Active Recovery - The Southmead Project and Healing Weeds — Healing Weeds

Active Recovery : Foraging Walk + Wild Tea [regular sessions]

Thursday, March 14, 2024
11:00 AM 1:30 PM 11:00 13:30

Bristol United Kingdom (map)

Google Calendar ICS

Maria guides the group, Active Recovery, supporting survivors through nature connection community activities; socialise with others in a safe and supportive environment. We revisit locations and build on existing skills. As well as foraging, other activities include kayaking, gym-based activities, walking and creative sessions. Find out how to get support via their website below.

Active Recovery

Source:: https://www.southmeadproject.org.uk/community-based-projects

What are people saying?

116

Got a voucher for my girlfriend a while ago and finally got round to doing it. Lovely morning activity on Purdown collecting some plants and learning about their benefits. Very relaxed pace, educational and informative. Good group size too - not too big or small.

Joe Sargent

A lovely morning on Purdown , Maria was very knowledgeable and inspiring on the walk , we learned a lot, tasted a lot which was a revelation! Enjoyed hearing about the historical use of plants for medicine etc . Would recommend!

sharon allen

I arranged for Maria to come and lead a foraging walk for a community group in Barton Hill, Bristol. She is an excellent facilitator with an extensive knowledge of healing herbs and weeds. The walk had a really positive impact on those who came along, and was great fun!

Jonathan Eldridge

Wonderful foraging walk with Maria. She helped our group explore the local park and see all of the "weeds" in a whole new light! Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge and insights with us, it was a really special afternoon!

abi sweet

Absolutely loved our day out foraging with Maria! She really knows what she's talking about and made it very fun and personal. We will definitely be returning for another forage in another season!

Oliver Jobling

I thoroughly enjoyed the foraging walk with Maria. It really opened my eyes to the healing power of a range of plants in my local area. It was so nice to wander, learn and taste...and all in very good company.

Bryony Mann

Excellent and fascinating walk through the countryside. Maria instantly made everyone feel very welcome and passionately shared her knowledge. Would highly recommend to everyone!

Oliver Dahmen

This was a very empowering experience to grow confidence and knowledge in foraging and using plants as medicine. Maria is a brilliant teacher! Would highly recommend the workshops and walks that Maria organises.

Holly

I had a wonderful time on Maria's course at the weekend. Maria is a wonderful teacher and overall lovely human. Everything we learned was so interesting and informative and I am looking forward to putting what I learned in to practice. I will definitely join future workshops and recommend them to everyone! Thank you, Maria.

Sarah

Outstanding! Maria took our work group with no experience in the subject (and in a very unpromising-looking park with mostly flat football pitches and a few random bushes) and opened our eyes to the magic of what's growing all around us. She's enthusiastic and engaging, and pitched the walk just right with enough information for us all to learn something new, but also made it a fun and enjoyabl...

James Ransome

Splendid walk on Purdown. Fourth time out with Maria--- and I always learn something new, even when we encounter plants that I thought were familiars. Followed up with making a batch of plantain balsam!

Edward Counsell

The foraging walk in Conham river park with Maria was super enjoyable and inspiring. She shared some of her knowledge for local plants and their use but most importantly her curiosity and enthusiasm. I have been looking out for plants on all my walk ever since, what a beautiful gift!

Anne Condé

Lee Turner

Very much enjoyed our afternoon with Maria at Conham River Park. I learned so much about the plants we came across and their properties. It really inspired me to learn more and the resources she sent afterwards were very helpful.

Lucy Davey

Maria took 14 of us on a guided foraging tour around Conham River Park. It was really informative and has inspired me to forage when I am about and about with the dog. Will definitely be back in touch to enquire about foraging walks at other times of year!

Peter Ryan

Maria's foraging session was fascinating, thoroughly enjoyable and has given me the confidence to have a go myself. I would highly recommend.

Vickie Peters

We organised a 2 hour workshop with Maria for our friend’s hen party at Campwell Farm in Bradford upon Avon, near Bristol. Our session included an introduction, a short walk around the local area while Maria explained the properties and uses of various plants, and then we infused our findings into a herbal tea and made a balm with soy wax, essential oils and yarrow oil. Maria was very knowledga...

Kathy Emery

Bought tickets for a foraging walk with Maria along with Gin tasting with Hendricks and Cocktail making at Hyde & Co for my friends birthday, what a fantastic afternoon. Maria is so knowledgeable and showed us so many different plants wth so many healing properties, I can't wait to start learning more, we will be booking more walks and workshops and even thinking of dragging our husbands. Than...

Natalie Morris

Absolutely wonderful walk with Maria at Cobham River Park. I learned loads, and it was a delightful group with lots of knowledge shared. I'll be doing this again at another time of year.

Rosie Greenwood

I highly recommend Maria’s afternoon foraging experience for anyone who wants a taster (literally!) of foraging. It was thoroughly enjoyable and informative.

Becca Churchill

This was such an informative and enjoyable experience. I really loved it. Received this walk as a gift and it was one of the best gifts I've ever got!

Orla Stanford

This was my first guided foraging walk ever. I found it to be well organised, had good structure but also plenty of flexibility for participants to be curious and ask about other plants that piqued their interest. I loved that people were encouraged to share stories or recipes for their foraging finds. I really enjoyed the pace of the walk, it felt leisurely. Not rushed at all but still started...

Kim Long

We had a fantastic time on Maria's foraging walk. She was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and open-minded and really brought to life the world of using and eating plants that can be found all around us, even in Bristol city centre. Highly recommend!

bethan moore

Maria ran a wonderful foraging walk with a large group of my friends to celebrate my birthday! The session was perfectly planned and paced to cater for the prior foraging experiences (varying from none to some!) within the group. Everyone went away fired up to put their new knowledge into practice. Maria is an excellent communicator with a great passion and deep understanding of plants. I would...

Catherine Coleman

Maria was welcoming. The walk was great fun and learnt a lot. It has ignited my desire learn a lot more. Thank you, would highly recommend going on a walk with Maria.

marc wright

Maria took a group of us foraging on one of the wettest afternoons in memory but her enthusiasm and knowledge made the whole experience such a pleasure. I highly recommend Marias foraging walks to anyone interested in connecting with plants and nature more. I am keen to go on more in the future! Thank you!!

Kate Daguerre

What a treat - even though the weather was a bit grim! I thoroughly enjoyed my foraging walk with Maria. It was really nice to amble around with my husband, dogs and a nice group of people looking and finding out about the different plants on our walk. This was a lovely present from my daughter for mothers day. If you're thinking of buying this for your mum - do it!

emma charlton

I have now done both a summer and autumn foraging workshop with Maria - and can't wait for the next one! Maria has a vast amount of knowledge, which is impressive, but even more so is her delivery. She has a delightful manner and sense of humour, engaging with all ages with skill and ease.

Sarah Webb

Spent a gorgeous afternoon learning about the plants local to my area last Sunday. It was a brilliant walk and I've really enjoyed recognising so many more parts of nature in my neighbourhood and beyond. Maria is a great guide and I highly recommend the foraging walk for a lovely afternoon out in nature!

Nia Evans

I really loved the Healing Weeds calming infused oils and balm workshop in Bristol! Maria was great, super knowledgeable and very friendly. She kept us all interested throughout the whole session, and I've been using my handmade balms almost daily since we made them! I've recommended Healing Weeds to a few friends in Bristol. Nice to do with friends/ family or by yourself!

Rox C

Joe Sargent

sharon allen

Jonathan Eldridge

abi sweet

Absolutely loved our day out foraging with Maria! She really knows what she's talking about and made it very fun and personal. We will definitely be returning for another forage in another season!

Oliver Jobling

Bryony Mann

Excellent and fascinating walk through the countryside. Maria instantly made everyone feel very welcome and passionately shared her knowledge. Would highly recommend to everyone!

Oliver Dahmen

Holly

Sarah

James Ransome

Edward Counsell

Anne Condé

Lee Turner

Lucy Davey

Peter Ryan

Maria's foraging session was fascinating, thoroughly enjoyable and has given me the confidence to have a go myself. I would highly recommend.

Vickie Peters

Kathy Emery

Natalie Morris

Absolutely wonderful walk with Maria at Cobham River Park. I learned loads, and it was a delightful group with lots of knowledge shared. I'll be doing this again at another time of year.

Rosie Greenwood

I highly recommend Maria’s afternoon foraging experience for anyone who wants a taster (literally!) of foraging. It was thoroughly enjoyable and informative.

Becca Churchill

This was such an informative and enjoyable experience. I really loved it. Received this walk as a gift and it was one of the best gifts I've ever got!

Orla Stanford

Kim Long

bethan moore

Catherine Coleman

Maria was welcoming. The walk was great fun and learnt a lot. It has ignited my desire learn a lot more. Thank you, would highly recommend going on a walk with Maria.

marc wright

Kate Daguerre

emma charlton

Sarah Webb

Nia Evans

Rox C

Really enjoyable, informative and engaging walk. Thank you!

Sivani Balachandran

I cannot recommend Healing Weeds enough. At short notice, Maria provided an incredible foraging walk in Morden Hall Park, South London. 15 of us wandered through woodlands and meadows, the versatility of "weeds" such as stinging nettles, elderflowers, and plantain, were revealed, as Maria shared her encyclopedic knowledge and foraging tips from start to finish. The group consisted of staff an...

Fred Kavanagh

Amazing. Attended the foraging morning on 22nd July in Conham woods. Maria is so knowledgable, friendly and enthusiastic. The morning exceeded my expectations and I learnt so much in such a short period of time. I have found myself looking at plants and weeds on my walks instead of merely trampling all over them! Highly recommend and will definitely be going again.

Catherine Barnes

I did an afternoon's foraging course with Healing Weeds and it was just the loveliest time. I learnt loads, enjoyed the time outdoors and met some lovely people. If you have an interest in foraging, getting closer to nature and understanding more about the benefits of wild and woodland plants, then get along to one of Maria's walks.

Tracy Gill

Maria is an experienced and knowledgeable professional, passionate for what she does! Very friendly and approachable, she taught our group about wild medicine in a fun and hands-on way while encouraging us to try it. We made our own tea in the end with the herbs we gathered - delicious! I would recommend Healing Weeds to anyone interested in foraging, I feel more confident picking up wild plant...

Panos Tyros

We hired Maria for a private guided foraging walk for a hen do. It was relaxed yet informative, Maria did a really good job of pitching to the level we were at (mixed levels of knowledge and some waning energy levels being day 2 of a hen do!) She was warm, approachable, patient and knowledgeable. It felt really special and would highly recommend.

Rosalie White

If you'd like to understand more about the wonders and abundance of flora all around us, then I wholly endorse and recommend spending some time with Maria and Healing Weeds. Maria's knowledge and passion are infectious. Enjoy!

Phil Kent

Thank you Maria it was a very interesting and informative day, I was impressed with your knowledge of the properties of the species we found and their beneficial effects on our bodies, I would recommend Maria's foraging walk and hope to go again, Martin x

Martin Newman

I couldn't have wished for a better experience and teacher, I went into this experience without any real knowledge of plants and foraging but left with a strong amount of information that I can put to practical use. Maria was a wonderful teacher that made you feel at ease and was happy to answer question you may have had, I was a bit intimidated before going but as soon as you arrive you feel a...

taylerorr

Maria was welcoming, funny and knowledgeable. The group had a lovely dynamic, suitable for all knowledge levels. Perfect for anyone wanting to improve their foraging skills or just connect with nature.

Sophie Pope

I joined Maria for a foraging walk at Stoke Park and would like to feed back it was a really enjoyable experience! I was quite amazed by the number of plants we walk past every day, some may even call 'weeds', which have fascinating uses and histories. Maria's enthusiasm was infectious so the whole group of us were spellbound from the off. The time absolutely flew by and I left with a head full...

John Clamp

I highly recommend Maria's foraging walks. It was a really enjoyable afternoon and served as a great introduction to the world of foraging. Maria's enthusiasm for foraging and herbal medicine was uplifting and made the experience great fun throughout.

Sean Mullin

Thank you Maria for a wonderful few hours. It was such a cold frosty morning and I had assumed we wouldn't find anything to forage but how I was wrong! there was such an array of nutritious things to pick and taste and smell, hearing about all the benefits and medicinal properties was so useful- i now feel confident that i can impart this knowledge to friends and family. It exceeded all expecta...

Hannah Doe

Maria Fernandez Garcia gave a fascinating and informative introduction to foraging and herbal medicine in Hackney Marshes. Especially valuable were the insights she shared about the history of the gendered suppression of herbal knowledge, and the emancipatory potential of that knowledge today.

David Cross

We had such a good time last week at the group we organised for our charity, thank you so much. We thought you were particularly brilliant and in tune with people and their needs. We loved how kind and knowledgeable you are, in a really inclusive way. We also loved how if you didn't know something you said so, it is really refreshing and makes people trust that when you do give information y...

Amy Derrick

Sarah M

Maria’s so wonderfully knowledgeable and passionate - she makes reconnecting with the plants around us so accessible and interesting. Thank you Maria - I’m inspired to learn more and share these connections with friends and family

David Jones

I had a really fantastic time foraging with Maria and the others in the group, its was really interesting learning about all the plants and I had a great time making tea and tonics in the woods 🌿🍁

Lucy-906 Bro

Informative and enjoyable foraging experience

Samantha Bond

Had a great time on this workshop, definitely worth every penny. Learned a lot and now feel confident to start foraging for plants myself. Maria is very knowledgable and delivers information in a friendly and accessible way. Highly recomend.

Danny

Came away feeling completely inspired and cannot believe how much I didn't (and still don't) know! I went back to the exact same foraging spot with my children the very next day and spent 4 hours there foraging and exploring. ..and they were just as enthusiastic- we have already had wildflower topping on our overnight oats, seeds sprinkled in our smoothies and wild leaves added to our salads. I...

hannah h

Thanks Maria. I had a fabulous morning with you. Really grateful for you coming to my local patch and revealing new edible and medicinal plant wonders. I loved how within 5 metres of our start you found a few plants to talk about. This then carried on throughout our walk. Your knowledge was deep and as we discussed I would really like to do a walk in the mountains some time, a combined wild swi...

Richard Shortridge

Maria is a very knowledgeable and engaging host. Her workshops are inclusive and cater for any level of experience of foraging. I found how Maria got us to touch and taste the plants we found on the walk a really effective way of learning about each plant. Highly recommended :)

Georgia Foreman

We had a fantastic day with Maria at Conham River Park. We learned a great deal about the medicinal and nutritional properties of plants and trees that we would ordinarily walk past and not give a second thought to. Maria is super knowledgeable and happy to use her expertise to answer any questions and would often encourage the group to share their knowledge with eachother to prompt interesti...

tom palmer

Brilliant foraging walk in Leigh Woods with Maria. She is friendly and knowledgeable, and we both feel like we learnt a huge amount on the tour. Highly recommended and looking forward to putting some of our learning into practice!

Addam Merali-Younger

We learnt so much in one afternoon and explored a place we'd never been to too. I am drinking yarrow tea as I write this. Thanks so much Maria for a great experience.

FLORA Samuel

Absolutely incredible! Would highly recommend & cannot wait to sign up for more. Maria is incredibly knowledgeable & delivers information in such an accesible manner which makes the whole experience great fun. Sunday well spent! Already been making teas with what we foraged & inspired to continue learning more. Thank you again 🌻

Sophia Ortiz

What a beautiful afternoon spent with a small group meandering down through woodland, and along a riverbank, guided by Maria. We learned so much, stopping every so often to touch, smell, and taste all kinds of leaves, seeds and flowers. Maria held the space really well and shared loads of knowledge without swamping us. We left feeling very inspired to add more foraged food into our diets.

Mark Stanley

Carmen Fontan

I had a great afternoon with Maria. Her knowledge is wide ranging and she helped me identify plants I didn't know and their uses. It wasn't a route march ('m not young) and she was more than happy to answer all and any questions we had. There was plenty of laughing as well as learning She made a herbal infusion that actually tasted good! (I was a sceptic, but am a convert now) A lovely way to s...

Marion Cuthbert