What’s New & Happening in Fulham

What’s New

Tipple & Taste

Fulham resident and professional chef George Dyer created Tipple & Taste in November 2019 offering bespoke packages to suit events ranging from small celebrations to business functions as well as hosting their own pop up events locally. George created event menus to suit each occasion be it a set menu of canapes or expertly crafted small plates of seasonal and locally sourced produce pairing and tailoring the cocktails, made on site by their bartenders, to suit the selected menus.

The business was growing nicely until lockdown put everything on hold. George told Urban Village LDN that Tipple & Taste can’t wait to be available for hire again for private catering, corporate and personal functions - when rules allow - but until then they have turned their culinary and mixologist expertise into creating handcrafted cocktail kits and home-made snacks for home delivery.

Launched at the end of February, working with hospitality charities, all profits go to Hospitality Action, to support their industry which has been devastated during the pandemic. Their signature boxes which cost £34 each are created, mixed and home-made daily by George in their local Fulham kitchen, with spirits sourced from the Sustainable Spirit Company. Each box contains two handcrafted cocktail/tipple kits (four drinks), recipe cards, garnishing tricks, special garnishes, “how to” video links and three pairing homemade snacks. The “Boss Box” (George's Signature box) includes: Perfect Negroni and Espresso Martini tipple kits, Sage Salt Popcorn, Rosemary & Parmesan short biscuits with green and black olive tapenade and Lemon & Madagascan vanilla cake pops. The “Two Sweet Box” includes: S' Mores Martini and Bramble tipple kits with Maple & Chilli popcorn, Red velvet brownie bites and Lemon & Madagascan vanilla cake pops and they’ve just launched their “Viva Italia Box” with Italian Summer and The Americano tipple kits, Sicilian Lemon & Vanilla Cake Pops, Rosemary & parmesan short biscuits with green and black olive tapenade and Pistachio & Chocolate Biscotti.

George told Urban Village LDN “I've trained in a number of world-class kitchens including Michelin starred Le Manoir in Oxfordshire under the watchful eye of Raymond Blanc, as well as the Pig Hotel group. I moved to the city, trained further at Leith's, which led me to more great places to be chef at London's Chiltern Firehouse, Amuse Bouche, The Tommy Tucker and The Hollywood Arms. Through the pandemic, I’ve turned my expertise into creating pretty cool cocktail kits and homemade snack boxes which have been enjoyed as gifts, a perfect night in, or for lots of staff for corporate online events! 100% of our profits is going to Hospitality Action because I love the work these guys do for our incredible industry, and I truly believe we’ve seen just how important Hospitality is to all of us! Our box campaign is continuing because people want to support Hospitality Action and because everyone is really ready to socialise; they are ready to up their picnic game and have fun in the UK this summer! With our boxes, all you need is some ice and glasses and you’ve got yourself a pretty great and unique set up! We’re also expanding to create corporate and bespoke boxes”.

The Imperial Arms re-opens

The Imperial Arms (577 Kings Road) has new owners, the family behind the successful Shack 68 in Twickenham & formally of The Grand Union of London. They acquired the venue after the first lockdown and have been busy renovating the interiors since. On April 12 they are finally able to open their doors for the first time having been unable to do so before now due to lockdown 2 and 3. They told Urban Village London that “locals can expect a friendly traditional pub full of colour, feel good music and quirkyness”. Billed as a pub and lounge, The Imperial sounds like a cool hybrid of a traditional pub with modern twists. From the interiors, crates displaying bottles on the back bar, old fireplaces with modern art above the mantle, velvet and tasseled lampshades and chandeliers to the drinks, Premium beers, lagers and ales at its core and a comprehensive cocktail list including classics (Old Fashioned, Negroni) and new recipes; the Sicilian Martini, Passionfruit Paradise and The Imperial Iced Tea are vying for the top tasting spot on of our list.

A classic pub menu will be available all day with light bites including flat bread and hummous, nachos and chicken wings, traditional burgers, also a Katsu and Halloumi version, classic pub grub includes steak and ale pie, bangers and mash and chicken and mushroom pie; there is also a children’s menu. “Our food menus offer all the tried and tested classics from a variety of burgers to a classic Sunday roast. All our dishes are homemade & adapted seasonally offering fresh produce locally sourced from companies such as Lays of Chelsea. Our interior is cosy and colourful with many unique and quirky prints to catch the eye. We have areas to kick back and enjoy drinks with friends as well as accommodating all for meals & Sunday roasts”.

We loved the upstairs events space at The Imperial Arms and asked the new team what their plans for this area were. “We have kept our event spaces and The Imperial Lounge will be opening in May offering premium cocktails & an exclusive area to enjoy with limited access. The Lounge will be transformed on home match days offering corporate hospitality to enjoy pre & post game later in the year. For a more intimate experience we have The Library room which is a small dining room off the lounge which can be hired for small occasions & dinners for an exclusive experience with us. With a successful events team we can accommodate any celebration from birthdays, work drinks, corporate parties, 3 course dining hospitality, small meals & full venue hire. Any occasion you have, we’ve got it covered”. Event enquiries via email info@imperial-arms.london Instagram https://www.instagram.com/imperial_arms/ After months of watching the renovations, we’re off to book our slot to finally see the new look Imperial for ourselves and to finally meet the team in person.

Titania’s Dream

We’re not quite able to reinstate our “What’s On” page yet but it feels like it won’t be that much longer especially when it comes to outdoor events. We heard from the organisers of “Titania’s Dream” who got in touch to tell us about their “Shakespeare meets Forest School” interactive, theatrical event being held at Fulham Palace. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ this event is designed to introduce audiences to Shakespeare in a fun (and funny) way while making the most of the outdoor, natural environment.

“After months of being stuck indoors this event will invite audiences to celebrate nature; many of the botanicals that Shakespeare mentions in the play will be weaved into the experience”. During a 50-minute guided trail, audiences will search for hidden fairies, stumble upon hapless workmen, learn about wild plants and flowers and work together to save Queen Titania in what sounds like a fun and fantastical adventure suitable for all ages and a great activity for May half term.

The event runs on the grounds of Fulham Palace from 20 May – 6 June in timed performance slots, children 3 and under will not require a ticket for entry but please note “at times during the experience, visitors will be invited to leave the paved path and walk on grass amongst plants and trees. Surfaces on these areas are uneven and muddy in wet weather, and therefore not suitable for wheelchairs, buggies or mobility scooters”.

Monty’s Chilli Jam

As you know we’re always on the hunt for Fulham specific stories so when we spotted a “Homemade in Fulham” label on a jar of Chilli Jam pictured on Drink of Fulham’s social media channels we had to find out more. Owner Zara Thomas put us in touch with Fulham resident Matt Thomas (no relation) who told us how his homemade product ended up being stocked on Drink of Fulham’s shelves. “I have always had a love of cooking and personally find the whole process a very relaxing and meditative one. When I started making savoury jams and chutneys ten years ago, it proved a welcome avenue of stress relief from my high pressured job in Finance in the City. I would give them to friends and family and the feedback was always very positive, but I never did anything more than keep it as a hobby. I have never found a chilli jam in the shops that was perfect to me: they can be too vinegary, too thin, not hot enough or generally lacking in flavour, so I looked to create my own. Monty’s Chilli Jam is the product of years of me honing and perfecting the recipe based on feedback from friends and family”.

Matt told Urban Village LDN that he is self-employed now but still works in Finance and Investment. Recently married and having made some chill jam and red onion marmalade for the cheeseboard at this wedding 18 months ago “it was demolished by 200 guests but that might have been the booze!” Matt told us he spent lockdown perfecting Monty’s (his university nickname) condiment recipes, exploring the local area and going for long walks along the river. “On one of our many daily lockdown walks my wife and I stumbled across Drink of Fulham.  We met Zara and Callum Thomas and got talking. I really admired their passion and what they have done with Drink in the past 12 months and I happened to mention to Zara that I made a great chilli jam.  At which point she said she did too and challenged me to a competition!  It seems I won as ever since then she has encouraged me to make it more than a hobby. Earlier this year Monty’s condiments was born – the chilli jam is the first product but there are others in the pipeline.  Thanks to Zara and Callum’s support and encouragement, Drink of Fulham is the only place you can currently buy my Chilli jam!”. If you fancy trying Matt’s Chilli Jam head to Drink of Fulham where you can pick up a jar for £4.75.

What’s Happening  

The Fulham Society Celebrates 50th Anniversary

This year the Fulham Society celebrates its 50th anniversary. They are the main local amenity society with over 600 members whose aim is to preserve and enhance the character of Fulham’s environment for the benefit of all its residents, to maintain what is good and to help change what needs improving. They lobby, campaign, inform and influence to protect the interests of all who live and work in Fulham. Maya Donelan, long term member of the Fulham Society Committee told Urban Village LDN “we were founded in 1971 after a small group of residents campaigned successfully to prevent the construction of a large hotel which would have dominated the river frontage near All Saints Church and Putney Bridge. This threat highlighted the need for an amenity society with a wide local brief. Our area of interest is the old Metropolitan Borough of Fulham that is as it was in 1962 before the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham was created. It includes all the SW6 postcode and part of the current W14 and W6 postcodes”

We of course wholeheartedly agreed with Maya when she told us “Fulham is a desirable place in which to live and there is a constant pressure to alter and redevelop the local area. The Society aims to promote high standards of planning and architecture and tries to prevent over development and encroachment on public land. It reviews all relevant planning applications each month: many are discussed and commented on to the Council. It monitors and comments on all large-scale development proposals, consulting with both the Council and the developers. It encourages members to share their views and is always willing to engage with architects, planning consultants, and local residents”.

The Fulham Society aims to preserve Fulham’s past as well as its present and the Society campaigns to preserve its historic buildings. The Society’s successes have included Fulham Palace, the 17th Century Sandford Manor, the 18th century Fulham House and Fulham Town Hall and the maintenance of the integrity of the many conservation areas. The Fulham Society is a registered charity and volunteers contribute their time and skills to preserve and enhance their local heritage and community. Maya continued “Societies such as ours are independent, acting entirely for the community benefit and are free of political or commercial influence. The Fulham Society is affiliated to the London Forum of Amenity Societies who pass on advice and consultancy documents on matters relating to London Borough”.

We’ve long been members of the Fulham society and thoroughly enjoy their newsletter which hits our mat three times a year. It’s an informative read which keeps you up to date and informed about the Fulham area. Their Spring issue for example included one of Maya’s local Fulham walks, the formation of The Friends of Colehill Gardens group and an update on Fulham Football Club’s new stand. As well as their newsletter and intermittent news bulletins they have a programme of events and activities including their AGM and an Annual Summer Party. Each year In June they hold an annual Best Front Garden competition, as featured in a previous issue of Urban Village LDN, in which they offer a prize for the best Front Garden, Window box or Balcony, visible from the street. The deadline for this year is June 30 and full details will soon be available on their website. To become a member head to their website to find a membership form or get in touch info@fulhamsociety.org

Al Fresco April

Lockdown restrictions lift again and our local pubs finally reopen their doors. During months of closure some of our local watering holes really need our support especially those that don’t have a big brewery behind them. We are lucky to have so many venues with outdoor spaces including to name a few the Imperial Arms as featured in “What’s New” this month, The Rose which had a bit of a facelift back in September and has one of the loveliest gardens, The Lost Hours as featured in a previous issue https://bit.ly/3sGz9Lo re-opens their garden on 14 April. The Rylston also underwent some renovations in February and their garden area looks fantastic after a spruce up. The Duke under new management reopened after being refurbished at the end October only to close again in under a week in early November. Although Brook House are taking reservations they won’t be open until mid-May (data permitting!) but their popular Bus Stop BBQ will be back on 12 April. We can’t wait to be back in Ella’s Place enjoying the peace of their beautiful lush green garden, or hogging our favourite sunny spot at The Glasshouse Cafe. Whatever your favourite outdoor Fulham space, let’s hope the forecasts are right and that the sun continues to shine to make Al Fresco April extra special!

Barnes Dog Walk

On Saturday 24th April Fulham company Marston Properties are sponsoring the Barnes Community Association Dog Walk which will finish at Tideway Yard/The Old Power Station in Barnes; both buildings are celebrating their 120th anniversaries. Tea, coffee and soft drinks, we’ve heard rumours of a prosecco bar, will be served to the dog walkers and water to the dogs as they enjoy the River Thames views. 45 dog owners have already signed up to take part including 28 of the ‘Barnes Goldens’ golden retrievers. Caroline Marston, a 4th generation Marston and Chairman of Marston Properties told Urban Village LDN “We are so pleased that we were able to save these historic buildings and that they are here to celebrate their 120th anniversaries. We are also delighted to be sponsoring the Barnes Community Association Dog Walk and hope as many people as possible will take part.”

The dog walk, open to BCA members, non members and canines alike, will start in Vine Road with entrants following a socially distanced set route finishing at Tideway Yard. Entry is £10 per dog and you can book your place and choose your registration time. Each human participant will be given a doggy bag with a route map, dog treats and entry into a special raffle.

In 1983 Marston Properties formed Tideway Developments with Richmond Borough Council and in 1986 sympathetically redeveloped the prominent buildings into 50 award-winning offices and a restaurant which is Rick Stein’s only London Restaurant, boasting a riverside conservatory with stunning views upstream to Chiswick and downstream to Putney. In 2009 Marstons bought out Tideway Developments and purchased the freehold from Richmond Borough Council. Marston Properties celebrated their 125th anniversary last year as featured in a previous issue https://www.urbanvillageldn.com/whats-happening-jan-2021?rq=Marston

Edge of Reasons

Sonia Aslam’s career in investment banking and telecommunications led to her adding to her skill set by becoming a trained life coach. After a personal experience at work, a belief that women in corporate environments often have issues with having their voices and ideas heard in a male dominated environment and seeing a life coach herself Sonia told Urban Village LDN that women are often “holding ourselves back from realising our full potential”. During her career Sonia told us that she “found the noises surrounding me were making me establish some limiting beliefs, which knocked my self worth, confidence and started to have a negative impact on all other aspects of my life. This is when I used a life coach who helped me gain insights to my whole being which in turn removed the obstacle I was faced with, without having to change who I was”.

After deciding she wanted to help others Sonia trained as a life coach offering a number of programmes including:“Self Belief”, “Ready Set Go” for someone who has been thinking for sometime that they want to start making changes and that the time is right, a three month programme called “Launch Pad” and in the corporate world Sonia undertakes reviews, interviews and maps out a clear action plan for employee and team engagement.

Sonia starts with a free initial consultation and then if both parties want to progress sets about equipping each client with practical tools to help break down the steps needed to attain your goals. Get in touch with Sonia to find out more contactme@edgeofreasons.com

From Soil to Oil

Justyna Nascimento moved to Fulham in 2016 and at the beginning of 2020 her and her husband Warren decided it was time to start their own business adventure. They became distributors of Pure Spectrum’s premium CBD products. Justyna told Urban Village LDN “We knew this brand well as we’d been using the whole range of their products when I was diagnosed with a life threatening illness in 2018. Back then we were looking for all things natural to heal and avoid pharmaceutical medication”.

After setting themselves up as online distributors they decided to look for a physical location to display their products and found Nature’s Delight on Fulham Road (as featured last month) where their products are now stocked. The range of products includes oils, balms, pain creams, bath soaks, body and face creams and Justyna told us that she believes Pure Spectrum products stand out for the following reasons: they use organically cultivated hemp without pesticides, herbicides or other toxins, they’re NON-GMO, all the ingredients are sourced ethically and they are THC Free; free from psychoactive compounds that are known to be associated with being high. The products can help relieve chronic pain and inflammation, reduce anxiety, stress & depression, promote cardiovascular health, better sleep and overall health and wellbeing. The brand is already successful in the USA with the CBD products being used by team USA making Pure Spectrum the first CBD company to partner with a professional sport organisation.

Justyna said “our dream is to become the well-known local supplier of the Pure Spectrum CBD range.  It has helped me, why would we not help others? We are trying to raise awareness of the importance of eating plants, not using excessive medication and leading a nontoxic life.  I am 100% vegan, 90% of my food is raw, pretty extreme. We deliver locally by foot or in our electric powered car. We love being part of the Fulham community and belong to Eel Brook Woof’s club ( approx. 300 dog owners). Last year I ran 92km for Ovarian Care Fund, and raised 1k to be greeted at the end by Eel Brook Woof’s owners on Eel Brook Common”.

Made in Fulham

It never fails to surprise us what a talented bunch you Fulham folks are. Each month Urban Village Ldn introduces you to THe Fulham face behind an idea, product or business and asks them what they love about being a local resident. This month we talk to Gauri Nafrey, the owner of Bridge Baker.

How long have you called Fulham home? Since Summer 2016

Tell us a bit about yourself/and your family I have 2 teenage boys, aged 16 and 18, and we recently acquired a lock-down puppy! A cute Cockapoo & social terror called Cosmo. Many dog owners who frequent Eel Brook common or Hurlingham park will probably have seen him running amuck! My husband (we are classmates from business school) has continued his career in finance and works for a Fund management company which focuses on sustainable investments.

What’s your favourite local haunt and why?  We love Harwood Arms. Under the new chef, the food has gone up another notch. Our local, friendly Italian is Nuovi Sapori on New King’s road, where Sergio the owner is a fantastic, welcoming host.

What is your slice of Fulham heaven and why? I just love the relaxed feel of Fulham. Residents are friendly and unpretentious and we are very lucky to have so many green spaces and the river so close by. But the thing I enjoy most is the ability to walk everywhere and get what you need without having to drive. There are fantastic local grocers, florists, butchers, and everything you might need within a pleasant short walk.

What have you missed about Fulham life during lockdown? The buzz! Seeing the restaurants, pubs & shop shut and no social life around them. I hope the street scene will revert to normal especially as the weather improves.

What local shop/service/business has helped make life easier during the pandemic? Having local butchers, & green grocers with great produce, open throughout has been a boon, and luckily we always have Bridge Baker bread!

If you could do one thing to improve Fulham what would it be? I wish the council would spend a bit to upgrade the look of our shopping streets. I think it would be lovely to have some nice hanging plants, planters etc. For example, in the section of Wandsworth Bridge Road, where Bridge Baker is located. That would instantly upgrade the area and encourage more people to walk rather than drive around.

Tell us about Bridge Baker and how it came to be I quit banking about 15 years ago to be a food entrepreneur. I did go back to finance for a bit as it’s really hard being a food entrepreneur. But my heart was clearly not in it. So when we moved back to London in 2016, and having had good experience running a bakery in Singapore (where I was the operating partner) I decided to take the plunge. I was clear that if I am going alone, I need to do something locally. The hard part was finding a property big enough to have a large kitchen as we had to bake everything on site from scratch, which is our mantra. I had been eyeing this corner of Wandsworth Bridge Road, and it took a year of intense negotiations to acquire the lease on it. Then the tough part to convert the space into a bakery, including getting a massive electrical upgrade. Getting council approval to convert the garage into a bakery kitchen, and getting the work done was also quite a nightmare. But now when I look back, it was all totally worth it!

What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about starting a new food venture? My sincerest advice is that you need to visualise what you see yourself doing in that food venture. For many, the joy of doing something goes when you upscale to a commercial level. I run a food business because I love baking, but am clear that I could never bake professionally myself, so we have a great team of bakers who do that. Having good business skills and a head for numbers, sadly, is equally important in my view. Else no matter how good the product, it’s hard to make it a success of it.

Spotlight 

URBAN VILLAGE LDN SHINES A LIGHT ON A DIFFERENT FULHAM BUSINESS EACH MONTH. IN THIS ISSUE WE TALK TO MATT BURNS, Founder of dna jUICES

DNA Juices is a 100% fresh juice bar based in Fulham and we talked to founder Matt Burns about how and why he started the business. “I think I’ve always liked the idea of being the captain of my own ship and the freedom to turn positive ideas into a reality. I was working as a fitness coach for Virgin Active when my passion for juicing really began. At this stage, there wasn’t a huge selection of fresh juice bars around in London (at least not like there is now). It used to really bug me (and still does now) when I would walk into a cafe with a “fresh juices” sign outside, and you would see the server pull out a ready made frozen fruit bag and stick it into a blender”.

A couple of years later Matt decided to go back to university to study Sport & Exercise Science and told Urban Village LDN “that’s when I truly understood the health benefits of juicing. It was way more than just a refreshing drink to me, it was something that could have a significant positive impact on your health. The name DNA Juices came to be because I wanted to get across that’s it’s more than just random ingredients thrown together in a juicer - there’s a science behind it”.

After trialing his juices in a pop-up shop in Ealing and getting a positive response, Matt decided he wanted to explore further and create a business. “I opened DNA Juices in October 2017 on North End Road, Fulham. Being from West London, I knew Fulham well. I instantly fell in love with the hustle and bustle of North End Road. I loved how diverse the area was and how it had such a strong community feel. I felt at home straight away. The local community really got behind DNA juices and supported us. It wasn’t too long before local celebrities and influencers started enquiring about our juices and cleanse packages which helped a great deal. Our products were being advocated organically by social media influencers, some with millions of followers, which gave us incredible exposure not just in the local area but further afield too. Shortly after we started offering nationwide delivery”.

All DNA Juices and cleanse packages have been carefully designed by a registered nutritionist to ensure they provide maximum health benefits to your body as well as tasting delicious. Every juice has a tailored “Did you know?” to ensure that you know the exact health benefits of what you are drinking. So whether you need a “DNA Detox cleanse” to help rest your body and mind, or a “Chelsea Come Down cleanse” to get you through the day after a big night out on the town, they’ve got you covered. “Detox Cleanse” was their original cleanse of five juices starting with Carrot, Apple, Orange, Lemon, Ginger and finishing with Pear, Peach, Apple, Blueberries, Cinnamon, Coconut Water. “The Chelsea Come Down Cleanse” will prove ever more popular when partying is a thing again starting with Pineapple, Orange, Lemon, Ginger and finishing with Watermelon and Orange. We loved their honesty when it comes to describing “The Green Cleanse” as “lean, green and very mean - not for the faint hearted - designed for hardcore gurus of the juice world”.

“All of our juice cleanses are freshly made the very same day as they are sent out for delivery. It took a while for our customers to realise that we make multiple delivery drops for 5 day cleanses to make sure the juices are as fresh and nutritious as can be. At first, we had a couple of complaints from people thinking we had only delivered half of their order! I think going that extra mile really makes the difference for our customers. We’re a quality product at the end of the day, and we won’t settle for less. Great juice, great vibes (we actually had that quote printed onto a poster at our old shop)”.

DNA’s Juices are stocked in local Fulham cafes and Matt told us that Green Bay is probably the most well known stockist being London’s first vegan supermarket. Matt opened his shop in a new Fulham location on March 13, “we needed a bit more space for production, and with most of our business being delivery based, it felt like the right time to move. Also a lot of our deliveries are sent out to the Fulham Road, so it can’t hurt being that much closer to our customers”. 

We asked Matt what’s next for DNA Juices “Moving forward, we’re having a big focus on our supply offering. Having had such positive feedback from the shops and cafes that we currently stock in, we’ll be expanding our range and experimenting with some new flavours with tailored health benefits, so watch this space!”. In the meantime if you haven’t already given DNA Juices a try, you can order via Deliveroo, or pop into the new shop at 603 Fulham Road to pick up a cold pressed juice, or a smoothie - I think we might need to stop by for a Hangover Blaster after being socially out of action for a while!

Beyond the Hood

Pip & Lil Originals

We first came across Pip and Lil originals a year or so ago thanks to Harriet Inglis the founder of Space Masks. Harriet, a long term Fulham resident who has literally just decamped to Sauf East London, talked about this business/side hustle run by Sarah Reed and of course Urban Village LDN wanted to find out more. Sarah Mum to “real life Pip and Lil” lives in “Pengenham the bit between Penge and Beckenham” and makes reusable face wipes out of what she calls “scrapbusting goodies”. Her bright and bold fabrics caught our eye and we loved the green aspect of Sarah’s business. We ordered a couple of reusable face wipe sets last year as we thought they’d make a great gift. On arrival we loved the quality look and feel of them and the fact that these little squares were doing something mighty for the planet.

Sarah started sewing after having her eldest daughter Pip and told Urban Village LDN that her “first "win" was a make-up bag I made for my Sister's birthday. I thought it wasn't half bad, I've lost count of how many make-up bags I've made since. The reason I make so many bits and bobs is because I don't like wasting fabric, if I can find a way to use a scrap I do. I buy bright and bold fabrics that I love and sew them into reusable face wipes, zipper pouches, unpaper towels, wet bags, scrunchies, second chance cutlery sets, eye masks, catnip mice, hair bands and a few other things in-between. Early in 2018 I stumbled across the softest towelling I have EVER felt and had a lightbulb moment and my face wipes were born”.

Sarah’s reusable face wipes are machine washable up to 40 degrees, backed in such pretty fabrics (100% cotton - the towelling is a bamboo, polyester & cotton blend) and themed into sets: Floral, Japanese, African Wax, Geometric, Neon, Koi and there is also a mixed kids set currently featuring Dalmatians, Penguins and Pandas; great to get kids into the habit of a good facial cleansing routine. Us grown ups can use them with a cleanser to remove make-up, apply toner or wash off face masks then they can be popped into the washing machine and used again. Sarah’s “Posh Flannels” are £5 each and the reusable wipes are £9 for a bundle of 7 which arrive tied with a cotton ribbon and a Pip & Lil tag.

Find out more on Sarah’s website or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pipandliloriginal/ and to use Sarah’s hashtag #treadalittlelighter with a purchase that makes a difference. Sarah also has a Fundraising pack of 6 reusable wipes with 25% of the pack price (£2 per pack) going directly to two charities: Living Well Bromley which helps with social isolation, addiction, mental health, debt and homelessness and the Stephen Lawrence Day Organisation, a Foundation which “exists to inspire a more equal, inclusive society, and to foster opportunities for marginalised young people in the UK”. Sarah says her Feel Good Wipes “are my way of giving back and are always limited edition. I buy in small amounts of fabric specifically for those sets and once they are gone, they are gone. Both of the charities I support do great work and are local to me”.