What’s New, On & Happening in Fulham

What’s New

Panela Bakery

We love how creative Fulham residents are so it was great to hear from local resident Julia Yacaman who told Urban Village LDN about her new venture Panela Bakery. “I set up this business alongside my full time corporate job to pursue something that is aligned with my passion for food and baking and to break the monotony of every day corporate life. The beauty of our pre portioned raw cookie dough is that you can can have warm cookies, using organic, quality and responsibly sourced ingredients whenever you want. Friends and colleagues have been so supportive and I’m excited to have launched officially and be reaching out to local consumers in my neighbourhood”.

Panela Bakery offers pre-portioned frozen cookie dough in three flavours: oatmeal and raisin, chocolate chip and double chocolate chip. Place your online order before 8am on Friday for collection on the corner of Palace Mews, SW6 on Saturday, switch on the oven and hey presto your cookies are ready in 10-12 minutes. Julia told us more about Panela Bakery’s ingredients which also explains where their name comes from. “We only use organic ingredients, locally sourced, except for our chocolate which comes from a Belgian brand, and our hero ingredient panela, an unrefined form of cane sugar native from South America, which comes from Ecuador. We are especially proud to use Wildfarmed flour, which is grown through regenerative farming in the UK”.

Warm cookies on tap with no nasties, sounds good to us and what a bonus a convenient and less messy way of baking with littles!! An ice cream pint sized pot costs £10 and comes with 12 pre-portioned dough balls which produce small/medium sized cookies. Hit the link below to order and support Julia in her new venture. No collection Sat 4 Nov as Julia is away on her hen weekend.

WagWorks unveil new space

We wrote about WagWorks last year when they opened their doors and we meet the founders and heard about future plans to extend the space and their offer. We also got a tour that day of what was then a shell next to their Fulham High Street location. Exciting to hear from the team that they are unveiling their brand new additional 2000 sq ft space this month and wanted to let readers of Urban Village LDN know so dog owners can take a look at their open day which takes place on Sat 18 Nov (10am - 2pm).

The new space includes a luxury grooming suite, an alternative therapy (red laser, physiotherapy) area and an extension of their indoor day care park. With even more Club space, that also means WagWorks has new membership places open, so you can apply for membership; if you’re not already a member and like what you see. Sounds like this event is a great opportunity for people and their four-legged friends to explore the new space, meet the team of dedicated dog-care experts and see what members get up to whilst they're there.

Rhi Hudd, WagWorks Co-Founder told Urban Village LDN “It’s been almost 18 months now since we opened our doors to Fulham’s dogs and their humans and we couldn’t thank our amazing members enough for their continued support and trust in us to care for their four-legged members of the family. It truly is a privilege and we adore each and every one of them! New members are joining all the time and we continue to get so many people popping in to see what we’re all about, so we thought it was time for another open house event for the Fulham neighbourhood!  Every aspect of the space has been designed with dogs’ needs at the forefront - from the interior design to the best quality grooming equipment and bathing products - just like everywhere else at WagWorks. So you won’t find any cold, stainless steel bathtubs here, we’ve installed our very own bespoke bathtubs, thoughtfully designed to create a calming, home-from-home experience. I’ve loved every minute of designing the new grooming suite and watching it come to life. I can’t wait to show our Open Day guests what we’ve been working on these past few months! It's like no other grooming facility and propels us further forward on our journey to pioneer a change in the way dogs are cared for”.

They’ll be enrichment activities for the four-legged guests and refreshments for four and two-legged guests. The team from Pet People, a state-of-the-art, independent veterinary clinic on Upper Richmond Road, will also be there on the day. WagWorks recently announced Pet People as their surgical and specialist veterinary partner so, alongside their inhouse vet, they can offer a fully integrated, holistic and personalised healthcare service.

We love following WagWorks on social media and seeing what all their beloved four legged members get up to from licky mat sessions to farm days! The waggy tails on arrival are a massive testament to the care and fun that is always on offer but don’t take our word for it, check out the new space and see for yourself on 18 Nov 10am - 2pm.

SEACC Director

Sands End Arts & Community Centre (SEACC) have appointed Nina von der Werth as the Centre’s new director. Nina will be taking up her new role this month in the multi-award-winning building, which opened its doors officially in March 2022 (although it was operational from late 2021). Since then, it has hosted all sorts of clubs, weekly sports sessions, children’s classes, launches, meetings, art exhibitions, children’s parties and is steadily building up a reputation as a venue for concerts. SEACC has also hosted BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions? and held its own community events including a Coronation party, the Big Weekend in South Park and it was also the venue for our last social. The Walnut Tree Café, SEACC’s not-for-profit café, is open seven days a week and has become a great addition to the neighbourhood serving up coffee for dog walkers, warming bowls of soup and freshly baked after school pre club treats.

Nina von der Werth trained at London Contemporary Dance School and started her career as a freelance choreographer, teacher and producer and worked as a senior usher manager at the Royal Opera House. She then joined The Place in Euston, working initially in artistic development, and then within the in-house production team. More recently, Nina worked at Stanley Arts, Croydon, as dance producer and at Wandsworth Borough Council as the arts and events manager for Nine Elms, delivering a year-round programme of arts activities for residents. 

Nina, as director of SEACC, will be helping the trustees achieve their charitable goals as well as moving the centre towards presenting and producing a full offering of artistic events and community activities. “I am passionate about bringing people together through art and am excited about getting to know the local community and helping them realise their ambitions for Sands End Arts & Community Centre.” Timothy Prager chair of the trustees says: “The trustees of the Sands End Arts & Community Centre are thrilled to welcome Nina into our family. We were extremely impressed by her experience, energy and vision for SEACC’s future and look forward to working with her as she builds on the progress we’ve made over the past 18 months. She’ll be supporting our existing relationships and spreading the word about SEACC to the whole community”.

The SEACC Trust is a charity, with the majority of trustees being Fulham residents, that aims to promote social cohesion within the community. As well as hiring out space and organising its own community-focused events, SEACC is also home to Dance West, Chelsea Children’s Therapy, and Lyceum Fit.

Wolfe Vets

If you’ve been along the Wandsworth Bridge Road recently you surely couldn’t have missed the gorgeous, glass-fronted new addition to the street, Wolfe Vets at number 297. This is their second branch and it’s Fulham location is in the spot where Bensons Beds used to be. They’ve kept the lovely curved window which makes a great feature and the large light filled reception area sure beats the clinical and cold offering of other practices. The green and gold facade, wooden seating, green timber panelling really does make Wolfe Vets look and feel incredibly welcoming. Let’s hope their four legged visitors feel the same way!

Wolfe Vets want to be a local, on your door step practice with the facilities and knowledge to look after almost any illness, so owners do not need to travel far from home to get their pets the care they need. They’ve got your pet covered for routine procedures: vaccinations, neutering, travel advice, dentistry and operations. Wolfe Vets performs complex surgeries and manages challenging medical cases while also being a local friendly vet clinic. They have the latest surgical and diagnostic facilities allowing them to carry out advanced veterinary care, helping with regenerative medicine, early diagnosis, stem cell therapy and platelet rich plasma therapy to help pets recover faster and more comfortably.

To find out more about what they offer, head to the link below.

What’s On

Dia de los Muertos at 1910: Thurs 2 - Sun 5

Every year the people of Mexico put up photos of their lost loved ones and offer gifts with the belief that their spirits will return. 1910 will have authentic Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread, a type of pan dulce traditionally baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to the Día de los Muertos) we confess we looked it up and specially designed cocktails for this big w end in Mexico’s calendar.

Echoes Festival, Brazil on Strings: Fri 3 (7.30pm)

In this unusual combination, two Brazilian virtuosos, double-bassist Gustavo Quintino and guitarist Fabricio Mattos will explore Brazilian music for double bass and guitar by living composers from many regions of the country. Interspersing solos with duets, Quintino and Mattos will journey around many soundscapes of Brazilian and South-American music, with works by composers such as Rodrigo Lima, Fabiano Borges and Sonia Ray, with special emphasis to the music of Villani-Côrtes.

Venue: Sands End Arts & Community Centre (SEACC) Peterborough Road. Tickets: £12 - £30 also available on the door

Unlock Your Immune Potential: Tues 7 (7pm - 8pm)

This talk was scheduled to take place last month but had to be rearranged. Join Nutritional Therapist, Katie Poyasov for a transformative talk on immunity at the Parsons Green Club (31 Broomhouse Lane). This is a FREE event where you will discover the secrets to strengthening your immune system naturally, gain valuable knowledge about gut health, hormonal balance, and blood sugar regulation. Learn how nourishing food and lifestyle habits can support healing and disease prevention. Explore Katie's approach to addressing a wide range of health concerns, from digestive issues to mood fluctuations.

Whether you're dealing with digestive problems, allergies, hormonal imbalances, or simply seeking to improve your diet and metabolism, Katie can guide you on a personalized path to health optimization. A great opportunity to unlock your immune potential for FREE!

You must reserve your space on the link below, or email Katie info@naturalpaths.uk stating your name and any other guests attending with you alternatively contact the Parsons Green Club.

Brahams Requiem: Sun 19 (6.30pm)

Join Fulham Camerata chamber choir at Holy Cross Church, Ashington Road, SW6 where directed by Harry Castle they will sing Brahams Requim in English. Brahms was deeply affected by his mother’s death and this major choral work was said to be written partly in her memory and laid  the foundation of Brahms international reputation. It was composed between 1865-1868 and comprises 7 movements which together last 65-80 minutes.

Described by some commentators as a humanist rather than a Christian work it does connect with different Bible verses and takes from the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount and from Revelation. The Movements are dramatic  dealing with the transient nature of life, with suffering and the resurrection of the dead and ultimately in the last Movement with consolation “blessed are the dead which die in the Lord”. Tickets £15 (head to the link below to book) also available on the door.

Christmas Wreath making workshop: Sun 26 (10am - 12.30)

Join the floristry-skilled and trained Fulham Palace garden team as you create your own beautiful Christmas wreath that will showcase the natural beauty of the garden. With a variety of sustainable materials to choose from you’ll learn the step-by-step process to make and personalise your wreath while sipping on complimentary tea and coffee.

We love the “this is a hands-on wokshop, please wear practical clothing” note.

Piazzolla, Beyond Tango:

Lucas Jordan (flute), Daryl Giuliano (cello), Fabricio Mattos (guitar) and Iñigo Mikeleiz-Berrade (accordion) offer a new palette of emotions to Astor Piazzolla’s music, deeply valuing his absolute compositional control over a vast range of musical ideas. This will also mark the launch of the emblematic Histoire du Tango, for flute and guitar, on audio platforms, recorded by Lucas Jordan and Fabricio Mattos. Recorded at Abbey Road, each of the movements were creatively engineered and mixed by Lucas Jordan in order to recreate the sound of each era of the tango, resulting in a unique rendering of this masterpiece of chamber music.

Venue: Sands End Arts & Community Centre (SEACC), Peterborough Road. Tickets: £12-£30 also available on the door

Live Music at Aragon House: Fri 24 (8pm)

Head to Aragon House’s new Green Room Cocktail Bar for live acoustic music all night long. Enjoy hand crafted cocktails, Champagne and oysters for what sounds like a not too shabby start to the w-end!

SAVE THE DATE ….

Dog & Groom Christmas Event: Sat 2 Dec (3-7pm)

Dog owners this is definitely one for the diary! Dog & Groom, the pet boutique and dog grooming salon located at 269 Wandsworth Bridge Road are holding a shopping / photography event in their salon on Sat 2 Dec. On the day they will have a 15% discount on all products in store. They’ve also teamed up with Amie Barron a photographer who will be offering quick Christmas festive themed shoots for dogs. Spaces are very limited so book ASAP (head to the link below). They will also have a pop-up doggie bakery, goodie bags and bubbles for dog owners! If you prefer a glass of mulled wine you can pop next door to their neighbour Kenrick’s Wines.

What’s Happening

Wellness Weekend

The Resilience Zone’s Wellness Weekend takes place from Fri 3 - Sun 5 in their gorgeous HQ located on the top floor of The Glasshouse, 11-12 Lettice Street. You can choose from a lovely variety of 30-45 minute taster sessions on everything from reflexology to breathwork, there are talks on mindset, stress, resilience and the benefits of exercise during menopause. You can book a drop in class for £10 (strength training, move, stretch and mobility), buy a full day pass (£50) or join all 3 days (£99).

If you’re quick and on Instagram head to our recent post on https://www.instagram.com/urbanvillage_ldn to enter the giveaway for two complimentary week end passes. To enter, tag two people and share your self-care tips for remaining physically and mentally healthy.  This giveaway ends at midnight on Weds 1 Nov, the winner will be picked and notified on Instagram by the Resilience Zone team so keep an eye on your DM's.  Good luck! 

If you’re not lucky enough to win the week-end passes head to the link below to see all that’s on offer this weekend including a sound bath on Friday evening, a great way to start your weekend and easy on the pocket at a cost of £10 and B12 injections to give you a winter boost.

Free Art Classes

Urban Studio Sessions and Sands End Arts & Community Centre (SEACC) have joined forces to bring local kids a free eight week art workshop. The classes will take place every Saturday (10am to 12 noon) until 16 Dec and introduce children to shape, tone, contrast, form and perspective. All the equipment and materials required will be provided and as this is a funded project it will be free for all participants. All you have to do is register on the link below.

Urban Studio Sessions formed in 2015 to engage children and young people in Urban Sports and Arts after identifying a gap in urban sports provision and art related workshops in London. Initial support from Wandsworth Council in 2015 enabled them to provide arts and sports intervention across the Wandsworth borough enabling them to engage with a variety of children and young people including new communities to increase their integration into UK culture. They became a constituted (not for profit) organisation in 2018 and governed by active members who steer the charitable objectives of the organisation and tutor sessions.

It’s CHRISTMAS …

Well not quite but it will be here before we know it! Fulham starts to gear up this month for the festive season and if you’re one of those locals who just loves a Christmas jumper, mulled wine and basically taking full advantage of the festive countdown here’s a couple of local events and dates that you need to get in your diary.

Weds 22 Nov: Christmas comes to Aragon House (6-9pm). Pick up a complimentary ticket to their Christmas garden lights switch on party. The Chelsea Pensioners Choir will be joining them singing carols and some old time favourites. They’ll be Winter warmer cocktails, mulled wine, fluffy blankets and of course the Light switch on.

Friday 1 Dec: Carols on the Green, organised and hosted by St Dionis Church take place on Parsons Green (6-7.30pm) when the lights are also officially switched on. We always love this free get together for Fulham locals. There’s always a great atmosphere, a real community spirit, singing from local organisations which everyone can join in with and we walk away from this local event every year with a warm fuzzy feeling. No need to book, simply turn up, but if you want to find out more at St Dionis, services, get involved etc hit the link below.