Renew and Restore in Nature – supporting people living with cancer

Join us for restorative, fun and uplifting sessions all rooted in nature, on our beautiful community-owned organic farm.Sessions run fortnightly Friday’s 10.30am to 1.30pm.

Our Renew and Restore programme is open to all and will include a wide range of activities, evolving around your feedback. You could experience an introduction to photography, cook a new dish with our head chef, try your hand at bush craft around the camp fire, join a foraging walk or a conservation task, create art inspired by nature, or perhaps enjoy just a gentle amble through our woodland and a cup of tea.

We guarantee a friendly space, where you can dip and out of what suits you on the day.

The Fordhall Community Land Initiative is really excited to be working with funders Lingen Davies Cancer Trust to deliver this diverse programme of free support for people living with cancer.

Launching May 2024 and running to the end of the year, you can attend up to six sessions to create a bespoke programme to suit you.

The base for all the sessions will be our stunning ecologically-built Straw Lodge, with sweeping views across the Tern Valley. Whilst the majority of sessions will take place outdoors your comfort is our priority, therefore the Straw Lodge offers a retreat space during each session.

What can I expect?

10.30am arrival for a welcome brew, get to know us or chat with friends.

11am You can choose to: Join your chosen activity; Take a gentle amble around the farm with a friendly Fordhall host or Relax at base.

1pm Return to base for a cuppa and to regroup with friends.

1.30pm Session ends. Head off home or spend more time exploring the farm, maybe visit the café or farm shop.

We know that treatment can have its ups and downs. Therefore, if you book an activity, but on the day, you don’t quite feel up to it, we will be flexible. You can always change your mind and stay at base or join the amble. Similarly, if you want to dip in and out of an activity, that is also perfectly fine.

These days and experiences are here for you.

Healthy drinks and snacks will be available but you’re very welcome to bring any food or drink with you from home you’d like to have with you.

Upcoming sessions

Due to small group sizes, attendance always needs to be booked in advance.

Your health – if you have any concerns regarding the suitability of these activities please contact your GP before attending.

1 17th May Cooking for Health with Head Chef Richard Join our head chef Richard in a cooking masterclass preparing a simple healthy and nutritious meal and the opportunity to enjoy it together afterwards or take home. There is also the chance to ask chef all his Fordhall Organic secrets, what would you like to ask about the beautiful food he prepares for our café.
2 14th June Gentle yoga with Cat Merrick, Jenna Blair Yoga and a walk-in nature Move gently, breathe deeply and take some valuable time out to find some mindful moments. All welcome, perfect for beginners. Followed by an optional walk on the farm trails if you wish.
3 21st June Summer Solstice Garden Art Join Julie from our gardening team making nature-based decorations for your garden or home. 50% price tickets to the community solstice event that will follow later that day if people would like to attend.
4 28th June Healing Herbs with Fordhall gardener Julie Join Fordhall gardener Julie to work with herbs in our community garden. Enjoy the relaxing benefits of gardening and growing in this beautiful space. Exploring different herbs and learning about their benefits.

Planting of a mini herb garden to take home. If time allows we may also explore the making of nourishing balms using herbs.
5 12th July Nature inspired block printed bags Ruth Carlile Mills is an experienced educator, artist, and CEO of Arts for Health Design Studio, Designs in Mind. Her work is inspired by the natural world, and she believes that creativity and wellbeing go hand in hand. In this warm and restorative workshop, create your own colourful repeat patterned bag using print blocks made by Ruth. The patterns are inspired by the flora, fauna, and landscapes of Fordhall. No experience is necessary as Ruth will guide you through the process of choosing colour and pattern, and repeat printing your foam blocks.
6 26th July TBC Session activity still to be confirmed
7 9th Aug Storying a Walk with artist Jessica Emsley An outdoor art workshop. Together, we’ll explore the use of concertina books for recording a walk using different drawing techniques and will create a narrative sketchbook of the journey.

Please note, we will take a slow and relaxed approach to the day with no pressure to make anything ‘finished’ or resolved, instead enjoying the experience of being outside and connecting with the landscape through drawing.

Materials will be provided, and we will round off the workshop with a warm cup of tea.

 

Accessible to anyone, an opportunity to explore drawing in nature. We will not be covering large distances walking (but there is an all-terrain mobility vehicle available if you need), the focus on drawing. You’ll leave the session with your own pastel, charcoal, book and some guidance to how to use the techniques you’ll do on the day on your next drawing amble.

 

About the session leader

www.jessicaemsley.com

 

Jessica Emsley is an artist and researcher living and walking in and around Kendal, Cumbria, and is a PhD student at NTU.

 
8 6th Sept TBC Session activity still to be confirmed
9 20th Sept Autumnal Amble Immerse yourself in the changing of the seasons and join John Hughes,

(Fordhall board member and Shropshire Wildlife Trust team member for

many years) to discover the hidden wonders of nature on a gentle amble

across our organic farm.
10 4th Oct TBC Session activity still to be confirmed
11 18th Oct TBC Session activity still to be confirmed
12 1st Nov TBC Session activity still to be confirmed
13 15th Nov TBC Session activity still to be confirmed
14 29TH Nov TBC Session activity still to be confirmed
15 13th Dec Last session – TBC Session activity still to be confirmed

We will publish more session information here as we progress though the year and tailor the sessions based on feedback of our attendees.

All sessions must be pre booked.  To register for bookings please complete the form below: 

Additional Information:

  • We have an all-terrain mobility vehicle available for use if this is required, please let us know at time of booking.
  • Free to access and available to anyone with a cancer diagnosis.
  • Contact Nicola: community@fordhallfarm.com