We are a social enterprise – in a nut shell that means that we value people and the planet and that profit feeds back into protecting green spaces and education about how we can interact more consciously and reciprocally with nature.
We Seed Sistas have never had a eureka moment when it comes to knowing nature is alive. We have been immersed in nature since our early years and want to share that joy with others. We know that we are connected to plants, we have receptors in our bodies that respond to compounds in the herbs – the plants talk to our bodies, it’s incredible.
Every time you purchase something from us, come on a course, buy a book, tell a friend about our work, you are supporting the organisation to give seed fund grants to community medicine gardens, set up and run our own medicine gardens and directly paying into supporting planet earth.
Social Enterprise official business…
Each year, we fill out a social enterprise report for Companies House which is where all businesses even limited companies are registered. Writing the report gives us a chance to reflect on what has been achieved by our organisation each year.
Garden Grants:
Our Community Medicine Garden Seed Fund Grant for 2022 went to the PACT allotment through Citizen UK. This will support teaching families and children about herbs for medicine. This wonderful project can be found here . We offer guidance on planting and what herbs to include and some mentorship if needed as part of the seed fund . We don’t just offer money but support, if needed, in identifying how the projects can create more access to information about the plants from getting signage to organising events at the venue.
Medicinal Garden Projects
We have had ongoing projects in Dorset and Hertfordshire with Community Gardens and Orchard Projects.
The Orchard Project, Northaw, has continued to thrive with great benefit to the Community. Regular days are organised to promote the work of Sensory Solutions and the Orchard. This has been especially important to the community coming out of lock down and has been a venue for many local nature-based businesses to run events and workshops.
Otter Bend is a new initiative to create a community herb and mushroom educational forest garden in Bridport Dorset. Permission has been granted from the local council and the set-up process is underway seeking funding, creating a subsidiary bank account and planning development of the land and project. Many hours have been gifted so far in advance of funding granted.
Free Places on courses
We have provided 100% funded places to Veterans on our online stress and anxiety course Pathway to Peace. We partnered with The Charity Veterans Growth who encourage connection with the Earth and growing to address mental health challenges in veterans. This is an ongoing collaboration between our two organisations and we hope to develop more funded and free places for them.
Our stress and anxiety course continues to enhance the lives of those that take it. Folk comment on the varied array of different ways that are presented to engage with the plants, its informative, experiential and deeply relaxing. Learning about herbs by tuning in online, so that you can get outside gives you connections with the herbs that will stay as memories for life.
Back to the future…
We started with a few bottles of syrups and tea blends on Hitchin market in the south of England in 2002. Having met several years before, this marked the start of being out there and seeing what was missing from knowledge out in the world. These humble beginnings helped shape the future of the organisation with a social focus to shift the current paradigm of healthcare and increase personal empowerment. We know that by looking back to the knowledge we once had about plant medicine, we can all shape a better more connected future.
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