Square Roots Lewisham

Canary Wharf: How MadeFor is a vital piece of the estate’s office space offering

Fitted, furnished and managed solution presents firms of all sizes with a hassle-free option

MadeFor office spaces in Canary Wharf come fully furnished and ready to use

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It wasn’t all that long ago, in the grand scheme of things, that Canary Wharf was a two-storey warehouse built in the 1930s handling bananas brought to the UK from the Caribbean.

The brick-built structure at what was then West India Docks’ Import Dock, managed to survive the bombing during the Second World War, but not the demise of the docks themselves. 

It was bought for £25million in 1988 by Olympia And York – the company that kicked off the regeneration project that would become the Canary Wharf of today – and was demolished without much ceremony a year later.

I mention this not because of some rose-tinted hankering for nostalgia – although the idea of dockers slipping on endless banana skins carries some slapstick appeal.

Instead it’s a reminder of just how far this part of London has come in 35 years.

There’s been much short-termist nonsense published recently about the idea that this part of the city might be in peril. It’s true – some companies based here have decided to move for various reasons.

But before launching into a cascade of gloomy thoughts about home working’s effect on the economy and the merits of office clusters, consider a different perspective.

Three-and-a-half decades ago, there was nothing much at Canary Wharf but derelict warehouses.

A group of people had to imagine what it might be, who might want to be there and what – if any – companies would come over. In the end, their creativity and bravery yielded success, with the arrival of the Jubilee line extension proving pivotal in that story.

Towers rose and were filled. They largely still are.

MadeFor customers enjoy self-contained spaces with modern facilities

Current media commentary cries out that Canary Wharf will have to reinvent itself if it is to continue to flourish.

But such pieces entirely miss the point. Canary Wharf has done nothing but endlessly reinvent itself since that old warehouse crumbled. 

The idea that a few financial institutions moved over here from the City in pursuit of cheaper rent and larger spaces in the 2000s and that nothing much has changed since, is simply perception lagging reality.

The estate and the surrounding area is on a constant path of change, renewal and development – its priorities shifting to meet and satisfy demand.

That’s the case with its shops, bars, restaurants and open spaces as much as it was in the decision to build housing on Wood Wharf. 

Canary Wharf Group (CWG) has demonstrated an increasingly open and agile approach to the land it manages – whether that’s embracing competitive socialising with Fairgame and Electric Shuffle or deciding to host a vast padel tennis complex – as it works tirelessly to broaden the appeal of the estate. 

But what of the office space itself?

Well there’s been diversification there too amid a long track-record of flexibility to serve the market.

While tech community Level39 provides small startups with a home and space to grow, funkier spaces have been created at Wood Wharf. 

North Quay will see significant lab space created as the estate continues to attract organisations from sectors beyond financial services.

Eggs, baskets and all that.

That hasn’t, of course, stopped the likes of Barclays and Citi recommitting to the area – doubtless convinced by an environment that now draws significant crowds at weekends in virtue of what’s on offer to visitors as well as residents.

Nevertheless, CWG hasn’t stood still on office space either, with MadeFor perhaps the punchiest addition to its offering in recent years.

Canary Wharf Group associate for office leasing Luke Thurlow

“In short, it’s our fully-fitted, furnished and managed workspaces,” said Luke Thurlow, CWG associate for office leasing and one of the team tasked with helping firms land on the Wharf or move into bigger premises.

“Traditionally, a tenant would take an empty shell and build it themselves, creating meeting rooms, break-out spaces and filling it with furniture.

“MadeFor takes away all of that hassle for the end-user, who can pretty much move in immediately if they like.

“Office space has always been a strong part of the business and this is part of diversifying our portfolio.

“It means Canary Wharf offers single desks and co-working at Level39, self-contained units under MadeFor and shell space if a client prefers that.

“MadeFor can cater for businesses with 10 desks in 1,000sq ft of space, right up to our biggest letting where Citi took 10 floors as part of a short-term solution to house staff while its tower is being refurbished.

“The message is that many people think Canary Wharf is only for larger businesses – big multinational companies, which we do have here – but even if you’re a small startup or scaleup, we can accommodate your needs.”

It’s an offer that’s clearly gaining traction, with recent signings, including business power supplier, Pozitive Energy, electric vehicle charging firm, Hypervolt, and Taiwanese energy trader, WelHunt, all opting for MadeFor offices at One Canada Square.

Global trading organisation FIA and manufacturing firm Rittal also recently announced they would be renewing their MadeFor leases in the building.

“These recent deals show that companies continue to see Canary Wharf as an international icon,” said Luke.

“Buildings like One Canada Square are seen as part of a company’s strategy to build its business, find new clients and retain top talent – there’s real appeal there.

“MadeFor appeals to both a variety of sectors and businesses of different sizes. Often, smaller firms don’t want the headache of fitting out a space. 

“These are self-contained workspaces so tenants are not sharing meeting rooms, break out spaces or kitchens with other occupiers. 

“That’s especially important so companies know who is coming in and out of their space – vital if you’re regulated by the FCA, for example.”

Layouts include break-out spaces and open-plan design

Essentially, MadeFor is a crucial piece in the puzzle.

One of the key ideas behind the creation of Level39 more than a decade ago was that it had the potential to bring fast-growing startups onto the estate.

With a vast portfolio, it could then flexibly serve the needs of those businesses as they grew.

MadeFor both provides space for companies that are expanding, but it also allows the estate to pitch more effectively to firms and organisations of varying size that aren’t home grown, but like the idea of a move to east London.

“One example would be challenger bank Revolut, which started at Level39,” said Luke.

“Now it is based in an 80,000sq ft space at the Columbus Building off Westferry Circus.

“Because CWG has been running the estate for more than 30 years we are able to take a long-term vision for our customers and as a custodian of this part of London.

“If a business is half way through its lease and bursting at the seams or looking to downsize due to an increase in hybrid working, we can have those conversations. 

“Other landlords use more conventional models where they buy a single building, develop it, lease it and sell it.

“This can make those situations more difficult. What we offer is stability.”

Don’t confuse stability with traditionalism, however.

Luke was keen to stress that MadeFor’s spaces were fitted out to reflect the needs of businesses today.

“Our design philosophy dispenses with reception desks and guest waiting areas,” he said.

“The idea is that visitors come directly into a break-out space where they can get a feel for how the business is working as soon as they arrive.

“We can, of course, design to a customer’s brief and we’re always working based on feedback from previous projects. 

“Perhaps if we’d done this three years ago we’d have had flashy boardrooms off reception areas – people didn’t think you should have staff mingling with visitors.

“But people aren’t working like that any more.

“Visitors want to get a flavour of the company – to be in your world rather than in a holding zone.

“Hybrid working presents great opportunities for businesses – if you look at their spaces and how they’re fitting them out, things are a lot more considered now.

“You’re seeing a lot more meeting rooms, collaboration spaces, fewer conventional rows of desks.

“Suppose you have a project team that’s coming in three days a week – what do they need? 

“Some customers have asked for more break-out space, while others want desks because people are also coming into the office to do more focused work and to make the most of sitting with colleagues to do that.”

CWG will even look after plants in its MadeFor spaces

Beyond the spaces themselves, the estate’s constant evolution is perhaps the most potent weapon in Luke’s arsenal when talking to potential clients.

But then there’s the added value of engaging with a landlord which is completely invested in fostering a thriving, vibrant local economy.

Luke said: “The quality of our office space and workspaces is generally well understood in the market.

“We produce top quality, best-in-class office developments.

“But what we’re also trying to show people who come to Canary Wharf are the lifestyle amenities – the shops, bars and restaurants, the green open spaces and the transport links.

“With the Elizabeth line, you’re 45 minutes from Heathrow. It’s about trying to excite people by getting them to picture themselves and their business here. 

“There are the technical details like the air conditioning and the Wi-fi, but most people who come to look at office space will think more about the coffee downstairs and dinner at Hawksmoor or Dishoom.

“We deliver high quality workspace, but it’s also about our tenant services team and the maintenance operation.

“We’ve also launched an app for the estate so people know what’s here and about all the events that are going on. 

“We’re not just a landlord collecting rent – will it be a Yoga session before work or finding out about Wharf Connect, our network for early career professionals?

“It’s all about what you can do here and, if we’re not doing something already, then talking to us about delivering it.

“It’s a very exciting time and, over the next 10 years people will see so much change here, whether that’s the landscaping of Middle Dock in partnership with the Eden Project or any of the other plans in the pipeline.”

Suffice to say evolution is a certainty at Canary Wharf as it brings life sciences and schools into the mix alongside residential, higher education, governmental bodies and much more.

That, however, will doubtless be easier for Luke and his colleagues to articulate to potential clients than it was for teams 35 years ago, when the whole process of convincing firms to give E14 offices a chance began.

  • key details

MadeFor spaces are available in Canary Wharf at One Canada Square, 40 Bank Street, 20 Water Street and the Columbus Building.

Offices are cleaned and managed including repairs, maintenance, waste management and refreshment options.

Find out more about MadeFor at Canary Wharf

Read more: New events space Broadwick Studio launches on Wood Wharf’s Water Street

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Property: How shared ownership homes at Kidbrooke Square are surrounded by amenities and green spaces

NHG Homes scheme offers properties with deposits starting at £4,625 for 25% of a one-bed

An artist’s impression of Kidbrooke Square in Greenwich

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NHG Homes’ Kidbrooke Square development is all set to welcome its first residents in the coming months.

Set beside the wider regeneration of the Ferrier Estate, the area has been transformed in recent years with extensive house building and landscaping.

This project has seen a wealth of amenities arrive in this part of the Royal Borough Of Greenwich, including the blockbuster playgrounds and open spaces of Cator Park – a winner of the Sir David Attenborough award for biodiversity – all of which will benefit Kidbrooke Square buyers.

NHG Homes’ scheme is currently offering one, two and three-bedroom properties on a shared ownership basis, with prices starting at £92,500 for a quarter share of an apartment.

The housing association recently unveiled a one-bedroom show home on-site, showcasing the features of its homes including fully fitted kitchens with A+ energy-rated appliances, bathrooms with porcelain floor tiles and white sanitaryware as well as built-in wardrobes and storage space.

Properties feature open-plan design and boast private outdoor space (including two apartments with winter gardens). Further benefits on-site include communal cycle storage and a concierge service.

Locally, Pegler Square is home to cafes, shops and The Depot pub as well as a gym and regular food markets.

In addition to Cator Park, the open spaces of Kidbrooke Green Park and Sutcliffe Park are also within easy walking distance.

The development is located right beside Kidbrooke Station, offering rapid connections into the centre of the capital – London Bridge takes about 16 minutes, with Waterloo East three minutes beyond that. 

Shared ownership properties at the scheme feature open-plan design

Journeys to Canary Wharf take a little over 20 minutes with a change at Lewisham onto the DLR.

The area is well served by bus services and cycle routes, with trips to Blackheath and Greenwich within easy pedalling distance. 

NHG Homes head of marketing and digital, Amie Triphook-Cole, said: “Now is a brilliant time to buy at Kidbrooke Square, as residents start to move in and the community continues to grow. 

“These fantastic apartments have been designed with a sense of comfort, accessibility and sustainability in mind.”

NHG Homes said the monthly costs of a shared ownership property at Kidbrooke – where rent is paid on the portion of the property not owned by the buyer – were cheaper on average than renting locally. 

With a 5% deposit paid on a 25% share of its entry level one-bed, it estimates that cost to be £1,344 per month, dropping to £1,291, if a buyer pays a 10% deposit.

Fully fitted kitchens come with A+ energy-rated appliances
  • key details

Prices at Kidbrooke Square start at £92,500 for a 25% share of a one-bed apartment, based on a total market value of £370,000. 

The home extends to some 566sq ft and is available with a minimum deposit of £4,625 (5%).

Two-beds are also available starting at £111,875 for a 25% share. Deposits for that property would start at just under £5,600 (5%).

Find out more about Kidbrooke Square here

Bedrooms come with built-in storage

Read more: New events space Broadwick Studio launches on Wood Wharf’s Water Street

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Property: How Square Roots Lewisham offers shared ownership homes by the river

South-east London scheme’s apartments start at £106,250 for a 25% share of a one-bed home

An artist’s impression of Square Roots Lewisham

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The first development to feature in our focus on shared ownership is Square Roots Lewisham.

Delivered in partnership with developer London Square, the south-east London scheme presents prospective buyers with a collection of 141 one, two and three-bedroom apartments as well as duplexes.

Located beside the River Ravensbourne, the development is seven minutes walk from Lewisham Station for rail and DLR services offering links to Canary Wharf and the City.

Properties at Square Roots Lewisham feature fully fitted kitchens and bathrooms, private balconies or terraces for all apartments and space for home working.

The development boasts riverside walks, play areas and a communal roof terrace for residents as well as cycle storage, wireless door entry via handheld devices, a 10-year NHBC warranty and a two-year Square Roots customer service warranty.

Buyers can expect to be able to move into their properties this spring.

Square Roots is set to unveil a new three-bedroom show home at its Lewisham Sales Suite on March 16, 2024, and will welcome visitors from noon-4pm. 

Readers can find out more information about the event  by calling 0333 666 2535 or registering online at squareroots.co.uk.

The developer is also offering prospective buyers a package of incentives for those reserving properties at the full asking price.

Those purchasing a one-bed can get up to £4,000 of tailored benefits, while those opting for a two-bed can get up to £6,000.

The development boasts a communal roof terrace

Incentives include Window treatments from Thread And Dandy, John Lewis or Ikea vouchers, an annual travel card for Zones 1-6 or an annual parking space at Lewisham Shopping Centre.

London Square South managing director, Sean Gavin, said: “This is an outstanding opportunity for buyers keen to purchase a high quality new home close to the heart of London, which offers great value. 

“Square Roots Lewisham is part of an extensive regeneration of the town centre, where significant investment is being made.

“This is excellent news for buyers who are looking for an affordable home in a great location in the capital.”

Canary Wharf workers considering a home at the development can look forward to a commute of less than 30 minutes door-to-door.

Residents will also benefit from an extensive network of local cycle paths offering direct connections to Greenwich, Blackheath and Deptford.

Lewisham itself has seen an influx of capital and activity in recent years with regeneration projects that have delivered new homes and amenities.

The area continues to see strong price growth, with Rightmove recording a 6% rise in average values year-on-year, 11% up on the 2020 peak of £545,248. 

This contrasts favourably with trends in other areas of London, which have seen falls in recent years.

Square Roots was established by London Square two years ago with the aim of delivering 3,500 affordable homes over the next five years.

With 1,000 properties currently under construction, its schemes have already attracted recognition in the Evening Standard New Homes Awards and First Time Buyer Awards.

Square Roots Lewisham is set to launch a three-bedroom show home
  • key details

Prices at Square Roots Lewisham start at £106,250 for a 25% share of a one-bed apartment, based on a total market value of £425,000. 

The home extends to some 551sq ft and is available with a minimum deposit of just over £5,300 (5%).

Find our more about Square Roots Lewisham here

Read more: New events space Broadwick Studio launches on Wood Wharf’s Water Street

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf: How The Canary Wharf PA Club is set for monthly meet-ups

Relaunched organisation sees founder Alice Scutchey team up with Lucia Sudlow to support assistants on the estate and beyond

The Canary Wharf PA Club founder Alice Scutchey

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Alice Scutchey founded The Canary Wharf PA Club (CWPAC) in 2019 while working as a senior EA to Citi’s UK chief financial officer and things took off.

Tapping into a desire among personal assistants, executive assistants and office managers to meet and network, a packed schedule of events saw the organisation swell to a database of thousands. 

The club ended up becoming like a business with Alice running things alongside her full-time career, offering premium paid memberships to help sustain and monetise its operation.

“I probably could have quit my job and made it into a business, but I didn’t want that,” she said.

“I was increasingly finding it hard to get to know people personally – they knew me but I didn’t know them because I was busy running the events.”

Something of a victim of its own popularity, Alice decided to put the club on pause.

Having worked as an EA at American Express and Quintet Private Bank, she is now director of EMEA business administration at global printing and communications firm Toppan Merrill and has turned her attention back to her creation.

This time, however, she’s got some help.

“It came about because I was chatting with my friend, Lucia Sudlow, about the network,” said Alice.

“It had become unmanageable and I didn’t have time for it.

“Both of us have a background as assistants, so we discussed whether we should give relaunching it a shot together.

“That way we could halve the workload.

“There’s clearly a need for people to meet and – being a PA can be a lonely role. You don’t necessarily have a team or an internal network.

“It’s about bringing people together and helping them in any way we can.”

To that end, Alice and Lucia officially relaunched the club with an event at Doubletree By Hilton London Docklands Riverside, with a plan to commit to a sustainable 12 events per year.

“There are lots of businesses that offer training and courses to help people be better PAs,” said Alice.

“But we want to focus on the person, not on the role.

“The club isn’t about companies selling things to our members either. 

“It’s meeting once a month with no pressure or expectations – just a desire to bring something to the table.

Ask The Imossible’s Lucia Sudlow has joined the operation

“PAs often have something extra going on in their lives – a passion, a hobby or a side business.

“We want our events to be about bringing those things out and showcasing them.

“To anyone new to the club I would say: ‘Bring your whole self to a monthly meet-up and connect with other like-minded people to support each other’.”

That message of connection and friendship rings true for Lucia and Alice too. 

“I originally trained as an architectural technician but I wasn’t very good at it,” said Lucia, who today runs creative and production agency Ask The Impossible, with her husband.

“I was made redundant in 2008, and I went to get a temp job as an assistant admin person. I realised that I was really good at it, enjoyed it and got a lot from it.

“When I first came to London, I was in a role for about 18 months and then I was offered a new job, so I needed to hire someone. Alice came in.

“We only spent two weeks working together and 14 years later, we’re still friends.

“I went on to work for a tech startup and became the head of people and talent after doing pretty much every job there apart from IT development.

“Now I run the operations side of our agency – my husband has the crazy ideas and I make sure they happen.

“As long as whatever a brand wants to do is legal and moral, we’ll do it.

“I’m still very much interested in the PA world and I like to be involved with good people – that’s why I wanted to help with the club.

“We’re going to focus on one good quality event a month – there are lots of clubs that offer paid membership and venue finding services and so on.

“But we just want to support people, not sell them something.

“Things don’t always need to be about growing your skills or your professional career.

“Sometimes you just want to meet people, have a drink, socialise and make connections.”

And that’s really what success looks like for the CWPAC reborn – a vehicle that’s for members to enjoy themselves and benefit from friendships forged.

“It might be that, through the club, someone has found a new job or bought a product from another PA’s side business,” said Alice.

“To me seeing these things is success. It might be that someone gains the confidence to present in front of an audience.

“Many PAs who run their own businesses don’t have thid and our events will be a non-judgmental space that will help people do that.

“If someone has something they want to present to the group then we’ll book them in.

“Of course, being a PA is a career in itself, but moving on to another a role is also a natural path for an assistant to take.

“It’s important to us to support that transition, if people want to make it, as it’s something we’ve both done.”

Lucia added: “PA skills are so transferable – you have to be a jack of all trades in the role. That’s so often a phrase people use negatively, but actually it’s not.

“Having a little bit of knowledge about a lot of things is really useful.

“PAs can get typecast in the assistant role, but actually they’re so capable when they get to a certain part of their career because they have gained so much knowledge.

“Both me and Alice are good examples of what people can go on and do – we want to tell people not to be afraid of their ambitions.”

  • need to know

The Canary Wharf PA Club is aiming to meet once a month from now on.

Events will be free unless otherwise stated. Interested parties can register online for further news.

Find out more about CWPAC here

Read more: New events space Broadwick Studio launches on Wood Wharf’s Water Street

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canning Town: How Confluence at Cody Dock is literally immersive as an artwork

Lighting Up The Lea commission plunges visitors into the sounds of the river and the surrounding area

Gino Brignoli, biodiversity officer at Cody Dock

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“Immersive” is one of the most over-used words when it comes to the arts.

But Confluence at Cody Dock has a singular and legitimate claim to it, if desired.

Artist Tom Fisher has created a body of work based on a five-month residency at the community-led regeneration that literally plunges the ears of listeners into the River Lea and its environment.

Working under the name Action Pyramid, the sonic artist and musician was awarded Cody Dock’s Lighting Up The Lea commission – a challenge to respond creatively to its Tidal Lea River Ecology Report.

While some might have expected lights and bulbs to play a part in that response – given the title – with typical freedom of thought, the decision was made to fund a project that would illuminate the river for visitors in a different sense.

Supported by Cockayne Grants For The Arts, The London Community Foundation and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Confluence itself comes in multiple parts.

Artist Tom Fisher, aka Action Pyramid, records sound under water

The first is already in place and free for visitors to Cody Dock to experience. 

Listen To The Lea allows up to two people to put on headphones at a dedicated spot and listen live to the sounds of the river below via two hydrophones that are permanently submerged in its waters.

The free listening post will be in place until June 12, 2024, with visitors able to listen in person or to tune in online.

“I find it very relaxing,” said Gino Brignoli, biodiversity officer at Cody Dock.

“I can’t stop myself from trying to figure out what it is I’m hearing – perhaps I’m not zen enough – but I really enjoy sitting there and listening.

“I love being next to the water – having the opportunity to see the river, especially at slack tide when the Lea is relatively still.

“I find it fascinating that so much sound is contained within its waters.

“While we don’t necessarily know what we’re listening to through the hydrophones, water is an amazing conductor of sound and there are so many things to hear.

Tom with his Listen To The Lea installation

“Everything that lives beneath the surface tends to communicate that way because it’s a murky world and vision is unreliable. 

“We can’t be certain, but we think we may have heard fish moving pebbles around and clams letting out air on the bottom.

“Personally, I like that the sounds give you an imaginary world to enter.”

While the Lea is considered to be “bad” environmentally speaking – with Gino and other groups targeting improvements that will at least see it receive a rating of “poor” – the river nevertheless teems with life. 

Lighting Up The Lea’s focus is on turning the spotlight on an ecosystem that supports bats, eels, kingfishers and grey seals as well as invaders such as crayfish and mitten crabs. 

“It’s about saying: ‘Hey, this is London’s second largest river and very few people know about it – either that it exists at all or that it’s significant’,” said Gino.

“There’s a lot of work to be done to make sure people know about it, so they can visit.

“We’ve had visitors from Eastlea School in West Ham, for example – which is named after the river – and found that even the teachers hadn’t necessarily made that connection, or been aware that the Lea is here in east London.

Gino enjoys the sounds of the Lea looking towards Tower Hamlets

“The exciting thing about working in ecology is that as long as there’s a will, we can actually achieve quite a lot. The younger generation seem to be more engaged – it’s exciting because this is where the change will come from.”

Awareness is ultimately the point of Confluence  – an appropriate name for a work created on the tidal Lea where fresh water meets brackish, changing direction twice a day as it rises and falls by four or five metres.

The second part of the work will come in the form of an installation that is set to launch with a live event on April 12, 2024.

Tom’s sonic work – wrought from recordings of the subaquatic world, the movement of the Lea estuary’s mud, passing bats and seasonal birdsong – will then be available to hear daily in a dedicated listening space at The Barn, Cody Dock’s new venue and arts space.

“It has been a real pleasure to begin working on this commission, with the Lea often being a source of inspiration for my work,” said Tom. 

“The chance to spend extended time exploring, listening to, and learning about the local tidal ecosystem and surrounding habitat has been really wonderful.

“Something which is often a feature of my practice is using sound as a means to help us reconsider a place.

“The site’s ecology report has been a fascinating starting point.”

Cody Dock CEO, Simon Myers, added: “The lower Lea is rapidly changing and without wider appreciation and awareness of its incredible urban biodiversity we are on track to lose this rich diversity, just as people are rediscovering this under-appreciated corner of London. 

“My hope is that this commission will quite literally help shine a light on the Lea while also producing a new piece of immersive art that inspires people’s imagination.”

Tom’s installation will be available to listen to at Cody Dock’s art space The Barn
  • dive in

The Listen To The Lea part of Confluence is available to experience daily for free on the east bank of the river. It will be in place until June 12, 2024.

Action Pyramid’s installation will be available to listen to for free after April 12.

While Cody Dock is continually open for walkers, its official hours of operation are 9am-5.30pm daily. 

The regeneration effort offers people a wealth of opportunities to volunteer, including on projects to restore and re-flood the dock itself, to clean up the Lea and to observe and record the wildlife that can be found locally.

The scheme is home to a wide variety of initiatives aimed at transforming a formerly derelict toxic waste dump on an industrial estate into an area and facility, which can be enjoyed and visited by local residents and those further afield.

In 2022 it featured in Sir David Attenborough’s Saving Our Wild Isles.  

Find out more about Cody Dock here

Read more: New events space Broadwick Studio launches on Wood Wharf’s Water Street

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Greenwich: How Greenwich Theatre is hosting four blockbuster shows in 2024

Artistic director James Haddrell talks Frozen, Beauty And The Beast and why there’s no rent to be paid for 24 years

Kerrie Taylor will play the mother in Frozen

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There’s a bit of a buzz at Greenwich Theatre right now.

Arts funding across the country is being cut, companies and institutions are under increasing financial pressure.

So it’s heartening to hear the venue has signed a long lease agreement with the Royal Borough Of Greenwich that will allow it to keep hosting and producing work for another 24 years.

“It’s astonishing that we’ve got this kind of security now,” said James Haddrell, the theatre’s artistic director.

“It doesn’t come with a grant, but it does come with a rent-free commitment from the council, which we reckon is worth about £2million.

Greenwich Theatre artistic director James Haddrell

“The only conditions in the lease are that we look after the building and we continue doing what we’re doing.

“It means we can plan much further into the future and build relationships with funders and sponsors who know we’re going to be there for the long term.”

It’s a deal that’s vital to the venue’s future, especially as the  creative landscape has changed a great deal in the time that James has been at theatre.

“I came to Greenwich as press officer in 2001 and back then, it was very much a place where people who were 50 and over would come,” he said.

“They were regular theatregoers for whom it was automatic to think about seeing a show, going to a concert or visiting the cinema at the end of the week.

“The changes here have been quite heartening as our average audience is now under 40 and for some shows it’s mid-20s.

“Theatre had to be brave and acknowledge that the older audience was going to disappear and to explore whether theatre was going to disappear with it – it hasn’t.

Paul McGann will play the man with no name in The River

“I wonder whether, as more and more things become digital experiences, theatre will survive because it isn’t like them and will stand out as the exception.

“We have also seen a huge change in theatre landscape, which has been challenging.

“Go back 20 years and there was a thriving touring circuit of companies in this country working on the 400-seat scale we are.

“They were able to do it because they were well funded.

“If you want to present a show with high commercial production values, you need financial support and there was a lot more of it about back then.

“Companies have had to be brave and grow – or disappear.

“That means we have to fill Greenwich Theatre either with our own shows, which are devised for the scale of the venue, or with smaller shows that are full of aspiration and come here to grow.

“We’ve always been excited about the fact we occupy that sort of position in the theatre ecology. 

“We’re not a tiny 40-seater – we attract audiences, press coverage and commercial partners – but if you want to come and try out an idea, you’re not going to lose everything if it doesn’t sell.

“It’s exciting to see companies, who do a show, maybe once or twice, by themselves on a shoestring, grow and develop.”

James Bradshaw will play the murderer in Frozen

As part of that change and, bolstered by its agreement with the council, the venue has announced four landmark productions set to take place over the course of 2024.

This quartet of productions made for Greenwich are all to be directed by James and feature well-known names including Kerrie Taylor (Hollyoaks and Where The Heart Is), Paul McGann (Withnail And I and Doctor Who), James Bradshaw (Endeavour and Hollyoaks) and Indra Ové (Sex Education and Holby City)

At first glance, a programme including Frozen and Beauty And The Beast might raise eyebrows about the Disneyfication of the venue’s offering, but nothing could be further from the truth.

“I’ve wanted to direct Frozen – which is by Bryony Lavery and quite a different prospect from the Disney show – for years,” said James.

“It’s a three-hander about a woman whose child has been abducted and murdered.

“The mother will be played by Kerrie.

“Indra will take the role of the New York academic who wants to study the murderer, who will be played by James.

“It’s a stunning cast and a tough piece of work but it’s not a show that’s depressing – it’s beautiful in its truth.

“It explores nature and nurture, but whichever side of the argument you fall on, it will challenge you.

Beauty And The Beast also isn’t Disney. It’s a very joyful actor-musician show – a folk music-infused hoe-down retelling of the story. 

“There’s a cast of six and it features music from David Haller who has worked on several of our summer shows.

Indra Ové will play the New York academic in Frozen

“It’s incredibly exciting and really fun – there’s just something amazing about watching a brilliant actor pick up an instrument and perform.

“With The River, 2024 is very much a year where I’m achieving my ambitions.

“I’d wanted to do Frozen for a long time and that’s true of The River as well. 

“It was originally performed at the Royal Court in 2012 and is Jez Butterworth’s first play after Jerusalem.

“It’s very different to that, though and has astonishing writing in it.

“It’s about an unnamed man, who will be played by Paul McGann, who takes his girlfriend fishing and camping in the woods.

“Something has happened in the past – but what was it and to whom?

“All I can say is there are more than two people in the cast. It’s brilliant to have Paul coming back.

“There’s something about the atmosphere and the environment at Greenwich Theatre – that applies to the staff and to the performers – people love being in the venue, so they return.

“For an actor like Paul to come to this size venue is a testament to that.

“It’s about the history and you can feel it when you’re in the auditorium. It’s something really special.”

Speaking of which, the final production confirmed will be the latest Greenwich Theatre panto.

Dick Whittington And His Cat will see Anthony Spargo back as writer and villain and Uncle Steve Marwick returning as musical director,” said James.

“We won best design at the Offie Awards for last year’s so this will be about being better and bigger.

“That’s a challenge when we had seven dwarves and a plane in 2023.” 

  • key dates 

Frozen will run from April 26-May 19

Beauty And The Beast from August 2-25

The River from October 1-27

Dick Whittington And His Cat from November 22-January 5.

For more about Greenwich Theatre, go here

Anthony Spargo returns as writer and villain in Dick Whittington And His Cat

Read more: New events space Broadwick Studio launches on Wood Wharf’s Water Street

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf: How Broadwick Studio delivers total flexibility at Wood Wharf

Company’s street level events venue and meeting suite has launched at east London’s Water Street

Broadwick Studio is located at the junction of Water Street and Charter Street on Wood Wharf

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The ability to see what isn’t yet there, is arguably Broadwick’s talent as a company.

Having built a portfolio of festivals, the business took a change of direction in 2019, opting to focus on physical event spaces.

Its current portfolio boasts a plethora of venues, many of which are spread across Docklands and east London.

These include the purpose-built temporary structure Magazine on Greenwich Peninsula, former warehouse Dock X in Canada Water and The Beams and Silverworks Island at Royal Docks – one a former industrial sugar store and the other a vast outdoor show ground with Millennium Mills as a backdrop.

While all are essentially blank canvas spaces, they also have something else about them. Magazine looks out over the Thames with Canary Wharf in the background, Dock X sits at the heart of a massive regeneration scheme, The Beams is beside one of Tate & Lyle’s sugar factories and Silverworks boasts an astounding view of Docklands structures past and present. 

While clients are free to brand and mould the spaces exactly how they want, the venues are also of and in their surroundings, granting them potent identities all of their own. 

A visitor might watch a drone show outside at Magazine, but they’ll remember the little craft soaring above the Canary Wharf skyline in the shadow of The O2.

The venue has been designed as a blank canvas

Typically, the vibe is modern, minimal and industrial. Nowhere was this more true than at Broadwick’s flagship venue Printworks London – with events taking place in the stripped-back press halls at Canada Water’s Harmsworth Quays.

Here, from 1989, Associated Newspapers’ publications rattled off enormous machines, 24-hours a day.

Originally intended only for temporary events use, it proved so successful as a venue, that developer British Land is currently in the process of making it a permanent part of its regeneration of the area

Which brings us to Broadwick Studio, the company’s latest space.

With Printworks out of action as works are carried out, the company needed a new home and relocated to offices at 30 Water Street on Wood Wharf.

“When development started we began looking for a new space – we already had a great relationship with Canary Wharf as we were operating the East Wintergarden,” said Elisa Chiodi, Broadwick’s managing director for spaces, innovation and growth.

“We thought having our company here would be a great position to be in.

“We are an entertainment, space and culture organisation and it felt like a great addition to the mix of companies which are based here.

“We love it – it’s easy to get here.

“The team enjoys the fact the Wharf is full of restaurants and shops.

Broadwick’s Elisa Chiodi

“It’s also that 30 Water Street is a very beautiful space – it’s very much us as a company.

“We always look for places that are Broadwick – we always try and find spaces we can turn into a good representation of who we are.

“We’re very minimalist and pared-back.

“We believe in energy and agility, so all of our spaces can be turned into almost anything at any moment.

“Being simple and flexible in everything we do is really important.

“We’re very open – nobody at Broadwick has an office, not even our CEO – and that works for us. 

“We’re also very bold – when we make something, people know it’s us.”

Given that ethos, Wharfers won’t be too surprised to discover that the company has decided to launch a ground floor facility below its offices.

Broadwick Studio includes three meeting rooms and a main event space, with full height glass walls, which can more or less be used for anything.

“We want there to be a reason why people come to the places where we are,” said Elisa.

“We thought: ‘What better than a new venue at Wood Wharf?’.

“We’ve also found that Canary Wharf Group0 is really keen to work with us to have some community activities happening here – that new talent can use the space, perhaps artists, designers or musicians.

Broadwick Studio has plug and play facilities including lighting and a full kitchen

“We really have an open view on what will happen at Broadwick Studio.

“It could be a meeting space, host workshops, product launches, parties – anything.

“We want to work with all kinds of companies in all sorts of industries, as well as community groups which might be interested in using the space as well as businesses hosting events or Christmas parties.”

Located on the corner of Water Street and Charter Street opposite Tribe Hotel, Broadwick Studio can accommodate up to 120 people for a standing reception.

It includes a fully-kitted out kitchen, bathroom facilities and two points of access to help manage the flow of guests.

While minimal in design, looks can be deceptive as the venue comes with some lighting, AV equipment and screens.

“The idea is to make it as plug-and-play as possible,” said Tara Quish, sales and events manager at Broadwick, who previously worked in events for restaurant brand D&D.

“We are completely flexible. If someone wants to do something, then we want them to get in touch.

“If it’s something we haven’t done before, we’d love to find a way to make it happen. 

Broadwick Studio’s suite of spaces includes three meeting rooms at ground level

“To make things simple, on-site furniture, event lighting and house production equipment is included with hire.

“That’s why we’ve decided to include a kitchen, to maximise what people can do in the space. 

“You can even paint the walls if you like, so long as you paint them back.”

With an extensive track record of managing events across its portfolio, Broadwick is also well-placed to offer companies assistance in sourcing firms to cater and produce their events in the space if needed.

Vibration Production, for example, can be called on to provide a wide range of technical services.

But Broadwick is also keen to help the space become part of the fabric of its surroundings.

“The buildings at Wood Wharf have a very different feel to other parts of the estate,” said Elisa. 

“It’s much more urban – and that’s one of the reasons we like being here – we are a very industrial kind of brand and this fits perfectly with what we do. 

“We have been here for less than a year but it feels like home to us and that’s why we wanted to do something. 

“One of the things that we want is for people to see what we do.

“We have a lot of clients who already want to use the space for branding opportunities – not just private events and it’s really well positioned for that. 

Broadwick Studio’s event space can be used for parties, presentations, launches, workshops and meetings

“But we also want to talk to people who live locally and to local artists about what we might do when there isn’t an event running – how we might give their work some exposure.

“Is there some way we can use Broadwick Studio to showcase what they do?”

 In addition to Broadwick Studio, the firm is also gearing up to relaunch the East Wintergarden in Bank Street.

Designed by architect Cesar Pelli – who was also responsible for One Canada Square – the building boasts a vaulted glass ceiling and sits overlooking West India South Dock.

Broadwick is set to officially reopen the venue in April as The Pelligon – a flexible space taking up to 1,000 people – this could be used for awards ceremonies, conferences, launches, filming, parties or weddings.

“It’s going to be something very different to how it’s been in the past,” said Elisa.

For now, it’s a case of watch this space, but Broadwick Studio is very much up and running already.

Those interested in booking an event at the space or collaborating with Broadwick should contact the firm for more details by calling 020 3725 6061.

Find out more about Broadwick here

The space can be curtained off from the street for more private gatherings

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Wapping: How Puddle Jumpers has opened a new site in east London

Nursery school expands its operation, bringing a former church school back into educational use

Puddle Jumpers new nursery is in a former church school

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Puddle Jumpers isn’t just the name of a brand, it’s a statement of intent.

The company recently opened a second nursery in Wapping, expanding on the success of its first site in Limehouse.

The new facility brings a building that once housed a church school back into educational use and, while the walls might date to 1871, what’s inside is firmly rooted in the here and now.

With the refurbishment of its ground and first floors mostly complete, the nursery is now welcoming its first children and the place is starting to buzz with life.

It’s warm and welcoming with plenty of wood used to create furniture, flooring and a cosy reading area with London landmarks crafted from oak.

All in all, it’s a substantial setting for the Puddle Jumpers themselves as they explore and discover the world under the guidance of staff.

Senior nursery manager Lucy Prew-Ajayi has spent the last 27 years working with children and young people in a multitude of settings and leads the team at the new location. 

The building is undergoing a complete refurbishment and is now accepting children

“As a career, it was a no-brainer from me – I was one of those privileged people who knew what I wanted to do as I went through secondary school,” she said.

“My mother was a headteacher and a childminder when she was on maternity leave, so we were always surrounded by little people.”

Her professional life has seen her work at international schools in Berlin and study play therapy, working with young people who had suffered traumatic events before coming back to early years education at Sure Start centres before the Government closed them down.

She’s spent the last 12 years working for NGOs, family clubs and nursery schools as a manager and director and has now arrived in Wapping.

“I chose Puddle Jumpers because of the organisation’s vision,” she said. “That’s for children to think for themselves and teaching them to be brave.

“For me it’s as it was 27 years ago – we’re here for the children and they are here to thrive.

The nursery has a lending library, complete with London landmarks

“Life can be turbulent and children need to understand that crises can happen.

“Mental health issues are on the rise, so we believe in giving children the opportunity to be courageous and to develop resilience.”

Learning through play is very much at the core of Puddle Jumpers’ offering, with children encouraged to make, participate and create during their time at the nursery. 

“As an early years, foundation stage nursery, we follow best regulatory practice and the curriculum guidance, but we also take inspiration from the theories of Rudolf Steiner and Loris Malaguzzi, who developed the Reggio Emilia approach,” said Lucy.

“These approaches are all about creativity, the arts and the power of language expression. We interpret those through the facilities we have.

“For example, we have a living kitchen where children do botany and cookery classes and that includes a lovely little herb garden, which is magical and great for sensory education.

“Upstairs we have an art atelier where imagination is brought to life – it’s about children putting what they see in their minds down on paper.

The nursery’s living kitchen is designed for kids to get involved

“Later this year, we’ll be opening a sensory room where children will be supported in self-regulation.

“This will also be a place to introduce them to technology without it being a screen, so that from a young age they learn how to cope with it.”

The main play spaces, a lending library – where parents or staff can read with children – and an area for music, complete the picture inside.

“We also have our fabulous garden, which is truly beautiful and has been designed to be very inspiring,” said Lucy. 

“We are puddle-jumpers, so we believe in going outdoors in all weathers, which is also really calming for the children. 

“It allows them to be free, to be themselves and then experiment.

“Outside, we have a big sensory area, a magnificent water station – where children can experience different types of movement and positioning, with lever pulling.

The nursery has plentiful outdoor space with a climbing frame in the pipeline

“There’s a big pirate ship – which is a sandpit – and we have mud kitchens that are great physical play areas.

“Later in 2024, we’ve commissioned a Tower Bridge climbing frame for the children to enjoy.

“Throughout their time here, we believe in a challenging curriculum for all ages and this includes our Ambitions programme, which is designed to keep children stimulated and to help them identify what they might like to try on the extra-curricular list, when they get to primary school. It really helps with that transition.

“We are here for every single child – to challenge them, celebrate them and to meet their needs.”

Lucy was also keen to stress that Puddle Jumpers’ approach was very much about working with parents.

She said: “After registration, we get in touch and invite them to come and look round.

“At the moment we have two open days a week, and it’s nicer if you’re in a group together, because it can be a bit overwhelming if you’re alone.

Find out more about Puddle Jumpers here

Puddle Jumpers’ senior nursery manager Lucy Prew-Ajayi

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“A nursery school must work for the family first – adults also need to feel safe and secure. We’re very open-door.”

She said the nursery worked to help build networks among parents and to help equip them with skills to help their child learn, develop and grow. 

“Over the course of the year we have a number of events for parents and families, so they can come and socialise together,” said Lucy.

“We do have a couple of evenings just for our parents to let their hair down and talk about things they have in common.

“Some parents want to talk about their children – others about what’s going on in the world. We’re giving them that link, which is very important in a part of London with an international community, where people may not have immediate family nearby. 

“We also run a free programme called Parents As First Educators, helping them understand behaviour and how to manage it.”

Puddle Jumpers is open for registration of children.

A minimum of two full days per week applies.

The nursery is also currently recruiting staff for its new location.

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Rotherhithe: How Debut’s classical concerts are returning to the Brunel Museum

Lizzie Holmes’ monthly series presents musicians performing in the historic Thames Tunnel Shaft

Debut performances take place in the Thames Tunnel Shaft

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Debut has returned to the Brunel Museum, bringing a fresh series of classical music concerts to the venue’s subterranean Thames Tunnel Shaft.

The monthly events – set to run this year from March until September, 2024 – combine the delights of cocktail pop-up Midnight Apothecary, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches from Lo Viet and performances by musicians for audiences of up to 65 people sat at cabaret-style, candle-lit tables.  

The vibe is welcoming and accessible, based on a format created by Debut founder – curator, host and soprano Lizzie Holmes.

“I launched the company back in 2015, with concerts in different locations,” she said.

“The Shoreditch Treehouse was our first regular series and it became really popular.

“I’d attended an acoustic pop gig there through Sofar Sounds and told the owner that it was an amazing experience but that they needed to get some classical pianists and opera singers in to match the size and volume of the venue’s Steinway Model D concert piano.

“We also did performances in places like the Old Operating Theatre and at the Cutty Sark, but that’s more challenging as there’s no piano. 

Debut’s Lizzie Holmes

“Then a friend mentioned the Brunel Museum – we went along and saw the Grade II listed Thames Tunnel Shaft and remarkably, there’s a piano that lives down there.

“The environment and the atmosphere are beautiful – the acoustic is like a church and it’s steeped in history.

“It dates to the 1840s and so much classical music was created around that time.

“With Midnight Apothecary on the roof, it’s a match made in heaven.

“It’s very exciting to be able to breathe new life into the space and to encourage audiences to discover it.”

A typical Debut evening begins at 6.30pm with botanical cocktails created by Brunel stalwart Lottie Muir and her team.

“At 7pm the Tunnel Shaft opens with the first performances starting at 7.20pm.

“There’s a half-hour interval at 8pm, with the second half finishing around 9.15pm with the bar (and its fire pits) open until 10pm.

“When people come to a concert, first of all they’ll be greeted on arrival and then encouraged to chat to the performers,” said Lizzie, who trained at the Royal College Of Music.

“In London, or any big city it can be hard to find connections and we want everyone to leave feeling they’re part of a community – that they’ve had a communal experience for an evening.

“The energy is electric. During the concerts the musicians will share anecdotes to connect with the audience – something we often don’t get the opportunity to do, having performed to thousands of tiny faces at bigger venues.

The Brunel Museum’s roof garden above the venue

“We make sure that audiences are never spoken down to – we just share the music.

“If a performer just enters a room and breaks out into an aria, people’s jaws will be on the floor. Sometimes you don’t need to do any more.

“It can be amazing and thrilling, but it has to be presented in the right way with the right story. 

“People like seeing that the incredible skills of an instrumentalist or a singer are coming from a normal person who you might see going to the shops or queuing up at the dentist.

“It’s about creating that sense of normality alongside the extraordinary.”

Debut’s next date at the Brunel is set for March 14, featuring mezzo Leila Zanette, flautist Rianna Henriques and pianist Przemek Winnicki alongside host Lizzie and resident piano improviser Sam Peña.

Lizzie said: “People love Sam, he takes lots of requests and is also a brilliant collaborator.

“Prezemek is a superstar from Poland who has a big following on Instagram – he’s flying over from Europe.

“The whole idea is that people get a real mash up of different composers and musical feelings throughout the evening.

Audiences sit cabaret-style in the Thames Tunnel Shaft

“Leila is a wonderful singer who I met six years ago and Rianna is a woman of many talents who is joining us for the first time – she also plays clarinet and saxophone and has just graduated from the Royal College.

“We’ve got Debussy, Chopin, a little bit of jazz, Offenbach, Bizet, Mendelssohn and Mozart, with the Flight Of The Bumblebee to finish.

“It’s nice to have that variety and a combination of rising stars and people who are firmly embedded in the industry and making waves already.

“We’ll always have a guest singer and a guest instrumentalist, and sometimes a duo, such as guitar and flute. It’s always a very healthy mix.”

Lizzie finds musicians for Debut through her extensive contacts, word of mouth and via direct application.

She said: “We get about one a week applying and our doors are always open.

“In 2020, we also ran an artists development programme called the Horizon Project, which attracted 150 applications.

“This year we held an open stage for the first time where we had 25 new musicians we hadn’t worked with before coming along to play a couple of pieces. 

“It was like a Debut night, but without an audience.

Midnight Apothecary’s botanical cocktails are available at the events

“To perform with us, you need to be a brilliant musician, but it’s also about personality.

“The audience will miss so much if you can’t show them that inner person and so that event was really helpful in identifying the right performers for Debut.

“For some musicians, it can be quite disarming to be that open with an audience – it’s an interesting balance.”

Lizzie often performs at Debut nights herself, but says her main interest is in providing a platform.

“I do a solo here and there – I love to sing – but I revel in seeing other musicians flourish,” she said.

“Discovering new talent and sharing it is such an amazing thing.”

Tickets for Debut’s March 14 concert at the Brunel Museum cost £32.

Other events at the venue and Shoreditch Treehouse are also available.

Find out more about Debut here

Audiences begin the evening in the roof garden

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Royal Docks: How Atlantic Pacific International Rescue is training life-savers

Search and rescue charity has set up a base at Royal Albert Dock to deliver its on-water courses

Atlantic Pacific’s London courses are based in the Royal Docks

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Atlantic Pacific International Rescue officially opened its training facility on the edge of Royal Albert Dock near Newham Council’s Building 1000 this month.

But what does the charity do and what will be on offer there?

We sat down with co-founder and chief operating officer Kate Sedwell to find out.

how did it all begin?

“We started in the north-east coast of Japan after the 2011 tsunami.

“My co-founder, Robin Jenkins, and I used to work at the University Of The Arts London.

“I was head of international projects and he was part of the interior and spatial design team, which delivered academic courses.

“We had many Japanese students, so we had really good relations with Japan and used to send a lot of staff and students there, but there was a pause in that while the country recovered from the disaster.

“In 2014 we were asked to start sending students  and academics again to the north-east – where the tsunami had hit – to do an art project.

“We had no idea what was going to happen, but Robin went. He came back and said that they wanted him to build a sculpture in memory of everyone who had died.

“He said it was massively outside his comfort zone and thought it was inappropriate, because he hadn’t suffered any personal loss.”

Atlantic Pacific’s co-founder and chief operating officer, Kate Sedwell

so what was the alternative? 

“Robin said he really wanted to give Japan a lifeboat.

“My response was: ‘What? Where has this come from?’.

“He told me that a lot of people had drowned during the tsunami because there was no service to go and save them.

“People on the beaches could hear screams from the sea but weren’t able to help.

“Robin had volunteered with the RNLI’s Tower Lifeboat and had gone to a college in South Wales, which was famous for inventing that kind of inflatable boat.

“But when he asked people in Japan where their lifeboat service was, they told him the country didn’t have one.

“There is a coastguard, but people there have a different relationship to the sea – there isn’t a big leisure industry associated with it, so those getting into trouble are mostly in the fishing industry and they save one another.”

The charity trains people in the fundamentals of search and rescue

what was the next step?

“Robin came back to the UK and said that he would return to his old college and ask them if they would build us a boat.

UWC Atlantic came up with a very small RIB and UAL students designed our lifeboat in a box. 

“We used a 40-foot shipping container and they designed a crew changing room, a workshop and a boat to go in the end – it’s a one-stop shop for a lifeboat station.

“We sent the lifeboat to Kamaishi – a place that had been very severely damaged by the tsunami, which Robin had visited in 2014 – along with a team to train local people in how to operate it over there.

“This was the seed that started Atlantic Pacific and we still go back every year to deliver courses. It’s the first volunteer-run lifeboat service in Japan.”

what does the charity do today?

“We started working from UWC Atlantic’s base in Wales with students learning how to build boats and skills to tackle humanitarian disasters.

“What we realised while creating the lifeboat in a box is that there was nowhere in this country that you could go to train in search and rescue if you weren’t associated with one of the emergency services. 

“In 2017, it was clear the Atlantic Pacific project was becoming too big for us to work at UAL and commit to, so we took a leap of faith and quit our jobs to run the charity full time.

“Robin moved back to Wales to work on search and rescue boat building and we started to develop the London project.”

which is now up and running? 

“That’s right. We have a classroom and a workshop at Royal Albert Dock where we can deliver the courses that we now offer.

“We also have a workshop next door where we can tweak and maintain our fleet, which includes a brig that’s used for all our training – it’s currently moored at Royal Victoria Dock.

“Originally we were in Bermondsey, but we weren’t right by the water, so when we were invited to come and look for a home at Royal Docks, we did. 

“The water is very good for beginners – there are no tides or currents – it’s a safer environment.

“It gives you some stability to practise the slow manoeuvres, which are fundamental for being good at search-and-rescue at sea, before trying them in more challenging waters. 

“It’s a great location – well connected to our neighbour London City Airport, Heathrow and Gatwick, for people coming from Europe. Newham Council and the GLA have been really welcoming.”

Atlantic Pacific’s facility in Royal Docks

what does Atlantic Pacific offer?

“We work with young people in local schools and the reception has been really good.

“The curriculum is missing a trick in that it doesn’t empower young people to try out life-saving skills to see whether they would like a career in that sector. 

“It could be medicine or comms they find interesting, rather than being on the water – but this is a chance for them to discover that.”

“The world is changing and we’re only going to see more disasters – especially flood-related ones – and there aren’t enough people ready and trained to go and help.

“The London Ambulance Service, for example, needs more staff and the search and rescue sector at a global scale is massively under resourced. We need people ready to deploy.”

The charity runs a range of courses including Introduction To Medicine

what publicly accessible courses does Atlantic Pacific run?

“You can find full details of all our courses online, but we run a Casualty Care Course over three days, a Search And Rescue Fundamentals Course over four days and a Royal Yachting Association Powerboat Level 2 Course over two days.

“We also have a five-day Introduction To Medicine Course aimed at ages 16-20, which is designed for young people who are about to embark on medical or emergency response careers. 

“We work with instructors from the likes of the RNLI, IMRF and the Health And Safety executive to give people the best possible experience and grounding.

“We generally spend as little time in the classroom as possible so people get as much practice as they can. 

“This might be rescuing our ‘Dead Fred’ – a 70kg man overboard dummy – to practice pulling casualties into the boat or it might be learning to manoeuvre safely in tight spaces or tow.

“But it’s also important to learn practical theory. In life-saving situations, you want to know the right knots to use.”

Prices for Atlantic Pacific’s courses start at £375 per person.

The charity will aim to assist with costs if they are prohibitive for individuals.

Find out more about Atlantic Pacific here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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