside back in March after a spring stroll along the river to check out this restaurant launched in November 2019 by Sam Harrison. Stunningly located opposite Hammersmith Bridge, sitting alongside the new Riverside Studios it has, if you haven’t been yet, a modern-European and seafood-led menu created by Head Chef Harvey Trollope. The restaurant re-opened after lockdown on 4 July with a new Seafood Terrace overlooking the Thames and we finally got to enjoy dinner there (not gifted); we digress more of what we thought later.

During the restaurant’s closure, Sam and business partner Fanny Stocker put plans in motion to open a nearby shop with the aim of it being an extension of the restaurant. After turning their restaurant storage into a space fit for a boutique deli Sam’s Larder (4 Crisp Road, W6 9RL) opened last month. Stocking fresh, seasonal and high-quality ingredients used in Harvey’s kitchen, wines from Sam’s Riverside’s list and homemade dishes from Harvey and his team for you to enjoy at home; seasonal casseroles, pasta sauces, fish, chicken and vegetable pies. Other provisions include bread, pastries and cakes from Hedone Bakery, British charcuterie from Crown & Queue, Cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy, Chocolate from Love Coco by James Cadbury, Eggs from Cacklebean Farm and fresh fruit juices from Daily Dose Fruit and vegetables. In addition they stock various drinks company offerings from Gusbourne Wines, Botanic Lab, Double Dutch Drinks and Real Kombucha; those of you who came to our social in January might remember trying this brand. Gift hampers can also be arranged, as well as specialty cakes for birthday, weddings and other occasions.

So it looks like we’re going to have to take another stroll along the river to take a look and take our own pics. Any excuse to check it out and we might have to have a pit stop back at Sam’s Riverside to enjoy a cocktail or two!

Sam’s Riverside in review

The new normal didn’t dampen our third post lockdown dinner out and our first time eating at Sam’s Riverside, For those of you who are still yet to be tempted out they are extremely COVID secure with temperature checks on arrival, hand sanitiser upon entry and staff wearing masks. The only hiccup was getting the QR code to work which was down to us; we’re not normally that rubbish on the tec front promise! So we reverted to an old school (?) printed menu, why we didn’t simply look it up on our phones is beyond me.

When we went in August we picked from the summer menu so things might change and become autumnal this month. We started with a Watermelon & Basil Smash (Ketel One Vodka, Aperol, Fresh Watermelon Juice, Basil Syrup) which was so refreshing and thirst quenching. During lockdown, don’t judge, we have to admit we became a bit adept on the ‘locktail’ making front so we were those dreaded customers who decide to go off piste. We ordered Martinis in the next round both Dirty and Lemon Drop. We were impressed with the honesty when our waitress returned saying the barman was not familiar with the contents of a lemon drop martini but “if you tell us what’s in it we’ll make it”. Not only were we impressed with that, it was the best Lemon Drop we’ve had outside our kitchen!

Enough about hard liquor and onto the food! We started with the Chilled Pea & Mint soup which was divine, quite simply liquid summer and the Hereford Aged Ribeye Beef Tartare, Dripping Toast - gluten intolerance accommodated with an alternative - another thumbs up was deemed to be the best tartare ever eaten; there have been numerous occassions. We both opted for the Pan Fried Hake, Chilli, Lemon, Capers & Parsley which was accompanied by braised little gem. The dish was heavenly and light with so many lovely fresh flavours hitting the palette, not too spicy and you could taste the lemon at each bite. A dessert fiend rounded off the night with a lemon possett which they told us was “exceptional”.

The good news is that Sam’s Riverside are continuing the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme for Tuesdays and Wednesdays in September, we highly recommend you take advantage.