Wine & mind

Karen Neville

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wellness

Learn some simple mindfulness strategies to boost your performance at work and home while you enjoy a glass of wine

Former female RAF helicopter pilot Sarah Furness is bringing Winefulness, a combination of business and mindfulness over a glass of wine, to Henley on 15th July.

Afghanistan veteran Sarah will be presenting her new concept of Winefulness, uniting her unique management experience under fire and mindfulness over a glass of wine to local business leaders at Henley’s world leading Oaken Grove vineyard. She will be joined by the Daily Mail’s wine correspondent, Olly Smith, who will be leading the wine-tasting.

Sarah uses her training in Military Grade Mindfulness to help business professionals use mindfulness techniques and to reach their potential whatever their circumstances. She says that her Winefulness taster day will be the ideal place for busy professionals to learn how to incorporate mindfulness into their routine, whilst doing the things they love.

Sarah also runs Winefulness Wednesdays every last Wednesday of the month at Oaken Grove. This is an opportunity for people to hear about how the brain works and how to apply simple mindfulness strategies into their daily lives …. all brought to you through the experience of wine-tasting.

Oaken Grove Vineyard is a family-run boutique vineyard, nestling in the Chiltern Hills surrounded by ancient woodland, offering a range of award-wining wines. The seven acres of vines produce exceptional still and sparkling wines.

In addition to Sarah’s Winefulness Wednesdays, Oaken Grove also holds pop up restaurants and jazz on a Sunday afternoon. On Friday evenings and Saturdays the terrace is open to enjoy a glass of wine with local cheese and charcuterie.

To find out more and to book click here

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AZUMI-Wellness: Nature Therapy Berkshire

Round & About

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wellness

We at AZUMI-Wellness are very excited to offer nature therapy experiences in Berkshire, a county blessed with extraordinarily beautiful parks, woodlands and forests. We passionately believe that going outside in nature can help us to feel calmer, more relaxed and less stressed.

At AZUMI-Wellness we pride ourselves on helping people to feel better and we believe in tailoring experiences to our clients and not our clients to the experiences.

We know that modern life is fast paced, full of uncertainties and always changing. Our minds are busy, jumping from one task to the next with little time to stop and enjoy the stillness of our surroundings.

Nature therapy encourages us to slow down, breathe and reconnect with our environment and ourselves. The practice of nature therapy focuses on reconnecting with the natural environment through a series of invitations, encouraging participants to become aware of all the amazing smells, sounds, sights, tastes and textures that surround them; leading to an enhanced experience and a deeper embodied sense of relaxation.

Nature therapy is the practice of immersing yourself in nature, particularly forests, for better mental and physical health. This evidence-based practice began in Japan in the early 1980’s and is known in Japanese as, Shinrin Yoku.

Studies have proven that people who regularly participate in nature therapy also known as forest therapy benefit from: reductions in feelings of anxiety, stress, anger, tension, fatigue and depression. Additional benefits include: lowered blood pressure and heart rate, improved quality of sleep and concentration.

At AZUMI-Wellness we are experts in guiding our clients through an authentic Nature therapy experience – our 2 hour sessions are run by certified and accredited therapists who will guide you through a sensory experience you are unlikely to forget!

Our sessions are suitable for everyone and we are very happy to adapt to your specific needs.

Each session is about 2 hours in duration, we do not walk more than ¾ of a mile, we walk slowly and carefully, mindfully moving through sensory invitations and taking every opportunity to relax and reconnect.

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Maymessy: Recipe for life

Karen Neville

Posted on

wellness

Social enterprise Maymessy is helping families learn valuable life skills.

Food shopping and cooking for a family can be a challenge, especially when you’re on a tight budget, but help is at hand from a Wantage-based social enterprise.

Maymessy at Garlands Farm, West Challow, believes in giving marginalised groups and disadvantage young people better wellbeing through cookery classes and wellness activities.

It was launched in 2017 by Anna Richards who turned a disused cow shed into the cookery barn supporting young carers, young people in the care system, families struggling financially, those with special needs and refugee families.

Maymessy works with eight local charities and youth groups helping young people to understand the importance of teamwork, build their confidence and self esteem and enjoy time outside in the shared garden as well as giving them greater knowledge of healthy eating and wellbeing.

Maymessy at Garlands Farm

This year, it has branched out to support adults from charities such as Refugee Resource and Style Acre with those who visit working in the vegetable plot and getting to grips with the pots and pans before sitting down to tuck into a plate of their own yummy and nutritious food.

Maymessy can also offer ad hoc work experience, volunteering and mentorship to the young people who go there.

Anna said: “As a qualified teacher with nutritional accreditation and a mother of twin girls, I know how food shopping and cooking for a family can be a challenge, especially when you’re on a tight budget or using a food bank.

“As a local community interest company, I wanted Maymessy to help these families by providing a safe and comfortable space to learn these essential life skills.”

And this year Maymessy has been supporting the NHS in Oxfordshire with weekly deliveries to around 100 Covid-19 special care staff.

Anna added: “At the end of lockdown, we also collaborated with Ray Collins Charitable Trust to provide care packages to the staff of the John Radcliffe Children’s hospital. It was there that we had the idea that we could partner to provide support to local families in Wantage – providing our cooking expertise to the families using the [Wantage Coronavirus] Support Group.”

The WCSG has been working closely with local families over the last seven months supplying much-needed shopping and over this time realised the difference these classes could make.

Anna Richards: Founder of Maymessy

Ray said: “Shopping and cooking on a tight budget is never easy and in some cases can lead to friction and tension in the home. So the Sustainable Wantage, Ray Collins Charitable Trust and the Coronavirus Support Group want to help out by organising cooking classes for parents and hopefully older children to learn new cookery skills together and how to plan and budget for meals.”

To find out more about the work of Maymessy visit www.maymessy.com

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