Portrait of the South Downs

Pearl

“It gives me a feeling of solidity – and a solid ground to stand on and a sense of spiritual connection… and it gives me a sense of home”

Pearl is an artist, illustrator, and writer. She has worked as a Dresser at Glyndebourne for over ten years, an opera house located close by to where she lives in Lewes, East Sussex.

Pearl would often walk across the grassy chalk hills of the South Downs National Park, sometimes barefoot, on her commute to work. Often in summer the hills would come to life. People from all walks of life dressed in glamorous and traditional outfits would mill around, talk and enjoy the countryside views following the end of shows.

Pearl grew up in the nearby village of Cooksbridge and has long had an affinity with the pastoral landscape. Her work is largely inspired by the nature that surrounds us – from the dreamy hues of greens, yellows, purples that make up the landscape - to the textures of trees and wildflowers and the songs of the birds…

Hong

“On my birthday, I decided to walk (from Brighton to Eastbourne) - 26 miles to be exact, to raise money for refugee children in Ukraine because I was once a child refugee…”

Hong is an artist and film editor who lives in Brighton, not far from South Downs National Park. She came to the UK as a child from Vietnam seeking refuge with her family.

Last year, Hong walked over 26 miles from Brighton to Eastbourne through the South Downs National Park to raise money for UNICEF for refugee children in the Ukraine.

Watching news reports on the war, she felt a sense of helplessness. She knew how those children must have been feeling, she wanted to do something to help and so decided on her birthday to undertake a walking journey through the landscape to raise money in support of them.

She didn’t know much about map-reading and on her way, she got lost. The panic set in, she says “as a refugee, you have to adapt. You have to change with your environment, you know, to survive.”

Hong carried on until she found her way again and eventually reached Eastbourne. She believes in the power of speaking openly, hearing others out and seeking to understand diverse perspectives on issues.

Liz

“I hope for little signposts along the way to tell me I’m travelling in the right direction, but the journey is mostly its own reward”

Liz is a singer with the folk band Chalkhorse Music (inspired by the White Horse of Litlington.) The band perform traditional folk songs from Sussex and the South Downs - they also write their own songs. Thier recordings contain electronic elements but they’re known for playing acoustically live, from unaccompanied folk song to five piece band.

Liz grew up in Sussex and has long been inspired by the hidden gems and stories found across the South Downs. She’s most interested in local legend, folklore, and the endless mystery that the landscape holds. Liz is a natural story collector. She enjoys meeting and talking to people across Sussex. She records her findings in a community radio show.

She often swims off the coast of Birling Gap at sunrise. Last year, Liz helped repaint the Long Man of Wilmington. She works as a carer, bringing elderly clients for wanders (and for tea) in different parts of the South Downs National Park.

Ingrina

“I really love testing my boundaries just because I’m curious to see how far I can go at once. The longest distance I covered in a day was around 36 kilometres, and I was wondering over three days, can I walk between 37 and 39 kilometres a day? Can I make it?”

Last year, Ingrina embarked on a solo journey that took her on 15 Slow Ways walking routes over three days from London to its closest national park, the South Downs National Park.

Her journey (supported by Slow Ways and All the Elements) was inspired by her desire in part to better understand and illustrate some of the barriers people face in accessing the outdoors, in particular barriers surrounding access to public transport.

Ingrina’s incredible journey tested her physical limits - she learnt a lot, traversed different terrains and reflected on the joys and challenges of exploring the outdoors.

Ingrina Shieh is a volunteer London National Park City Ranger and passionate active traveller who loves exploring places and connections on foot. Ingrina has walked in many different parts of the UK on established trails in between cities or towns. She particularly loves multi-day hiking and camping and is now working towards a UK Mountain Leader Award.

David

“…and if somebody loves that painting and decides to put it on their wall, they don't just have a representation of the cliff, they have the cliff”

David is an innovative artist who makes many of his own paints by hand from soils and other natural pigments that he sources locally himself in and around Seaford and the South Downs. Wherever he goes he prospects for interesting soils and he knows exactly where all his colours come from. Often his paintings incorporate pigments directly sourced from within yards of where he is making the artworks, creating a deeper connection between the artwork and the natural environment.

Following three decades working in and around the Asia Pacific region on sustainability issues, he uses his art to raise awareness of the fragility as well as resilience of the natural environment in particular local and global soils.

Though largely self-taught, he has studied art at the Metropolitan College Brighton. In his Studio are bottles and jars filled with the beautiful coloured natural soils that he has ground up by hand. A keen organic gardener he also volunteers at local community gardens. He currently lives between East Sussex and Hong Kong.

He would love to see his paintings on the walls of soil company HQs around the world.

Jenny

“I had two poems published, Landscape of My Mother and the Matriarch Landscape. To me, it's kind of very feminine (the landscape). It’s about women, that’s my perception”

Jenny is a writer based in Brighton of mixed heritage. She grew up in Brighton and in the countries of Uganda and Tanzania. She writes poetry that captures and reflects her family’s stories and experiences in East Africa and England.

Jenny is often inspired by the Sussex coastal landscape which has long been a favourite area for her. She explores her female ancestral connections to Sussex through her writing and uses features from the land; chalk scars and hawthorn trees, as metaphors for the tangled, textured lives of women.

Her poem Matriarch was about her mother, and older women, who in Western society are often rendered invisible. Her poems speak of all that older women give, to their families, to their communities - and of the love and strength they embody; reflected in landscape.

Jenny mostly walks in the South Downs with friends, she enjoys the slow pace of conversation these walks bring, and the ability of the natural world to allow thoughts and reflections to surface...

Sofia

“It never ceases to amaze me how majestic horses are!”

Sofia has explored the South Downs in all seasons – tracing silhouette of horses by Birling Gap on foggy winter days and on fresh spring mornings… On a recent trip to the Seven Sisters Country Park, she was happy to return to a familiar field filled with beautiful horses.

Sofia is an artist, illustrator and lecturer at Birmingham university. She loves horses and learnt to ride in the Middle East, while she was on a year abroad as part of her Arabic and Development degree programme at SOAS. She has volunteered in city farms in London in order to spend time with horses. Her work is inspired in part by nature. In the past, she has created dreamy technicolour batik paintings of stallions against surrealist backdrops. She has an allotment close to where she lives in the West Midlands.

Shireen

“There's so much that I haven't yet experienced but kind of intuitively know already. So I think my ancestors being farmers and working the land and living on the land… it’s really kind of like ingrained in me.”

Shireen is a London based film-maker, creative and writer who loves nature. She reflects on the longstanding impacts of colonialism on farming communities in the Punjab, the juxtaposition of growing up in London, disconnected from natural landscapes with migrant parents, both of whom are from agricultural backgrounds and have a strong connection to land.

As much as Shireen loves seeking out nature at her doorstep in the city, she appreciates the countryside and what it can do for you creativity, and allow you to question all that you don’t know or think about.

“I think that's kind of where my practice lies in relation to nature as a writer, as a person of color, as queer, as gender non-conforming. I think I I'm really kind of hooked on how much we don't know yet, how much we do intuitively know at the same time.”

Having visited Cuckmere Haven for the first time - Shireen is keen to return to that part of the South Downs again - to once again feel a sense of presence that can be embodied more fully in landscape.

What if we weren't “so swept away by the urgency of living a 9 to 5 in capitalism and being disembodied from ourselves, if we were able to just be ourselves? I think we're really really intuitive people just inherently…”

Noreen

“I love seeing the awe and wonderment on their faces as we go down onto the beach at Hope Gap”

Noreen is a community worker, she has a wealth of experience leading walks in different parts of the South Downs National Park for a variety of youth, women and community groups. She volunteered as a Mosaic Community Champion with the South Downs National Park Authority many years ago, where she received support and training in facilitating group visits.

Noreen is also co-founder of a community organisation called Muslim Women Connect. She would often lead hikes in the South Downs for young Muslim women living in urban areas. She has long enjoyed the space and solitude the South Downs offer – as well as sharing her love of the outdoors with women who face barriers in accessing these spaces. She enjoys walking with friends, as hiking gives her the space to truly connect and to be present.

Alinah

“The coastline also reminds us in a very visceral way how important it is to care for what is left of it, in this radically changing climate”

Alinah Azadeh is a writer, artist, cultural activist and inaugural Writer-in-Residence at Seven Sisters Country Park and the Sussex Heritage Coast until October 2023.

She is also creative lead on We See You Now (2019-22) a landscape and literature project & programme dedicated to evoking trans-global perspectives on the heritage and connections of this iconic coastal area, through new stories and poetry by Alinah and a cohort of writers, poets and performers of colour.

Parveen

“I was born in Kashmir, which is a mountainous area. (It’s filled with) nature; trees, mountains, lakes, rivers, flowers… everything was natural, I mean, everything in a sense was organic. So I've always loved landscape. I’ve always loved (inhabiting) a space where you can just be yourself”

A writer and mum, Parveen was born in Kashmir and has always felt an affinity to landscape. She’s returned to the South Downs often and has recently been reflecting about how landscapes have always been part of her. She feels gratitude and reflects on the little bits of the Downs that remind her of Kashmir.

“It’s beautiful and relaxing. When you need to find yourself, this is the place to come…”

Parveen’s kids love the outdoors and the sense of freedom that being in the Downs brings. They love running around without having any sort of barriers. The South Downs feels very open, and wholesome – Parveen says - family, friends, dogs, anyone can come and enjoy its wonders.

She reflects on the effects of nature in making you feel better about yourself - her kids feel energised. She also finds that she shares deep conversations with her children when walking in landscape. She can talk to them openly about life, faith, school. Her and her husband also have deep conversations that go back to their childhood growing up in Kashmir.

Asghar

“I didn’t know my Freedom Pass could take me so far….”

Asghar is a pensioner and life-long adventurer and explorer of places. He grew on a farm in Punjab, where his father and brothers all worked the land. He has long felt a connection to the outdoors, and seeks to spend most of his time under open skies when can.

He discovered the South Downs National Park when he spontaneously took a bus to Devils Dyke from Brighton one afternoon. He has since gone back many times and has further explored other parts of the South Downs including Birling Gap, Ditchling Beacon, Arundel and Beachy Head. He is unable to walk long distances due to arthritis in the knees but still enjoys the fresh air and beautiful countryside views where he can.

Razia

“My chattri piece, the soundscape, I’m calling it chalayn ge, it’s really an opportunity to bring some kind of healing and restoration to all those stories…”

Razia is a creative practitioner, writer, composer and singer based in Lewes. She has a longstanding and deep relationship with the landscapes that make up South Downs National Park.

Last year she was involved in the creation of The Witness Stand as part of the Brighton Festival. The Witness Stand is an immersive soundscape and live performance. As part of the project she sang at the Chattri War memorial in the South Downs National Park, a memorial dedicated to Hindu soldiers that died during the First World War. She often hikes in the South Downs with her partner and her son, and has done so for many years.

Born in London to Indian Muslim parents, Razia spent the first six years of her life in West Africa, and on returning to the UK had the experience of being an ‘immigrant’. Growing up on a staple of anti-imperialist and feminist ideas, these formative years ignited a life-long interest in, and engagement with, questions of diversity, equality and inclusion.

Smith

“but they'll come back, (it might take a) little time, but they'll come back and they'll give back to the community in the same way…”

Smith is an engineer, swimmer, runner, walk leader and founder the Black Tri Tribe, hosting Black Tri Tribe Triathlons in London and Brighton for people of colour.

Smith’s connection to the downs runs very deep. She moved to Moulsecoomb in 2014, opposite Wild Park which is in the South Downs National Park. Shortly after, she moved to Coldean village, which backed onto Hollingbury. From here she could get onto Ditchling Beacon very quickly - and onto the South Downs Way trail.

Her favourite part of the National Park is Seven Sisters, by the visitor centre in Exceat. She loves watching the estuary bends and hydrological process unfold - sea - estuary - river - river source, all taking place within her view. “Seeing geography, watching it take shape - is a phenomenal process - and to witness change - the landscape has changed in the short time I’ve been there…”

Over the years, Smith has lead walks throughout Sussex and in the South Downs for the Black Girls Hike community. She’s passionate about enabling others, especially people of colour, the opportunity to hike and to get outdoors.

Finn

"Those hills have been a permanent fixture in my life in one way or another ever since. The landscape is peppered with memories, of good things and bad. Places I went when I bunked off school, places I’ve dragged my children to show them a view, or the place where my brother’s ashes are scattered.

A place from where, just as in the hospital, you can see the sea, the city and the hills. In short, it's unlike anywhere else that I will ever be in or come to know, and there’s still so much to explore"

Finn is a Brighton-based photographer, who owns a little gallery by the seafront “Brighton Photography Gallery”. Finn's work has been exhibited around the city since 2011, and has been featured in magazines, advertising and websites around the world. In 2014 he opened the Brighton Photography Gallery and between 2015 and 2019 he took on the job of curating the world famous Brighton & Hove calendar. His first book ’Fieldwork’ was published in late 2022.

Finn is known for capturing the landscapes that make up the South Downs National Park. He is also known for his dramatic and striking shots of the chalk cliffs from the sea where he often swims. Finn also judges the annual South Downs peoples’ photography competition.

Samin

Samin is a French-Iranian fashion photographer and writer. She moved to Brighton after spending a decade in London, seeking a peaceful new life by the sea.

Growing up in Paris, Samin has always loved exploring, and travelling. In London, she became increasingly interested in community gardens and learning about different plants. She loves nature, living closeby to the open countryside and the green hills of the South Downs National Park. On a recent trip to Hope Gap, she enjoyed the quietude and seeking out wildlife.

Tim

Tim worked as a photographer for more than forty years. He lives in Seaford and enjoys going on daily walks across the nearby green hills with his dog.

Jayshree

Jayshree is a mum, and postwoman. She walks and leads walks in Purfleet in Essex in her free time sharing the places and people that make her area so unique. Walking by the estuary of the river Thames connects her to the Ganges in her birth country India.

On her first trip to the South Downs – Jay appreciated seeing the Chattri; a war memorial located in the South Downs National Park just outside Patcham. The memorial is dedicated to Hindu soldiers who lost thier lives during the First World War.

Jayshree is a devout and practising Hindu and spiritual individual who makes connections between the places and the energies that surround them.

Robbie

Robbie is a radio documentary producer, writer and traveller. He loves exploring the South Downs Way by bike and on foot. A South Londoner originally from Peckham, Robbie often returns to the Downs appreciating its big skies and expansive chalk hills.

He’s lived in Brighton for a time - during a visit last year, he cycled through the Downs at night to see the iconic bonfire in Lewes with friends.

Richard

Richard originally from Penge in South London, moved up to Seaford after he retired. He loves walking up the hills and sitting on his favourite bench overlooking the Downs near Cuckmere Haven. He appreciates the quiet and the fresh air that surrounds.

Equally, he loves conversing with passersby and making local connections.

Autumn / Winter Newsletter

Hello friends, 

I hope this newsletter finds you in good spirits - though in all honesty it seems unlikely given everything that's going on in the world - the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine which is escalating into genocide in Gaza, multiple earthquakes in Afghanistan and floods in Libya. It seems insensitive, almost pointless to send out a newsletter about exploration, stories, dreams, and connection at a time like this...

It’s difficult to know what to do, how to help, but for now I am following those who are praying and trying to be hopeful, those who are looking for reliable sources to get information and looking out for charities on the ground that are taking donations like Medical Aid for Palestine.

I was reminded by a friend recently, that in the darkness of such devastation we must resist the urge to be shrunk into paralysis and exercise and assert the freedom and autonomy we wish for others.

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As I glance outside my window, leaves browning and light spreading, the arrival of autumn now almost visible, I take a breath. After over a year and a half of moving around – I’m glad to be back where I feel most at home – in London. I have lots of updates, stories, newly discovered hidden gems and recommendations to share. I’m also pleased to announce dates for upcoming wanderings! WARNING: this is a very long newsletter.

Book Lovers Wandering Tour
 
Throughout autumn and winter, I’ll be running my Book Lovers tour. Explore London’s hidden bookshops and libraries in this eclectic wandering tour. Starting off at the beautiful Daunt Books in Marylebone, we’ll wonder down to the London Library stopping off at a number of places along the way including the oldest bookshop in London and an iconic art bookshop. Along the way I’ll be sharing stories about hidden literary gems across the city and the colourful people that frequent them.
 
18 November – 11am - 1.30pm / 20 January – 11am - 1.30pm / 17 February – 11am - 1:30pm

Find out more and Book a Walk

Arts Foundation Futures Award: Place Writing Shortlist

Earlier this year, I was really happy to learn that I had been shortlisted for the Arts Foundation Futures Award for Place Writing. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have spent a great deal of my life wandering alone in faraway places, finding home in unlikely corners and family with nomadic kindreds. Writing (in particular place writing) has always been a big part of my life - to have been shortlisted alongside such accomplished and talented writers was unexpected, humbling and super joyful. To find out more about the award and the place-writing catergory click here.

Churchill Fellowship / Renegade Guides: the places we go, the stories we share
 
Earlier this year I was awarded a Churchill Fellowship! Churchill Fellowships offer a diverse range of people from all walks of life an opportunity to travel overseas for four to eight weeks to explore a topic or issue that they are passionate about.

I will be travelling to New York and San Francisco for two months next year to carry out my research project, Renegade Guides – the places we go, the stories we share.

In changing cities, where communities are being uprooted and places of social, historical and cultural importance are disappearing, guiding is a powerful tool to preserve stories and memories of people and place.Through my Fellowship, I'd like to explore the ways that we, as guides, can improve our practice to better serve local communities. I aim to collate my research and to produce a best practice handbook for guides - a resource that I hope will both inspire, inform and improve guiding.

Do you run a tour business? Are you a guide? I’d love to hear from you! Drop me a line at info@livinglondon.org

Goodbye Slow Ways

I recently left my role as Community Stories lead at Slow Ways, a CIC working to create a National Walking Network that connects all the cities, towns and National Parks in the UK. As part of my role, I worked with inspirational creatives, writers, explorers and community workers to share stories connecting people and place through routes. I clocked up hundreds of miles testing out walking routes mostly alone, but sometimes with volunteers (now friends), colleagues and strangers. My Slow Ways adventures took me to regions across the UK, from North East to the South West of England, the West Highlands to the West of Wales.

I often wrote about my journeys and below I’ve included links to my favourite stories.Treading uneven Ground, Ten Reasons why I love Walking Slow Ways, A Walk with Dima for Refugee Week, Hastings to Rye: a journey through photos, Soundtrack to Slow Ways: the North East, How NOT to walk, Canvey Island to Southend-on-Sea: a Slow Ways journey and Mountains, midges and secret lochs.

A Slower Way in Marseille

I recently spent a few months alone in Marseille in the South of France - working, writing and but mostly wandering around aimlessly. Marseille is an incredible city home to some of the warmest and kindest people I've ever known. My last story at Slow Ways was based on what a walking network in the city might look like. Click here to have a read.

Website Launch: Portrait of the South Downs
 
I’m very happy to announce that I’d now completed by Portrait of the South Downs project! During the spring and summer of 2022, I met, interviewed and photographed people from all walks of life about their unique and personal connections to the South Downs National Park as part of my New Perspectives project "Portrait of the South Downs." Discover these stories via photography, audio, writing and film on my project website here.
 
It was also super enjoyable to work with film-maker Luke Baker once again. Luke brought to life the story of Sussex-based artist and illustrator Pearl Bates through his short film which you can watch here. This project was funded by the South Downs National Park Authority and Campaign for National Parks as part of New Perspectives.

Living London Recommends

Read:
 
Solito by Javier Zamora
 
“We’ve been walking since noon. One p.m. Two p.m. We watch for police and soldiers coming down the road. Not the main highway we were on, a different route, fewer cars, fewer towns, Coyote said. We’ve been on this road for hours. It’s still asphalt, but there’s dirt on both sides, cactuses, bushes, but no trees for shade.”
 
A young poet tells the story of his harrowing migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this memoir.
 
Crying in the H Mart
 
“If dreams were hidden wishes, why couldn’t I dream of my mother the way I wanted? Why was it that whenever she appeared she was still sick, as if I could not remember her the way she’d been before? I wondered if my memory was stunted, if my dreams were consigned to the epoch of trauma, the image of my mother stuck where we had left off. Had I forgotten her when she was beautiful?”
 
A memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity.

Visit

Fulham Palace Walled Garden - a beautiful garden to visit this time of year!
Goldsmiths CAA -  Located on the campus of Goldsmiths, University of London, Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art is London’s newest contemporary arts institution, and open to everyone.
Turkish Bath Hamam - my favourite place to unwind in the city.

ON BELONGING
My book is back in stock again! Thanks to everyone who has bought/ shared a copy! If you like, you can leave a review on Good Reads. ^_^ 
 

“I hugely endorse this book! I find the world of tour guiding fascinating! Saira has a unique and beguiling take on the subject (and much more besides)”

— Matt Brown, Editor, Londonist

On Belonging, Reflections of a Renegade Guide  

Returning to Lahore after almost a decade, wandering guide and community worker Saira Niazi reflects on what it means to belong on both a personal and a universal level.

In a series of personal essays on topics including exploration, love, faith, transience, mental health and being a woman of colour, Niazi shares her strange and unlikely journey towards becoming a wandering guide. She draws upon the stories, experiences, and insights of the extraordinary people she has met along the way, from monks and mudlarks to storytellers and scientists, and celebrates the many different kinds of beautiful lives that exist. 

Buy a Copy

COMMISSION ME!

Thanks to everyone who's come along to a wandering tour in the last few years! They've been few and far apart but I've loved working in partnership with UCL, Thames 21 and The South Downs National Park authority to deliver tours and experiences for lovely people! 

I'm once again going back to freelancing - as such, I'm open to new projects and commissions in the areas of: writing, bespoke tours, social media, community engagement, research, photography, and more! Get in touch at info@livinglondon.org!

And lastly... I'm going back to school.....

AZIZ SCHOLARSHIP: MA Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths
 
This autumn, after over a decade, I’ve returned to Goldsmiths to study for a masters degree in Creative and Life Writing. It’s long been a dream of mine to explore my passion and to dedicate time and space to develop my craft.
 
I love writing and to be given an opportunity to spend a year creating new work, being part of a writing community, meeting and learning from authors from all walks of life, reading books and reconnecting with my faith in the place I first found belonging and sisterhood if the greatest blessing I could've been offered at this time in my life.

I’m so grateful to have received a scholarship from the Aziz Foundation to undertake this learning. The Aziz Foundation scholarships are aimed at those who wish to advance in their careers and bring positive change to their communities and beyond. I’m hoping this course will act as a catalyst for me to complete writing projects and to give back to my community through creating and delivering writing experiences which I hope will better enable people from all walks of life, in particular British Muslims/ BPOC to tell their own stories in their own words. 

Thanks a lot for reading this too long newsletter. Hope to see you at another wandering soon!
Saira x

5 Ways to Embed the Magic of Play Into Your Everyday Life

I really enjoyed writing the below post post for the wonderful Colomba

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Nothing brings me more joy than inspiring others to seek out the magical possibilities that my city holds. As a renegade guide and founder of Living London, I love to embed play and a sense of lightness in everything I do.

We all feel stuck and unmotivated sometimes; even more so now during these trying times. When each day easily feels like the last, play can act as a powerful tool, bringing joy, intrigue and inspiration into our everyday lives. From rediscovering your local area, to losing yourself in the recesses of your own colourful imagination – here are five ways you can brighten up your days through the magic of play.

Click here to discover some of the ways I use play to brighten up my life on Colomba’s blog!

Rediscovering the Magic of Play

“Satisfaction of one's curiosity is one of the greatest sources of happiness in life.” — Linus Pauling

Redirection in the Pandemic

No one can deny that the last twelve months have had a considerable impact on our inner and outer lives. The pandemic has caused many of us to stop, reflect and redirect our journeys.   

As a guide, community worker and founder of the Living London project, last year brought with it significant changes. Pre-pandemic, my life consisted of constantly being on the move and working on a myriad of projects at any given time. I would spend my days undertaking recces, leading tours and workshops, organizing talks and community events, collecting stories, writing and photographing my explorations. Nothing gives me more joy than bringing people together and bringing places to life through storytelling and sharing anecdotes of the wondrous individuals and communities that render them special.

My work, which has long been rooted in exploration, connection, play and evoking within others a sense of curiosity, wonder and belonging (to both people and place) feels more important and needed now than ever before. As we eventually come out of this difficult and isolating period, the need for connection and exploration will be so much greater- and our appreciation for it, even more so.  

At the start of the first lockdown my life felt like it had come to a standstill. I cancelled all my tours. The commissions I had been working on during the months prior had all been postponed. I began shielding in order to protect my elderly father with whom I was living with at the time. I rarely used public transport, met up with friends or left my local area. I got a freelance job with a friend Virginia who runs Lambeth Larder (a community interest company) that connects local people to emergency food and information. I felt immensely grateful that I was able to keep myself busy, continue to earn an income and be part of a meaningful project. But I also felt loss and sadness. 2020 was the year I had finally dedicated to working on my business full-time. Instead, I once again had to go back to the drawing board and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I missed living London. I missed the sense of community and social interaction. I missed the freedom of exploring costume stores and quirky galleries and magical museums. I missed meeting scientists and filmmakers and explorers. I missed bringing people together and watching as unlikely friendships formed. London was my stomping ground. The streets and spaces that were always there for me, were no longer accessible.      

All of a sudden, the things I most loved about living in London began to fade – exploring hidden gems and talking to strangers, bringing people together freely and experiencing serendipitous encounters. What I most love about London are the serendipitous encounters that would frequently occur. Those chats you’d have in unlikely places; the library, the market, a secret garden or place of worship. During the pandemic, these encounters became few and far between and were clouded in a certain darkness. I met an undertaker in a cemetery one afternoon whilst out for a wander. He approached me, and relayed his experiences of work during the first wave. He talked about the number of dead bodies he had handled. I remember feeling a sense of dread the whole time he was talking to me – was he standing too close? Should I say something? No longer were these kinds of exchanges easy and that made me very sad. I wondered what London would like on the other side of the crisis and how people would relate and interact with one another.   

During this challenging time, I rediscovered the magic of play and the imagination. I would cycle to the lake at Tooting Common at sunrise before work. I would watch the birds. I would gaze up at the clouds. I would scoot down hills and along waterways.  I would read a lot of wondrous fiction. I would escape through my writing. I leaned into the solitude. In a strange way, I felt like a child again. Although my world felt as though it was closing in on me in many ways, and I felt stuck and uncertain, play provided me with joy, relief and a presence that kept me going.  

Playtime in a Palace

In a strange twist of fate, just over a month ago in the midst of a pandemic and a few weeks before the latest lockdown was announced, I moved into a historic house in a suburban London village. In a short time, the residents of the manor have become a family to me. I’m once again relearning magic of living London. I’m rediscovering why I began. Once again, I’m doing all the things I love – community building, collecting stories, exploring, writing and photography – but within a strange time capsule or micro-universe. Cut off from the rest of the world, and surrounded by inspiration.

Life in the House feels transient, unreal and joyous. There are three other residents living in this eccentric palatial home at this time – Juan, his son Pedro and Tamer. Julia, a volunteer often works at the House too. The House is home to unique, down to earth and thoroughly contemporary individuals with stories as strange and wondrous as the house itself. There is Juan, the Godfather of the House.  Juan is a guide, a storyteller, a writer and an explorer. He’s funny and wise and humble. Originally from Colombia, he’s lived a hundred lives in a hundred places. His son Pedro is seventeen years old and attends a French college. He’s an aspiring film-maker who grew up in Madrid and read Kafka at the age of nine. He’s so intelligent and worldly and curious. He takes an interest in everything. Then there’s Tamer. Tamer walked to the UK from Syria when he was sixteen years old. He’s hardworking, charismatic and ambitious. He looks after the garden at the House and everyone around him. He’s selfless and possesses a warmth and kindness rooted in gratitude. Lastly, there’s Julia, a talented photographer and creative, who was born and grew up in Siberia. She’s interesting and interested in most things, especially stories and people. Sometimes, others become temporary residents, like my little sister Noreen – a self-described chronic in-betweener. The house holds a million and one stories, and the ones that are most appealing and interesting to me- are the ones that are being lived out now in the pandemic. 

It often feels like playtime in the House. We eat together, we go for long walks in the common, we watch world movies, we paint, we play heads up (which is similar to charades). We play (torture) the piano and the hand accordion and sometimes indulge in amateur theatrics. We try to scare each other in the dark chapel at midnight and in shadowy corners. We make fun of each other in the way friends and family members do. When it snowed, we rushed to the garden. We danced to the sound of Syrian music. We had a snow fight on our way to Tesco’s. Pedro and Tamer made snow angels out front. In some ways, its owing to the pandemic that we have had this opportunity and (more essentially) time to come together, connect and play and for our lives to have collided in the unexpected ways they have. Play has brought us together, it has made us present and kindled light in the parts of us which had in the last year seen mostly darkness.

Creativity, Exploration and Play

In a room in my flat there is a cupboard that leads to a secret chapel. It’s said to be haunted. When I first moved in, I was convinced that it was, and that the flat I was staying in was too. For the first few weeks, I experienced what can only be described as paranormal activity – the lights would flicker, I’d hear banging noises, appliances went haywire, I found a needle sticking out of my slipper and every night, without fail, I would stir at 3am. Covid 19 was no longer my primary concern. Nowadays I’ve found ways to feel more at home, even if I have to share my space with a spirit/ ghost.  

What I like most about living in a Historical House, is being able to explore different spaces after a year of being confined to a cluttered room. I’ve never had a room to call my own, I’ve never had anywhere to put my stuff. I’ve not really had much stuff as a result. Maybe this is one of the reasons I spent most of my life seeking and finding home in unlikely spaces across London. Moving in was so simple. I brought a suitcase full of clothes and books and adjusted very easily. The House felt like my new stomping ground. Houses are private places where we can be ourselves, where we can play and be of service. In the early weeks, I would read in the beautiful garden. At night, I’d sort through old letters and photos in the archive office. I recorded rare books in a database in the music room. I’d meditate in the chapel on rainy days. One day the owner of the House, a kind and immensely interesting man named Adam came bounding in through my wardrobe. I barely know him but I know he’s a really good man, generous and worldly. His wife, Nelly, is an artist and has a wonderful sense of humour and eye for unexpected beauty.

Life in the village itself is wildly different from life in Tooting. It’s an affluent area, it feels quieter and more subdued. Wandering around I overhear all sorts of conversations, a woman relay her day’s schedule to her dog, another talks about spending Christmas in Suffolk. I watch the children splash in puddles. The House will sadly be sold and we will all move on and knowing this, that our time together is so transient and so specific (in a pandemic/ at a time of increased isolation) – makes every day more special.

Living London and Play

Play is at the heart of Living London, and my journey towards becoming a renegade guide. I’ve learnt to embed play and a sense of lightness in everything I do. I’ve learnt to see exploring and creating, as a form of play. Playing is writing ridiculous poems rooted in the absurd every day. It’s mudlarking by the Thames foreshore at sunrise and counting the planes at London City Airport. It’s spending the afternoon in an artist friend’s studio with clay and colourful cut-outs, it’s molding and sticking. It’s singing embarrassing pop songs on a country hike, it’s looking out for odd cherubs on the rooftops along Havelock Walk. It’s going through racks and racks of fantastical dreamy costumes and masks at the National Theatres’ Costume Store housed in a massive warehouse in Oval. Play is the joy of exploring the recesses of your own weird imagination. There’s something so special about doing things simply for the sake of joy and to satisfy your curiosity. It’s more important to preserve our mental health and to find relief in the simple things during the heavy and uncertain times we’re currently living through.

Creation comes from play – during the times we feel the least inhibited and free, those are times during which we find inspiration, we let go – of judgments (others and our own), of our worries and anxieties. We become present and are able to connect with moments with ease. Since moving into the House, I’ve experienced more joy and laughter than I’ve experienced during the whole of last year and I’m looking to channeling my newly found learnings and experiences into my work. 

To purchase my book, On Belonging, Reflections of a Renegade Guide (which includes a chapter on Play) visit: www.livinglondon.org/books

September Newsletter

Hello there! 

Autumn is fast approaching - soon golden leaves will begin to scatter and the days will shorten. As we navigate the on-going changes that have emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic, I hope you're finding ways to cope and to take care of yourself and those around you. Change often brings about an awareness of the systems around us, many of which we are discovering more and more are flawed, broken even. We are more aware than ever before of the crisis's our world is facing - from climate change and food insecurity to widespread unemployment.

Times of crisis never fail to present new opportunities to re-imagine, to rebuild and to revolutionize. We are coming to realise that things can't go on has they have done. More and more, we are beginning to take personal responsibility for the way we live our lives, the way we treat and relate to each other and the world we temporarily inhabit. It is during these uncertain and difficult times, we find our need for connection to spaces, stories, solutions and communities, even greater. Read on for news, recommendations, tour dates, and projects. 

Living London wandering tours will resume from October 1st 2020. In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic I have specially selected and carried out risk assessment for upcoming wandering tours. Living London will mitigate against possible risks to ensure the safety and well-being of the guide, attendees and members of the public. Each wandering will take place outdoors and groups will be limited to a number of 10 people per walking tour. After much thought and consideration, I decided it best to start running my tours again. I hope they will offer attendees a sense of belonging, connection and possibility during these trying times. 

The Department of Culture, Media and Sports have confirmed that guided tours can go ahead according to clause 2.2.2 of the Government Coronavirus Guidance; “Guided tours of up to 30 people may take place indoors or outdoors provided businesses undertake risk assessments in line with this guidance document and put any necessary mitigations in place.” For more information and guidance on Living London walking tours during this time, click here.

Upcoming Tours

Secret Gardens Wandering, Saturday 3rd October - 11am - 1.30pm

Explore some of London’s beautiful secret gardens and find out the stories behind them! We’ll be visiting some very special gardens on this wandering, including the imaginative and dreamy St Dunstan-in-the-East church garden, a hidden community garden with a little library, and Cross Bones, an old burial ground for paupers and prostitutes recently made into a community garden, a moving place of remembrance.

Secret Canal-Side Wandering, Sunday 11th October - 11am - 1:30pm

Join me for an autumnal canal-side wander from Warwick Avenue to Westbourne Park. Along the way we’ll be visiting London’s oldest gardening centre Clifton Nurseries, wandering through the whimsical Meanwhile Community Gardens and taking in Erno Goldfinger’s iconic Trellick Tower. I’ll be sharing stories of the people and communities that make the spaces so special and connect each hidden space to a dozen others, giving you an insight into some of London’s hidden communities.
 

Sunset Riverside Wandering, Saturday 31st October, 5.30pm - 7.30pm

Explore Greenwich Peninsula at sunset on this wondrous and cosmic riverside wandering and hear stories of the people and places that make the area so interesting. Along the way we’ll be following The Line sculpture trail, seeking out ‘A Bullet from a Shooting Star’ and ‘Quantum Cloud,’ we'll look out for birds in the area surrounding Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park as well seals in the Thames. We’ll end at Thames Barrier, one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world. 

Each wandering will take place on a monthly basis until further notice. To book onto to an above tour, click here.

Earlier this year, I began working with Virginia, Director of Lambeth Larder an amazing and important social enterprise. Lambeth Larder connects people to emergency food and other support by producing free resources. We don't have food, but we do have information to share.

During the Covid-19 crisis, we will be updating the Lambeth Larder website regularly to help support local people and groups. Get in touch if you'd like to work with us, or want more information or have information to share. For more information, click here. 

Writing/ Book Projects

I'm glad to announce that I will hopefully be releasing my latest book towards the end of this month! Apologies for the delay! In addition to working on On Belonging, I've also compiled a book of poetry entitled London Wanderings and re-edited my first novel Freegan Freedom and book of short stories Between a Reverie and a Hard Place. I'm hoping to self-publish and release London Wanderings later on in the year and the other two books next year. Over the years I've written so many books, mostly out of the sheer enjoyment of writing. Much of my work remains unshared, but more recently I've decided to change that. I'm so happy to have finally gotten to the stage where I've enough time to revisit and develop old projects. Watch this space!

On Belonging, Reflections of a Renegade Guide  

Returning to Lahore after almost a decade, wandering guide and community worker Saira Niazi reflects on what it means to belong on both a personal and a universal level.

In a series of personal essays on topics including exploration, love, faith, transience, mental health and being a woman of colour, Niazi shares her strange and unlikely journey towards becoming a wandering guide. She draws upon the stories, experiences, and insights of the extraordinary people she has met along the way, from monks and mudlarks to storytellers and scientists, and celebrates the many different kinds of beautiful lives that exist. 

Product Remixed Podcast: Curiosity and Community with Saira Niazi

I really enjoyed talking curiosity, creativity and community with a the lovely Frances, a senior product manager from San Francisco for her amazing new podcast - Product Remix. Click here to listen to the full interview.

In this episode, we chat with Saira Niazi -  the founder of Living London, a platform featuring London’s hidden gems through workshops, tours, and a blog. Saira is also a community worker and a writer of a forthcoming book! I first met Saira in London back in 2018, where she showed me an insider, authentic look at London. I can’t wait for you all to meet Saira. ⁣⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
Stay tuned to hear about:⁣⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
- How Saira started Living London, and what exactly is a wandering⁣⁠⠀
- The role of curiosity in creativity ⁣⁠⠀
- The power of story and building true connection⁣⁠⠀
- How builders (tech or otherwise) can start getting to know their communities better⁣

Nowhere Trails

Over the last six weeks, I've found myself wandering, writing and (v remote) working from different places in the UK. Having been shielding since March, it was really nice to traverse open spaces, discover hidden lonely gems and to find alternative ways to get around. I'm hoping to create a series of 'nowhere' trails that cover lesser known and lesser frequented parts of the UK, from empty stretches of chalk downs, to sparse beaches and forgotten stretches of the Grand Union canal. Watch this space!

BENK + BO: One Day

One Day is an ongoing project sparked by the Covid-19. In the days of isolation we would like to focus on what we do best; bringing people together. We will continue to post One Day every Wednesday going forward. See our instagram stories to experience these peoples One Day in action. For more click here and to discover some amazing stories.

Earlier on this summer, I shared a day in my life during lock-down with Benk + Bo together with some words on what I do as part of their amazing One Day series. For the full interview, click here.

A text, song or film that everyone should experience.
Searching for Sugarman – a really interesting and beautifully made documentary on two fans search for Detroit based musician Rodriguez. Rodriguez’ story has inspired me to do things out of joy and love, and to live freely without having too many expectations. 

What is the story behind your profession/ passion? 
I’ve always been loved exploring London’s hidden gems, talking to different people, and collecting and sharing stories through writing, photography and storytelling. Years ago, I founded a blog called Living London. Through my blog, I would document my unlikely explorations of spaces – from underground temples to eco- squats. Shortly after, I decided to lead tours that would connect hidden gems in different areas across London and bring them to life through storytelling and sharing anecdotes of people and place. In addition to the tours, I began to organise a variety of events and creative workshops, all of which were rooted in exploration and community. I think it’s really important to amplify diverse voices and to celebrate the work of pioneers seeking to create positive change and I try to do this wherever I can.         

How do you want people to react to your work / passion? 
I guess I would like people to come away from a tour or an event feeling a sense of connection, warmth and belonging. My tours and events have always sought to be genuinely inclusive – I love to bring people together from all walks of life, to evoke a sense of possibility and wonder.

Your greatest achievement? 
I recently finished writing a book of personal essays whilst in Lahore called On Belonging, Reflections of a Renegade Guide. I feel like the book is a culmination of ten years of learnings. In my book, I share my unlikely and layered journey towards becoming a guide. I also share stories of the people I’ve met and celebrate the many different beautiful kinds of life that exist. 

What traits do you treasure in other people? 
Curiosity and kindness.

Living London Recommends:

Watch: Extinction: The Facts With a million species at risk of extinction, David Attenborough explores how this crisis of biodiversity has consequences for us all, including putting us at greater risk of pandemic diseases. A really eye-opening documentary, that ends on a hopeful note. 

Book: A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a "Course in Miracles" Marianne Williamson People are taught to be separate from one another and to compete to get ahead, that they are not good enough the way they are. This work provides a spiritual travel guide back to the truth people were born with and and shows how to accept back into their hearts the love that has been denied. I'm recently rereading this book, it's uplifting, hopeful and full of stories and spiritual gems. It makes for good reading during trying times. 

Articles:

At 31, I have just weeks to live. Here's what I want to pass on, Elliot Dallen

'But everybody dies, and there will always be places and experiences missing from anyone’s life – the world has too much beauty and adventure for one person to see.'

Big Wolf & Little Wolf: A Tender Tale of Loneliness, Belonging, and How Friendship Transforms Us

'We spend our lives trying to discern where we end and the rest of the world begins. There is a strange and sorrowful loneliness to this, to being a creature that carries its fragile sense of self in a bag of skin on an endless pilgrimage to some promised land of belonging.'

On Despair and the Imagination

'We could go and look up a few old and trusted friends and suggest that we all live together in an unconventional small and supportive commune. We can rid ourselves of the toxic values we grew up with and become – in the best way – outcasts and eccentrics.' 
 
Explore your Neighbourhood! 

Have you discovered any hidden outdoor gems or traversed new walking routes lately? I would love to hear and share your wandering stories! Please send your findings to info@livinglondon.org. Lately I've taken to cycling around London and have discovered lots of hidden green routes. 

Thanks for reading and hope to see you at a wandering tour soon! 

Stay Safe and Well! 
Saira x

Newsletter

Hello, 

It's been a while. I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and spirits. Since I sent out my last email at the beginning of the year, the world has changed profoundly and so have our lives. The pandemic that has spread across the world, has caused many of us to look inwards as well as outwards and to reflect on our losses - for some of us, that may include the loss of our livelihoods, our routines, our connections and our exciting plans for the immediate future- for others the losses incurred have been far weightier, with many of us and those around us losing loved ones. To those people, I offer my heartfelt condolences.  

As a tour guide and a community worker, it's been a difficult time to navigate, to plan and to take action. I'm unsure of when I'll be able to run tours and events again, but in the meantime, like many of you, I'm doing what I can to stay positive and to adapt where I can. Read on for news and updates.

Living London stands against racism and inequality. The tragic killing of George Floyd has sparked global conversations and action against racism and injustice towards black people. Racism and racial inequalities are not just an ‘American problem’ but are endemic in the UK too. The nationwide solidarity shown in response to action from the Black Lives Matter movement highlights a growing awareness of the importance of standing together to challenge racism and social injustice in society.

Living London was initially created from a desire to deliver tours across London that were genuinely inclusive, promoted connection and understanding, celebrated diverse cultures and provided access to community spaces. We will continue to do everything we can to speak out against injustice, amplify voices and calls to nonviolent action and to share stories - in love, hope and solidarity. 

City of Refugees: in conversation

Join us from your home for an evening of sharing stories, cultures and culinary concepts, as part of Refugee Week 2020.

Saira Niazi, founder of Living London, will be joined in conversation by Tamer and Yusuf, two extraordinary Syrian refugees who will be sharing their journeys, and how they came to make London their home. We will be sharing footage of Tamer’s arduous journey, and hearing how Yusuf used his culinary skills to connect with other refugees.

You can join in the discussion live on Twitter - send your questions using the hashtag #cityofrefugees. 16th June, 6.30pm. For more information and to stream the event visit: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london/whats-on/city-refugees-conversation?id=262209

Hosted by the Museum of London as part of Refugee Week 2020

Earlier this year, I spent a few months in Lahore. During my time in the city, I began writing a book of personal essays on belonging. I'm super excited and overjoyed to announce that I have completed the book. It will hopefully be released at the end of summer. More details below. Above postcard design credit: Lisa Rahman 

On Belonging, Reflections of a Tour Guide  

Returning to Lahore after almost a decade, wandering guide and community worker Saira Niazi reflects on what it means to belong on both a personal and a universal level.

In a series of personal essays on topics including exploration, love, faith, transience, mental health and being a woman of colour, Niazi shares her strange and unlikely journey towards becoming a wandering guide. She draws upon the stories, experiences, and insights of the extraordinary people she has met along the way, from monks and mudlarks to storytellers and scientists, and celebrates the many different kinds of beautiful lives that exist. OUT SOON. 

Explore your Neighbourhood! 

Have you discovered any hidden outdoor gems or traversed new walking routes during lockdown? I would love to hear and share your wandering stories in the next newsletter! Please send your findings to info@livinglondon.org

Open to New Opportunities!

Owing to the pandemic, like many guides, I've lost a lot of work over the last few months. As a result, I'm looking to take on new commissions in areas of creative communications, community engagement, consultation and research! If you have a project that you'd like to discuss please get in touch at saira_niazi@hotmail.co.uk! You can see examples of my work on website: https://www.livinglondon.org/services 

Living London Recommends:

Podcast: The Low Season is a podcast about tour guides navigating a pandemic. We don't get up-close, but we do get personal with tour guides from all over the world; documenting their highs, lows, hopes and fears, as they face an uncertain future.
https://open.spotify.com/show/0VUEIpZ6oMOP9QV4KjAG6s

Book: Wanderland, Jini Reddy. Propelled by the memory and after years of dreaming about it, Jini Reddy dares to delve into the 'wanderlands' of Britain, heading off in search of the magical in the landscape. A London journalist with multicultural roots and a perennial outsider, she determinedly sets off on this unorthodox path. Serendipity and her inner compass guide her around the country in pursuit of the Other and a connection to Britain's captivating natural world. Where might this lead? And if you know what it is to be Othered yourself, how might this colour your experiences? And what if, in invoking the spirit of the land, 'it' decides to make its presence felt?

Articles:

Fighting the racism that killed George Floyd requires more than hashtags - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/02/white-people-racism-george-floyd?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 
The Melancholy Charm of Lonely Travelling Places - https://www.theschooloflife.com/thebookoflife/the-charm-of-lonely-places/  
I flew to Greece and began solo IVF. Then the world shut down - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/16/i-flew-to-greece-and-began-solo-ivf-then-the-world-shut-down

Thank you 

Regarding cancelled tours and workshops over the last few months, I just want to say a massive thank you for your understanding and for your continued support. I hope to see you on a wandering tour in the not too distant future!

Thanks for reading,
Saira 

30 things I’ve learnt in 30 years

1.      Take care of yourself. Take care of your mental, spiritual and physical health. Good health is one of the greatest blessings you can have, it’s a crown on the head of the healthy, that only the sick can see. Having suffered from ill health for many years and battled through, I appreciate my health so much. Take care of yourself- we’re only given one body, one mind, one soul - & one life on earth. 

2.      Understand that you absolutely can change who you are, where you’re going and what you want, mostly at any given time. It’s rarely too late.

3.      Find happiness and seek beauty in simple things, the sunrise over a lake, a smile, the breeze, a book, laughter, a swim, a wander, people watching at a café, a good night’s sleep…. 

4.      Give back. Sometimes I feel like being a community worker and committing myself to the service of others, is my only saving grace. What I gain in return from the people I work for, often those living on the fringes, is far greater than what I give (I gain perspective, inspiration, stories, love & boundless hope). Give freely -without expectation, humble yourself before others.

5.      Don’t let the bastards grind you down. If you’re a woman of colour, this is especially relevant/ important (even more so if you’re visibly Muslim). Being a ‘minority’ is great on so many levels, but it’s also really goddamn hard. We live in an injustice world, where discrimination is rife- and often the system is designed to make you fail. You have to work twice as hard to prove your worth, you’re constantly judged, overlooked or underestimated. On top of that, you have to put up with unending bullshit from your own community. But despite all this- don’t let the bastards grind down. I’ve been interrogated at airports, escorted onto planes, made to feel less than human by a whole number of institutions, faced immense rejection, endured countless heartbreaks and been deemed a failure by many for not conforming to society’s version of success - and sure it’s taken a while, but I’ve finally learnt how to rise up above it all. Become better, not bitter. You’ll be happier for it. 

6.      Spend time with nature- wander through forests, climb mountains and speak to the sea. Nature equates truth- it possesses the power to heal, to reveal and to bring us back to true ourselves- to our fitrah.   

7.      Don’t be afraid to take risks and to fail, and to fail again. There’s beauty in the struggle. You’ll learn to grow through your failures- each one will bring you closer to where you’re supposed to be. 

8.      Don’t wait around. Don’t wait for your circumstances to change, don’t wait for something to happen or for someone to come along and show you the way. Don’t wait for people who always make you wait. Time is so precious, and life is so short. Don’t wait around.   

9.      Be kind. There are so many lost, lonely and broken individuals in this world- strangers, travelers, elders, our neighbours, sometimes our friends and members of our own family. Be kind to people, you never what anyone is going through at any given time- extend your kindness towards the living creatures we share the planet with and the planet itself.

10.   Disconnect often. In a world where egoism and vanity are rife, have the courage to disconnect often, to be rendered anonymous. Social media really doesn’t mean a whole lot- real connections are far weightier. If you use social media, use your platforms to inspire and to encourage. Be mindful of what you put out into the world. Sometimes it’s better to be quiet and use that time to work towards your goals. 

11.   Create. Create for enjoyment, because it’s good for your mind and your soul. Create for yourself, for no purpose at all. Over the years, I’ve written so many books, worked on hundreds of projects, undertaken courses in pottery, stained glass, illustration, painting, you name it, for no reason except maybe to learn something new and to have fun. Enjoy the process of creating- it’s enough. It’s okay if you never become a published author or a renowned artist. Your work is still valid, beautiful and worthy.

12.   Remove people from your life who are constantly negative, who constantly complain, who belittle you, disrespect you, hurt you and make you feel small. Remove toxic people, unapologetically, from your life. The dark clouds will clear away, the light will catch… watch as it spreads…

13.   Be alone often. I’ve always been a bit of a loner/ outsider at heart – it’s something I’ve learnt to embrace. Being alone gives you time to work on yourself and on the things that bring you joy. Find peace in solitude and you’ll remain free, self-sufficient and grounded.

14.   Age before beauty- growing is good, growth is good. don’t be afraid to grow up. Working with older people puts so much in perspective. The older we get, often the better we become, we become happier, wiser, more comfortable in our skin and accepting of our quirks. There’s much to look forward too! Think seated Tai Chi class and banter with pals, think a freedom pass and an end in sight.  

15.   Don’t lose yourself for another, don’t try to dilute and change who you are so you become more acceptable to another, don’t compromise your values and your sense of self for another.

16.   Love what you do. Do what you love. If you haven’t found what that is, keep looking… Sometimes you have to do a lot of things you don’t like, to finally arrive at what you do like.  I’ve gone through more jobs in the last 10 years than a lot of people do in a lifetime- I’ve been a lumberjack, forager, drug peddler, paper- pusher, play worker, comms officer, dino shop girl, duck shop girl, dinner lady, tour guide, team leader – the list goes on…. Do what brings you meaning and peace. Know that progress is not linear. Sometimes you have to go back ten steps, only then to realise that you missed the turning that was meant for you, and even then, nothing lasts forever (and that’s okay).

17.   Forgive yourself, forgive others, let go, move on.

18.   Have the courage to be disliked.

19.   Live somewhere else. It will open your mind. I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunity to live in some very different places. From Lahore to Busan, each place I’ve lived in, has opened my eyes, and taught me a thousand things about the world, others and myself. Be a stranger somewhere, lose yourself in translation, you’ll find out who you really are, without your words, away from home, away from everything and everyone you know. Abandon your false sense of security and traverse borders. It will humble you. It’s also really worthwhile to spend time in your ancestral homeland/ place your parents were born and grew up (if you can)– it will instill within you a sense of respect, understanding and gratitude.

20.   Get to know different kinds of people, of different ages, and backgrounds, from different parts of the world. They’ll open your mind to so many new ideas, perspectives and ways of life.

21.   Allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling. If you’re happy, feel happy and don’t feel guilty for it. Similarly, if you’re sad, feel sad. Know that feelings come and go.  

22.   Your past does not define you.

23.   Be grateful, always. Sometimes you have to take a step back, recognize where you’ve come from and celebrate where you are (wherever that may be.) We have a million things to be grateful for- the air we breathe, the clouds, water, sustenance, earth. Be grateful.

24.   Use your free time wisely.

25.   Don’t give up on life, on love, on miracles and magic. It’s easy to become cynical and jaded, it takes courage to have hope and it takes strength to keep believing in goodness. Keep going, especially when the going gets tough. Cultivate what you seek and work towards a life you envision for yourself. Things are constantly in flux, if you’re going through difficult times, know that your circumstances aren’t forever. You’ll overcome/ heal/ learn and be stronger for it  

26.   Your life is your own, don’t give it all away- keep your secrets and your most treasured memories to yourself. To date my most tragic, magical, life-changing and heart-breaking memories have remained unshared. In a world in which we give so much of ourselves away, both in the real world and on the internet, it’s more important than ever to have things for yourself – to seek solace, realness and understanding in your own memories and experiences. Don’t share the secrets of your shadow self either (we all have one). One day you might find those you confided in, those closest to you have become distant strangers, and you’ll have to live with the knowledge that they know certain things about you. Better yet, to practice self-preservation- you’ll be internally richer and more secure for it. 

27.   Choose your friends wisely. Your friends can raise you up or bring you down. They can make you feel alone, or as though you belong. They can enrich your life or deplete your energy. Pick your friends wisely, because friendship isn’t something you can or should easily abandon. Choose to be friends with people who make you feel blessed and happy to be alive, people who are appreciative, original and have a sense of humour. They’re gold.

28.   Be present- the present is all we have; the past is gone, and the future is a mirage in a desert with no name. Nothing is promised to you, ask yourself often, if this was my last day on earth what would I be doing? How would I be living? Let the answers guide you. 

29.   Know yourself, accept yourself, be true to yourself and love yourself. It takes courage to love yourself. We’re so deeply flawed, so wracked with insecurities and riddled by our own unique and often troublesome idiosyncrasies. Despite this- give yourself a break and learn to love yourself. Our imperfections make us who we are – they make us human.

30.   Stay close to God – to your purpose, to your beginning and your end. Life is transient- things come and go, people come and go, but God is always with you- in a very real way- stay close to God and trust His plan for you. No matter how distant you’ve become and how impossible it feels, it’s never too late to reconnect. This is the most important thing I’ve learnt and continue to learn.

Where Will Walking Take You?

Wandering Hackney: A Walking Guide

Wrote this piece for Ace Hotel. Click here for the full illustrated article.

Ace Hotel London Shoreditch
Words & Photography by Saira Niazi

A city is a living thing. How one traverses and learns its multi-layered, urban landscape should be an exercise in movement, an active call and response with the ground we walk on. Saira Niazi knows this. So well, in fact, that she might as well show you. Here, the London-native unlocks her city and recounts her peripatetic wanderings in amber, looking back and ahead at the possibility of place. From the colorful murals vibrantly tinged with political dissent to the community gardens that trellis their way around the familiar glow of street market stalls, Niazi takes us on her “renegade” tour of a city “forever in flux, where old and new are never far apart.”

I’ve spent much of my life wandering around London, often with no destination in mind and without a real purpose, except maybe to discover a new place or two, and to get to better know the city I call home.

My wanderings across London have led to me to unusual places — from burial grounds and bus garages to sewage works and costume stores. I’ve gotten on night buses to nowhere, hiked through remote edgelands, among broken ships, mudflats and heaps of trash. I’ve explored abandoned factories, desolate lakes and deserted museums, searched for treasure along the foreshore of the Thames at sunrise and counted planes taking off from Heathrow runways at twilight. I’ve tarried in temples and churches, mosques and synagogues — sometimes seeking home, but mostly just seeking a place to be for a while. On my journeys I’ve met and befriended a multitude of interesting characters; elders, urban explorers, artists, storytellers, spiritual gurus, filmmakers, activists, mudlarks, even a lighthouse keeper.

I learn so much about the city and myself through my explorations, through unearthing secret spaces and talking to the strangers that render them so special. I love exploring, and more than that, I love penning and photographing my findings.

London, a city forever in flux, where old and new are never far apart, where often identity is fluid, social, racial and class boundaries blur, and people connect and come together in unlikely spaces.

There’s no place that quite reflects London’s spirit of openness than Hackney, a colourful, diverse, fast-changing area, full of unexpected hidden gems.

Hackney, in my opinion, is a place where it’s easy to fit in, whoever you are and wherever you’re from.

One of my favourite wanderings is my Secret Dalston Wandering. Being a “renegade” guide, it’s a walk I embark on very regularly with people from different parts of the world. It never gets old and it embodies the aspects of the London that I love and live.

My wandering begins just outside the Hackney Peace Carnival Mural, a colourful mural created in 1985 by Ray Walker, based on a composition from the parade that took place in 1983. The image has a political message and shows the unity of the diverse and jubilant crowd against the a-bomb.

I often wait for my guests on a bench facing the mural. It’s conveniently located just outside the first stop of my walk. Dalston Eastern Curve Garden is a pretty community garden built on the derelict site of the old Eastern Railway line. The garden offers vital green space in a built-up urban area where many of its residents live in high-rise flats. The garden operates as a social enterprise with the profits from the on-site cafe going towards sustaining the garden. It’s a place where people come together for chat, where local school children learn about food growing and ecology or you can just sit and have a think by the fireplace. The colourful African fabrics used to decorate the wooden pavilion have been sourced from the local Ridley Road market and the comfy second-hand sofas have been found in unlikely places.

The next stop on my wandering is Ridley Road Market. I love Ridley Road Market. Operating since 1880, it presently has over 150 stalls with produce from all parts of the world: fish, vegetables, spices, clothing, herbal medicines — you name it. It’s jovial and diverse and it reflects the world in London. It’s a great place to people watch. I often end up having a chat with a stall holder on my visits. They’re friendly and trusting. One of my favourite stall holders, an elderly Turkish man named Yusuf, often lets me take items when I have no cash and tells me to pay him back whenever I’m around. Street markets are a place where the community come together and connect. They’re places of familiarity and warmth.

The next stop on my walk is Lennie Lee’s technicolour house, I share his story and the story of many other artists, outsiders and unconventional creators who have made unusual homes in London, homes that reflect their lives. Often, they are people I’ve met and traded epiphanies with.

Following visits to other hidden gems, including a pirate ship and the Cathedral of the East End, we stop at the Ramadan Mosque. The mosque — formerly a synagogue — was bought by a Turkish Cypriot businessman in 1977. It’s now managed by his son, Erkin, or “Egg” as he likes to be called. A Hackney boy, born and raised, I’ve gotten to know Egg. Three times he tried to run away from the mosque and his responsibilities, and three times he returned. Married to a Jewish woman, Egg has kept a lot of the features of the Synagogue. He ensures that there’s a different imam leading prayer at the mosque every Friday from different backgrounds to keep it inclusive and open. He would also like to turn the mosque in part, into a multicultural centre of healing. He lends the mosque space to various collectives involved in causes including the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s a fascinating and beautiful building, now sadly in disrepair. There are cats often roaming, and Egg, as well as being the chairman of the mosque, is also an undertaker and his time is often taken up by arranging burials.

I take my guests to a Turkish bakery for a light lunch. We visit another mosque, another church, a park and a cemetery and I share a multitude of strange and interesting stories before the walk ends.

I love being a “renegade” guide. In recent years I’ve made it my mission to share with others London’s hidden wonders and stories, as well as to to encourage people to explore, connect and collaborate, and to get to know the places and people that make their city or corner of the world so special. You never know where a wandering might lead to or what it might teach you — and that’s the beauty of it.

PHOTO COMPETITION! Capture the beautiful, charming and quirky Town Hall Hotel

Love architecture? Love photography? The Town Hall Hotel its opening it’s doors to the public on Sunday 9th June to explore and photograph its secret spaces and wondrous corners as part of a special competition. Photographers will be invited on this day to book a place to attend the event, and to capture the magic, beauty and unique charm of this extraordinary historical building.

The Town Hall, located in Bethnal Green in East London, was opened in 1910, and extended during the 1930s. Its handsome Portland stone façade, a fine example of the baroque Edwardian style, contains an interior of green and white marble, polished teak, ornate plasterwork and art deco furnishings. The hotel is also home to the highly instagrammable Corner Room and the stylish De Montfort Suite.

The competition will be judged by Living London, London Only and Town Hall Hotel.

Prizes: The top three photographs will be be printed, framed and on show in the hotel for six months.

First Prize: The first prize winner will receive a free one night stay complete with dinner for two in the Corner Room.

Second and Third Prize: The second and third prize winners will both receive brunch for two in the Corner Room.

Dates: The Town Hall Hotel will open its doors to photographers on Sunday 9th June, 2pm or 3.30pm. The deadline for entries is Friday 14th June. The winners will be announced on Monday 17th June.

Entry: The competition is free to enter. Book via link in the bio to select a time slot. Please note: there is no admission without tickets due to capacity and logistics on the day. Please only RSVP if you are able to make it and post architectural interiors shots in your gallery.

Terms and Conditions: Only photographs taken on Sunday 9th June will be accepted. The subject must be of or within the Town Hall Hotel. A maximum of one photograph to be entered in the competition per person.

This event is organised by Living London on behalf of the Town Hall Hotel and in partnership with London Only. Find out more about the Town Hall Hotel: https://www.townhallhotel.com/

Huck: The changing face of Tooting Broadway Market

Wrote something for Huck magazine. Click here to have a read.

Solitude, Service and a Return to Nature

Wrote this piece for Muslim Women Connect

Saira Niazi

As I sat there on the train, watching the world go by, I wondered whether I had made the right decision. I was on my way to a small seaside town in Norfolk where I would be living and volunteering at a youth hostel for a few weeks. I hadn’t really given it much thought before arranging it with the hostel manager. I’d just quit my job and I needed some time away to think and I figured that volunteering at a hostel by the coast would be a good a means as any to get away. I’d have enough time to think, but not so much time that I’d drive myself crazy with my thoughts.

The few people I spoke to in London about it, didn’t really understand. They suggested that I go on holiday instead. When I told them that I wasn’t taking my phone or my laptop they were even more confused. I tried to explain that I simply needed some time out, but I don’t think I did a very good job – somethings are quite difficult to communicate- the need to be alone being one of them.

I wanted to disconnect, to reflect and to spend time with my Creator. Again, this isn’t something that’s easy to explain especially to another Muslim. Surely you can spend time with Allah wherever you are, you don’t have to travel to rural England and walk a hundred miles. It’s true, you don’t, but for me it’s always helped.

Since my late teens, I developed a habit of travelling to remote parts of the country. I’d stay a few nights at a youth hostel and spend the days embarking on long solo walks. My wanderings would always bring me a sense of peace, a sense of internal quietude and joy that can only be felt alone in the wild. Nature beckoned, I answered.

My first full day in Norfolk was difficult. I woke up at 6am, prayed fajr, dressed quickly in my catering uniform and went downstairs to start my shift. I served breakfast to over 50 teenagers that morning. I felt like a dinner lady, which wasn’t so bad. After I mopped the kitchen floors,  I had breakfast with the other staff members and changed into the housekeeping uniform. That morning I must’ve cleaned over 20 toilets and showers. It was a pretty grim, but very humbling experience.  Aside from helping maintain my friends Airbnb in South Korea for a few months, I hadn’t done any housekeeping in my life, not on the scale I was expected to do at the hostel. It was hard work and it wasn’t very pleasant.

Once I had gotten through my first shift, I went to room and began to plot how I could get out of this awful predicament I had gotten myself into. I wasn’t sure I could hack two weeks of this. I needed to go for a walk so I  headed to the hills. I spent the next few hours wandering by the coast. The North Sea stretched as far as the eye could see, the sound of the waves were so calming and a few hours into my walk, I’d forgotten all about the unpleasantness of the morning and all my anxieties dissipated. I felt present and connected to the natural world. I remembered Allah. I settled on a deserted beach. I resolved to myself I would stick it out, I’d made a commitment and I would see it through. I would do it for the sake of Allah, as a means of getting close to Him. After all, this was one of the reasons I came.

The next week, I got into a routine. I would work at the hostel from 6am to 12pm, and then I would embark on very long walks, sometimes I’d get the bus to other places. I traversed pine forests and beaches, I’d watch the sunset. It was liberating to be anonymous and alone, to be present in absence. I relished in the fact that I didn’t have social media, that I didn’t have to take photos or post updates on where I was, or what I was doing. That I could be free for a short while. I could live. Some days I’d walk for hours and not come across another human being.

There were times I felt lonely- but the freedom and peace over rid those feelings. With each day that passed, I found it easier to be without. In fact, I was surprised at how easy it was- to disconnect. There were so many benefits to living this way. I found that I was sleeping better. I felt better than I had in a long time. I felt clearer and healthier- physically, spiritually and mentally.

A few weeks on from when I arrived, I found myself back at Liverpool street station, my hiking boots caked in mud, suitcase with scriptures at my side. It was evening rush hour – it was a shock to the system. Pushing through hordes of suits at the station and on the sidewalks, I felt a sense of an unease and dread. Already the clarity and peace I had attained with difficulty felt like it was eroding. Back to London, back to un-reality. I sighed.

There are many things I learnt and relearnt whilst away- I learnt the value of time, the need to be quiet, to be alone. I learnt lessons in humility, in gratitude and grace. For a short time, I gained Taqwa. God consciousness. It felt glorious.

I hope to take heed of the lessons I learnt, and to live better in London- to find ways to retain a sense of peace and connection- whether by embarking a sunrise wandering after fajr in the local park or switching my phone off after working hours. Often, we have a lot more control over the way we live than we think we do. Not only can we survive, but we can thrive by disengaging with the modern world- if not always, then at least sometimes.

Divinc Interview: Wandering Through Hidden Spaces in London with Saira Niazi

DivInc — Tell us a little about how your childhood days, family and dreams of what you wanted to become while growing up.

Saira — I come from quite a big family, I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters. I had a great childhood- my parents often struggled to make ends meet growing up- but we were close knit family and they rarely let us feel as though we were lacking.

I didn’t like secondary school. I had no friends and I’d often bunk off and go exploring. I thought I wanted to be a Geologist because I loved the earth and I loved being outdoors. I went to college on the other side of town to study Geology in A-level but ended up failing and consequently dropping the subject. My tutors told me I would never be able to get into university with only 2 A-levels. I did — and I got into the university I really wanted to go to, (Goldsmiths) where I studied International Relations. I’d always been quite interested in current affairs and history. Growing up in the post 9/11 world as a British Pakistani, I thought it was really important that I learn about the world.

What made you start Living London?

I’ve always really loved exploring. I love learning through my explorations, through the places I go and the people I meet. Living London started out as book project that I started while I was working a 9–5 job that I didn’t enjoy. It became an escape. Through writing and photography, I’d record my journeys to various hidden gems and spaces around the city. Soon enough a few years passed, and I’d gotten to a stage where I’d collected over a thousand places. I decided to start a blog and then had the idea of leading walking tours. I thought it would be nice to be able to share and connect hidden gems in an area and bring them to life through storytelling and anecdotes of people and place. I started out just doing them for fun but soon realised that there was quite a demand for what I was offering, and that I could possibly make a living from Living London.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of starting your own company?

Meeting and working with so many incredible people has definitely been one of the most rewarding aspects of starting my own company. Also, just being able to do what I love, to share my knowledge and stories with others, to give others similar opportunities and get paid for it! This has been enormously rewarding. I really believe in what I do. I think by connecting people to different places, projects and communities, our perceptions of what it means to live in a city as diverse, open and inspirational as London, can be transformed. There are endless possibilities for collaboration and collective growth.

Tell us about three spots in London you would recommend for exploration.

1- The London Wetland Centre in Barnes. It’s a magical wetland nature reserve home to all kinds of birds. It’s a really peaceful spot. You won’t feel like you’re in London.

2- Aziziye Mosque in Dalston. It’s one of the prettiest mosques I’ve ever been too. It used to be a cinema before it was converted. In the basement, there’s a hidden restaurant that serves the best Turkish food in London.

3- Golders Green crematorium, a beautiful and moving place to remembrance. It houses memorials of many famous people who’ve passed including Sigmund Freud and T.S Eliot. There are sprawling gardens surrounding, that are magical all year round.

What is the best advice you ever took?

Be your most authentic self, always.

What challenges did you face while starting your own work and how did you overcome them?

I faced a lot of challenges. Sometimes I’d spend days prepping for a tour and arranging visits to secret places and on the day only one or two people would show up and it was really disheartening. But I’d keep going. I started to think outside the box and collaborated with people I thought were doing really exciting things. This was inspiring to me. I also started to have my events regularly listed in The Londonist.

What would be your advice to young people who have just started working on their dream?

Don’t give up and don’t listen to the naysayers. Do what you love, do what you believe in and if you’re persistent enough and if you work hard, you’ll succeed. People have always told me what I can’t do. From my school days up until now and insofar, I’ve proved them wrong. Don’t allow people’s opinion of you and your abilities to affect your own opinions. As cliché as it sounds, you really can do anything you put your mind to. You can achieve great things. Also, I’d say constantly innovate and experiment. If something doesn’t work, don’t be afraid of change.

Autumn Newsletter

Autumn has finally arrived - the most beautiful time of year in London (in my opinion!) The leaves on trees are turning golden brown, the light is shifting, days are getting shorter and there's a certain magic in the air.

Autumn has always been a time for change, and for renewal and I'm excited to announce a new programme of events, wanderings and workshops to enable you to make the most of this wondrous season.

I've got lots of exciting things planned over the next few months, including a nighttime wandering around South Kensington's sacred gems, the launch of my new 'Create your own Wandering' workshops, and inspiring Citizens of London talks. Read on below to find out more!

Click here to read the latest newsletter

Cricklewood Memory Tour

In this self-guided audio tour, you’ll learn about the journeys of Irish and Pakistan migrants who came to Cricklewood in the 1950’s and 60’s. Click here to download the map, listen as you follow the trail and discover the local area as seen through the eyes of the elders.

Hiring!

Living London is seeking a Project Intern to help develop partnerships and assist in the planning and delivery of projects, events, workshops and wanderings across London. 

The role is for up to 2 days a week for 3 months (starting October), with opportunities for additional paid work within the organisation.

Job role

• liaise with existing partners, and identify ways in which these can be developed

• identify and develop new partnerships with community groups, start-ups, hostels and hotels, colleges and Universities.

• foster community relations through events such as open days and through involvement in community initiatives

• document Living London events and walks, through photography, writing and/ or film

• updating the Living London mailing list

• develop a social media strategy and set goals to increase brand awareness, sales and increase engagement

• manage and facilitate social media communities by responding to social media posts and developing discussion

Person Specification:

• A passion for exploring London and connecting with communities

• Trustworthy, personable, committed and reliable

• Lateral thinker and ability to solve problems

• Good communication skills

• Positive attitude. Must have a sense of humour!

Desired:

• Experience working with diverse communities

• Have reasonable knowledge of the geography of London

• A flair for creativity, an eye for visuals

• South London based

Benefits:

• Free and exclusive access to numerous hidden gems and attractions

• Exciting, varied and hands-on programme of work

• Opportunity to develop skills in the areas of research, delivery, partnerships, community engagement and marketing

• Meet lots of interesting Londoners and form meaningful connections

• Flexible working hours

• Travel and lunch paid

To apply send a copy of your CV along with a few lines about why you would be well suited for the role to Saira at livinglon@gmail.com. Deadline 26th September, 12pm.

Living London Blog

Over the years I’ve stumbled upon a myriad of awe inspiring places across London- within these places I’ve often met extraordinary people with stories both unique and inspiring. I set up the Living London blog (which initially started out as a book I began writing in 2013) to share the everyday explorations, experiences, encounters and imaginings that make up my London, the city I love and I live.

The original Living London blog is made up of a collection of over a thousand London places, photographs, stories, descriptions and poems- and it's growing still. Often I'll add newly discovered places and stories (London is inexhaustible). The blog is designed to inform and to inspire. The best way to use it is to click EXPLORE—& to see where you end up! 

NOTE: London is a rapidly changing city and as such many of the places I’ve written about may no longer exist/ or be accessible to the public. Please make sure you check before setting out! Also, I’ve had to re-visit lots of the places I’ve written about to take photos (visuals are so important & tell half the story) so the descriptions may not fully match the images. This is a work in progress! Finally it took me a lot of time, energy and effort to create this resource, so please use it, spread it and share your own London explorations by using the #LivingLondon hashtag and tagging @livinglon on your wanderings!