21 August 2021
Saturday 21 August
1.30 – 2.30pm
Solidarity Medicine Making with Ju Scott
As part of Beer & Berries 2021, join artist and trainee herbalist Ju Scott for a brief overview of radical herbal organisations working in communities across the UK and learn to make several herbal preparations in solidarity with Herbal Unity.
As a traditional practice of healthcare, herbalism should be something that we all have access to but due to the extremely profitable, and therefore dominant, nature of the pharmaceutical medicine model herbalism has become a private medicine. This means that it is only available to those with the money to pay for it and or the time and knowledge to prepare it. Our health journeys cannot be separated from social and environmental justice struggles and there are many organisations working to create access to herbalism and to bring these collective struggles to the surface.
During the workshop participants will make a calming and sleep inducing sniffer, relaxing foot bath salts and a joint and muscle salve. You will talk over the ingredients and the activity. As a participant you will be able to take one of each home with you for yourself and for anyone you care for. You will also have helped to prepare herbal remedies that will be distributed by Herbal Unity in their community and will receive print outs of the recipes and methods to take home.
About Herbal Unity
Herbal Unity is an organisation based in Glasgow which supports people in the immigration system with access to herbal medicine and gardening. The Herbal Unity Collective was set up in Glasgow in late 2015 in response to the lack of solidarity and practical support to provide health care to people without immigration papers in Glasgow.
Our collective is volunteer run and comprised of medical herbalists, massage therapists, grass roots activists, migrants and people who have been through or are in the asylum system. We are involved with the Radical Herbalism networks across the UK. We aim to create sustainable resilient community healthcare through herbal medicine, massage, gardening, foraging and skills sharing.
About Ju Scott
Ju is an artist whose practice spans object making, music and audio production, DJing, movement and performance, writing and teaching. It is informed by both studying and creating affordable or free access to herbalism and bodywork. They have been involved in herbal projects for the past 5 years and are excited by pedagogy that foregrounds the knowledge everyone has inherently in their bodies. They are keen to create spaces that allow that knowledge to be shared to support our communities to have collective tools for embodiment and support.
Access
All our welcome to attend this workshop, there is no age limit. Please contact kirsten@hospitalfield.org.uk if you have any accessibility questions.
Hospitalfield Gardens and Café is wheelchair accessible via a ramp into the Gardens and there are wide pathways throughout the Walled Gardens. It is possible to access the ground floor level of the restored Fernery. Hospitalfield would like to prepare with you for your visit and give any information which could help, so please do get in touch by emailing info@hospitalfield.org.uk or phoning 01241656124. There is accessible parking available on site by the entrance to the Garden.
Please note the salve is not vegan as it will contain beeswax.
Tickets for this workshop are included in the entry cost for Beer & Berries. Tickets available for £6 per person, (children under 12 go free) and offer full access the stallholders area, Live Music, the talks & workshops programme (book in advance) and as well entry to the Walled Gardens and Fernery.
Image 1: courtesy Stevie Reid
Image 2: courtesy Ju Scott
Images 3 – 5: courtesy of Thomas Flannagan.