Isle Of Dogs Archives - Page 2 of 5

October 19, 2023October 19, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How Naru Naru went from positive Instagram posts to fledgling brand

Angelo Ramessar and Shannon Hayes still developing the narwhal-based characters

Isle Of Dogs residents Angelo Ramessar and Shannon Hayes create Naru Naru together

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It all started with a doodle of a dinosaur.

It was as a pupil at St Angela’s And St Bonaventure’s sixth form in Newham, that graphic designer Angelo Ramessar first began drawing a cute little cartoon character.

Back then he had spikes down his spine and forearms like a T-Rex.

“My teacher didn’t really like it because it wasn’t traditional art – painting portraits or things like that,” said Angelo.

Things could well have come to a rest there.

Angelo went on to study graphic design at Ravensbourne University in Greenwich, going on to launch a freelance career first, before moving on to work for Savills estate agency.

Today he’s senior creative and visual designer at agency Aesara – but along with his partner and former schoolmate Shannon Hayes, he’s also something else.

The couple were living in East Ham when lockdown struck and decided to dust off Angelo’s old character.

Freshly fashioned into a narwhal, they started chronicling Naru Naru’s adventures, posting cartoons on Instagram with positive messages.

The couple have exhibited at numerous shows including MCM Comic Con

“We decided to give him a facelift and a bit of a reboot,” said Shannon, who did a foundation course in art at Ravensbourne before completing a degree in jewellery at the London College Of Fashion.

“The idea was to draw him as a cute little character, to spread a little bit of joy and cheer everyone up.

“Before we knew it, we had thousands of followers worldwide, so we decided to keep going. It was all about positivity and posting these sweet little drawings and last year, we decided to expand a bit and began making some merchandise.”

Naru Naru started on Instagram with posts spreading positivity

That journey has seen Shannon leave her role as a teaching assistant to concentrate on developing the brand full-time from the couple’s home on the Isle Of Dogs.

With mugs, pin badges and notebooks in their range, Naru Naru has been a hit at events such as MCM Comic Con, Hyper Japan and Brand Licensing Europe and the couple are just about to launch their latest range of plushie toys.

“We were so hyped up. When we did the first Comic Con – we had a few people who followed us on Instagram who came to see us, but most people had no idea who we or Naru Naru were – they didn’t know anything about us but it resonated with them straight away,” said Shannon.

“The plushies were flying off the shelves.

“We now have a new, improved plushie and we’re always trying to improve everything we do.

“Because we did so well initially, we can reinvest back into them, make them look even better and work on more merchandise.

“The upgraded toys should be on the website at the end of November.”

The couple both draw Naru Naru and have now expanded the brand to five characters.

A children’s book is in production and they’ve also had success licensing the brand to NFT project Yummi Universe.

The five Naru Naru characters the couple have created

“It all started because we wanted to spread some positive messages,” said Angelo.

“They are these strange little narwhal characters – they are based on the whales, but they have arms and legs because they look cute and so that they can do more things.

“Naru Naru has gone through various iterations – the limbs have got bigger so they can do things like play the guitar.

“We’ve already written the main story for the book, which centres on the characters collecting spirit crystals.

“It’s the tale of a villain who is locked up in a crystal – he’s being freed over time and, to reseal him back in, five spirit crystals left by a king must be collected.

“I would say to anyone who feels like they want to create their own character, that they should go on this journey.

“It’s an amazing experience and it’s something you can be really proud of – to work on a character you created and to have your own product.

“You can still work a full-time job and develop something you truly believe in, enjoy and love.

The couple are now working on a children’s book to help grow the brand

“I feel like everyone should be like Blue Naru – he’s brave enough to make that jump and do it. He believes he can do anything if he puts his mind to it.

“He also believes in everyone else and their ability to do whatever they want to do in life.

“We made no money from what we were doing at first.

“We were doing it for fun on Instagram and people were saying it was great.

“That was enough for us.

“We used to think when we reached 2,000 followers that we’d make some pin badges, then some T-shirts.

“Then we took the leap to make some plushie toys and they sold out immediately at Comic Con.”

Shannon added: “We try to make the posts on Instagram as relateable as possible so everyone can see themselves in Naru Naru.

“It might be things like lying in bed and dropping his phone on his head.

“Or there’s one where he’s holding up a sign saying: ‘You can do it’.

“One of our most popular ones is him hanging on a little tree branch, saying: ‘Hang in there’.”

The couple said their characters appealed to people of all ages, with the most popular posts and merchandise featuring cheekiness or violence.

“Especially at Comic Con, there’s an audience for something really cute doing something not so cute,” said Shannon.

“Because we have such a broad age range in our fans, Naru Naru is in some ways nostalgic for adults – the kids just love the plushie toys.

“We like to create things to cater for all our followers and we also love to follow trends and attract new people.

“We do work really well together – our personalities match and we bounce off each other with ideas for posts and products.”

Angelo added: “It’s just a good time – part fun, part funny.

“We throw silly ideas around about what we should post.

“We both love living on the Island – what more could you ask for?

“There’s lots of inspiration all around us – it’s a very peaceful place to live and work.”

The couple’s immediate priority is the production of their story book, with both agreeing that the ultimate aim would be a TV show or movie to explore the Naru Naru world in greater depth.

Until then, expect to see plenty more from these little creatures as the brand grows and develops.

Find out more about Naru Naru 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

October 4, 2023October 4, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How The Forge Art Fair is set to fill Craft Central with vibrant creations

Carolina Kollmann has founded the week-long event to showcase contemporary artists’ work

Artist and founder of The Forge Art Fair, Carolina Kollmann

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Carolina Kollmann wants to build something.

Originally from Argentina, the artist and teacher studied in Buenos Aires and at Central Saint Martins in London in the 1990s before relocating to Asia in the early 2000s.

Having returned to the UK to live on the Isle Of Dogs in 2019, she took a studio at The Forge, Craft Central’s Westferry Road facility, where she works and runs classes (often involving a glass of wine or two).

Now she’s eager to use the former industrial building as a venue to showcase her work and that of other artists by creating an annual event – The Forge Art Fair.

“I’ve always been very independent and I never paid a penny to expose my art,” she said.

“When I was in Hong Kong, I was a member of a group and we’d find sponsors to put on exhibitions.

“Here it’s different – it can be very difficult and when I found that one organisation wanted to charge me £800 to have my work in an art fair, I decided to start my own.

“It took a while to find the right artists for this.

“The main idea I had was that it should be at The Forge – it’s a great place and it needs to be known as creative and artistic.

“I thought that if I created a proper contemporary art fair here, that will create some noise and help draw people from outside the local area to come and visit.

“I knew we couldn’t do 100 artists, that we’d start small and then, if successful, we’d grow.”

The Forge Art Fair is set to take place from October 20-26, 2023, with a private view on October 19 from 6pm-8pm.

The exhibition will feature work by eight contemporary artists including Carolina herself.

“This is not a collective – for that, the people involved would need to have something in common,” she said.

Detail from a painting by Pierre Benjamin

“For the fair, every artist’s work has to be different from what’s next to it.

“I hope it brings people into The Forge and that we amaze them with what’s on display here in east London.

“There aren’t many places where you will find a beautiful gallery with fantastic artists all together, showing you their art, that’s also free to visit.”

Visitors to the fair will find work by painter, sculptor and NFT artist Pierre Benjamin, silkscreen printmakers and collage artists Jairo And Nicola and sculptor and designer Arturo Soto.

Also on show will be paintings by Jasmine Honor Mercer, work by painter and illustrator Tammy Walters, photographic abstraction from Het and pieces from digital artist Leah Ibrahim Sams.

Carolina herself works in a range of media, often blending painting with 3D printing to create pieces that literally burst off the canvas.

“The Forge is a wonderful building but it’s not ready for art – it doesn’t have enough wall space, so we’ll be using display boards for the pieces,” said the Isle Of Dogs resident, who created digital collages from images of Mudchute Park And Farm during the pandemic and sold them to help raise money to feed the animals.

“I really hope that people will be able to see what I saw when I came to The Forge – that it’s a beautiful place.

“My work is inspired by my own life.

“For example, there’s breast cancer – a horrible thing like this where you lose friends, so I wondered how I could make it beautiful?

“I mixed in fashion – Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Versace – for a series called Looking Up that’s about cancer and death.

“There are also pieces to do with the menopause, age and health. It’s all the same thing – it has to be about my life.

“When I was growing up in Argentina we had a military government. People were disappearing – there were so many horrible things all around us.

“When I was little I didn’t know what an artist was.

“My parents definitely never mentioned that I should study drawing or anything like that.

“But my grandma, who travelled a lot and loved art, said that I should be allowed to study, so I went to art school when I was 14.

“That was an amazing time in my life, when I was studying art – it was like an explosion of creativity as the military government was coming to an end.

“I met amazing artists, including Philippe Noyer, who is still alive and influenced me a lot. He showed me how to express my ideas.

“It was while I was in Asia that I had the idea of bringing my pieces more to life in relief, but I couldn’t think how.

“I couldn’t use papier mache or anything like that, because it would have been damaged by the humidity.

“Then a friend of mine – a very bright and creative person – who was one of the first people to have a 3D printer, suggested I could try using one.

“He said he’d heard there was someone in Japan doing it.

“But I thought it wasn’t very artistic and so I said no. This is always me – I say no at first.

“It took a while but then I had an idea and started designing what I wanted to create. The technology does have its limits but you work with it.

“First I paint on the canvas, then I put the 3D element where I want it and paint over the top in acrylic to make the finished piece.”

While the forthcoming fair is primarily about showcasing the work of the exhibitors involved, visitors are also invited to participate in various events over the course of the week.

Animal illustrator Tammy Walters will be running live drawing class I Love Dogs on October 21 at 3pm, with NFTs: Empowerment Through Art scheduled for 6pm on October 23.

Carolina will be hosting 3D Artist Exhibition Tour, covering her work and a printing demonstration on October 25 at 5.30pm and visual artists Jairo and Nicola will lead Fairytale And Surrealist Screen Printing on October 26 at 5.30pm.

The latter costs £5 with participants taking home a finished screen print.

Detail from an sculpture by Arturo Terraquio

Carolina is also a qualified fine art teacher and runs regular classes at The Forge – so for those unable to visit the fair, there are other ways to get involved in art.

She is currently offering Ladies Night sessions – which run over the course of a month with participants producing a finished artwork over four classes. The next begins on October 10.

“I’d taught in Hong Kong and one of the classes which was very popular there was this concept for women,” she said.

“We open some wine, but we learn about art too.

“Each month we do a different project – we might look at acrylics or watercolour, for example.

“We’re all busy working on our pieces but it’s also an opportunity to chat.

“We look at painters and take inspiration from them – especially English artists as we are in London.”

The sessions cost £100, which covers four 90-minute classes over the course of a month. In October these take place on Tuesday evenings from 6pm.

You can find out more information or book the classes online at carolinakollmannartdesign.com

The Forge Art Fair runs from October 20-26 at the Craft Central venue. It will be open from 11am-8pm Friday-Sunday and from 4pm-8pm Monday-Thursday. Entry is free.

You can also find links to all the artists featured via this link.

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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

September 6, 2023November 9, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How Ballet Nights is set to draw top dancers to the Island

Lanterns Studio Theatre set to host artists from The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Northern Ballet

The Royal Ballet’s Steven McRae will perform – image Mich Rose

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Following a pilot last year, Ballet Nights is set to explode into east London with a trio of programmes featuring dancers from the likes of The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet and even Britain’s Got Talent.

“The Lanterns Studio Theatre on the Isle Of Dogs is a very intimate and exciting environment,” said Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, founder and creative director of the platform.

“Ballet Nights presents classical ballet and contemporary dance up close and without compromise, featuring some of the best performers in the world, in what I’m calling ‘theatrical widescreen’.

“We have a very large, 289sq m stage, with front row seats where audiences’ toes are touching the performance surface.

“There are no bad seats in the house and it brings the artists to eye level – it’s all about that connection.

“Having this space means we can present these big dance stars as you would see them on stages across the world.”

Ballet Nights will also feature rising star Musa Motha

Following his own dance career with Scottish Ballet, Jamiel has turned his talents and experience to creating new paths of development for artists and new models for programming and staging performances.

With investment secured, the three Ballet Nights programmes in 2023 will all be performed for two nights on September 29-30, October 27-28 and November 24-25, respectively.

Each will be compered by Jamiel and feature 10 performances – five either side of an interval, with all six shows starting at 7.30pm.

“Rather than presenting one production, this enables us to bring together world ballet stars alongside brand new emerging talents – a taster platform that’s never really been around for dance before,” said Jamiel.

“I’ve been asked how we can include so many different and diverse performers in each of the programmes?

“The answer is that this is led by artists, it’s for them, by them and celebrating them – that’s the key element.

“We’re not here to have Ballet Nights in capital letters – the artists are the most important thing.

“We’re more like a TV channel – putting the performers at the centre and giving audiences the opportunity to see their favourite artists and be introduced to new ones.

“The compère provides an introduction or reintroduction to each artist and that gives them a voice.”

Jamiel Devernay-Laurence will compere the event

The first programme alone features Steven McRae, Melissa Hamilton and Ryoichi Hirano of The Royal Ballet, rising contemporary dance star Jordan James Bridge and former Royal Opera House concertmaster and international violinist Vasko Vasilev as well as award-winning performer Constance Devernay-Laurence.

“When you want the best performers, you start with the best companies in the world and many are having a push towards professional development,” said Jamiel.

“The directors of these companies understand that this is a great opportunity for choreographers and dancers to have a chance to go out and experiment.

“Steven McRae, for example, who is a principal at The Royal Ballet is not doing what he’d do at the Royal Opera House, he’s presenting a tap number with music from Vasko.

“It’s a real opportunity for artists to blow off steam and to present themselves to audiences in different ways – to take risks and be celebrated.

Constance Devernay-Laurence is also on the bill – image Sian Trenberth

“On stage, at the major venues, there’s quite a distance between performers and the audience. Here it’s like when a big comedian goes and tries out new material at a smaller, intimate stand-up club.

“Constance, who is also my wife, has left Scottish Ballet to pursue a career on screen, so this is a chance for her to appear on stage as an independent principal ballerina – Ballet Nights is a vital platform for artists like this in the heart of the Canary Wharf area.”

Future programmes will feature the likes of Katja Khaniukova, Aitor Arreita Coca and Ivana Bueno of London City Island-based English National Ballet (November) and Musa Motha of Rambert Dance Company (October).

The latter, originally from South Africa, had his left leg amputated at the hip when he was 11 due to bone cancer, but forged a career as a dancer – appearing in Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby on the West End stage.

He then found wider fame on Britain’s Got Talent before going on to win the Emerging Artist category at the National Dance Awards earlier this year.

At Ballet Nights, he will present Depth Of Healing, a piece he has choreographed himself.

Tickets for Ballet Nights at Lanterns Studio Theatre on the Isle Of Dogs start at £65.

Follow this link for full listings, more information and bookings

Ivana Bueno of the English National Ballet will be performing

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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

August 24, 2023August 24, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How Mudchute Kitchen provides a warm welcome on the Island

Greta Dzidziguri’s cafe comes complete with generous portions and a snoozing Siberian husky

Greta Dzidziguri runs Mudchute Kitchen on the Isle Of Dogs

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The contented form of Hulk the Siberian husky is a more or less constant presence on the brown-tiled floor of Mudchute Kitchen.

For him, it’s a place to take it easy, which at the grand old age of 13 (around 82 in human years), is doubtless welcome.

He’s a popular fixture – so much so that he’s now often to be found slumbering beneath a hi-vis notice politely asking visitors to leave him to his much-needed rest.

While interviewing Greta Dzidziguri – who owns both the cafe and Hulk – it quickly becomes apparent why.

A steady stream of children shyly (and some less so) arrive to pet him as he trails around after us, keen to share in any potential limelight.

While placid and stoic, despite the attentions of small fingers, it’s easy to see how such repeated intrusions might become a little irritating for even the most laid-back old gentleman – hence the notice.

It comes across more as a recognition of the central part he plays in this welcoming place – definitely Mudchute Kitchen’s spirit animal – than a restrictive warning.

“He gets more attention than I do,” said Greta.

“When people come here, they go to see him first then say hello to me.

“Of course he’s not going to bite, but it’s important that people – especially the children – ask first before saying hello.”

Hulk is often to be found snoozing under a table

It’s perhaps a testament to the welcoming atmosphere Greta has fostered at Mudchute Kitchen that Hulk feels so comfortable and visitors feel so obviously welcome.

The cafe operates as an independent business at one corner of Mudchute Park And Farm’s main courtyard and exists in symbiosis with its activities.

Visitors to the 32-acre site at the heart of the Isle Of Dogs need refreshment and Greta and her team are only too happy to provide that, offering hot drinks, slushies, ice cream and cakes alongside an all-day menu of breakfasts and wholesome specials.

There’s seating indoors and out, with the establishment a popular focal point for people to gather with kids, especially at weekends where toys dominate the central space encircled by cafe tables to the venue’s rear.

It’s a simple but effective recipe that has always drawn a loyal local audience and has seen growth since the pandemic.

“The lockdowns were tough – I was often working on my own and we could only do takeaways,” said Greta, who has been running the business for nearly a decade.

“But people came back because the park is such a beautiful place to come and it’s perfect for the kids – everyone gets to know each other.

“The cafe is about community. Everyone is welcome here.

“We have some regulars who come and order the same thing every time – we’ll see them in the queue and won’t even need to ask what they want.

“When I first started we had a team of three or four, but we’ve had to grow because we have many more customers now.

“We serve good quality food that’s all home made and our portions are really big, so I think this is why people keep coming back.

Mudchute Kitchen is located at Mudchute Park And Farm

“People are happy to wait for the food because of that quality and the atmosphere – we have a lovely relationship with our customers and we really care about them.

“My aim is to serve a menu that makes everyone happy – we offer cooked breakfasts and then we also have specials that we chalk up on our blackboard.

“These are dishes I create and we then see if they are popular.

“Some stay for a long time such as chicken soup, for example.”

Born in Lithuania, Greta travelled the world working as a chef with stints in South Africa, Sweden, Italy and Ireland.

She currently lives in Bermondsey, commuting over to the Island with Hulk to run the cafe.

“I feel there’s a lot more potential here and we’d like to do more,” she said.

“We’ve grown through word of mouth and I’d love to get involved with a food charity or perhaps offer something specifically targeted at older residents where people can socialise.

“I’d also like to do something for children such as art classes with drawing and painting in the future.”

Mudchute Kitchen is open from 10am-3pm Tuesday-Friday and from 10am-5pm at weekends.

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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

July 27, 2023July 27, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How London taxi drivers give time to brighten up children’s lives

London Taxi Drivers’ Charity For Children organises trips and activities for disadvantaged kids

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“It was in my second year of doing convoys with the charity – we were taking the children to Southend and my passenger was a child of about nine with her carer,” said Antony Moore.

“She was still in a pushchair, being fed from a bottle and she looked like she was in pain.

“When we got to Southend, she went on one of the very slow snail-rides. As I watched her come round the corner, she was smiling and that was when I was hooked.

“From then on I just got more and more involved with anything I could do to help.”

Antony, who lives on the Isle Of Dogs, is the honorary chairman of the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity For Children – an organisation that has been dedicated to helping, supporting and delighting disadvantaged and special needs kids since 1928.

Known for its convoy trips and outings, the organisation has also raised money for various appeals, funding medical equipment, technology, playgrounds, mobility aids and even hospice renovations over the course of its 95-year history.

While its first ever trip was a coach excursion to London Zoo for children living in Norwood Orphanage – organised by former resident and hackney carriage driver Mick Cohen – 1931 saw its first convoy with 40 licensed taxis taking kids to Southend-On-Sea where they could spend 6d in pocket money (about £1.94 today).

Last month the charity undertook its latest convoy excursion with more than 60 taxis taking children and their teachers and carers from local schools to Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire.

Taxis collect the children at Asda on the Isle Of Dogs

“The taxis get decorated with balloons and streamers and so on,” said Antony.

“We have to have ambulances and the AA in tow in case anyone breaks down or needs medical assistance and then off we go – beeping horns with all the kids waving out of the windows.

“The journey is part of the fun because they don’t know exactly where they are going – it’s like a mystery tour and they have a really great day.”

Antony became a taxi driver after retiring from a job with Parcel Force.

“I’ve been driving for about 13 years now and I got involved with the charity in the first year,” he said.

“I was looking for a second career and I could never be a plumber or something like that because I’m not that dexterous – but I like driving and talking to people, so it worked out.

“I started studying for The Knowledge when I was in my late 30s and it took me about four years – it was the natural choice after that.

“The man who owned the school that I’d studied with was part of the charity and so I thought I would join in.

“I became the chairman in January, taking over from Michael Son, who had been doing it for about 20 years.

“Some of the drivers who are involved with us have been volunteering for more than 50 years – it’s a lifetime.

The last convoy trip was to Paradise Wildlife Park in Herfordshire

“Two have been awarded MBEs for their work and one’s a BEM, so there’s been some recognition but, of course, that’s not the reason we do it.

“It’s all about the children. On one trip I was driving one kid through Woburn Safari Park and he got really excited – at first I thought something was wrong and we couldn’t have stopped.

“But his carer explained it was just because he’d seen a tiger for the first time and he didn’t know they were real – he’d only seen them in books before that.

“It’s moments like that which make everything worth it.”

While the charity runs various excursions and activities, its flagship event sees it host around 600 children and their carers at the Marriott’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

“Just imagine what it’s like for a child, pulling up to one of London’s best five-star hotels on Park Lane – an address they know from their Monopoly board,” said Antony.

“Then you walk into the great room which was originally an ice rink so you can imagine the size of it.

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is held every year on Park Lane

“Inside it’s all done out with decorations and there’s a dance floor and all sorts of entertainment. They walk in and their faces light up.

“That’s the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, which we hold over the festive season and the children get gifts and toys they can take away with them.

“As well as the entertainers – who all do the event for free – there are Pearly Kings and Queens from different boroughs and lots of people dressed up.

“It’s an amazing spectacle for the kids.

“Being a part of this charity has given me the opportunity to do things I’d never have dreamed of, like taking part in two Lord Mayor’s Shows.

“Our patron is Queen Camilla, so I’ve been fortunate to meet her several times, including driving her to deliver hundreds of Paddington Bear toys to Barnardo’s in her first act as consort to the King.

“Our members were also in the grandstand for the coronation and I was invited to represent the charity at the King’s Coronation Garden Party.”

The charity is always on the lookout for drivers to get involved and sponsors to help fund the work that it does.

Children enjoying the party at the Marriott’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

“The trip to Paradise Wildlife Park was paid for by the Worshipful Company Of Tin-Plate Workers, so we owe them a massive thank-you,” he said.

“All the drivers involved give up their time for free and we’d love to get more support to fund more trips like this – we’re also starting to vary the kind of things that we do.

“We’ve done two trips to the Docklands Sailing And Watersports Centre on the Isle Of Dogs, for example, where the kids get to try kayaking and paddleboarding.

“We had one child who stepped on the pontoon and immediately got scared but the staff there are so encouraging and by the end he was jumping in and out of the water, having got the confidence to do that.

“It was wonderful to see. We’re always looking for new ideas as to what the kids would enjoy and what would help them develop.

“We would love to do more, but everything costs money and we need support to do it.”

Anyone interested in getting involved with the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity For Children can find out more information about the organisation, its activities and its history on its website.

Kids in convoy to Paradise Wildlife Park

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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

July 13, 2023July 16, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How you can learn to sail on the waters of Millwall Outer Dock

Docklands Sailing And Watersports Centre instructor Leila Moore on teaching adults and kids

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“Anyone can come here – it’s an amazing place to go out on the water whether you’re an adult or a kid,” said Leila Moore, sailing instructor at the Docklands Sailing And Watersports Centre (DSWC) on the Isle Of Dogs.

“I grew up on the Island and was nine when I first tried out sailing, windsurfing and kayaking at the centre – I’m 22 now and I’m still here.”

Leila remains a part-time instructor at the centre while studying for a degree in ocean science and marine conservation at the University Of Plymouth.

“I love the water and I always wanted to be a marine biologist, so sailing has given me a chance to be out on the dock and ocean a lot,” she said.

“I think the DSWC is something not many people expect to find in London and it’s a great facility.

“I really enjoyed all the watersports I tried when I was a kid, but then the weather started to get colder so I stuck with sailing, which was on the water rather than in it.

“By the following summer I was racing and I loved it.

“At the centre, kids have the option to become volunteers if they are doing well at the age of 14 and can start shadowing instructors on courses.

“That’s what I did, which was quite interesting as sometimes you’re teaching adults while still a teenager.

“At 16 I did my instructor’s course, which then gave me a job that I really enjoyed and gave me even more opportunities to be out on the water.”

Leila now works at the centre whenever her studies allow, helping children and adults discover sailing and develop their skills.

The centre is located on Westferry Road on the Isle Of Dogs

“The minimum age is eight for our sessions and we run a youth club on Monday evenings and Sunday mornings as well as sessions in the holidays and over half terms,” she said.

“The kids learn how to sail from scratch – the parts of the boat and how it works.

“We teach them all the way from Royal Yachting Association stage one to stage four, which covers everything from the very beginning to starting to race.

“The RYA certificates are recognised globally and are evidence of how much sailing a person can do.

“For adults we do something similar with levels one to three available, although most people only do up to level two, which is what’s generally necessary to hire a boat.

“If someone has done level one with us then we’re happy for them to go out sailing on our boats – then we have open sessions all day, every day apart from when we’re hosting private events.

“Anyone with an RYA Level Two, or equivalent experience can go out sailing without instructors.

“Annual membership is £150 for adults and only £30 for children so it’s very good value.

“There’s also family membership for £300, which includes two adults and four children.

“Of course, anyone can come and hire a sit-on kayak or a stand-up paddleboard for an hour so long as they are water confident.

“We get all kinds of people who come to try things out – passers-by who didn’t know we were here, locals who want to get out on the water, tourists who have found us online and workers who regularly travel to this part of London for work.

Watersports take place on Millwall Outer Dock

“We believe in safety all day, every day and we always have instructors on or watching the water.

“Our safety boats are always rigged and ready to go so we can get from one end of the dock to the other in under a minute if we need to, although it’s very rare for kids or adults get into a situation that they can’t sort out themselves.

“Everybody wears a buoyancy aid and there are no exceptions to that rule apart from the open water swimmers who are also based here.

“The water itself is very clean – we check it regularly and I can confirm I’ve been in and out of the water since the age of nine and have managed to survive.

“For me it’s close to home, of course, but the reason I keep coming back is that the people are really lovely – it’s a great environment.

“Some of our adult racers have been coming for many years too – I was racing against them when I was a kid – it’s just such a nice place to be.

“We’re very reasonably priced and, compared to similar places nearby, we have the greatest variety of boats and offer the most sessions on the water.”

While an injury at 16 curtailed Leila’s solo career she has since moved on to sailing racing yachts as part of a team.

In addition to competition and recreation, her experience with boats has also opened doors for her academically.

“As an ocean scientist, the sailing has helped me a lot,” she said.

“I spent all of January and most of February on a yacht in Turkey doing some research and I only got that opportunity because of my skills as a sailor.

“The project was for people doing PhDs, but they needed somebody who could handle a boat and there have been a few things like that.

“A surprising number of people who study the ocean don’t have sailing skills, so it’s been really useful.”

It costs £15 for non members to hire sit-on kayaks at the centre for an hour

Leila has started taking her nieces and nephews out at the centre too in the hope that they might follow in her footsteps, admitting that her siblings are not water people.

However, while there are all kinds of craft piled high in its yard, DWSC is about more than the activities on the dock itself.

“We have a bar upstairs that’s usually open from 5pm on weekdays and from 1pm at weekends as well as a Tiki Bar downstairs, which is very exciting,” she said.

“We also have a space that can be hired for weddings and birthdays or any kind of party along with the bar.

“We do corporate events too such as team building, where companies can hire the whole site – we do activities such as dragon boat racing, which is a great thing to do with colleagues paddling together.”

Sit-on kayaks and paddleboards can be hired for £15 for non-members and £5 for members.

A full list of activities and prices can be found on the centre’s website alongside booking links.

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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

May 18, 2023May 18, 2023

West India Quay: How the Museum Of London Docklands is marking its 20th

Institution is planning a The Big Docklands Street Party with late access to its galleries on June 10

Drag queen Vanity Milan will headline The Big Docklands Street Party

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The Museum Of London Docklands is gearing up for a celebration.

On June 10, 2023, the chimes of the bells at St Mary-Le-Bow will ring out to mark 20 years since the late Queen officially opened the West India Quay institution.

Two decades on and it’s drag queen Vanity Milan – known for her appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2021 – who will headline The Big Docklands Street Party in celebration of the milestone.

Running from 7pm-10pm on the Saturday evening, the event will feature Hackney Showroom’s Bobby Dazzler outdoor stage with a line-up of live music acts and performances to entertain revellers.

Tickets, which should be pre-booked online, cost £20 dropping to £12 for those aged 20.

Other attractions will include a makers market featuring products from Craft Central creatives, street food stalls and pop-up bars as well as an East End-themed pub quiz.

The museum’s galleries will also stay open late to host a range of talks, tours and film screenings including a focus on the origins of street parties in the capital, the history of the Notting Hill Carnival and the other festivities that have brought Londoners together over the years.

The latter is something Museum Of London Docklands managing director Douglas Gilmore is very much hoping the street party will do.

“There will be film, dance and lots of activities and we’re really excited about it,” he said.

“We want to be diverse and to make sure everyone who might want to come to the museum can and for people who haven’t visited to feel that they can too.

“We’ve done these kinds of events before, so local people are used to them, but we also want people to come from further afield to grow our audience.

“Our research has shown some people think Docklands is hard to get to but we know it isn’t – there are five stations across three different lines within five minutes’ walk of us and most museums can’t say that.”

While the party, like Vanity Milan, is the headline attraction, the museum’s 20th birthday has also become the focus of a sequence of events taking place throughout the year.

The Queen opened the museum on June 10, 2023

“We’ve been open for two decades on this site,” said Douglas.

“We want to use that and incorporate it in our new strategy, which we’ve entitled Moving Centre Stage, because with the Museum Of London temporarily closed for its relocation to Smithfield we are now the centre.

“Our strategy has three main pillars – the first is to grow our audience, both in terms of numbers and diversity, the second is to improve our content, both in what we have and what we show and the third is the efficiency of how we operate.

“Our anniversary will be used to feed all of those. June is really our party month and, in addition to the main celebration there will be activities for both adults and children.

“Then, our next big month will be September when we’ll be organising a mudlarking festival.

“Ideally we’d like to grow that into an annual event, starting small but talking about it in the same way the Natural History Museum does Wildlife Photographer Of The Year, which has become an international event.

“We plan to run foreshore tours with an expert from the British Museum to assess items found on the banks of the Thames.

“There’s a lot of interest in mudlarking and part of what we do as a museum is to tell the story of the Thames though the Port Of London Authority’s archive and things found in the river.

“It’s a part of our identity with our Mudlarks Gallery for kids, which is hugely popular.”

The museum is seeking to boost the diversity of its audience

Whatever the museum does, Douglas is focused on making sure that as wide a range of people participate in its activities as possible.

“Museums are famously un-diverse,” he said.

“Ours is actually one of the best with 23% of visitors coming from diverse backgrounds, which is great because most national museums wouldn’t get anywhere near that.

“That’s partly because of where we are – the local boroughs around here are quite diverse – but also because we are one of only three museums in the country that has a permanent display about the slave trade, which is a diverse subject in terms of the audience it affects.

“These are the main reasons we’re doing so well already. However, we want to improve because the Museum Of London has an ambition to represent the city in terms of both our staff and the people who visit us.

“London’s population is around 40% diverse, so while 23% is good, it is only about half way to where we should be.

“The way we want to do that is partly through what we show here.

“This month we have a new display called Indo + Caribbean, and that’s very relevant for us as we tell the story of migration and Indian indenture.

The street party will feature live music and entertainment

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

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

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

“For everything we do, we need to think about the audience we’re attracting here.

“One thing I definitely want to achieve while I am here is record visitor numbers.

“We’ll also be producing a masterplan this year to define where we want this building to be in 10 years’ time.

“From this, we’ll work backwards to see how we can achieve it – how the museum will look inside and what that might mean for the way it’s laid out.

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

The Bobby Dazzler stage will certainly be a vibrant starting point to that process.

Prepare for an evening of celebration and history

EVENTS COMING UP

Check out these upcoming events at the Museum Of London Docklands – all part of its plans to mark 20 years since opening in 2003:

Dal Puri Diaspora screening + Q&A

May 31, 6.30pm, ages 14+, paid

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

LGBTQIA+ Life In Limehouse

Jun 17, 2pm, ages 18+, paid

Join The Urban Rambler, Nick Collinson, for an afternoon jaunt through the streets of Limehouse stopping at queer-friendly and owned pubs along the way

Family Knees-Up

May 30, 11am / 2pm, under 5s, free

Listen and sing along to the sounds of the inimitable Tom Carradine as he brings a family friendly version of Carradine’s Cockney Singalong to the Museum. Expect plenty of ivory tinkling and bananas.

Spitalfields Ballad Walk

July 1, 11am, ages 14+, paid

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

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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

May 4, 2023May 4, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How The Bakineer is set to serve sweet treats at Mudchute Farm

Hash Mastan will take over converted horse trailer Ruby Red to sell his blondies, brownies and bakes

Friendly neighbourhood baker: Hash Mastan of The Bakineer

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What’s in a name? Well, for Hash Mastan, quite a lot.

He started his business when the pandemic first hit.

With his mechanical engineering masters on hold at Imperial College London and his role at Hummingbird Bakery furloughed, he started baking at his family home near Island Gardens on the Isle Of Dogs.

Trading under the name of Hash Blondies, he began selling his tray bakes online and building up his business by handing out free samples on South Quay.

“That was the name for about two years,” said Hash. “I chose that name because it was my name and the product I specialised in but it began to cause some confusion.

“Firstly people assumed I only baked blondies, but I do brownies, cookies, cheesecakes and doughnuts as well.

“But I also began to get serious enquiries from people who wanted me to make hash cakes for them.

“Every second person wanted to know if they contained cannabis.

“While drug-free blondies and brownies remain my signature products, it was always the plan to expand and the range is getting larger and larger.”

So the old name was retired in favour of The Bakineer, a blending of baker and engineer – emblematic of Hash’s approach to his craft.

That it sounds a bit like a superhero moniker, is just a happy coincidence – but apt given his guerilla marketing techniques.

Hash will soon be selling his bakes from Ruby Red at Mudchute Park And Farm

“I always had a knack for technical subjects, maths, problem solving, things like that,” said Hash.

“I got the job at Hummingbird because it was a short walk from the university in South Kensington.

“I had no previous experience of a commerical bakery, but while I was there, I began to apply my problem-solving skills in engineering to baking.

“I began suggesting ways to improve recipes or to change processes – the creativity was building up.”

Following exams for his course and before he returned to Hummingbird, this bubbled up into his own side hustle – baking in his family home and selling online.

“I did return to Hummingbird and my university studies, but within a couple of weeks it was already getting overwhelming,” said Hash.

“Word had started to spread and I was finding myself dealing with customer enquiries while I was on shift in the bakery.

“Then Hash Blondies was featured in the media and it didn’t sit right with Hummingbird.

“They classed it as a conflict of interest and asked me to choose between my small business and my job.

“So I chose my small business because I believed I had a great product I could continue to develop. I went part-time at university and went all out for my bakery.”

Tireless is a good word for Hash. Frequently fuelled by his own bakes, he delivers much of his output on foot even though he’s recently acquired his first car.

But his time in the kitchen is equally relentless as the engineer meets the baker, constantly creating new recipes and refining old favourites.

Hash inspects the roof of Ruby Red ahead of opening

“I’ve got more than a hundred flavours now, but I don’t just mish-mash random ingredients together – I think very deeply about what the customer will experience – the sweetness, the saltiness and the contrasting textures,” said Hash.

“I try to introduce a new flavour each week, but I won’t release something until it’s ready. That’s in contrast to other bakeries, which might do once a month.

“That way there’s always something new to try.

“It’s been nearly three years and I’m still excited to get in the kitchen and design the menu for the coming week.”

In addition to the bakes, Hash’s business is also evolving. Having built a local following online and through partnerships with local institutions like The Space arts centre on Westferry Road, The Bakineer is now set to get its first regular physical gig.

Hash, now aided in production by his brother Hasib (himself a Hummingbird and Lola’s Cupcake baker), is set to take over Ruby Red at Mudchute Park And Farm on the Isle Of Dogs.

The hatch of the converted horse trailer will be open Thursday-Sunday, from 10am-4pm, serving a rotating range of stalwarts and fresh flavours.

“Last year there was a dog show at the farm and I came dressed as Spiderman – something I do to promote my business – bringing my brownies and blondies along to sell,” said Hash.

“It was four hours, but the bakes sold out in two – I completely underestimated the demand.

“People were very excited that Spirderman was there selling blondies and after that we started thinking about a collaboration with the farm.

“One of the trustees approached me and asked if I’d like to take on Ruby Red and it was perfect.

“I can’t think of a better organisation to partner with and I really want to find ways for my business to help the farm thrive in the future.

“It’s also great because I have a large local customer base, I live just round the corner, where all the bakes are made and it’s the right colour for my logo and the costume.

“That’s an image that will stay in people’s minds – Spiderman in a red truck.

“Wearing the costume started because I loved the movie Spiderman: No Way Home and I began to see the parallels with what I was doing. In the movie, Spiderman delivers pizzas and I deliver my bakes in pizza boxes.

“So I bought a costume, went out delivering and it caught on. It is dependent on the weather as it can get quite hot, but people tell me it cheers them up when they see me and that’s an added bonus.

“Some even specifically ask me to deliver to them wearing it.”

As for the future, Hash is focused first on establishing the business at the farm before going on to centralise his production.

“At the moment, everything is baked using commercial equipment at my family home,” he said. “We’re fully inspected by the council and have a five-star hygiene rating.

“But the dream would be to find somewhere that we can produce the baking and sell the products on a single site.

“I also have lots of new marketing ideas. One of my heroes is Dwayne Johnson and he’s inspired my next campaign.

“I love his work ethic and, every time I feel like I’m hitting a wall, I look at his Instagram page, his tenacity, and think that I’m nowhere near my limit.”

Single slices from The Bakineer typically cost £3.50 and are available to order online or buy in person.

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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

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023

Isle Of Dogs: How Dovetailed London makes vibrant clothes at Craft Central

Owner Adaku Parker on the African wax print fabric business she created after leaving her legal career

Dovetailed London owner Adaku Parker is a former barrister

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Walk into Adaku Parker’s studio at Craft Central on the Isle Of Dogs and it’s impossible to miss the core element of business.

Everywhere there are metal shelves piled high with vibrant African wax print fabrics.

Every glance takes in a rainbow of bright, iridescent hues.

Then there’s Adaku herself, eyes glowing and dressed in a blue and yellow Camille dress from her new ready-to-wear range, set to launch later this year.

Colour is Dovetailed London’s business – an operation with many strands to it.

Adaku imports and sells the fabrics she uses, with pieces available from as little as £3.50, with scrap bags and charm packs also available to minimise waste.

For those inspired to sew for themselves, she produces patterns for crafters to recreate her creations and offers monthly subscription boxes so customers can build their collection of fabrics, thread and haberdashery.

A sequel to her first book Sewing With African Wax Print Fabric is due out in the autumn and she also runs weekend and Monday night workshops, where participants can learn to work with the brightly coloured materials and make some of her designs.

She imports, sells and makes clothes from African wax print fabric

It’s a business that has grown from a chance encounter with an episode of The Great British Sewing Bee in 2016.

“I’d wanted to be a barrister since I was 14 – I went to a school where we were encouraged to aim quite high,” said Adaku.

“Being brought up in a Nigerian home, I was expected to be either a barrister, a doctor, an engineer or an accountant – to enter a profession which was safe, secure, where you were guaranteed an income and you could look after yourself and your family.

“So I started on that route. I went to university to read law, went to law school, entered pupillage and was taken on as a criminal barrister and practised for about 15 years.

“I did a lot of white-collar crime – fraud, confiscation, money-laundering – and I really enjoyed that, because the numbers can never really lie, I liked the certainty in that.

“I have no background in sewing or fashion, but when I went on maternity leave in 2016, I just knew that I wanted to try something new.

“I was channel hopping and there was The Great Pottery Throw Down, but that wasn’t for me, so I kept on going and saw what was literally the final of the Sewing Bee.

“I liked that there were professionals on it – people who worked with their creativity and that was really attractive to me.

“I thought that if they could be interested in sewing, then maybe I might be too.”

So Adaku began dipping her toe into the fashion and textile world, taking courses and experimenting.

She also sells sewing patterns and subscription boxes

“I did about 20 different classes – tailoring, garment alteration and decorative techniques – and I would always take along African wax print fabric.

“I could see the tutors thinking: ‘Oh no,’ because pattern matching and things like that can be quite tricky.

“But I took to sewing really quickly and it didn’t take me long to get quite good at making things I liked – bags and skirts, for example.

“It gave me a real boost. I feel passionately about the fact that a human being can do many different things even though we often narrow ourselves and go down certain paths.

“Many skills are transferable, and I’d always felt that deep down, but I’d never experienced it, even though I knew it to be true.”

Dovetailed as a business emerged incrementally from those beginnings.

“I was making for myself, but then family and friends wanted things, too, and they were commissioning projects and items that they could buy from me,” said Adaku.

“Then I had the idea to take some to a small market to see what would happen.

“It felt amazing and so affirming, that somebody would part with cash for something I’d made by hand.

“I hadn’t grown up in that environment, I’d just bought things in shops never really thinking about who had made it.

“I’d never sewn on a button before I did that first workshop.

“Then in 2018 I was on maternity leave for the second time and was really thinking about doing something other than the law – that’s when I committed to really running the business.

“Now sometimes I have to pinch myself – I do really big fabric shows around the country in London, Birmingham and Surrey.

She designs and makes ready-to-wear clothes as well as bespoke pieces

“I’ve been on shopping television and Dovetailed was featured on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas with Kirstie Allsopp.

“I sell online through my website and I’ve been featured in magazines – it’s really been amazing.

“Appearing on shopping television and telling the story of African fabric was that seminal moment for me – Dovetailed was no longer a hobby.

“Navigating the journey to becoming a business that pays for my lifestyle and employees is exciting and I’m having a great time doing it.

“Dovetailed curates a range of African wax print fabrics that are produced using a very specific process – a mechanised form of batik.

“I buy them from Ghana, Nigeria and Holland with a focus on quality.

“You can get very inexpensive African fabrics but they will look and feel cheap, so I prefer to import and sell really good quality material.

“There’s a density and a weight to it and it looks very different – people just love it.

“The designs make colour very wearable, it’s about finding what suits you and matching the right fabric to the project.

“My designs just come to me. Although I haven’t had a background in fashion, I’ve always been quite fashionable and I love colour and dressing up – I’ve never really stopped.

“Even when I was a barrister I loved passing on what I know.

“I really enjoy encouraging and inspiring people – writing the books is part of demystifying the craft of sewing.”

Adaku also runs weekend and weeknight workshops from her base at Craft Central on the Isle Of Dogs

To that end, Dovetailed is set to launch a series of six-week workshops on Monday evenings, starting on April 10, running until May 15.

Participants can choose from a selection of projects including dresses, tops, trousers and pinafores. See prices online.

As for the future, Adaku has big ambitions for her brand.

“My ultimate dream would be to have my ready-to-wear garments on sale in Selfridge’s,” she said.

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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

March 9, 2023March 11, 2023

Blackwall: How The Gun pub is helping customers discover its wine list

Venue plans regular monthly tastings dubbed The Grape Escape hosted by deputy manager Fabio Scarpa

The Coldharbour pub is set to host more monthly wine tastings

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The Gun is a pub that has long been about bringing people together.

That might be the illicit meetings of Lord Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton (whose trysts remain immortalised with their names on the toilet doors), rugby fans indulging in pints while watching the game or locals catching up around the fire or out on the terrace in the warmer months.

Recently it’s been experimenting with wine tastings – refining and ageing its formula ahead of the launch of a regular series on the last Friday of the month, set to kick off in earnest on March 31, 2023.

Having recently attended one of the warm-up events, I’m happy to confirm that The Grape Escape features no uncomfortable tunnelling beneath the Thames or Steve McQueen impressions.

Rather, it was a snug evening in the company of fellow wine enthusiasts, heated by an open fire and set to the gravelly tones of deputy manager Fabio Scarpa, whose rich drawl proved as deep and rewarding as the notes in a well-aged Cabernet Sauvignon.

We tasted seven wines, nibbled on cheese and took turns to tour the pub from top to bottom – enjoying its views, nooks and cellar to get an appreciation of the place’s history and continuing appeal.

Fabio Scarpa hosts the The Grape Escape at The Gun

Perhaps the most striking thing about the evening, however, was its role as a catalyst for interaction – bringing long standing local residents together with east London newbies, to much merriment.

Lubricated by three reds, three whites and a fizz, the atmosphere was open and welcoming as a diverse group of attendees talked about the wines, themselves and a certain amount of nonsense (me) in good cheer.

Having come through two years where talking freely to strangers was pretty much an impossibility, it was refreshing to see how easily and enjoyably the world has returned to normal.

Looking around at smiling faces, with fast friendships formed, it was also a moment to reflect that people have been enjoying such pleasant evenings at the venue since the 1700s.

With a lazy fire smouldering in the grate and the scent of wood smoke in the nostrils, perhaps some things don’t change so very much.

The final format (and price) of the forthcoming tastings is still in production but will be announced on the venue’s website and social media channels in due course.

WHARF LIFE’S PICK OF THE WINES

Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot, £65

Stellenbosch, South Africa

This wonderful, rich companion should be drunk in leather armchairs by an open fire in fine company.

Eins Zwei Dry (Best Buy)

Riesling, £41

Rheingau, Germany

Crisp and refreshing with a pun in the name, this was the wine of the night as well as being the most modestly priced

Bolney Estate

Bubbly Brut, £50

West Sussex, England

This fizz is a true delight on the tongue and a wonderful way to start an evening. Refreshing and approachable

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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