After moving to The Derbyshire Dales I identified a need for a relaxed way to meet other creatives. Being neurodiverse, walking into a room sometimes felt overwhelming and overstimulating and having found I work best while walking in nature I figured there must be others out there who were similar. Running a creative business can sometimes feel all consuming and full on.

I had met so many amazing creatives through my work and all had said they felt disconnected and often find it hard to take downtime. I really wanted to offer something where creatives could feel seen and held but also get some much needed downtime and reconnect with our natural world. Taking my nature connection study and passion for holistic health I came up with the idea for a very laid back monthly meet up.

We started with a simple walk, a few hours on a Friday afternoon, and it was so wonderful to see shoulders drop, ideas shared, people connect and take the moments they needed to nourish their business. Often we’d all turn up muttering about our to do list and then come away with a new mindset and a feeling that taking the time was so beneficial for creative thought, working through a creative block or just realising that nothing was an urgent as it felt previously.

We meet on the third Friday of every month and each meet up is usually based around a walk in the Matlock area. There are often elements of mindfulness in the form of tapping into our senses. Every few months we do something a little more special like a woodland away day where we gather around the fire, check in with ourselves and each other.

The events are mostly free except where there’s a hire charge for a venue. Check out the events for the next few months below, you’d be so welcome to join us and what can can be sure of is a welcoming, relaxed few hours where you’ll come away feeling like that was exactly what you needed.