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Canary Wharf: How Sweat By BXR is offering free introductory classes

Crossrail Place fitness studio’s Wharf Wellness session is booked up, but there’s another way…

Sweat By BXR trainer Gareth Thoo

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The free Sweat By BXR session – set to take place at Crossrail Place Roof Garden as part of Wharf Wellness – is now full.

But don’t let that put you off investigating what the brand has to offer.

The pay-as-you-train studio, located in Crossrail Place itself, is currently offering free sessions to those new to its offering – so anyone who wants to can try one out.

Sweat is a sister business to BXR – a boxing focused gym that takes fighter training as its jumping off point for fitness.

The Canary Wharf facility offers cardio workouts in its VersaClimber studio, strength and conditioning sessions and boxing-inspired exercise as well as Pilates-based classes.

“It’s one of the world’s first elite boxing concept gyms,” said Gareth Thoo, a trainer at both BXR and Sweat By BXR, who regularly runs sessions at the Canary Wharf facility and is set to take charge of the Wharf Wellness workout.

“The great thing about Sweat By BXR is you have three things to really focus on – cardiovascular exercise, skills-based boxing training and strength and conditioning.

“While most of our clients are not looking to become professional fighters, they are being coached by people who have fought in the ring and know what it takes to get there.

“The training techniques are very practical but they’re also accessible to everyone.

“The classes are open to all levels and people with lots of experience, or none, will get something from them.”

Sweat By BXR offers boxing-inspired classes and VersaClimber sessions for cardio

Originally from Australia, Gareth knows his stuff.

Having trained in mixed martial arts as a youngster, a passion for boxing saw him compete as an amateur and a pro for six years. 

But, following a number of injuries, he decided to use the knowledge he’d already gained to become a personal trainer and combines that with working for BXR and Sweat.

After four years working in the fitness industry in Manchester, he’s now brought his skills and expertise to London.

“There are many benefits to the training on offer here – building strength and making changes to your body composition, for example.

“Then there’s cardiovascular and the boost to your mental health too.

“For people who have desk jobs and spend a lot of time sitting down, the workouts can help counteract the effects of a long day in the office.

“Then with the skills sessions, it’s also nice to be learning something while you’re training.

“These will always start with basic footwork – how to stand and how to move around, which are such important parts of boxing.

“Then they cover techniques like basic punches – straight punches, hooks and how to implement those in combinations, while working the bag effectively, as a boxer would strike it, hard, fast and very precise.

“People might feel, especially if it’s their first time boxing, that a boxing gym could be an intimidating environment.

“But it’s our job as coaches to make sure everyone feels really welcome.

“Clients might not know initially what their goals are so we structure the classes in a way where we teach the basics very often as everyone needs to know them.

“Whether you’ve been coming for two months or two years, we’ll be drilling those in, but there will also always be new things to learn.”

In addition to boxing skills, Sweat is known for its VersaClimber sessions – a machine that mimics the motion of rock climbing and can be used in time to music.

“Those are tough classes,” said Gareth.

“Two minutes into my first one and my legs were burning, but it’s a really great session, a trademark. Climb To The Beat is fantastic.”

Music is something Gareth also relishes bringing into his sessions, putting together bespoke playlists for his workouts.

“It’s about creating a high-energy vibe when I’m picking the tracks,” he said.

“Music is such a massive part of my classes.

The VersaClimber is a piece of equipment that mimics the action of climbing

“For me there will always be a bit of hip-hop and some bassy house. In any of my classes, you can pretty much guarantee there will be something from the Notorious BIG and Kendrick Lamar.

“Another favourite is an Australian DJ and music producer called Fisher, who people may have heard of.”

In addition to the obvious attraction of the soundtrack, Gareth said the key reason to train at Sweat was the breadth of the offering.

“This isn’t just running on a treadmill and punching a bag – there are so many class concepts and you can do something different every day of the week,” he said.

“There’s a real option to mix it up, with a cardiovascular workout one day, a boxing session the next and then maybe a strength class.

“Then, on top of that, you can incorporate sessions where you learn some serious skills and that’s really what makes it a great place to train.”

Wharfers interested in having a go can download the BXR app and book a free class using the discount code CLASSONUS – terms and conditions apply.

Introductory VersaClimber classes and SweatBox sessions cost £30 for three and £40 for four respectively.

Sweat is located on Level -2 at Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf.

Find out more about Sweat By BXR here

Wharf Wellness is set to take place across the Canary Wharf estate

FIND AN OFFER

While many classes for Wharf Wellness are now booked up, the festival is also a celebration of stores and retailers on the Canary Wharf estate with the a number of businesses running offers across the four-day event from Sept 27-30, 2023. Here’s our pick…

>>Randox Health

Get 15% off all health checks at the Cabot Place clinic booked during the duration of the festival with code WHARFWELLNESS.

>> Stretch Inc

Enjoy 20% off any assisted stretch at the Canada Place facility over the four days. Just mention WHARFWELLNESS when making an appointment.

>> Pure

Recently reopened at Cabot Place, the restaurant will be offering 50% off its new Nourish Bowl range. Those with a reusable cup can also get £1 off barista-made drinks.

>> Kiehl’s

The Jubilee Place store will be offering 20% off all products as well as 25% off a £100+ spend. Offer runs Sept 22-Oct 1.

>> Farmer J

The lunchtime favourite will be offering 20% off click and collect orders on the Wharf with code FJAUTUMN20.

>> Urban Greens

Have promo code WW20 ready at the till when you visit the Bank Street store and you’ll get 20% off salads.

>> Le Chalet Cryo

The Canada Place facility will be offering more than 40% off its Cryo and Hyperbaric Therapy starter packs with code WHARFWELLNESS.

>> Atis

Challenging even the might of Farmer J as the Wharf’s most popular lunch, this salad-focused mini-chain is offering a fifth off bowls with code WHARFWELLNESS.

>> Weather And Palette

Head over to the Jubilee Place store for 10% off all skincare products and treatments for the duration of Wharf Wellness.

>> Malmin Dental

The private clinic on South Colonnade will be offering 10% off Invisalign treatments purchased during the festival.

>> Rituals

The Jubilee Place store has 25% off selected products for Wharf Wellness. The offer is valid  on a maximum of three items.

>> Get A Drip

Last but not least, the Cabot Place clinic is offering free Vitamin D testing to visitors.

Download the Canary Wharf app for full listings and updates

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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 Enter Gallery has popped up in Jubilee Place

Brighton brand offers art from £50 to £50k with its walls hung thick with limited edition prints

Enter Gallery has taken over a vacant unit in Jubilee Place

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There’s a blunt clue in the name to the right way of approaching Canary Wharf’s latest pop-up.

Brighton-based art dealer Enter Gallery will be in Jubilee Place until October 8, 2023, having coated the walls of a vacant unit with all manner of original works and prints to buy.

As its branding suggests, it’s a place that’s all about welcoming people in and allowing them to get up close to the pieces.

Works are hung to cover the available space rather than reverentially displayed in acres of white space. 

Nevertheless, the gallery has some big names on its list, dealing in the likes of Peter Blake, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Lucy Sparrow, Patrick Caulfield and Gilbert And George.

“We mainly specialise in signed, limited edition prints from established and emerging artists – although we do have originals too,” said Helen Hiett, buying director at Enter Gallery.

“You can find art that’s anywhere from £50 to £50,000 in our Brighton gallery. Art is for everyone and is meant to be accessible.

“When people come in, one of us will usually come and chat to them and tell them a little bit about what’s on display – we try to demystify art.

Enter Gallery buying director Helen Hiett

“We help to guide them to pieces.

“We have about 400 pieces on the wall there, all mixed together – emerging artists mixed in with more collectable names, so that people are drawn to something they love. 

“We also have a lot of unframed prints in the drawers, so we can get those out and show people.

“The main thing that hits you when you enter is a lot colour – different types of pieces and a whole range of different artists – more than 100 in total.”

Helen’s current role is, in some ways testament to Enter’s ethos.

She was passing by the Brighton gallery and spotted a piece by Dan Hillier, an artist whose work she’d loved while studying illustration at university.

She walked in and handed over a paper CV to a man who turned out to be owner Lawrence Alkin.

An interview followed and, after nine years, she’s never looked back.

“It was fun and it was a very strange way of ending up in a gallery,” she said.

“I’d run pop-up galleries and immersive events in London and Brighton, so I knew I wanted to work in the art world.

“But the places I had lived in before hadn’t had the sort of artists that appealed to me – there were a lot of landscapes and more classical pieces.

Enter Gallery hangs all sorts of pieces right next to each other

“I really liked Enter Gallery because it has art for everyone – street art, fine art, illustration and it had people who used to work in fashion but moved into printmaking, so it’s really varied, and you can see that on the walls – that’s what really appealed.

“The art is quite humorous, with quite a lot of colour, a lot of happiness in many of the pieces, with nods to the history of music and pop culture – there’s a bit of everything.”

The Canary Wharf pop-up, which can be found on the main mall level beside Starbucks, is very much arranged in keeping with the original gallery’s aesthetic.

Brightly-coloured prints line the walls, guarded by Buddha Smalls, a statue of the Notorious BIG masquerading as a curvaceous figure of enlightenment.

Squatting a metre-high, the piece is cast in resin to resemble ivory and carries a price tag of £10,000 – mo money, mo sculpture.

“He’s by a really funny artist we work with called Ryca, aka Ryan Callanan,” said Helen.

“We’ve worked with him for more than 10 years and he makes pop art often to do with music – rap and hip-hop – he’s brilliant.

“We’ve always loved doing pop-ups in London and we thought Canary Wharf would be an exciting place to try.

“We thought it would be a great way to let people see how we can bring a little bit of Brighton to the area, but also all the artists who work for us, so that they can be exposed to a different audience.

“We’ve tried to echo the original Enter Gallery and, while we were setting up, we had someone come in and tell us it really reminded him of somewhere in Brighton – we had to tell him it was us.

Enter Gallery specialises in limited edition prints and originals

“We’ve had a really warm response so far, and we’re really encouraged by that.

“Even when setting up we have lots of people popping their heads in and asking what is happening and whether they can come and see, which of course they can.

“Our dream with this would be to make a lot of new connections, to collaborate on new projects and then introduce the artists and the art to new clients and groups of people.”

As buying director, Helen’s remit is to fill the walls of Enter Gallery with the right kind of stuff – working with artists to source pieces she thinks will do well.

“My role is a bit of a mixture, really,” she said. “We have artists that come in who we meet, or it might be through other people who visit and recommend something they love.

“It can be through Instagram, and we also have a submissions process on the website.

“Then we also go to a lot of art fairs like Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair and we go scavenging in Miami every year, because they have a load of emerging artists, and from all over the world.

“Personally, I’m quite fickle when it comes to art – if it’s just come out, I’ll be really interested.

“I like any art that has a story behind it, something to look at that you can really think about or just if it’s funny.

“One of the pieces I like is a really cool new map by Justine Smith of the Thames.

“Her work is really hard to appreciate online because it’s really detailed.

Buddha Smalls by Ryca at Enter Gallery

“She often uses pieces of different types of banknote and makes a collage of them – there are so many layers of meaning in her work.

“From far away the pieces just look like an image until you get up close and realise there’s a lot going on.”

Crucial to Enter Gallery is the idea that art need not be expensive or financially cumbersome to acquire.

“We participate in a really good scheme called Own Art, which is backed by Arts Council England – people can buy art and then pay for it over 10 or 20 months interest free,” said Helen.

“It was designed to support artists and the people purchasing, so the artists can make money from their work and it doesn’t break the bank for purchasers.”

Failing that, Wharfers can just pop down and drink in the creativity all over the walls.

Find out more about Enter Gallery here

Detail from Inhabitants by Justine Smith at Enter Gallery

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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 WyzePay aims to save its users cash on regular purchases

Level39-based startup uses pre-pay to guarantee retailers income and consumers discounts

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What if I told you I could take £400 and instantly give you an extra £100 to spend at a specific venue in Canary Wharf?

Well, I can’t, but WyzePay can.

The startup, now based at tech community Level39 in One Canada Square, relies on the premise that businesses will be prepared to offer better prices to customers who pre-pay for their services.

Suppose, for example, I get a coffee from the same place every day on my way into the office (yes, I’m not hybrid working on Fridays or anything like that).

It’s habit – a ritual that I enjoy – and it costs me £3.20 per day.

For the sake of argument, let’s say I work 47 full weeks each year, so the bill would be £752. 

Provided I’m happy to use WyzePay – and cough up the cash up front in chunks of £400 – that cost will only be £601.60.

I wonder what I’ll buy with the £150.40 that I’ll save? 

“The current way of paying for things – credit and debit cards – has been around since the middle of last century,” said Ian Rae, CEO  at WyzePay.

“From a consumer perspective, we thought there could be a better way of doing things.”

Born in Mile End, the grandson of a docker, things have somewhat come full circle for Ian.

During an extensive career in technology for financial services firms, he’d moved steadily eastwards ending up in Hainault before heading back in, to Wapping High Street.

Ironically, his aunt told him that his grandad hated the building he wound up moving into as it was formerly a sugar warehouse and the commodity was too heavy to nick.

In a sense – albeit completely legal – WyzePay is also about getting something for nothing. Ian and co-founder Joe Channer decided to relocate the firm to the heart of Docklands, following a spell proving the concept in Queen’s Park.

They are now engaged on applying its offering across the Canary Wharf estate to demonstrate its benefits both to consumers and businesses.

“When developing the idea, we looked at Starbucks, which in 2018 put its loyalty scheme on an app and raised about $1.5bn in a matter of months,” said Ian.

“There was obviously something in the idea that people would be willing to prepay for things they were going to do anyway and that would benefit the retailer.”

For the consumer, the attraction is simple.

Pay up front and get a discount on what you’re buying. 


WyzePay offers users the ability to buy credit in the form of coins dedicated to a specific retailer. These are then held in a digital wallet and can be spent with the venue via the app. This example shows the difference in savings by pre-paying for £30 and £500 at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf in Cabot Square

“You’re going to get a better return than from that money just sitting in a current account, so it’s a no-brainer,” said Ian.

“The merchant gets the cash up front – which is extremely valuable for a business – and the discount rewards the customer who keeps coming and loves the service.

“It’s buy now, take more later – a bit more responsible than take now and pay later.”

WyzePay is currently undergoing a growth spurt. Ian and the team are in the process of striking deals with various restaurants, bars and businesses in Canary Wharf, with some already live and available to use.

At present, coins can be purchased for The Grandstand Bar, Boisdale Of Canary Wharf, 640East and Brick Lane Bagel with each offering up to 20% – meaning an outlay of £400 gets you £500 of credit at the venue.

Seoul Bird and Obica have also signed up, offering maximum discounts of 11% and 15% respectively. The minimum discount for all venues is 10%.

WyzePay’s tech is blockchain based, allowing it flexibility of form in the future although, at present, credit bought for one business can only be used at that venue.

“We’re in active discussion with several other businesses – it’s important to get the right fit,” said Ian.

“In this phase we’re aiming for 10-20 retailers by the end of October with about 1,000-2,000 consumers using the platform.

640East is offering up to 20% off via WyzePay

“That allows us to unlock some more funding and then to push on with the project.

“Canary Wharf is a great place to do this because it’s that community approach which fits with what we want to do further down the line.

“We have an idea to explore a community coin, where instead of spending the credit with a specific retailer, it would be possible to use it with any of the retailers that are signed up.

“We’d also like to set up an exchange where credit could be moved from one business to another.

“Then it becomes an alternative way of paying for things and a way to disrupt some of the lazier players in the market.

“If you look at gift cards, for example, you have an industry that’s really quite inefficient.

“It’s well known that even though it’s digital, a percentage of the money that’s been paid just sits there and isn’t spent.

“That’s no good if I’m the giver or the person receiving the gift – we think there is a better way of doing things. 

“As a business, our revenue comes from a percentage on the purchase of coins through WyzePay, which is charged to the merchant.

“However, every time you use a credit card there are charges they are paying and we cost less than that.”

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf is offering up to 20% off on the platform

Right now, WyzePay is all about awareness – signing up businesses for its platform and attracting users to give it a go.

That includes the likes of sponsoring the Action For Kids Beach Volleyball in Canada Square Park, which runs until September 28, 2023, and reaching out to companies on the estate to explain the offer.

“We’re focused on hospitality  because it’s easy for people to get their heads around,” said Ian.

“But really WyzePay can be applied wherever there’s a supply chain.

“The options are endless – but it’s better to start somewhere to demonstrate what it does.

“We’re also very clear that we won’t be for everyone – the lazy, rich and indolent, for example. It’s for people who want to get a good deal.

“Our dream is that WyzePay will one day be used as a verb.

“Imagine you’re in a restaurant and someone says: ‘I’ll WyzePay that’.”

That, of course, would put it in the big leagues alongside hoover, google and, increasingly, Uber (which hasn’t quite dropped the capital letter yet).

Just remember, it got big on the Wharf first.

Find out more about WyzePay here

Seoul Bird is offering up to 11% off via WyzePay

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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: Why Third Space has introduced Sound Bath classes

How relaxation sessions fit with health club’s high energy programmes to offer members time out

Third Space master trainer Clare Walters conducts a Sound Bath class

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How often do we get the opportunity to take an hour for ourselves?

The modern world is busy.

There’s information overload. We, as individuals, have the ability to be in touch with more people now, than at any time in human history.

There’s more content from media sources – social and traditional – all with ideas, advice, entertainment and distraction, screaming for attention than ever before.

We can be at work 24-hours a day, pretty much anywhere in the world. Phones can even be used in the shower.

It’s all an endless, demanding torrent of stuff. That is life in 2023.

It’s also, perhaps, why Third Space’s Sound Bath sessions are proving so popular.

With its Canary Wharf branch the largest luxury health club in Europe – arranged over three floors above Waitrose in Canada Square – it boasts a grand list of facilities.

There’s a climbing wall, an enormous functional training space called the yard, a boxing ring, a swimming pool and that’s before you even start digging into the extensive free weights, resistance machines and cardio options on offer.

Participants can lie on their backs or sit on chairs for the sessions

There’s also a densely populated timetable of classes with names like Sweat X, Hardcore Cycle and Speed Fiends, keenly focused on helping its members get a serious sweat on.

“We do that really, really well – those high energy sessions when you look at the breadth of that offering,” said Gillian Reeves, head of group exercise at Third Space.

“There’s a whole plethora of options – strength classes with weights, HIIT classes, cycling classes – which is brilliant for overall health. 

“Then you go towards things like Yoga, which can also be high energy with practices like Vinyasa.

“Then at the rest end of the spectrum we have Yin Yoga, which is really popular here because it’s much slower and people know intuitively that they need to stretch.

“But we thought: ‘Why stop there?’.

“Let’s keep going and offer something beyond that.

“People, especially in Canary Wharf, work really hard and have very active lives. There’s lots going on and they really need that balance with rest and recovery.

“We decided to put on some trial Sound Bath classes and the waiting lists were really big – the demand was there, people wanted to do it and it confirmed what we were thinking.”

The Canary Wharf club is currently offering hour-long Sound Baths twice a week on Monday evenings and Saturday afternoons – but what actually happens in a class?

“It’s our way of offering peace and meditation to balance out all the activity – work, stress and exercise – a time once a month or a fortnight to find some stillness,” said Gillian. 

“We think it might be seen as the least intimidating form of meditation – there’s something intuitive about sound and music.

“People really relate to that and so they’re prepared to give it a go – they aren’t faced with complete silence for a long period of time.

A series of instruments are used to produce the sounds

“You can turn up wearing whatever you want, because essentially you’re just lying down or, if preferred, sitting on a chair.

“We want you to be really comfortable on the mat so there are bolsters and blankets.

“There’s an introduction from the teacher, which deals with safety – the practice is not recommended for people with mental health issues, those with metal plates around joints or women who are pregnant, unless a doctor has said it’s OK.

“Then there’s a general overview of the class so people know what to expect.

“At launch, all of our teachers will use a common structure with a variety of instruments, but this will evolve over time.

“The classes will start either with a gong or crystal bowls and there will usually be a crescendo towards the middle of the time.

“Then there can be a fade out with some chimes to finish.

“Sometimes a teacher will stay at the front the whole time, and sometimes they’ll walk around the class with small percussive instruments.

“At the end there will be silence and then some recorded music to signal the end of the session.

“What people will get from a class depends on them and their intention. For some it may be more spiritual and for others it’s relaxation.

“It might be a physical rest or allowing yourself to be still for mental health – if you just want a lie down, then that’s great.”

Third Space’s Yoga teachers have undergone extensive training with musician Tim Wheater and sound artist Cherub Sanson – the former a pioneer of sound healing in the west who has been engaged in it since 1982.

The club’s classes make use of crystal bowls from Cherub’s brand Cherebella.

The classes use crystal bowls from Cherebella

“Because of the vibrations of the different instruments that we use, it will shift people into more of a theta brainwave state – on the cusp of wakefulness but deeply relaxed,” said Gillian.

“It has a similar effect to practising meditation and has a lot of benefits for reducing stress and anxiety.

“Our bodies are really clever – if something needs repairing or healing, then they can do that. If we’re not running around and doing stuff, then they have the chance.

“Deep sleep, where the body produces delta brainwaves, is really good for us too – people who have participated in the classes have said they sleep better after a Sound Bath.

“The main thing is for people to come with as few expectations as possible – with an open mind, a sense of curiosity – and see what happens.

“As with everything we do at Third Space, our hope is that members feel better.

“With Sound Bath, they should feel good, more relaxed and calm.

“Like all holistic practices, attending a session won’t mean all the problems in your life are magically better, but it can certainly help.

“You might be having a bad time and find your perspective shifts, you could have a great thought or come in with a problem that you’ve solved by the time you leave.

“So far the feedback has been really positive.”

Find out more about Third Space Canary Wharf 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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Canary Wharf: How Barry’s is set to offer free classes for the Wharf Wellness festival

Fitness brand will be offering indoor and outdoor sessions in the Red Room and Canada Square

Barry’s instructor Zoe Rogers – @zoehrogers on Insta – image Matt Grayson

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Wharf Wellness is set to arrive across the estate with free classes, taster sessions, talks and discounts over four days.

Taking place from Wednesday, September 27, to Saturday, September 30, 2023, the festival will feature a multitude of Canary Wharf-based brands including Third Space, Feels Like June, Mallow, Nuffield Health, Bobbi Brown, Randox Health, Love Open Water and recently launched padel tennis club Padium. 

Ahead of the event, however, we’ve decided to focus on Barry’s, which will be running three taster sessions – one outside on the sand of the pop-up beach volleyball courts in Canada Square Park and the other two in its Red Room studio on the lower level of Crossrail Place.

Zoe Rogers is the instructor tasked with leading the outdoor session. Originally from Essex, she discovered the Red Room having moved to London to go to drama school.

“I’d been involved in fitness one way or another since my teens,” she said.

“I actually started out selling gym memberships through cold calling – it was absolutely horrendous.

“I heard about Barry’s on the grapevine and this thing they do called ‘Hell Week’ – seven classes in seven days.

“Living in London, I couldn’t afford to go very often as a student, but I could afford to do Hell Week every single time it was on. 

“So, I’d be at drama school, save up my pennies and go and do those seven sessions.

“I remember my first class so vividly – it was with a trainer called Alex Castro and it was phenomenal.”

Zoe will lead a session for Barry’s in Canada Square for Wharf Wellness – image Matt Grayson

Zoe ended up taking a job front-of-house at Barry’s in Canary Wharf, while continuing to pursue a career as an actor.

She then decided to train as an instructor – a role she’s now been doing for two years.

Splitting her time mostly between Soho and the Wharf, she’s also taught classes on the main stage at Pacha in Ibiza.

From noon on September 28, Zoe will be in command of a 50-minute class for 60 on the sand in Canada Square Park (with mats to protect participants).

“We’ll have big speakers – participants will hear me out loud and the music will be pumping,” she said.

“We’ll have long resistance bands and mini bands to work the glutes and the legs and I’ll be running a total body workout – we’ll hit absolutely everything.

“The great thing about Barry’s is it gives you a fantastic structured workout that you know is going to do the job every time. 

“The product is flawless and with the tunes, the atmosphere is fantastic, it’s almost like being in a club when you’re in the Red Room.

“Then there’s the community, which is very important to people who have just moved to London or to the area.

“That develops organically and it’s something I’m personally really grateful for, as I’ve made some great friends.

“No-one can really define what they mean when people talk about ‘The Barry’s Feeling’ but there’s this buzz that just makes you want to come back for more.

Zoe became an instructor after working front-of-house at Barry’s – image Matt Grayson

“It’s magical, everyone feels it at the end of a class and that sense of community is beautiful.

“You don’t have to think – we do the work and you can just rock up and put in the time.”

Fellow Canary Wharf instructor Craig Waters will be running the Barry’s session at 9am in the venue’s red-lit studio for Wharf Wellness.

Originally from Nebraska, he found his way to Barry’s through Yoga, Pilates and cycling classes before training with the brand. 

He said: “It will be the classic Barry’s experience.

“Every day we have a different focus, so you can get all your muscle groups taken care of over the course of a week.

“For Wharf Wellness, I’ll be teaching a chest, back and 

abs-focused class.

“It’s an upper body workout using different types of rows, dumbbells, both heavy and lighter weights, as well as resistance bands to cycle through those muscle groups.

“Then, as a way to give your arms a bit of a break, we have core-focused abdominal exercises.

“Classes are typically spent half doing interval-based runs on the treadmills and half doing exercises on the studio floor.

“That means you get the best of both – it really is the best workout in the world. 

“You can start off either on the floor or on the treadmill and then go back and forth.

“While running, your instructor will give you options for your speed with different patterns on incline and velocity.

Barry’s instructor Craig Waters – @craigmwaters on Insta – image Matt Grayson

“These can be tailored to an individual’s needs or preferences, which means everybody can participate.

“For people who are new, it’s about getting used to the instructions as there’s lots of activity in the room.

“It’s a nightclub vibe, the lights go low and the music goes loud, with every instructor allowed to select the tracks they like to bring their personality through.

“You might have someone who plays techno and drum and bass or, like me, who prefers fun pop remixes so people can lose themselves.

“I sing along in almost every class – it’s about enjoying the moment.”

Craig said that while Barry’s workouts were tough, people at any level of fitness could benefit from them.

He said: “The workouts are hard, so I always tell people doing it for the first time to pace themselves and go at a rate that works for them – to enjoy it as much as they can. 

“People feed off each other’s energy, which is why group fitness, for me, is the best way to train.

“Personally, I get more out of a session when someone has put it together – it’s also a great way to hang out and meet people too.

Craig will lead a session in Barry’s Red Room studio at Crossrail Place – image Matt Grayson

“My main thing is that I don’t ever want someone to come out of a class feeling defeated. We celebrate whatever happened.

“It’s always the case that what you did was amazing.”

A third Barry’s class will take place on the Saturday, with times set to be confirmed this week.

Throughout Wharf Wellness, brands such as Atis, Pure, Farmer J, Urban Greens, Le Chalet Cryo, Rituals and Space NK will be offering a series of special offers and discounts. 

  • Full details of all these, other events and how to book classes will be available exclusively on the Canary Wharf App from Wednesday, September 6, 2023.

Find out more about Wharf Wellness here

Read more: Sign up for the Santa Stair Climb at One Canada Square

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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 Dancing City is set to fill the estate with free performances

Greenwich + Docklands International Festival arrives in Canary Wharf for its 28th season

Bouncing Narratives will take place at Canary Riverside

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The Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (GDIF) is set to run from August 25-September 10, 2023, with free performances taking place all over east and south-east London.

It’s a firm fixture in the calendar and celebrates its 28th season this year with founder and artistic director Bradley Hemmings, as ever, at the helm.

Having previewed the wider event in our last issue, our focus now turns to GDIF’s return to Canary Wharf with its regular Dancing City pop-up on the weekend of September 9-10, 2023.

The death of the Queen saw the event cancelled at the last minute in 2022, however, some of the scheduled acts that were set to perform are on the bill again this time around

Read more: Bradley Hemminds talks about GDIF’s wider programme

This year also marks a limited return to contemporary dance performance during the working week, with recent festivals preferring to stick to weekend dates.

Consequently Wharfers will get their first local taste of GDIF on September 6-7, 2023, with Pan~ // Catwalk.

The show may sound like one of Grimes and Elon Musk’s children, but is actually a theatrical dance fashion show promising to challenge “the urge to label or judge others based on how they appear, revealing instead a mind-opening celebration of fluidity and self-expression”.

Pan~ // Catwalk is set to be performed over four dates in Canary Wharf

Performances will take place in Canada Place close to HSBC in the mall at 1.30pm and 4pm on both the weekday and weekend dates.

Audiences can expect multiple, extravagant costume changes over the 40-minute shows.

“We’re really keen to offer the workforce at Canary Wharf a taster of Dancing City,” said Bradley.

“We’d often done that in the past, but the pandemic and one thing and another had got in the way, so it will be really brilliant to bring it back.

“The whole dynamic of Canary Wharf at lunchtime and early evening is buzzy and lovely, so I think it will work really well there.

“It’s an exciting piece and it’s got a real connection to its setting in the mall with a backdrop of retailers and this brilliantly choreographed fashion show where the two performers go through a heavily synchronised series of scores of costume changes in the course of the performance – it should be really fun.”

Joe Powell-Main and The Royal Ballet will perform Sleepwalker following last year’s cancellation

Including Pan~ // Catwalk, the weekend dates will see Canary Wharf host 12 contemporary dance acts in locations including Columbus Courtyard, Westferry Circus, Wren Landing and Water Street on Wood Wharf.

“Because of the death of the Queen, we were unable to proceed with any events on our final weekend last year,” said Bradley.

“So we’re coming back with a fantastic programme this year featuring some of the artists who would have performed in 2022.

“That includes Joe Powell-Main who will become the first disabled dancer to perform with The Royal Ballet in emotionally charged duet Sleepwalker in Columbus Courtyard.

“That will be a real highlight among the really varied programme for the festival as a whole.

Read more: Joe Powell-Main speaks to Wharf Life in 2022

“Personally I’m really excited to see Bouncing Narratives.

“It’s going to be down at Canary Riverside in a shipping container, so some of the audience can actually get inside it and others will watch from the steps that lead down to the Thames.

“The roof of the container is made as a trampoline, so the performance takes place with people underneath it and that will be very special.

“Among the other wonderful shows will be Arcade at Water Street, which takes the form of a series of games that people are invited to take part in.

“There’s also a fantastic piece from two young dancers in their teens called 4 Minutes, which speaks directly to the lived experiences of young people. 

“Both 16-year-olds get four minutes each at Wren Landing to report back on life through dance in a joyful duet.”

These shows are very much the tip of the iceberg, however with the Wharf also hosting Moon, a duet based around a table and two chairs at Wood Wharf’s  Harbour Quay Gardens, Tread, an explosive stunt performance featuring a constantly running treadmill at Crossrail Place and You & Me, a piece telling the story of a same sex relationship through the traditions of kathak dance and cello and tabla music at Westferry Circus.

Wharf Life’s top pick for 2023, however has to be Valse à Newton – a giant Newton’s Cradle that comes complete with acrobats and dancers all set to swing in Montgomery Square.

A blend of physics, daring, gravity, time and space, it should really be something to see.

Find out more about Dancing City and GDIF here 

Read more: How Wharf Wellness is set to fill Canary Wharf with calm

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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 Felix Project’s Santa Stair Climb will help feed Londoners

Challenge will see participants scale 48 floors of One Canada Square to raise cash for the charity

The Felix Project’s first Santa Stair Climb will take place in November 2023

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What links green Father Christmas hats, One Canada Square and the distribution of unwanted food to people in need?

The answer is the Santa Stair Climb in Canary Wharf on Sunday, November 19, 2023, and anyone can take part.

As part of its ongoing partnership with Canary Wharf Group, food rescue charity The Felix Project is challenging people to a sponsored walk up a total of 1,031 steps at One Canada Square to reach the tower’s 48th floor. 

With early-bird registration just launched, there are 1,000 places up for grabs at £25 per person, with each individual given a fundraising target of £300. 

Participants receive a personalised green shirt and Santa’s hat to wear during the challenge, with ascents expected to take just over half an hour on average.

“I’ve been training for it, but I’m not sure I’ll be doing it that fast,” said Tanya Mitchell, director of income generation and marketing at The Felix Project.

“But I will complete it, even if it takes me an hour.

“We’ll have staggered start times between 10am and 2.30pm with 100 people in each wave so the stairwell doesn’t get too busy.

“Participants are asked to arrive an hour beforehand and we’ll be running activities in the lobby with a warm-up and an MC overseeing things.

“We’ve also been gifted the use of the 48th floor for the day, which has the most outstanding views over the London skyline from near the top of the third tallest building in the UK.

“They really are exceptional and this is a rare chance to see them.

“We’re hoping to raise as much money as possible, but we’ve set ourselves a target of £300,000 for this first event.

“That would equate to us being able to make and distribute 870,000 meals to Londoners.”

Participants will take on 48 floors of stairs at One Canada Square

For those who don’t know, The Felix Project is the largest charity of its kind in the capital, collecting food that would otherwise be wasted and redistributing it via a network of organisations to those in need.

“Right now it’s estimated that there are 1.2million people in London living with food insecurity or in food poverty – about 20%,” said Tanya.

“Through our own research with YouGov, we looked at people on low incomes earning an average salary of £20,000 and it’s shocking that one in 10 of them has only £2.95 a day to spend on food.

“We work with more than 500 food suppliers, rescuing produce from farm gates, grocers and the hospitality industry to supply really good, nutritious, fresh meals.

“We operate through four depots in London, taking that food in hour-by-hour, day-by-day, six days a week, 12 hours a day to help serve the needs of more than 1,000 charities and organisations in the capital.

“What that £300,000 would mean is that we’ll be able to pick up thousands of tons of food, take it into a depot, sort it and then immediately get it out to hundreds of organisations where it will be given to people in need of a good meal.

“Here in Tower Hamlets – one of the most deprived boroughs in the country – we work with 90 organisations through out Poplar depot.”

The Santa Stair Climb is the flagship event in The Felix Project’s long-term partnership with Canary Wharf Group, which was announced earlier this year.

There are up to 1,000 place up for grabs with successful climbers rewarded with views across London from Canary Wharf’s tallest tower

“We started off by launching The Green Scheme, which means we’ve been able to go out to the retailers and hospitality businesses on the estate to collect food that would otherwise be wasted, from them,” said Tanya.

“An army of volunteers takes it from those businesses to community organisations to distribute five days a week.

“It’s a pivotal relationship for us because while we want to fight hunger in London, we also want to fight food waste and there is complete sympatico between us and Canary Wharf in its commitment to sustainability and its aim to reach net zero by 2030. We’re part of that solution.

“The Santa Stair Climb is a first for Felix and CWG – it’s exciting and exhilarating to be planning an event for 1,000 people and we want it to be a hero event for London.

“Originally, in the 1800s, Santa’s costume was green so we’re re-appropriating that for the event.

“I can’t wait to see 1,000 people all in green climbing those stairs and we really want to thank CWG and everyone involved for giving us this exclusive opportunity.

“The 48th floor isn’t normally open to the public, so this is a very special event. 

“The 1,000 slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and I’d also like to say a big thank you to everyone who is considering entering – it’s going to be a fabulous event, a really magical day.”

Those keen to take part can go to santastairclimb.com for more information or scan the QR code at the bottom of this page.

The Felix Project’s director of income generation and marketing, Tanya Mitchell

For those unable to participate, there are many other ways to get involved with The Felix Project, which last year delivered some 29million meals to those in need and is expecting to distribute 30million this year.

People working in Canary Wharf or those living locally can still volunteer for the Green Scheme.

Roles include drivers, co-drivers and walkers to collect food from businesses on the estate and deliver them to community organisations.

Volunteers are also needed at The Felix Project’s Poplar kitchen and warehouse to prepare ingredients, portion and package meals for onward delivery.

Tanya said: “Last year we had 8,500 people step up to the plate to help us in our efforts to defeat food waste and hunger in London.

“We are an organisation that’s powered by volunteers and we are so grateful to them because demand for our services is rising.

“We anticipate that we will rescue 13,000 tonnes of food this year, but the UK wastes 3million tonnes – only 7%-8% is currently rescued, so we can always do more.

“Just before the pandemic, The Felix Project was distributing around six million meals a year. Now it’s five times as many.

“The other change is that now key workers are accessing the community organisations we supply like food banks and community pantries. It’s a big problem. 

“Ultimately it is our mission not to exist and we are part of conversations with organisations that are working with the government to address the issues of food insecurity and poverty.”

Find out more about the Santa Stair Climb or sign up here

Read more: How Wharf Wellness is set to fill Canary Wharf with calm

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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 Wharf Wellness will showcase offerings across the estate

Four-day wellbeing festival will feature taster sessions, offers and discounts in September 2023

Third Space will be hosting Yoga at Crossrail Place Roof Garden for Wharf Wellness

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We’ve had the blockbuster nights of Festival14 with the likes of Craig Charles and Soul II Soul rocking Canada Square Park.

There have been the tense dramatic screenings of the Lionesses’ triumphs and noble defeat in the World Cup Final.

There’s about to be the spectacle of Dancing City.

But just when you thought things might be settling down, another festival packed with activities arrives on the horizon.

There’s an air of serene calm about this one, however – an antidote, perhaps, to some of the summer’s frenetic buzz.

Wharf Wellness is set to take over the Canary Wharf estate from September 27-30, 2023, with a four-day programme of taster sessions and experiences as well as discounts and offers.

While the full roster of events is still being finalised, Canary Wharf Group has shared some early details so everyone can begin to get organised. 

Broadly speaking, Wharf Wellness can be divided relatively neatly in two.

The first is a programme of experiences run by local firms and organisations based on the estate, designed to showcase what they offer with taster workouts and workshops.

The second is a series of discounts and offers from lifestyle and hospitality businesses on the Wharf that will run throughout the festival’s four-day duration.

Canary Wharf Group retail marketing manager, Claire Slater, said: “It’s a celebration of health and wellbeing across the estate.

Wharf Wellness brings together the best in fitness, healthy eating and healthcare to reflect the diversity of what’s on offer in Canary Wharf, giving workers, visitors and local residents the opportunity to experience it.

“We decided to create it because of the breadth of what’s here, which we really want to shout about.

Canary Wharf Group retail marketing manager Claire Slater

“Ultimately, we want to give people a bit of ‘me time’ while they’re on the Wharf and also to promote our green spaces and waterways – to let people know how much there is here to get involved with and how they can do that.”

The full programme of events is still being finalised with more announcements expected in the coming weeks, but some of the estate’s biggest names are already involved including Third Space, Barry’s and Sweat By BXR.

“We hope there will be an element of surprise for some people participating,” said Claire.

“For example, Third Space will be hosting a Yoga session at Crossrail Place Roof Garden with a mocktail afterwards at Pergola On The Wharf.

“Some people have yet to discover that space, so having the classes up there will really add to the delight we hope people taking part will feel.

“Personally, I think it’s just a really lovely place to be.”

The majority of activities on offer will be free to attend with bookings set to open mid September. 

Access to all classes will be via the Canary Wharf app, which can be downloaded via this link for Android or Apple devices.

A series of discounts, offers and events will also be available exclusively via the app featuring the likes of Randox Health, Space NK, Farmer J, Atis, Pure, Le Chalet Cryo, Aesop and BlooBloom, details of which will be announced in due course.

Love Open Water will host a session suitable for beginners in Middle Dock

“With most sessions free, Wharf Wellness means you don’t need to have a gym membership to experience an amazing class from the brands taking part,” said Claire.

“There will also be open water swimming in Middle Dock with Love Open Water – a really inclusive session designed for beginners to explore in a safe space.

“We’re also very excited about Padium, the new padel tennis club, which is opening its doors at Bank Street at the end of the month.

“They will be offering a session to introduce people to the sport and the facility, which comes with a salad from Urban Greens too.”

Other attractions include plant-based summer roll making in a lunchtime session with a chef at recent Wood Wharf arrival Mallow and a makeup masterclass from Bobbi Brown.

“That’s part of our focus on self-care,” said Claire.

“It’s on the Friday evening, which is perfect for anyone who is set to go out afterwards.

“Then, alongside sessions from Barry’s and Union Square installation Mandala Lab on Saturday, we’re also working to provide something for families with a company called Wee Movers.

“They will be putting on a session of Yoga for kids and their parents at Crossrail Place Roof Garden.”

 With more still in the pipeline, Wharf Life will continue to update readers as new announcements are made, including the date when bookings will go live.

Until then, stay tuned to Canary Wharf’s website and app for updates.

Barry’s at Crossrail Place will be offering sessions in its Red Room studio

CHOOSE YOUR PATH – Wharf Wellness 2023

While the final programme is set to be released in September, we can reveal some dates and times to whet the wellness appetite and get pencils scribbling in diaries…

>> WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

Yoga + Mocktails

5.45pm, Crossrail Roof Garden

Europe’s largest luxury health club, Third Space, will host a Yoga session amid the lush vegetation of the roof garden followed by a refreshing mocktail at nearby Pergola On The Wharf.

Sound Journey

6pm, Mandala Lab, Union Square

Head over to Wood Wharf and discover the Rubin Museum’s interactive installation for a sonic adventure inspired by the principles of Buddhism. Mandala Lab will also be hosting sessions on Sept 29 and 30, both at 6pm.

>> THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Dip + Sip

7.45am, Love Open Water, Middle Dock

Beginners are welcome at this morning open water swimming session at the heart of Canary Wharf. Afterwards, participants are invited for a smoothie or juice at Caravan.

The Red Room 

Time TBC, Barry’s, Crossrail Place

Try out a class in Barry’s iconic red room fitness studio, mixing cardio with resistance training to torch calories fast. Barry’s will also be hosting a session on Sept 30, time TBC.

Summer Roll Making

12.30pm, Mallow, Wood Wharf

Visit the plant-based restaurant for a 50-minute session with participants learning to make summer rolls for their lunch. A great way to discover what Mallow has to offer.

Sweat By BXR will be hosting a boxing class for Wharf Wellness

>> FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Boxing Class

8am, Sweat By BXR, Crossrail Place Roof Garden

Start the day with a serious, boxing-inspired workout amongst the greenery from this bespoke studio, then refuel with breakfast from Fresh Fitness Food.

Intro To Padel

2pm, Padium, Bank Street

Learn to play padel tennis at newly opened club Padium with this hour and a half-long session covering rules, scoring, techniques and strategies. Participants will also get a salad from nearby Urban Greens.

Makeup Masterclass

5.30pm, Bobbi Brown, Location TBC

Zeroing in on self care, this session is aimed at those looking for tips and techniques to perfect their look.

>> SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

Kids + Parents Yoga

2.30pm, Wee Movers, Crossrail Place Roof Garden

This hour-long session is aimed at family wellness, with kids and their parents invited for a child-friendly exploration of movement and wellbeing.

Read More: ow Jon Hala in Canary Wharf became a family business

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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: Greenwich + Docklands International Festival set to return

2023 event will be the 28th iteration overseen by founder and artistic director Bradley Hemmings

Open Lines is set to take place in Woolwich

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The soles of Tatiana Mosio Bongonga’s feet will be the focus of the audience as the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (GDIF) returns to central, east and south-east London.   

Crowds will gather in Woolwich’s General Gordon Square at 7pm to watch the tight-rope walker inch along wire drawn taut by 12 people from the local community.

Her one-night-only performance of Open Lines, high above the heads of her audience, marks the opening of the festival, while also acting as a signpost to its overarching theme.

“It’s an act of everybody coming together to make an impossible act of hope possible,” said Bradley Hemmings, founder and artistic director of GDIF.

“The performance will be accompanied by live music and it just feels like a lovely way of opening the festival by introducing our theme this year.

“Obviously all our eyes will be up on the high wire, but it’s lovely to think of those 12 people playing their part.

“We’ll also be making a film with those individuals, inviting them to think about what acts of hope they’ve observed in their day-to-day lives and how they can contribute to hope in the local community.”

This year will see the 28th iteration of GDIF spreading art, creativity, dance, theatre and spectacle all across this quarter of London with the overwhelming majority of performances free to attend.

The various events roughly break down into 11 – all set to take place between August 25 and September 10, 2023.

Cygnus will take place in Royal Docks

This year these will take place in locations as diverse as St Paul’s Cathedral, Stratford, Royal Docks, Canary Wharf, Woolwich and, of course, Greenwich, where Bradley and his team are based.

“The festival has always set out to try to reflect the unfolding story of Greenwich and east London,” he said.

“When we started it in 1996 and I looked across the river to Canary Wharf and there was only one tower, that was it. 

“Things have changed massively since then. But it’s not just the physical environment, it’s also the stories of this place.

“One of the most painful is the murder of Stephen Lawrence 30 years ago and we’ve commissioned a production to mark that.

“It doesn’t go over the story itself, but is an optimistic piece that speaks of that moment and what the legacy of Stephen Lawrence means to young black people in this part of London.

“It’s called The Architect and audiences will travel on board a red double decker bus – the kind Stephen wasn’t able to board that night in 1993.

“I think this will be the emotional centrepiece of this year’s festival – a symbol that GDIF couldn’t take place anywhere else and of how it works to make this a better and more hopeful place to live and work.”

Tickets for The Architectone of the few paid-for events at the festival, running September 6-10 – have sold out online, although more may become available with interested readers encouraged to follow @GDIFestival on social media for details.

“In their feedback, people often talk about their experience of being with other people, having conversations and enjoying spectacles they have never seen before in public spaces,” said Bradley.

“This year, there will be plenty of opportunity to do all those things – a good example being Cygnus at Royal Docks.

“From August 31-September 3, after darkness falls, a series of robotic swans that change colour and emit sounds and music will light up Royal Victoria Dock.

“Then, over at Greenwich Peninsula, there will be this wonderful performance – Rozéo – from a French company, which will take place on 10-metre high sway poles next to the Thames from September 2-3 at 2.30pm and 5.30pm.

“Our aim is always to programme lots of visually arresting things so people can  share what they’ve seen with their friends and families.

“My hope is that the festival is one of the ways people will remember their summers – a landmark each year in the calendar.”

One of the key dates within GDIF is undoubtedly Greenwich Fair – a whole day of events held among the buildings of the Unesco World Heritage site from 1pm-7pm on August 26.

“We couldn’t do a GDIF without Greenwich Fair and we’ll be introducing a whole range of performers and family entertainment to audiences this year,” said Bradley.

“The whole thing will take place across the Old Royal Naval College, beside the Cutty Sark and this year in Greenwich Park too.

“We’re really excited about that and we’re working with them in a more ambitious way for the first time – focusing on arts created by abled, disabled and neuro-diverse artists, so there’ll be a festival within the festival – loads to enjoy.”

Rozeo will take place on Greenwich Peninsula

Events will include The Air Between Us, an aerial performance featuring disabled artist Rodney Bell at 1pm and 5.30pm and Teabreak, a journey through the history of tea making with fresh brews from a hand-painted Tuk Tuk at 2.35pm and 4.45pm.

Animaltroniek from 2.30pm stars roaming robotic creatures. In total there will be 15 shows or performances to enjoy on the day.

“Another highlight of the wider festival for me will be Woman, Life, Freedom! at Stratford Park at 8pm on August 26,” said Bradley. 

“We’re working with the brilliant, award-winning Ameena Hamid Productions on developing this work with a team of Iranian artists who wish to remain anonymous. 

“It celebrates the voices and music of women following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran almost a year ago. 

“In that country, those voices can’t be heard, so the idea is to share with our audience this rich culture, which is very much what people are fighting for there.

“Again, it’s another act of hope – standing in solidarity with those women and what they are aiming to achieve.”

Dancing City at Canary Wharf is also set to return this year as part of GDIF, following its cancellation after the death of the Queen in 2022. 

A full preview of the many events taking place on the estate over September 9-10 will follow in the August 23 issue of Wharf Life.

Resurgam will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral

TOP PICK – Resurgam

Taking place daily from August 31-September 2 at 6.15pm, one of the most iconic buildings in London will see American company Bandaloop take over its facade for a series of half-hour, free aerial performances.

“They specialise in amazing abseil performances on sensitive buildings and at world heritage sites,” said Bradley.

“We’re using the south transept of the cathedral, so audiences will be looking at it from the Millennium Bridge side.

“There will be road closures there to accommodate large-scale audiences.

“The piece takes inspiration from the inscription on that side of St Paul’s – Resurgam – which means ‘I will rise’ and refers to the cathedral, which was born out the ashes of the Great Fire of London.

“It stood throughout the Blitz in the Second World War, so it’s a symbol of hope and resilience so it will resonate with everyone in these difficult times and speak to optimism.”

Read More: How Jon Hala in Canary Wharf became a family business

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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 Randox Health’s Discovery package takes a bodily snapshot

What going to the brand’s Canary Wharf clinic is like for its £195, 150-data point assessment

Randox Health in Canary Wharf

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“They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but not half so bad as a lot of ignorance,” wrote Terry Pratchett at the opening of his 1987 novel Equal Rites.

There he was referring to a bumbling wizard keen to secure his magical legacy before his inevitable death, but the sentiment nevertheless remains broadly true.  

We are passengers in our bodies.

Whatever it is that passes for our consciousness, if handed full control, would last perhaps a few seconds before being overwhelmed by the astonishing complexities of breathing, pumping blood, interpreting nerve signals and digesting food before rapidly dying. 

To jump on the current cultural zeitgeist, Dr Robert Oppenheimer astutely pointed out in one of his Reith Lectures for the BBC that even the best of us, toiling for a lifetime, only manage to do one or two things really well. 

If faced with operating the systems of the body, the poor sentient parts of our brains would be next to helpless. 

That’s not to say, of course, that we can’t notice things that might help out or improve the way we work.

You don’t need to know how a combustion engine works to understand that putting oil in it lubricates the mechanism and tops it seizing.

Human life has steadily been getting longer precisely as the species has got better at preserving it through medicine, diet, health and safety measures and, generally speaking, killing one another less.

One of those ongoing, incremental revolutions is the rise of monitoring – the collection of data about ourselves, our health and the ways we might use that information to improve things.

While our phones measure our steps, the number of floors we’ve climbed and our sleep, it’s become increasingly commonplace to see people in the gym wearing heart rate monitors and patches continually measuring blood glucose levels.

The idea is that the mostly unseen secrets of our bodies could hold the key to radical benefits for our short and long-term wellbeing.

Who wouldn’t want to know, right? 

So, when Randox Health offered me the chance to sample its £195 Discovery package I jumped at the opportunity.

With branches across London, including one recently opened in Canary Wharf, the company is the consumer-facing arm of Randox proper, a Northern Ireland-based global health testing business with revenues in the hundreds of millions.

Six vials of blood are drawn during the Discovery appointment

The appointment arrived on a fresh July morning.

I hadn’t read the instructions properly – glancing through them in Third Space’s changing room, following an unusually strenuous morning Yoga session, I realised too late that I was supposed to have avoided exercise prior to the tests.

Having feverishly consumed about three litres of water in a desperate bid to rehydrate, I nevertheless marched into the Cabot Square clinic to be met with reassurance that we could still go ahead.

Clinical lead Patricia Veres then took me into a consultation room where I was quizzed on the general state of my health, my medical background and lifestyle choices.

The experience then split into three parts. 

First I was measured and underwent a body composition scan to assess muscle and fat quantities and ratios.

Next I was dispatched to do the awkward dance of the urine sample – somewhat welcome given my enthusiastic efforts to hydrate.

Patricia told me it should be mid stream, but did that mean I should stop or simply resign myself to a certain amount of splashing?

Suffice to say, pot filled and on to the next adventure.

The final act was the blood test itself.

Having been rejected as a plasma donor during the pandemic thanks to my deeply buried veins, I was dreading this part – but Patricia was the model of slick professionalism, delivering a minimal sharp scratch in seconds and rapidly filling six vials.

With my various liquids and measurements dispatched, ready to give me 150 pieces of information about my body, Patricia took time to answer every one of my questions. 

The feel of the whole business was medical but shot through with a welcoming warmth intended to relax and allay customers’ fears.

It worked, I left feeling reassured in the knowledge that in a few days I’d have some fresh insights land in my inbox.

What happens next is just that.

A little less than five working days later, I received a link to the various reports.

These come presented in three documents. The first a summary of any headline issues picked up during the tests, covering various systems in the body.

The second is a copy of the body composition scan which you get to see and discuss in the initial appointment and the third is the detailed results themselves.

Randox also sends out a paper copy of the latter, although quite why in 2023, is anybody’s guess.

Perhaps some people like to frame them.

For want of a more technical explanation, my summary was fairly simple – 82% of the test results were normal or optimal, 4% were a little off and 14% were of some concern.

Some of the report’s conclusions were of little surprise. I’m clinically a bit overweight and could certainly do with shifting a few pounds. I knew that anyway.

But the value here is really in getting glimpses of what lies beneath.

There were bursts of relief – my prostate shows no signs of concern right now, ditto my liver and kidneys.

My diet is apparently working to provide adequate levels of almost all essential nutrients (vitamin D supplements are my secret, especially given the so-called summer we’ve had to date).

But then there’s my phosphorus levels, something possibly a bit questionable with my thyroid function, a bit too much bad cholesterol and an over-abundance of fat-carrying triglycerides in my blood. 

With the exception of the weight, I’m currently asymptomatic so none of these issues would likely have seen me beating down my GP’s door.

A summary of Jon’s Discovery test results

Now I know, however, I well might. 

It’s important to note that a Discovery report is not a diagnosis. The point is to deliver data that may allow people to take action to head off any issues that might be creeping up.

My thyroid function, for example, is completely normal at present.

But the presence of certain antibodies suggests that might not be the case in future so it’s worth keeping an eye on.

It’s also worth noting that a test on a single day is simply a snapshot of the body in a particular state at certain time.

It’s likely the harsh sweaty shapes I’d spent part of the morning bending my unwilling body into will have had some impact on the results – my triglyceride levels, for example.

But others are quite clear.

It’s reassuring to know that my diet is broadly delivering what it should albeit with a side of too much saturated fat. That’s an easy fix.

Tougher is finding enough phosphorus to eat.

After getting the report I later leave Waitrose with a basket overflowing with pumpkin seeds, kefir, mackerel and sardines.

My salted butter days may be behind me, but there’s no shortage of delicious alternatives that should help keep my skeleton in bones. 

I will also be seeking a phosphorus supplement, at least in the short term, because while my levels are catastrophically low, its a mineral you have to be careful not to top up too much.

In the end though, the proof will be in the pudding.

While Discovery offers a snapshot, Randox’s most popular packages are its Everyman and Everywoman offerings.

For £295, you essentially get two Discoveries six months apart to help track the impact of any changes you’ve made.

Just don’t go too radical – after all, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

Read More: How Jon Hala in Canary Wharf became a family business

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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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