I love hearing stories about people doing inspiring things. In particular, I’m interested in the women around me who lead projects that are making the world a more sustainable, just, knowledgeable, creative, well-designed, delicious, healthy, and all-round better place.
My new blog series, ‘Five Minutes With’, takes you inside the world of a different trailblazing woman each month, finding out what they love doing in and around London, what’s catching their attention at the moment, and what powers the interesting work they do.
Hana Sutch co-founded Go Jauntly, a free community-based walking app that invites you to find local walks, create your own routes and share them with your friends, family and community. A strong believer in the power of tech for good, she has worked in the digital product design business for over 15 years, as operations director at an award-winning design studio, and now as co-owner at digital product and service design studio Furthermore.
Which book are you reading and/or which podcasts are you listening to at the moment?
I’ve got three books on the go at the moment, which is a bit unlike me, but that’s the truth. I’m reading ‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers which is essentially a novel about trees, told in a unique way. It’s definitely a book of the times as the underlying theme centres on climate breakdown. I can’t wait to finish it, and it’s a complementary read to ‘This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook’ which is pretty heavy.
On audible.com, I’m listening to an equally tough book but for different reasons. It’s called ‘Black & British: A Forgotten History’ by David Olusoga. It’s absolutely fascinating, heart-wrenching, and a part of British history that has been overlooked and denied.
What’s the most interesting exhibition/play/film/cultural event you’ve been to recently?
I’ve got quite a few exhibitions and plays coming up, including Death of a Salesman, but probably the most interesting experience I’ve had lately is in Lisbon, where we visited Estufa Fria, a greenhouse with three gardens in Eduardo VII Park. It’s on the site of a former basalt mine and is so calm and tranquil. It has an interesting history while also being full to the brim of botanical plants. A wonderful place.
What’s your best new discovery for more eco-friendly living?
I’m super inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They have been created to be a blueprint for people, business and organisations to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
They address the global challenges we are currently facing, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change and more. The 17 Goals are interconnected and there are some amazing start-ups and social impact organisations working to help us achieve them, including Olio, Refill, Good Gym, Tech Will Save Us, Bulb, and our own app Go Jauntly.
What’s your most exciting new food discovery?
I’m really looking forward to going back to Cecconi’s for their Sunday Feast. It’s every Sunday, £28 per person, the chefs cook up a feast and you literally pop down into the kitchen and grab whatever you fancy from roasts, pasta, pizza and amazing desserts. It’s great for a meet-up with friends and family. Go in hungry and you won’t need to eat for the rest of the day. They are super accommodating if you have allergies too.
Is there a place in London that’s especially close to your heart, or that you find especially uplifting?
I find most green spaces in London uplifting, so it’s really hard to choose. There are some amazing hidden gems which are really easy to get to, that not many people know about or enjoy. You can feel magically transported outside of London and you hardly meet a soul on the route.
Do you have a favourite spot in London for peace & quiet?
I live in South London and I have a few favourites there. There are walks in all of these places in the Go Jauntly app if you’re nervous about going unguided. Look out for: Petts Wood, Little Heath, Scadbury Park Nature Reserve, Addington Hills, Keston Common, Coombe Wood. Gosh there are too many to choose from.
What’s your essential daily/weekly habit for looking after your mental health?
There is a growing body of evidence linking time in nature with improved mental health, and according to nature.com, spending at least two hours a week in nature has been proven to significantly boost health. Our own research shows that a short walk is as good as a long walk and it’s fun, free and easy, so I try and walk as much as possible.
Which women inspire you, and why?
Again, there are so many to choose from. My new favourite is the economist, Mariana Mazzucato. She is known to be a driving force of innovation for social impact and a sustainable future, and has demonstrated that the real driver of innovation isn’t Silicon Valley but state investment. She is looking to turn capitalism on its head. You can read more in this brilliant long read.
Which book/article/video would you most recommend from the past year or so?
The article from Wired about Mariana.
Which upcoming exhibition/play/film/cultural event are you looking forward to?
I’m really looking forward to The Broadway Theatre’s pantomime, Beauty and The Beast. We went to Aladdin last year and it was brilliant fun. This year soul singer Mica Paris is joining the cast. It’s a relatively short run so go grab your tickets before they go.
Which project or cause is inspiring you at the moment, and how/why?
I’ve been reading about Hackney Light and Power which is a new publicly-owned energy services company run by Hackney Council. It is “set to help transform the local energy system by generating clean energy, eliminating land transport emissions, drastically reducing the Council’s own carbon emissions, and supporting residents and businesses to do the same”. It’s basically a large-scale rooftop solar project and will formally launch in spring 2020. What a brilliant idea.
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