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 health coach, author and TV producer, Susan Saunders

How long have you called Fulham home? Such a long time! I bought a tiny basement flat overlooking Eelbrook Common in 1994 and, apart from a few stints filming abroad, haven't really left. There isn't much reason to leave, is there? Fulham has so much to offer. As a young couple, my husband Richard and I, had a huge choice of bars and restaurants on our doorstep, as our family grew we were thrilled to find wonderful parks, schools and activities for children within walking distance. Now our nest is empty we're enjoying the restaurants and cultural opportunities Fulham offers all over again!

Tell us a bit about yourself / your family For the last 30 years I've worked as a TV producer, making documentaries and factual programmes with the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Raymond Blanc, Emma Willis and AJ Odudu. All while raising our two wonderful daughters, who are now at university. In addition to taking on freelance TV projects, I've now built a second career as a health coach and writer. This career change was born and bred in Fulham! I'm one half of the book and blog The Age-Well Project https://agewellproject.com . I met my fabulous co-author and neighbour, Annabel Streets, when our daughters were at nursery together locally. The success of The Age-Well Project made me think about how I could help people more directly so I trained as a health coach. I've also written a follow-up book, The Age-Well Plan, which is a six-week programme to kickstart a longer, healthier, happier life.

What’s your favourite local haunt and why? I'm really not into football but I love a trip to Craven Cottage to support Fulham FC! My husband bought us season tickets and I always enjoy a visit to the Johnny Haynes stand. There's something about the rollercoaster of emotions one goes on during every match, along with thousands of other people, which is incredibly life-enhancing. The history of the place is wonderful too: it's the oldest football stadium in London and in a beautiful location on the river. I'm really looking forward to the opening of the new stand in the summer. It will bring more amenities to the area and will open up the river walk from Putney Bridge to Hammersmith, making that walk even more enjoyable.

What's your perfect Fulham day? A morning 'dog jog' along the river to Hammersmith with my spaniel, Monty, picking up a large black Americano from Tinto on the way home. Lunch at the Palace Garden Centre with one of my daughters or a friend (I always have the FAT: feta, avocado and tomato). The afternoon would include a goal-laden victory for FFC at Craven Cottage then home for a cup of tea. A lovely dinner out with local friends in one of Fulham's many great bars and restaurants rounds off the day.

What's the best meal you've had in Fulham? The area is stuffed with good restaurants - Gola, Pure and Sukho Thai are favourites - but the most memorable Fulham meals have taken place in friends' homes or gardens. We have such an abundance of good food shops here. Meat from Parsons Nose, veg from Fulham Greens, and cheese from Bayley & Sage have formed the backbone of some of my favourite meals. Plus Fulham is full of lovely people to have dinner with, which helps!

Which local shop/service/business do you rely on? Never under-estimate the North End Road. Eating fish, particularly oily fish, is part of my Age-Well lifestyle so I shop at Ocean Catch. Al Baydar is a Mediterranean delicatessen packed with Ottolenghi-style ingredients without the price tag. Elsewhere in Fulham, I get my books at Nomad, my veg and bread from The Local SW6 and refill at Regram. Monty the spaniel likes a pamper (and a treat) at Bishops Bark.

Working in a visual medium for so long, and being glued to a screen to write and coach, I value my eye health very highly. Mrs Nanjuwany at The Eye Practice on Fulham High Street is so expert and so thorough. And I can pop next door to Las Vegas nails for a quick manicure after an appointment!

If you could do one thing to improve Fulham what would it be? I know everyone says this, but I'd reduce the traffic! Pollution is implicated in many of the chronic conditions of ageing, including dementia, and our streets are clogged. I'd make a start by building a functioning bridge between Hammersmith and Barnes to replace the beautiful but not-fit-for-purpose one we have now. I'm not hopeful it will ever be fully repaired.

Tell us about Susan Saunders Health and how it came to be I coach clients one-to-one, and run courses, helping women over 50 age well, reduce dementia risk and beat confusion about how to be healthy. Creating The Age-Well Project made me realise how much help people need to work out what's best for them and their health as they age. I work via Zoom and have clients all over the world: I'm currently running a course called Eat Well to Age Well and I have participants from New York to New Zealand! I love that I can sit in Fulham and be connected globally to people who want to age well. You can find me at https://susansaundershealth.com and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/susansaundershealth/

What advice would you give people starting a new business? Find your people! Drill down into what your niche is and who you're going to serve. That's true for any service-based industry. And bring your skills with you: whether your previous work experience was serving in a bar for a few months, or 30 years of making TV, you've learnt skills you can transfer to your new business.

What are you working on currently? I'm coaching one-to-one clients and developing an online course for better brain health to reduce dementia risk. I hope to run that later this year and I'm also writing a book about post-menopausal health.