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Instagram Posts: Humans of St George's, University of London; a project by St George's, University of London Medical Students, Dr. Khushi Gupta and Miss Mehak Faheem.

·       https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTGycCWiDBS/?igsh=MTN6ZGtjaWM3cng3Yw== 

·       https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTJMnLKiBTh/?igsh=c3d0d2JiOHB4Y2Ix

 Baking

I enjoy baking bread, including loaves, baguettes, sun-dried tomato bread, and different types of Uncle Omar’s Sweet bread (Uncle Omar’s sweet coconut bread. scones, etc.). I also enjoy baking scones, flapjacks, and biscuits.

Photos in the centre are samples of Uncle Omar's sweet coconut scones and Uncle Omar's sweet coconut baguettes; the bottom photo is Uncle Omar's healthy (oat-rich) flapjack.

Gardening

I enjoy gardening. During the summer, I grow ornamental plants and wildflowers, as well as things for the plate: sweetcorn, tomatoes, lettuce, garlic, chillies/peppers, pumpkin, eggplant and asparagus. I also have several fruit trees and bushes, including fig, plum, peach, raspberry and cherry.

I have a few cooking-apple trees too, and I turn the apples into different-flavoured sauces, which I enjoy with my oatmeal porridge or use in cakes.

It seems, however, that the parakeets have decided they like my cooking apples even more than I do. And I have also discovered that the squirrels seem to like my figs, sweetcorn and cherries more than I do.

These are not allegations or accusations; I have caught them red-handed!

I am quite happy to share the apples with these feathered and furry friends, but the figs, cherries and sweetcorn are another matter. They are welcome to continue visiting, of course, but they cannot simply help themselves without my permission!

I also grow a few herbs (thyme, fennel, rosemary, and basil) and also look after a bay tree- great in stews/Benachin; there is someone in the family who makes prize-winning Benachin.

Some of the produce
Fennel seeds (left), and my luxurious homemade applesauce with a beautifully balanced combination of sweet, warm and aromatic flavours, finished with a subtle citrus freshness - nice with Scottish porridge oats and in biscuits, flapjacks and cakes.

Membership of associations, and organisations in the community and beyond 

  1. Founding member of the Sika Development Fund (https://sikadevelopmentfund.com/)
  2. Member of Rotary Sanderstead and Selsdon Club and Chair of International and Foundation Committee (https://www.rotarysandersteadandselsdon.com/)

October 2023: The Rotary Club of Selsdon and Sanderstead had a stall at the Friends of Selsdon Wood Open Day, where Rotary organised a sack race for children. It proved to be a big hit. I could not resist the urge to join in, and so I did! However, rather than simply being a competitor, I ended up making a good friend in another sack-race enthusiast, Oakley. Oakley and I are good friends; Oakley and I need to update our photo.

With the permission of both Oakley’s parents and my own, Oakley and I were subsequently featured on the front cover of the local magazine. The article is also available here.

  1. Member of Sanderstead Horticultural Society (https://surreyhorticulturalfederation.org/clubs/sanderstead-horticultural-society/)
  2. Member of Sanderstead Residents’ Association (https://sanderstead-residents.co.uk)
  3. Founding member of the Janneh Kunda Kabilo Foundation (https://jkkabilofoundation.org/)