Docklands Light Radio (DLR): Recent Episodes
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Introducing some of the unique individuals, businesses, sights, sounds & environments of Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, Limehouse & Poplar.
Every programme will be different, some you will like, others you may want to skip, we aim to create short and in contrast, in depth interviews with people you have never met, about places & things we hope may interest & attract you to the uniqueness which is the historic & contemporary East London on the north bank of the River Thames.
Here is so much more than a corporate commercial centre for Financial Services, Management Consultancies & Legal Services.
Our aim to is help people who work, visit or live here to see, hear & enjoy aspects of the area which they didn’t know about.
All our Podcasts are community oriented - non political, non confrontational, without advertising nor sponsorship.
At a time when tertiary education, the "financial quarter" of London's East End: Docklands & public sector training are all battered by the effects of 2020 & Covid, a ray of hope in the form of a new tenant in Canary Wharf's district is opening their doors in the form of a world class Police University educational establishment.
Docklands Light Radio's guest of there week is Jon - involved with Facilities Management, Strategy & Operations, his task is to ensure the delivery of a Covid suitable building with all the facilities one would expect of a modern, forward looking University, built for now and the rigours of the coming decades.
He's achieved it, its opening in January 2021 - at a time when students need every attraction possible to encourage them to attend classes - both on line & (live) face to face.
For those who thought Police training was all about "Hendon" and the results were characters who one might see in episodes of "The Sweeney" or "Z Cars"... Anglia Ruskin's new courses & facilities will put all previous preconceptions to bed & Canary Wharf will enjoy learners who are a far cry from the traditional "straight out of school" students so lambasted by certain sections of the media.
Having spent time in a white, neoclassical-headquartered campus of a business school located among the rolling green lawns abutting the Thames on which the annual Royal Regatta is rowed, Ashley is now working in a neoclassical facade-ed, granite & concrete constructed "gritty" university in the East End of London's Tower Hamlets... better known, in the past, for being within the Kray Brothers' neighbourhood.
But Queen Mary University punches above its weight, attracting students from all over the world (some of whom come to London & have their "digs" in £4,000 a month flats) - QMU being their choice among the stable of competitors which include renown institutions such as London School of Economics.
What inspires Ashley to commute for two hours each way? His passion for marketing an organisation whose values match his own: "Best Practice" of Diversity & Equality, it's unique location, extensive campus & breadth of student intake...
The interview is not about piety & political correctness, it's peppered with anecdotes about the small things in life which all add up to a household with different people with a common purpose, is class or race or the way one puts the bread back in the freezer or the logo on a Playstation a dealbreaker ... the signs of a family in stress? Quite the opposite: they are the demonstrations that a mother, father & children can laugh at each other's differences, pull together & grow to show their contemporaries that contrasts complement each other... enhancing experience & tolerance which create more cohesive communities.
Marcus doesn't have an easy "job" - he's the pastor of a church in a most unique part of London's East End: the financial riches of Canary Wharf are less than 50m away, the poverty of Tower Hamlets arguably even closer.
As winter 2020 approaches, since the beginning of the year, Marcus has delivered his sermons from St Peter's Barge, London Museum Docklands, the local Vue Cinema & now... via the internet!
There are, of course, all "side" issues in relation to administering to his congregation & leading / caring within the community:
The Census identified at least 90 different languages (or groups of languages) being used in the borough. Research found that Tower Hamlets is the 4th most linguistically diverse area in England and Wales, in terms of the mix of languages spoken.
Tower Hamlets has the highest percentage of Muslim residents in England and Wales – 38 per cent compared with a national average of 5 per cent. Conversely, the borough has the lowest proportion of Christian residents nationally: 30 per cent compared with a national average of 59 per cent. A small number of residents (897 residents) ticked the 'any other religion' category. In total, these residents identified with 38 different minority religions, all fairly small in size (eg Pagan, Taoist and Jain).
Over a 1/2hr interview with Docklands Light Radio, Marcus discusses our live's choices, God's options in response to our choices and also explains how he found initially his way into his profession... vocation... calling.
He also gives his answer & its reasoning to the question of "what's the relationship between faith & religion" using the fascinating analogy of what choices God has when viewing a person with a knife in their hand: "killer or carrot cutter"
"Made in Cornwall", brought up in Luton & dedicated East Londoner, Glen works with goats, cats, horses, dogs & humans... on boats & within bricks & mortar...
Not many people forget traumatic experiences, Glen has been fortunate enough to be undamaged by four London bombs but has been effected by his local mugging.
For 1/2 an hour Glen chats about badminton, work, no-work, long haul holidays & cranial osteopathy (you never thought it would be like surfboarding did you!)
With advanced academic qualifications & many years experience of helping the widest range of people (& animals) with short & long term challenges, Glen takes care not to take on too many hobbies because he could, he already knows, easily run of of hours in the day.
The piano, playing Russian classical music & folk tunes are, however, his latest response to the pandemic & his personality of "I'd rather be doing stuff than sitting reading a book"
So... is it really a work environment we were proud of or want to return to?
The seniority of managers where going outside or taking lunch (or owning a dog!) is seen & judged by being " allowed" to do so or having the time to indulge in such things?
Perhaps it's amusing and the pandemic puts a temporary but different perspective on life but "being driven" by a grind of deadlines, a never ending mountain of responsibilities, feeling the need to wear a symbol, lose touch with with health & no longer talk to strangers is maybe not something to aspire ... especially looking backward & regarding it as a model for going forward
It's somebody very sure of themselves, or who really wants to help to get forward into a gang who have demolished several litres of vodka, many sports/high energy drinks and then have started on the "NOS" (those little silver capsules of "laughing gas").
Robin's been fortunate in life but in retirement, he's now busier than ever before, helping those around him whether in start-up businesses, roaming the streets, his family who fancy some home comforts & central heating... or even just fellow dog-owners!
From professional mentoring, support for the arts, rapidly expanding contract cleaning & a company which is developing attractive (DIY bespoke) and affordable housing... Robin has no time for the "retreat to the countryside & tend to the roses" life - his belief is he is "part of the ecosystem which is getting ourselves going again"
It's difficult to decide on whether somebody asking for money & who seems to be sleeping on the street... do they need sympathy or money or food or practical support... or in some cases, are they a student "blagging it" or a professional beggar.
Canary Wharf hosts all these variations - visible & invisible... and they are now becoming more apparent now "lockdown" ends & habits & behaviours change from those of the spring & the summer.
https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/housing/housing_options_service/homelessness_advice_and_supp/helping_the_homeless.aspx
Cris -
The man who "didn't get religion & wanted to study film making at Goldsmiths"
... then
... "accidentally became a vicar"
(What if WE knew what God knows about US)
Corporate lawyer, philanthropist & business mentor Robin chats to Matthew about some of the things he's noticed about his 'hood... the interesting & calming places to visit but in addition, some of the interesting new business & opportunities which are growing during this time of adversity.
Laurent's compelling story runs from today's "despite Covid I'm Good Busy" back as far as "I was successful but nobody wanted anything to do with me" and in the middle, involves a life change and unexpected career switch.
Laurent explains the person he was, the positivity he now lives by and some of his "life beliefs" which he has found on the way. Religion & money don't feature in his story but Andy who interviews him hears about the transformation which has resulted in a person who is happy in his own skin & whose task it is to bring positivity to those around him
We all want to go home & chill out - so is it always for the best? Do people really enjoy their jobs or is it just a necessity to acquire money/possessions.
What tacit knowledge do companies lose in redundancies?
Alon & Andy discuss whether redundancy is about politics, money or just being a number... and after that, whether the best job in Canary Wharf is playing the piano in Boisdales!
What might you do if you were not working in technology for a one of Britain's major banks?
I'd love to be a Clipper Captain on the Thames... or because I am an avid climber & enjoy "messing around with ropes", I could get a lot of fun abseiling the corporate offices & tower blocks of Canary Wharf!
Phil's take on Canary Wharf is "pretty much everything one could want is here... apart from specialist shops & 'independents'"... One of Phil's favourite pleasures here: getting away from carbs & meat to have a great meal of well cooked, attractive vegetables - breaking the habit of the Canary Wharf ubiquitous lunch!
Two men sit & chat about... COFFEE!
...both love it, both are passionate about ensuring their customers learn about it, enjoy its differences and most importantly, get a great experience in drinking it "at its best"
Ernie's top tip?
Try to find that motivation - it plays a big role in how you progress… whatever field you are in. Expand your knowledge in what you enjoy… then branch out your skills
Follow Ernie on Instagram on ernie.jr_
Following an early career at one of the world's foremost innovative engineering & manufacturing companies, as an Australian, Alon finds himself in Canary Wharf at a time where everything is changing - both in terms of technology, the "man-machine-interface" & the march to dominance of AI.
Discussing the concepts of whether one hundred people know more than one "expert", the conversation with Andy & Alon ranges from "chipping-up" human being through to whether altruism is the key driver to success in creating a cash-pile within a career
Andy interviews Remy - digital publishing specialist about where to take family & friends in Canary Wharf, what's so special about Cambodian Sandwiches & Slow Cooked Lentils, Commuting & Customer-centricity
Remy & Andy chat about what motivates clients/customers, how to engage interest, build loyalty & motivate oneself to deliver consistent high quality … whether its a “Flat White” or “Full Copy”
Seeing somebody on the underground using the product & clearing enjoying it when you launched it just a couple of weeks earlier - that just one of the best things about working
"That was not the dinner I asked for Mummy!"
The backwards & forwards of parenthood... a four & six year olds with their mother living on the Isle of Dogs whose husband works in Canary Wharf.
Belinda is an active member of the community which meets on St Peter's, the only Church on a barge which worships in a cinema & socialises in a museum!
"I find Canary Wharf quite tranquil...
What's missing in Canary Wharf?
A soft play area"
Working from home offers the advantage for the employer of a break taking 5minutes whereas in an office it may it 10-15 even 30 minutes... It's the new normal for a financial service professional who finds himself busier than he's ever been with 13hr days being a regular day.
Asked what he'd like to see in Canary Wharf which isn't here already the answer is surprising: more bars! (but with a twist which demonstrates work-life balance is not yet achieved for those who do business in the wharf's unique environment)
Financial Services IT specialist from one of Canary Wharf's tall tower banks, Tedo mixes a life of creative innovative coding with a passion for Turkey Burgers & a secret ambition to own & run a community based restaurant ... Inspiration comes from working with others & interacting with a team (75%) & going for a walk (25%)... or drinking coffee & eating international pop-up market food from West India Quay
Supply Chain specialist, Financial Services senior manager, toastmaster, poet & rock guitarist "Nelson" (performance name) discussed the Pareto Equation, the seed change in WFH, the effectiveness of work & the pleasures of "life balance" whilst not operating at his desk in the City & Canary Wharf.
Ian is what's known as a "stock" photographer - an individual image may get chosen by picture researchers hundreds of times, or it may be used once. Having shot the definitive Fire Eater, he enjoys an income from images he creates & submits to photo libraries - carefully tagged for maximum usability
Matthew (lives) & Andy (works) in Canary Wharf - we talk to people, those we meet, those we work with, those who happen to chat to us, either over coffee or because of the dog being walked early in the morning, at lunchtime or at the end of the day.
We've called these podcasts Docklands Light Radio... perhaps they should have just been called Canary Wharf Conversations
Do you want to be part of it? Why not spend a bit of time getting to know the people who live work or visit here - and in so doing, introduce them to some of the 120,000 people who are associated with the Wharf
Starting work at 6am after 1.5hrs preparation, working 10hrs outside through "The Beast From the East", Andy could be sullen or bitter or complain about being underpaid... but instead he radiates friendship & professionalism come rain or shine.
How? by focussing on doing the best he can and building communities of people who think of him as a friend not just a person who serves coffee
Sarah's from a small village in Ireland - growing up with vegetable plots and neighbours making lovely fresh produce, baking apple tarts and dropping them off. And that's what she's become used to. When she moved to a big city, it was nice to continue one that sort of link with food
I would start at my desk for 6.30 - be headed home toward 7 in the evening. The seasons certainly didn't mark what I was doing from month to month. The years fled, fled by.
I needed the best nanny I could possibly afford - at no point did I ever try to live through my children through getting ten out of ten in a spelling test every week
Don't assume there aren't parks around. There is a really useful tool called Google Maps, and it just gives you this very interesting "green" location.
And suddenly it's like, oh, wow, that's that's interesting. I love to find these places in the wharf.
Not only does that work for lunches, sometimes opera being shown in the summer and you've got the artworks, you've got the light show in in January every year
Looking at the throngs in Canary Wharf, anybody would think that there's a certain "type" here: but look closely the're 120000 individuals - different lives views backgrounds & interests
Walking around with a dog during the day night & Bank Holidays Matthew meets all sorts most of whom chat & everybody has something to contribute.