The Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden
Step into the world of sculptor Barbara Hepworth at her preserved home and studio in St Ives. The Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden offers a rare glimpse into the artist’s life, with her untouched workshop, iconic sculptures, and a breathtaking garden space.
Perfect For
Anyone who wants to be immersed in the story of art, seek out The Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden in St Ives. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to create something truly lasting, this is your place.
Why You’ll Love It
Tucked away in the heart of St Ives, this isn’t just a museum—it’s an escape into the mind of one of the UK’s most celebrated sculptors. Barbara Hepworth lived and worked here for the last 26 years of her life, and stepping into her home and garden feels like stepping into her world. From the intimate, light-filled studio to the lush outdoor sculpture garden, every part of this space invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and see the world as she did—through form, texture, and movement.
What Makes It Special
A sculptor’s world, frozen in time – Hepworth’s workshop remains untouched, complete with tools, unfinished pieces, and even her white work coat, as if she just stepped out for a moment.
The sculpture garden – A hidden oasis where her iconic stone and bronze works sit between tropical plants, perfectly framed by Cornish light.
Awe in the everyday – Hepworth’s work invites you to pay attention, whether that’s noticing the shadows, reframing space, and seeing shape in a whole new way.
The Story Behind It
After Hepworth’s sudden passing in 1975, her wish was clear—she wanted her home and studio to remain as she left it, a place where people could experience her work in the environment that shaped it. Honouring this, the Barbara Hepworth Museum was established later that year by her family, with Tate taking over its care in 1980. Today, it stands as one of the most personal and intimate artist museums in the world, a place where her legacy is preserved not just in her sculptures, but in the very air of the studio she worked in.
Something Else We Love
It’s not just about the art—it’s about stepping into Hepworth’s way of seeing the world. One of the most moving parts of the experience? Seeing her unfinished works, left exactly as they were when she passed, mid-creation. It’s a rare, raw glimpse into the mind of an artist, proof that the creative process is never truly finished.
The If Lost Take
We love the Barbara Hepworth Museum because it’s not just about seeing art—it’s about experiencing the world through an artist’s eyes. Hepworth believed in sculpture as something to be lived with, and this place brings that philosophy to life. Whether you’re an art lover or just someone seeking a moment of quiet awe, this is a space that lingers with you long after you leave.
Some Practical Details
St Ives, Cornwall, UK
P.S.
If you do visit, also check out our favourite local places:
For coffee: The Yellow Canary and Yallah Coffee.
For morning pastries, artisan loaves and of course Cornish pasties: St Ives Bakery
For browsing: independent book shop St Ives Bookseller.
And of course, another awe-inspiring cultural destination: Tate St Ives.
Self Space
Self Space is redefining mental health support—no waiting lists, no clinical feel, just real, flexible therapy that fits into everyday. Discover where to go when you need support, inspiration, and a place that can truly help you navigate life’s challenges.
Perfect For
Anyone navigating life’s challenges—whether it’s stress, burnout, relationships, self-doubt, or just the need to talk things through with someone who truly listens.
Why You’ll Love It
Self Space is rewriting the rulebook on mental and emotional wellbeing. Think of it as a therapy studio for modern life—warm, welcoming, and refreshingly free from the clinical, impersonal feel of traditional therapy settings. Whether you need a one-off session or ongoing support, they make getting help as easy as grabbing a coffee (and honestly, just as essential).
What Makes It Special
No waiting lists – Book a session when you actually need it, not months down the line.
Flexible therapy – From in-person appointments from across its sites in London to online sessions from anywhere.
A modern, stigma-free approach – No judgment, just real conversations with expert therapists who get it.
The Story Behind It
Self Space was co-founded in 2018 by therapists Jodie Cariss and Chance Marshall. Frustrated by long wait times and clinical settings, they envisioned a more accessible and contemporary approach to mental health support. Starting from a small workshop in Shoreditch, they now plan to expand Self Space across the UK, offering a radically different way of accessing mental health support.
The If Lost Take
We love Self Space because it makes mental wellbeing as normal as physical wellbeing—like seeing a PT, but for your mind. It’s approachable, practical, and built for the way life actually works. If traditional therapy has ever felt intimidating, this is the alternative you’ve been looking for.
Something Else We Love
Self Space isn’t just about talking—it’s about making mental wellbeing part of everyday life. Their brilliantly designed merch does just that, from their book How to Grow Through What You Go Through (a straight-talking guide to navigating life’s ups and downs) to candles and tote bags stamped with reminders like “I’m a mess”—which, let’s be honest, we all feel at some point.
They also have one of the best mental health Instagram accounts out there. Expect refreshingly real, no-BS advice on everything from setting boundaries to handling burnout—plus the occasional reminder that you don’t have to “fix” yourself to be worthy.
Practical Details to Know
Self Space has Multiple locations + online
Single Parents Wellbeing
Discover an organisation in Wales run by single parents for single-parent families that aims to foster connection and belonging.
Go here if: You are seeking some wellbeing support as a single parent.
What is it: Single Parents Wellbeing is a CIC in Wales run by single parents for single-parent families. They offer a peer-led, compassionate and connected approach to being in a single-parent household, improving the mental wellbeing of single-parent families.
What do they offer: Workshops and events for single parents and their families. They also have a wealth of resources online, an active Facebook Community and training and development opportunities for their Volunteers.
What makes it different: SPW is committed to breaking down barriers. By actively employing single parents and engaging volunteers from within the community, they provide meaningful opportunities for growth, fostering a sense of purpose and belonging.
Creating a safe and connected community is at the core of what they do. Through peer-led events, socials, and workshops, SPW aims to reduce isolation and loneliness, building a single-parent family community that supports and uplifts each other.
Recognising the importance of staying connected, SPW extends its support online, reaching single parents across Wales. Their online resources provide valuable support and information to those who may not have easy access to in-person services.
Who is behind Single Parents Wellbeing: SPW began when co-founders Rachel Cule and Amy Holland started a walking group in 2017 for single mums. They found each other on an online forum, each struggling with mental health and the stigma surrounding being a single parent. Getting outside with people in similar circumstances helped their mental health and overcame anxieties about being out and about as a single parent. Following funding from the National Lottery they are now able to reach a much larger audience. SPW now works tirelessly around mental health and supporting their community.
Not in Wales no worries: They also have a huge online resource of their blogs and podcasts as well as links to useful websites and helplines which can be accessed wherever you are.
Where inspires them: Nature, every time. Getting outside for a walk, swim or run makes all the difference. Remembering also that friends always want to support you, so reaching out to a friend for a listening ear is always helpful.
42 Acres
Explore 42 Acres, a 173-acre regenerative estate and nature reserve in Somerset offering transformative retreats and nature-based experiences. Swim in the lake, meditate in the treehouse, or nourish yourself with farm-to-table food grown on-site.
Go here if: You’re looking to get into nature, reawaken your deep-rooted instincts and nourish yourself.
What is it: Set over 173 acres of wild land and ancient forest, 42 Acres is a regenerative estate and nature reserve where you can reconnect with nature, yourself and others.
Explore the self-guided and led retreats, often in partnership with world-renowned practitioners and aligned with nature, that encourage you to dream, grow, learn and rest. Stay in a restored 13th-century former hermitage, converted barge or under the stars in a luxury bell tent. Swim in the lake, meditate in the treehouse, sauna in the woods and nourish yourself with food grown on the land.
Why you need it: 42 Acres was first conceived in 2015 by siblings Lara and Seth Tabatznik as a home for personal, social and environmental change after having been deeply inspired by some powerful personal retreats and workshops in their own lives. Both Seth and Lara are strong advocates that outer change in the world starts with the self, or to quote Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”.
What they offer: At its core, 42 Acres invites people to reconnect with nature, self and others but has now grown to offer so much more including a range of wellbeing and nature-based experiences and events, a regenerative farm and an abundant nature reserve.
What makes it different: Living within an ancient forest, host to a variety of wild meadows and vast open fields and the source of four different rivers within a stone’s throw, this is a place for planting your dreams.
What you need to know: You can visit 42 Acres in several ways — as a guest on a day experience, workshop or energy exchange or by visiting them on retreat. All booked guests are free to roam the estate, swim in the lake and explore. Food, accommodation and experiences need to be pre-booked on their website.
In their own words:
“Our vision is to grow and consume in a way that serves the health of people and the planet. Our market gardens and regenerative farm use and permaculture and biodynamic-inspired principles. We grow, forage and wild-tend to create wholesome, nutrient-dense food. As we cultivate and restore health in our earth, we restore the worlds within ourselves.
We use our deepest intuition, ancient tools and shared knowledge to establish regenerative spaces, curate transformational experiences, and foster opportunities to learn, heal and grow.”
42 Acres is a 173 -acre retreat centre, regenerative estate and nature reserve in Witham Friary, just outside of Frome, Somerset
All images courtesy of 42 Acres.
Women Outdoors
Discover a community of friendly and fun-loving women of all ages, backgrounds and fitness levels based in the UK. With Women Outdoors, founder Emma Winters has created an environment where you can be your authentic self, develop outdoor skills, connect with like-minded women and go home with a big smile on your face.
Go here if: You are seeking outdoor events across the UK and abroad to inspire you and connect with nature and other people.
What is it: Women Outdoors is a community of friendly and fun-loving women of all ages, backgrounds and fitness levels based in the UK. They create an environment where you can be your authentic self, develop outdoor skills, connect with like-minded women and go home with a big smile on your face.
Why you need it: Getting into nature is about more than just beautiful views. It also brings significant mental and physical benefits such as:
Increased self-esteem
Reduced stress, anxiety and depression
Improved fitness
Increased feelings of connection and belonging
Even more joy and fun
What they offer: All of Women Outdoors’ events are led by certified guides and instructors in the Peak District, Snowdonia, Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District or abroad. Events include hiking, wild swimming, paddleboarding, climbing, navigation courses and wellness retreats.
What else do you need to know: To ensure all women have access to life-enhancing outdoor opportunities, they organise one free hike a month and provide concessionary tickets for paid events.
In their own words: We asked founder Emma Winters to tell us her story
Hey, I’m Emma, I’m 38 years old and I’m a qualified Mountain Leader & SUP Instructor from Hull, Yorkshire.
I have a huge passion for exploring nature and outdoor activities. Over the last 15 years I have travelled to 47 countries to absorb different landscapes and cultures, meet many diverse people and try lots of fun outdoor hobbies.
The whole of my working career has been as a Procurement professional in the corporate world but in December 2021 I decided to change my life forever. I handed in my notice and hit the road travelling for one year.
This gifted me with time and space to think and reflect on what I’m passionate about and where I want to spend my time and energy.
It was during this time that I founded Women Outdoors with the mission to break down confidence and financial barriers that prevent women from getting outside, trying new things and meeting new people.
Women Outdoors creates a safe space for all women, provides financial support where required and teaches the community about conservation, flora & fauna & outdoor skills.
If you would like to know more about my journey and creating Women Outdoors go here.
Women Outdoors
For UK events go here. For trips abroad go here.
For private events contact emma.winter@womenoutdoorsuk.com
Our Guide to Small Businesses We Love
This Colour Friday we’re celebrating the independent shops that we love. Find the perfect Holiday Gift from one of our favourite places.
How are you supporting independents this Black Friday?
We’re joining Holly Tucker’s campaign to boycott Black Friday on 24th November and support small businesses instead. These stats are directly from the Colour Friday campaign:
£12.3 billion on Black Friday is spent with businesses like Amazon
Despite the fact that 80% of it ends up in landfill
And nearly 60% of UK small businesses fear closure in the coming year
As an antidote to this, and to help us all shop small, please support your favourite local shop or buy a longed-for Christmas gift from an independent.
Help spread the love and the colour that independents bring to our high streets, our lives and each other.
To get you started, here’s a round-up of some of our favourite UK Independents.
Present and Correct, London: A beloved stationary shop to quiet the mind and spark your creativity
Hoxton Street Monster Supplies: this store has everything the monster in you needs (and a not-so-secret cause behind it all).
Labour and Wait, London: Timeless designs having a contemporary moment, this shop will make you think differently about your dish brush.
Meticulous Ink, Bath: A tiny print studio and store that creates human-centered designs for all of us.
Find Ubiety, Bath: A haven for your wellbeing that gives back to others too
The Bristol Artisan, Bristol: A home for local craftsmanship and creativity, that embodies the city’s spirit of community and sustainability.
Folde, Shaftsbury: connecting people with nature through beautiful books, prints and gifts
Alice in Scandiland, Cornwall: Scandinavian design comes to Cornwall courtesy of award-winning style blogger Alice Collyer.
The Department of Hope, Joy and Wonder, Cheltenham: An uplifting place to browse and meet friends that spreads joy and wonder in Cheltenham and beyond
The Poetry Pharmacy: poems (and more) for all your emotional ailments and the best range of surprising and delightful gifts
Something Good, Newcastle: a sustainable living store with a plastic-free pantry and a refillery
Lifestory, Edinburgh: Scandi inspired concept store that has everything you could possibly need for gift giving this holiday season
We’ll be adding more independent shops over the coming weeks so let us know your favorites so we can include them here too.
Shop Small Special: The Bristol Artisan
A home for local craftsmanship and creativity, The Bristol Artisan embodies the spirit of community and sustainability of the city.
Go here if: you love contemporary design and craft, supporting local makers and feeling like you are truly in Bristol.
What is it: A home for local craftsmanship and creativity, The Bristol Artisan in Clifton is a charming shop that stands as a testament to the city's vibrant community of artists, designers and makers.
Why you’ll love it: Showcasing a curated collection of handmade homewares and gifts from independent makers from Bristol and across the UK, you’re sure to find something to take home. From ceramics, jewelry and original prints, to vegan beauty, living plants and dried flower bouquets, each piece tells a story of skill, passion, and dedication.
The Bristol Artisan embodies the spirit of the city. It encapsulates Bristol's ethos of creativity, community, and sustainability.
How to bring this into your life: The online shop is extensive so you can shop from home. Check out the gift guides for all seasons and occasions (we have our eye on cozy hot water bottles and the perfect ceramic ramen bowls). If you do get to visit, stop at Burra next door for coffee (Bristol’s Cafe of the Year 2022).
In their own words: “The Bristol Artisan is a curated space for contemporary handmade design and craft with a focus on homewares and gifts, supporting over 60 independent makers from Bristol and beyond.”
Shop Small Special: The Department of Hope, Joy and Wonder
An uplifting place to browse and meet friends that spreads joy and wonder in Cheltenham and beyond
Go here: for an uplifting experience, you love colour and sweary cards, or you are looking for the perfect gift, stationery or homeware for yourself or someone else (also to secretly meet friends)
What is it: Cheltenham, a town known for its history and charm, holds a hidden gem — The Department of Hope, Joy and Wonder. Nestled within the heart of Tivoli, an easy walk from the centre, since spring 2021 Catherine Colebrook’s shop has been spreading joy and wonder through its selection of homeware, gifts, and sweary cards.
Why you’ll love it: When we heard the name we just had to visit. It’s a fun place to wander from the first room which is a riot of colour to the more calming monochrome spaces beyond, but we particularly loved discovering The Secret Coffee Shed at the back. Tucked away in a courtyard it feels like the perfect hideaway for locally roasted coffee (by Gloucester-based Rave) and cake by local bakers Creme De La Em and S Bakes.
How to bring this into your life: Visit if you can and attend one of the creative workshops from modern calligraphy to paper decorations (details for which you’ll find on their Instagram). If you can’t get there, play with colour in your own home by making a rainbow of your bookshelves.
In their own words: “Catherine's aim was to create an inspiring space where you can browse and catch up with friends over a coffee. A place where people can reconnect or just come in & have a good laugh at our selection of thoroughly rude & sweary cards.”
Shop Small Special: Find Ubiety
Discover a haven for your wellbeing in Bath that gives back to others too
Go here if: You’re looking for a high-street independent with a social mission, to take care of yourself while taking care of others too and to follow your curiosity through a wide range of vintage finds and locally sourced makers.
What is it: This is the first concept store from the people behind Dorothy House and Ubiety, a vegan body care and fragrance brand that gives 100% back to end-of-life care. Situated next to the charity’s furniture shop, you’ll find inside a serene space centered on nature where mindfulness meets curated selections, promoting mental well-being and holistic self-care.
Why you’ll love it: Find Ubiety carries a thoughtful and ever-changing range of products. From soothing scented candles to handmade dinnerware, every item lining the shelves is chosen with one singular goal: to nourish the mind, body, and soul.
In a world characterised by hustle and bustle, Find Ubiety offers a calming sanctuary — a place to pause, breathe, and prioritize our personal and collective mental wellness. The products offered here help support our self-care rituals — whether it's a calming bath soak or an aromatic essential oil — while reflecting the holistic care and nurturing surroundings of the hospice it supports.
How to bring this into your life: Visit the shop or try out one of their therapeutic sessions at another local favourite, SoulSpa (where you’ll also find our sessions to feel better). Not local to Bath, you can shop Ubiety products online as well.
In their own words: “Themed around nature, it stocks carefully curated second-hand curios and bric a brac, unique fashion, locally sourced products and eco finds. The shop is created to support personal wellbeing and help customers create their own calm, unique & definitive space at home.”
(Save) Mental Health Swims
Discover why we’re supporting Mental Healh Swims, the multi-award-winning mental health peer support community.
We’re thrilled to announce that over the Autumn we will be supporting Mental Health Swims. 10% of profits from all our UK courses, products, and 1:1 sessions. will go towards supporting this multi-award-winning mental health peer support community.
Founder Rachel Ashe talked to us about what Mental Health Swims is and why your support is so needed right now:
This Photo: Gabriel Redd Photography | Header Photo: Mike French Creative
Who we are
Mental Health Swims is a mental health peer support community. Since 2019 we have grown to have around 140 outdoor locations across the UK and beyond.
In the last couple of years, we have trained 350 volunteers to create safe and welcoming spaces for over 15,000 people who want to improve their mental health and make connections in their community through swimming.
Why we are unique
We have a unique offering because we are led by lived experience. I have a complex mental illness myself. All our volunteers and our team have lived experience of mental health challenges either personally or through supporting someone close to them.
We focus on accepting people as they are today with no expectation for transformation. It’s not that our participants don’t experience amazing benefits to their well-being but we want to foster an environment where no one feels pressure to be anything but themselves. We want to make it as easy as possible for people living with mental illness to join in, to feel accepted and included and ultimately fight mental illness stigma by doing this.
Why we are needed
Mental Health peer support groups are needed to take pressure off the NHS
It offers support which is not time-limited
It’s complimentary to existing care
There are also pathways for improvement - if you decide to train as a swim host you can build new skills which is confidence building and empowering.
Cost-effective
Our funding model means we can onboard a new swim host who can provide this service to a new location and its community in under a month; we won a Mind Charity Marsh award for innovative peer support because of this approach.
Why we need your help
Times are really tough for lots of charities and CICs at the moment and sadly some of them have had to close.
We really don’t want that to happen to Mental Health Swims because we support tens of thousands of people every year.
Photo: Gabriel Redd Photography
To learn more about Mental Health Swims you can read our interview with Rachel here.
Mental Health Swims free, safe and inclusive swim meet-ups are now Nationwide. You can search their map on the website to discover the closest one to you.
You can support Mental Health Swims directly through supporting their crowdsourcing campaign, and/or with any session booked, course attended, or product purchased through us.
Photo: Gabriel Redd Photography
Present and Correct
A beloved stationary shop to quiet the mind and spark your creativity
Go here if: you still enjoy the tactile experience of writing, the thrill of organizing (also we see that looming project deadline that makes you want to tidy your desk), and hold the belief that self-care can come in the form of the perfect planner.
What is it: Present and Correct is a carefully curated stationary shop founded by Neal Whittington that’s currently tucked away in North London (though there’s a summer move to a larger space in Bloomsbury on the cards).
A popular destination for stationery enthusiasts and lovers of unique office supplies, this small shop offers a variety of paper goods and office conveniences from notebooks to desk accessories that combine contemporary design with a nostalgic touch. You’ll also find vintage items sourced from overseas markets. This is not your typical high-street office supply shop.
Why you’ll love it: Present and Correct is known for its emphasis on quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail, but we also love the promises it holds. Of creativity: its notebooks and pens are the gateways to journaling, sketching, and writing that memoir in long form. Of calm: its clean and minimalist interior, and artfully arranged displays hint at some degree of control over our lives, a possible neatening of our edges. And maybe of a simpler moment: something of the analogue, of the openness of a new page, and even the joy of childhood and those new pencil cases on the first day of school.
How to bring this into your life: Although our true love is the physical store, the website offers the chance to browse and purchase from their collection of products (and they ship worldwide). We love the Finnish School chalk, Things to do Planners and Two Tone Ballpoints. And we’re huge fans – as are many – of Present and Correct’s Instagram.
In their own words: “It's a showcase for the things we have enjoyed since school….We want to spark a distant memory, make you smile or look at the most mundane in a new, and fonder, light.”
Present and Correct
At the time of writing 23 Arlington Way, London
From 20 June: see the new Bloomsbury address
Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
Discover the well-being benefits of a world-class botanical garden beloved by locals and visitors alike
Go here if: you’re looking for a place of tranquility, an escape from the busyness of city life, and a way to be more mindful of nature
What is it: A renowned botanical garden, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is one of the world’s leading centers for plant research, conservation, and education. Founded in 1670 as a physic garden for medicinal plants, this world-class botanical institution now reaches across 70 acres and includes over 13,500 species in its living collection.
Why you’ll love it: While you wander through the Chinese Hillside, Rock Garden, or Alpine Houses, you’ll also be accessing the positive well-being benefits of such a stunning natural setting from reducing stress levels and improving mood and mental clarity, to increasing your sense of awe. To make the most of this soothing and meditative location, pay close attention to the different textures, smells, and sounds of the ever-evolving natural spaces around you.
And while here, access the other well-being Pathways: as you walk the grounds you’re body will be releasing endorphins, those feel-good hormones (mind-body connection); you can visit alone, or you could invite a friend, for the added benefits of social interaction; and follow your curiosity as you learn about the plant-life nurtured here.
We like how a place like the RBGE that could feel like just a tourist destination has woven itself into the lives of locals, who seek out moments of respite here. It’s very much become a part of the fabric of city life rather than only a momentary break from it.
How to bring this into your life: Beyond visiting the gardens, the RBGE offers a range of events like flower shows, art exhibitions in the stunning Inverleith House, and monthly behind the scenes.
It also hosts restorative programs designed to connect with well-being including Food Socials, dementia-friendly Garden socials, and skills share workshops.
For some seasonal joy, check out the winter illuminations and spring flower displays.
And if you can’t get there read The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan, the Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year set in the gardens.
In their own words: “When visiting Scotland, a trip to the world-famous Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is unmissable. Experience an extravaganza of plants from around the world, learn about the Garden's rich and diverse Living Collection and discover a history dating back to the 17th century.”
Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH3 5NZ
And did we mention the garden entry is free
The Frome Kindness Festival
How a small town in Somerset is trying to be kinder
“Frome is already full of kindness, but there’s always scope for more – particularly towards the people that we don’t feel close to.
The scientific evidence is that simply watching someone else doing something kind can set a ripple of positive change in motion. As Aesop said: No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.”
Go here if: you would like to be a kinder person, you would like to have more kindness in your life, or you would like to make where you live and work a better place
What is it: Brought to you by The Good Heart, a local non-profit, this week-long festival aims to make Frome, a market town in Somerset, the kindest place on earth
Why you’ll love it: When else do you get to put kindness front and center in your life, and the lives of others? And how often is kindness even the aim that we have for the communities in which we live and work?
What you need to know: Now in its second year, The Frome Kindness Festival takes place from 5th to 11 March, 2023.
Each day of the Festival has a kindness-related theme, and events range from a Caravan of Kindness to a West Country afternoon tea with Radio 4 presenter Claudia Hammond.
There will be a debate about Kindness in Social Media, a film extravaganza, and clothes swaps for children and adults, including a catwalk where eco-conscious shoppers can be photographed in their new outfits.
On the streets, there will be live music, pop-ups and a flash mob featuring a specially commissioned Kindness Dance. The Boyle Cross in the centre of the town will be decorated with a super-sized hat that encourages passers-by to “put your kindness hat on.”
At heart: “the Festival aims to bring together young and old to celebrate, practice and explore the power of kindness to improve mental and physical health, transform relationships and strengthen communities.”
Something to do: Join the Kindness Challenge, where local individuals, groups, businesses and organizations have the opportunity to give back. You’re invited to do something kind, imaginative, special and down-to-earth.
Even if you can’t sign up for the Kindness Challenge, you could bring in acts of kindness wherever you are. See some ideas for how to do that here.
Read The Compassionate Project, a great book about how Frome turned to human kindness to solve the problem of loneliness.
VERVE Festival | A conversation with co-founder Anna Hayward
One of Conde Nast Traveller’s “Woodstocks of Wellness”, we interviewed co-founder Anna Hayward about how doing what you love is at the heart of any well-being practice
“Wellness can be whatever makes you feel better.”
We talk to Anna Hayward, the co-founder of VERVE Festival— a weekend wellness reset located in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside — about why you don’t need to be a wellness warrior to attend and how we can all shape a practice that reflects who we are, rather than who we think we need to be.
Where once there were music festivals, literary festivals, and ideas festivals, it now feels like there’s a movement toward wellness festivals. Why do you think we are now drawn to them?
I think that’s true although there are still only a handful of wellness festivals.
It feeds into our current moment. I know from feedback how much people appreciate just having a real me-day and not everyone these days wants to go out to a festival and drink till 4 am. We’re all starting to care a bit more about our health and well-being.
We celebrate healthy hedonism; we still have a bar, we still have cocktails, and we’ve got DJs in the evening, but it’s more of a balance.
Do you think the perception of wellness has shifted? We’re noticing how wellness has become something of an unachievable goal, ironically given its intention.
I feel like the version of wellness that you offer is more accessible; that it’s ok to be messy about it (wellness doesn’t have to be this pristine thing anymore – it’s ok to fit it in when your kids are crawling on you).
I think so too. I think the idea of wellness is for everybody and it’s for all shapes and sizes and ages and it doesn’t matter. We get all kinds of people at VERVE Festival – we had a man in his seventies and older ladies with grey hair and bigger girls and skinny girls and everything in between and that’s what it should be. It shouldn’t have ego; it shouldn’t be about anything other than just trying to be better to yourself.
Wellness is different for everyone. It can just be about having a big burger and a glass of wine (that’s what makes me happy). That’s just as good for you, isn’t it? Wellness can be whatever makes you feel better.
What do you hope people experience with the festival?
It’s different for everybody. People were coming up to me at the end of the last festival – complete strangers – hugging me and saying what an amazing time they’d had. Many people said: “I can’t believe I’ve never done this before. I’m going to go home and carry on with it.” And quite a lot of people said they were going to make changes. They’d listened to a talk, or something had happened during the day, and it was going to be a little catalyst for change in their lives.
The timetable allows people to do their own thing and most things are free once you are at the festival, so people just drift around and everyone has their own way of approaching the day.
We enable people to try some things that are different, that they may never have thought of doing in a million years. While some people literally want a day away from their children, or to sit with their friends and drink cocktails and listen to some music. That’s great too.
There’s been a huge surge of interest in nature since you started, but you built that in from the beginning.
Yes, the whole idea is health, wellness, and nature. We live in an area of natural beauty, a dark skies reserve, and the farm we hosted on the first year was so beautiful. We realized that’s our Unique Selling Point. There are other wellness festivals, but no one has got this natural space, this greenery and this beauty quite frankly. We’ve done star gazing, we once got the AONB to come along with their astronomers, we had runs along the farm, we offered forest bathing, and everything was just to celebrate being outside and being in nature.
Even a few years ago, when we held our first festival, no one really talked about nature but obviously, with the pandemic — when people were going out walking and that’s the only thing they could do in a way — people realized how important it is to their lives.
What advice do you have for someone starting a wellness practice wherever they are?
Do what makes you happy. I’m lucky I’m a glass-half-full person, but my advice would be don’t force yourself to do something if you are not going to enjoy it because whatever you do it’s got to make you happy.
Don’t do something because you think you should or someone else is doing it. Do something that is true to you. Which is what we’re doing with Verve.
We’re excited be participating in VERVE Festival this year. Find out more here.
Beyond Happy: Finding Your Way To Better Emotional Well-Being at VERVE Festival
We’re bringing emotions coaching to one of our favourite wellness festivals.
“Language shows us that naming an experience doesn’t give the experience more power, it gives us the power of understanding and meaning.”
How many emotions can you name? Most people can name just three; some version of mad, glad or sad. But recent research indicates that having a wider emotional vocabulary can help people not just better express what they are feeling but cope better with everyday experiences, and live happier and healthier lives. When Brene Brown turns her formidable attention to what it means to live a life full of all the emotions you know there’s something meaningful going on there.
Just knowing the words can help better regulate our emotions and respond more helpfully in all of life’s situations. Is what you’re feeling sorrow or vulnerability? Is it anger or frustration? Is it happiness or pride? How we name something shapes our experience of it. Having access to a greater breadth of emotions means we’re able to better understand what those emotions are asking of us, and what they are pointing to, or guarding against.
I’m thrilled to be joining one of my favourite wellbeing festivals this year by offering coaching around emotions.
In my 1:1 sessions at VERVE Festival this September, I’ll start to explore your emotions. We’ll figure out which emotions you welcome and which ones you deny, which ones you think of as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, and which ones have something to tell you (and whether you’re ready to listen to them).
Over the 30-40 minutes of your session, we’ll get you to a place of being more familiar with all your emotions, build the confidence to explore what to do with them when they inevitably show up, and learn how they can help you find your way to what matters most in your life.
Curious about what better emotional wellbeing would look like to you? Find me near the VERVE Stage and book a session here (you’ll need to have your tickets for the Verve Festival to book a session as this is available to Verve attendees only). The cost is £25.
These sessions can help:
If you’re stuck in an emotion – like fear, stress, overwhelm, anxiety – and need to find a way through them to create more space for the things you want in your life
If you’re struggling with even the idea of bringing joy, love and happiness into your life, and want to learn how to welcome these in so you can access all they could bring
If you have an emotional blocker on something and it’s getting in your way, and you want to learn how to let go of it/ release that to get to a better place
If you are feeling lost, and need help finding your way again
If you’re feeling all the feelings – you are unsettled and unsure – and would like to get to a place of calm, peace and equilibrium
If you’re feeling none of the feelings – just numb and disconnected – and want to figure out what emotions could offer you and the significant role they could play in your life
If you’ve looked at life in all the ways, except this one, and you’re curious to learn how transformational emotions coaching can be.
Excited, optimistic, or even hopeful about what this might do for you? Join me in getting curious about your emotional life.
For more information, you can email me at claire@ifloststarthere.com or book your emotions coaching session at VERVE Festival here.
If you’re not able to get to VERVE Festival this year and you’re still interested in Emotions Coaching, don’t worry, we can still work together. Book a quick call out to see how I can support you to find your way to better emotional wellbeing in your life.
“You are what you feel, as long as you can describe it.”
The Wave
Discover a wave garden focused on bringing the benefits of blue spaces to everyone.
With The Wave, founder Nick Hounsfield has created a slice of California on the outskirts of Bristol, but this is no ordinary surfing destination. Beyond the blue waters, burrito trucks, and clubhouse, Nick and his team are rethinking issues of social health, mental well-being, and our mind-body connection.
Tribe Porty
Tribe Porty makes good things happen for its community and beyond. Find out how this Edinburgh coworking space thinks differently about how we gather together to work.
Located in a neighborhood known for its community, Portobello’s Tribe Porty is all about how we come together and what we can achieve when we do. An old warehouse has been converted into a hub for coworking, events and collaboration. We talk to community manager Alice Hudson about what sets Tribe Party apart from other coworking spaces.
What is Tribe Porty? We are a community coworking and creative events space based in Edinburgh's well-loved seaside town, Portobello.
Why did you open your space? Tribe Porty started because we know the power of connection and social capital. When we asked our community what they wanted, they told us a place to work, be creative, be active and connected. Tribe Porty provides more than just a desk for people to work at. We strive to make good things happen by connecting our network of members and helping people to reimagine their working life. Tribe Porty is more important now than ever; due to the circumstances of the pandemic many professionals work remotely and are seeking social human contact. That's what we're about, growing a community that enables us all to thrive.
What do you offer? Our coworking space is specifically designed to encourage creativity – the random collision of people and ideas that spur innovation, exchange and connectivity. Tribe Porty suits the evolving working styles of freelancers, start-ups and people who require a flexible workspace and opportunities to share, collaborate and develop our work.
We offer a whole range of social events for our lovely members such as coffee mornings, social lunches and Tribe Talks. Our Tribe Talks are a monthly series of events where we invite a Tribe member, or friend of the tribe, to host a talk all about a project they're working on, an interest or a hobby. These evenings have ranged from astrophysics to brand identity. Tribe Talks are a fantastic way for our members to not only network but even learn something new. They are always free and open to the general public as well as members.
In addition to our coworking members, Tribe Porty is home to an assortment of businesses such as The Pilates Studio Edinburgh, Portobello Natural Health, Glocast, Sodak and more. Velow Bikeworks rebuilds custom bikes to reduce bikes in landfills. Fellow social enterprises include The Edinburgh Tool Library, which promotes the circular economy by lending tools and providing workshops for woodworking skills, and Oi Musica, which works with young people through brass instruments. We often use our social media platforms to promote and share their projects. It’s important to us to support each other and coexist together.
What makes Tribe Porty different? The biggest thing that separates us from other coworking spaces is our true focus on community. We are committed to generosity and kindness and actions rooted in those qualities are contagious. We promote a culture of building community and believe that a nurturing environment that sparks creativity and collaboration is good for business, individuals and communities.
We want people to feel at home, or even better, feel Tribe is a more creative home away from home. We want our members to leave their egos at the door and form genuine and important connections. We also look out into the wider community and are always looking for ways to connect and support.
When people come into Tribe for a tour, a day pass or an event the general feedback is that they were pleasantly surprised and slightly taken back by how chatty and genuine people are. It's a beautiful thing to hear and always brings people back.
What do our readers need to know? We are open Monday-Friday, 8.30-17.30. You can book free tours on our website as well as day passes and monthly packages. You can keep up to date with what’s going on inside Tribe Porty by signing up for our newsletter and by following us on social media @tribeporty.
Tell us a little about your story: Founder, Dani Trudeau, believes that we want our work to contribute to our lives, not take away joy or valuable time from what we really want to do. Having started her first enterprise at the age of 14 and her first company at 25, Dani is infinitely curious about what makes a good business — and businesses for good. Dani’s working experience is in education, health and social care and she has worked throughout the UK and America in the field of behavioural science.
Dani founded Tribe Porty in 2015 and more recently in 2018, founded Tribe Women, now Keystone Women, a community for enterprising women who want to reimagine their working lives. More recent times have been challenging but the pandemic has really exemplified how strong our community really is. Members have supported Tribe and have also checked in on one another – a commitment that has genuinely demonstrated unconditional kindness by supporting the constant growth and improvement of ourselves, each other, and our wider environment. This level of showing up for one another is what it is all about and also drives the team and I to work hard for Tribe.
How can people be inspired by your space wherever they are? Our social media platforms open a window to our world and also offer an insight into Portobello living. You can follow our newsletter to keep up with our blog posts. Our Keystone Women programme is open to enterprising women from around the world.
Where inspires you? We’re always inspired by our Tribe members and the wider community. We love not only finding out what other members are up to but celebrating and supporting their accomplishments. We have had members start all kinds of communities — from men's groups to writing, sewing, art, walking, cycling groups and more. They are a continued lifeline for many. Outside of Tribe, the great outdoors; we’re spoiled for choice here in Scotland.
Anything we're missing? No matter where you are, it is important to feel connected and pursue something that feels meaningful to you. Take time to cultivate your connections and be thoughtful about who you spend time to invest in your future wellbeing. Read our full blog about Finding Purpose which Promotes Wellbeing.
Gather Round
Discover a family of creative workspaces in Bristol built by creatives for creatives. Now we’ve experienced life without each other, Gather Round restores real-life interactions that no amount of Zoom can replace.
With its first location in Southville’s Cigar Factory and now a second location in Brunswick Square, Gather Round was created to make space for community and collaboration as much as for our everyday working lives. We asked the people at Fiasco, the design studio behind it, to tell us more about what makes their creative workspace different, how they bring ideas to life and how they have created a positive culture centered on people.
What is it: Gather Round is a growing family of unique creative workspaces, designed to foster a positive community of like-minded creative people through an open and supportive culture.
Why do people need It? Gather Round was set up in 2018 by us, Ben Steers and Jason Smith, Bristol-based business owners of Fiasco Design. We had struggled to find a workspace for our design studio that wasn’t an office, didn’t tie us into a long-term contract and crucially, didn’t charge obscene rates. After chatting to other creative business owners, we soon realised that we weren’t alone. It was time to shake things up. And so Gather Round was born. Built by creatives, for creatives.
What do you offer? Across two locations in Bristol, our considered workspaces are designed around the needs of those who work within the creative industries. Made up of flexible areas with fixed and casual desks, private studios, meeting rooms, production studios for hire, hang-out areas, communal kitchen tables, quiet rooms for headspace and event spaces. At Gather Round you can do your thing, your way.
What makes Gather Round different? As creatives ourselves, we know what makes a great workspace. No indoor caravans, tardis-style meeting rooms or artificial grass in sight. Just thoughtfully designed spaces. We provide the right ingredients for creative professionals to flourish; we’ve had businesses born from Gather Round and creative collaboration between people is a natural part of everyday working. So whether you're musing over an idea, hashing out a project, or launching your plan for world-domination - we’ve got it covered.
Our beautiful coworking spaces are nothing without the community of creatives that call them home from home. Filmmakers, designers, writers, publishers, art consultants, brand strategists, photographers and more… Our members are an eclectic and talented bunch. They’re also excellent people that make our special workspaces unique.
What do our readers need to know? Gather Round is fully open and accepting new memberships at both Bristol locations. As an independent business, we are able to be reactive to the changing landscape. We have adapted to new ways of working, putting our members and their needs first. Now more than ever, people appreciate the value of human connection. Zoom, Slack and the like, are fantastic but they don’t compensate for real-life interactions. We’re proud that our spaces help to bring people together, whether that’s via a project collaboration or enjoying one of our events with a post-work beer.
Tell us a little about your story: The pandemic was a really trying time for the creative industries. As agency owners of Fiasco Design, we were in the thick of it. Multiple projects fell through for us and we witnessed first-hand businesses fold, redundancies happen and talented creatives struggle to support their families. Throughout this, our members were there for one another; supporting each other through the tough times. Our community really pulled together. Many of us were thrust into working from home, often in less than ideal circumstances. Working from home for months on end can be lonely and particularly in the creative industries, it can lead to fatigue and burnout. It’s not surprising that since the end of restrictions we’ve seen an increase in people looking for somewhere to work away from home.
How can people be inspired by your space wherever they are? We are passionate about supporting creative endeavours and we have a blog on our site that is dedicated solely to this. Whether it’s learning how to bake sourdough bread, or reading about essential tools for freelancers, you can find it all on the Journal section of our site. You can also follow us on social channels to keep up to date with what our fantastic members are up to.
Gather Round
Cigar Factory
127-131 Raleigh Rd,
Southville, Bristol BS3 1QU
&
15-16 Brunswick Square
St Pauls, Bristol, BS2 8NX.
Gather Round now has a space in Bath. Check out their new location at Trinity Church here.
Beyond Books
This independent Bookshop Week, escape into the Imaginary with some of our favourite independent bookshops.
This Independent Bookshop Week (Saturday 18 June – Saturday 25 Jun), we’re celebrating some of our favourite indie bookshops. We often seek out bookstores when we’re feeling lost, even lonely, when we need a pick-me-up, when we need inspiration, and occasionally when we have that happy-just-to-be-in-the-world-feeling and want to connect with other people. Bookshops are pretty much there for us all the times of our lives.
So let’s return the favour this week and show up for them. Show them our support: Buy a book, attend an event, say hello to the booksellers and ask their advice on your next read, go on a bookshop crawl. Make a point of visiting your local bookshop, alone, with your friends, on a date, or with your kids (get them in the habit of bookstores early).
That way bookshops will get to stay around, making our lives and communities just that little bit better.
Here are our picks this week for Independent Bookshops we love and why we think they matter.
Bookbar, London
If we were a bookshop, we’d aspire to something like this: coffee on arrival, bottles of wine dotted amongst the bookshelves downstairs, spot-on curation from owner Chrissy Ryan (see the very covetable Booklists), and inspiring events that have included conversations with people like Emma Gannon and “read-dating”. To celebrate the book of the month: Akwaeke Emezi’s You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, Bookbar even played host to a pop-up nail bar. Where “books are social”, this is a place to seek out all the things: connecting, learning, or most crucial of all belonging
With a cause: This one’s all about community: even their Loyalty Card supports books for the local school, Ambler Primary.
To do: Get some bibliotherapy with Shelf Medicate Prescription and Consultation. We’ve very much in need of the escapism offered by the G&T for the Soul Prescription. Consultations are also available for the kids in our life.
Max Minerva’s, Bristol
Every neighborhood needs its own bookstore, every community a hub for kids and grown-ups. When Jessica Paul and Sam Taylor moved into Bristol’s Westbury Park neighborhood they thought they’d found that in Durham Down Bookshop. But when the owner died in 2016, they realized that it was down to them to keep a bookstore in their community. In 2018, Max Minerva’s opened its welcoming yellow fronted space, with a built-in window seat and cozy armchair for lingering. For Jessica, “Bookshops are a comfort thing.” They also tell deeply personal stories: Named after Maxene Emily Minerva, Paul’s late 15-year-old cousin (and also the Goddess of Knowledge Minerva), the store celebrates her voracious love of reading. It’s a joyful celebration of how books are all about ‘emotion, imagination, and ways to making you think.”
With a cause: Bright orange lettering outlines a quote from Lemony Snicket: “All the secrets of the world are contained in books. Read at your own risk.” And it is the joy of reading for all, but particularly kids, that Max Minerva’s encourages by focusing on kids' literacy and creative classes that tell some of those secrets.
To do: Sign up for a children’s reading subscription, and choose between titles for Juniors aged 9 to 12 or aged 5 to 8.
The Book Hive, Norwich
Founded by Henry Layte who describes it as “someone’s home where you can buy a book. Always has, intentionally,’ The Book Hive is an irreverent indie bookstore, with a highly individualistic take on what to read. Located in a landmark building in Norwich Lanes, this is a bookstore for discovering the unexpected. Beloved by authors like Margaret Atwood (who completed her novel The Heart Goes Last in one of its upstairs rooms) and poet Simon Armitage (part of the shop’s award-winning imprint Propolis), the titles on offer are not your usual suspects, but an eclectic assortment that puts personal choice above algorithms. Similarly, the events push back on where we’re all falling down: like Page Against the Machine, a space dedicated to reading, which in itself feels radical now: coming together, detoxing from tech, and putting the world on hold by escaping into a good book.
With a cause: The Book Hive supports the work of the Norman Lamb Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund, which funds vital local, grassroots, community mental health initiatives
To do: Join the Short Short Story BookClub, which takes the much underrated short story and gives it its due with two collections mailed a month to be discussed for now on Zoom.
Support your small book store. Read something you love.
Let us know which local bookshops make your life better and which you’d recommend for our guide.
[Main photo: Photo by Pj Accetturo on Unsplash]
Work + Play - A New Local Coworking Concept
Looking for a new way to work? Co-founder of London’s Work + Play Freddie Scobey talks to us about how he’s creating a coworking space that’s reclaiming how we balance our lives.
If the pandemic taught us anything it was maybe how restrictive our working life can be. More of us are looking for a new way to work. And London’s Work + Play is responding to that need. Co-founder Freddie Scobey talks to us about how he’s creating a coworking space that’s reclaiming how we balance our lives.
What is it? Work + Play is the first coworking space geared towards the “work from home” crowd and will focus equally on Work + Play. With its first location having just opened in Finsbury Park, London. W+P offers a unique take on coworking.
Why do people need It? ‘Joy can be really simple’, says my co-founder, Tobias, ‘It can be as simple as coming to work with an amazing community of talented and like-minded people. It can be a comedy night, a morning workout, afternoon sound healing, evening drinks, or combining all the above. Work + Play prides itself on creating unique opportunities for great experiences.’ Finding an environment where you can get the most out of yourself and benefit from the knowledge and insights of others, can be invaluable.
W+P is looking to build these “third spaces” of the future. Not the home, not the office, but somewhere new where work + life is balanced, and which also has the vital goal of rejuvenating the high street to focus on community experiences rather than personal purchases.
Work + Play is a co-working space that responds to what we need. We need comfort, but also community. A place to feel inspired. A launchpad for new friendships. A focal point for family. A warm home, a fertile ground for unexpected hobbies, or budding business ideas.
What do you offer? Fully-Flex Coworking Warp Speed Wi-Fi All Desks Inc. Monitors Exercise + Wellness + Community Events Puppy Yoga Free Yoga + Pilates Free Tea + Coffee Meeting Room + Phone Booths Event Space For Hire.
What makes It different? At its core, Work and Play is about refusing to return to the unnatural work habits of previous eras. We take a local first approach which blends community, wellness and work into a single complete offering on your doorstep.
Tell us a little about your story: We exist because: • No space truly combines work & play • People waste too much of their lives commuting • High streets are the shared spaces of every local community
Our mission: Create unique, healthy, productive, and visually awesome spaces, that support individuals and local communities to define our work + play balance of the future.
Our take on wellness: To help us all cut through the “noise” and focus on what wellness means to us as individuals, we have woven the following seven ideas into the fabric of our spaces. See if you can spot them all!
How can people be inspired by your space wherever they are? The space has been meticulously designed by award-winning architects to be a perfect blend of work and home comfort. Including formal work desks, informal lounge, café-style seating and privacy booths; W+P offers everything required to work productively out of the office.
In addition, the space has its own studio ‘play-space’, which will host a range of classes and events from those more pointed to wellness (HIIT, Pilates, Yoga, TRX, Meditation) to those aimed at bringing fun into view (Puppy yoga, life drawing, speed networking). Work + Play will support people to blend well-being and enjoyment into their workdays.
