01/10/2026
Bed Springs, Badger Setts, Bloody Good Coffee, a Canoe River Cleaner & a Few
Menopausal Women 😂
If you’re wondering what bed springs, badger setts, the best organic coffee I’ve ever tasted, a Canoe River Cleaner and a few menopausal women have in common,
quite a lot.
😂🌿
Let me explain…
A few days ago, the lovely Nic came to visit Jen’s Den after my mate Jim aka The Canoe River Cleaner passed my details on to her.
Nic is developing her own rather exciting vision for a space centred around wellbeing, particularly women’s wellbeing through perimenopause and menopause, alongside nature and connection.
She’s a HUGE plant lover. 🌱 She knows her stuff, talks to her plants, sings to them and plays them music. She’s passionate about foraging, wilding, recycling, repurposing and not throwing something away when it could be turned into something completely different.
And her home and garden tell that story everywhere you look.
Those big coils you can see in the photos?
BED SPRINGS. 💚
Repurposed into something fabulous.
She used to run festivals. shes creative, quirky, resourceful, slightly wild and absolutely full of ideas.
So I thought, I know some people you need to meet.
So I invited Nic along to Voices for Nature 💚
And there she met the lovely Alison Riley from whose own vision is rooted in using dance and movement, not about learning a routine or performing on a stage, but moving our bodies to express emotion, release tension and simply because it feels good.
Jim had arranged to head down there with his wildlife cameras to see who he might capture pottering around after dark. 🦡🦊
Nic invited me to come along at the same time.
Then, after meeting Allie, she invited her too.
And that’s how yesterday Nic, Jim, Allie and I all ended up together.
Jim disappeared down the garden with his cameras.
I wandered around looking at Nic’s developing space, listening to her ideas and seeing possibilities.
Allie brought her own thoughts and perspective.
And eventually we all ended up sitting together in possibly one of the quirkiest, coolest houses I’ve ever been in, drinking the most AMAZING organic coffee.
Honestly. Best coffee I think I’ve ever tasted. ☕
Think Alice in Wonderland and you’re somewhere close.
But amongst all the laughter, ideas, plants, bed springs, badgers and coffee, I found myself thinking about something somebody had recently asked me.
They wondered whether I felt worried about another wellbeing space developing locally, particularly one potentially much bigger than my little Jen’s Den, offering lots of different experiences.
My answer?
Nope!
Because I’m not a gatekeeper of people feeling good.
If I meet somebody authentic who is creating something that might help another human, why wouldn't I tell people about them?
Jen’s Den won't be right for everybody.
Nics space won't be right for everybody.
Allie’s work won't be right for everybody.
People deserve choice.
There’s room for the big spaces and the tiny intimate ones.
There’s room for movement, plants, wildlife, creativity, conversation, quiet, wildness and everything in between.
I think communities become poorer when we start protecting our little patches
when we stop sharing somebody else's work, making introductions or opening doors because we're frightened there somehow won't be enough to go around
That isn't community to me.
People have shared Jen’s Den, opened doors for me, introduced me to others, donated their time and skills and helped my little space grow.
So whenever I can, I’ll do exactly the same.
Jim connected Nic with me.
I connected Nic with Voices for Nature.
There she met Allie.
And yesterday, we all ended up around the same table.
Who knows what might grow from it? 🌱
Any hew, im spending the day hanging fabric and making Terrariums😆
Toodles!
