During the pandemic I took an interest in horticulture and began growing my own vegetables in my tiny South London garden.
It’s hard work but it pays off, as there’s nothing more satisfying than eating produce grown by your own two hands. To date I’ve grown: radishes, beetroot, carrots, leeks, parsnips, spring onions, courgettes and butternut squash.
Growing my own vegetables has deepened my appreciation for organically grown, sustainable and seasonally-sourced ingredients.
00 hrs
000 meals
I’ve been a regular volunteer for my local branches of FoodCycle, a food surplus charity, since April 2021.
To date, I’ve done 21 volunteer sessions, each serving a three-course vegetarian meal to around thirty guests. I enjoy the challenge of cooking at scale with the ingredients on-hand, and take pride in knowing that food isn’t wasted and is getting to the people that need it most instead.
I am now a Project Coordinator for Norwood Junction, managing the kitchen side of the volunteer sessions.
Once the gyms reopened, I became determined to push beyond just losing the inevitable pandemic weight.
To date, I’ve lost over fifty pounds (22kg) and I’m now in the best shape of my life. I’ve began jogging in late 2021, and I currently average five kilometres a day, or ~130km a month.
My goal is to train up to half-marathon events in 2022 and eventually run the London Marathon in 2023.
I was a teen through the noughties, so of course I had that awkward emo phase.
I began playing drums aged fourteen, going down the academic route by having private tuition and playing in an orchestra, but also forming a band with friends. Over the years, we played gigs across the north.
I play solo now for my own enjoyment, as I think it’s important to continue things you love even if they aren’t aimed towards any specific goal or achievement.
I recently challenged myself to begin learning bass, mainly as a way to expand my musical knowledge.
For mains, I like to pick a particular country and see how much I can make from scratch; like choosing India to make the curry, sides and sundries without any store-bought extras. During autumn and winter months, I experiment with homemade soups and slow-cooker dishes. I’ve also been challenging myself to make only vegetarian/vegan meals and bake my own bread.
For desserts, I like to bake traditional British cakes and pastries. Apple, pear and blackberry crumble (with homemade custard) is a particular favourite of mine.
