Courses, Events and Workshops
Moving with the Seasons- Over 55
Moving with the Seasons (Over 55s)
A 44-week mindful movement programme across the year for people in Darwen and Blackburn living with long-term illness who currently do under 30-60 minutes of exercise a week and want gentle support to build towards the NHS guideline of 150 minutes plus per week
Moving with the Seasons blends gentle movement, mindful body awareness and easy breath practices to improve strength, balance, flexibility and mood. Sessions are beginner-friendly and adaptable to all levels of mobility (including chair-based options). Each season follows the rhythms of nature and the energetic focus of Zen Yoga.
Winter theme (Jan–Mar): cultivating rest and steady energy with a focus on the kidneys & bladder meridian pathways.
How it works
- Format: 60 minutes of guided movement + 30 minutes herbal tea & social time
- Approach: the 3 intertwined aspects of practice
- Physical alignment
- Healthy energy flow
- Mindful awareness of the body
Who it’s for:
Adults 55+ with a long-term condition who are new or returning to activity
Beginners welcome. No floor work required unless you want it; chairs provided.
Winter 2026 dates & venues (11 weeks)
- Blackburn (Mondays, 2:00–3:30 pm)
5 Jan – 16 Mar 2026 at Shadsworth Hub, Blackburn - Darwen (Fridays, 11:00 am–12:30 pm)
9 Jan – 20 Mar 2026 at Springvale Methodist Church, Watery Lane, Darwen
(We then flow into the Spring season; venues and times stay the same.)
Cost
Voluntary contribution: £1 per week , £11 for the whole winter block.
Accessibility & safety
- Trauma-informed, welcoming of all faiths and backgrounds
- Seated and standing options offered throughout
- You will be asked to complete a health questionnaire before commencing .
Booking (limited places)
Pre-booking is essential. Scan the QR code on the poster or visit www.reconnection2wellness.orgto reserve your place.
Thank you again to Sport England for making this happen.
Growing Thursdays Darwen
Growing Thursdays
12 March onwards | 10.30am–12.30pm
Location: Turncroft Allotment / Bud-dees Growing Darwen
Practical, hands-on growing sessions focused on making the most of small spaces (no allotment or big garden needed). We’ll grow skills and confidence together, and we’ll encourage you to learn alongside neighbours and others in the growing community, because this is how we used to live: growing what we can, and supporting each other.
Places are limited so booking essential .
Just book on one date - you dont need to book each week or email
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Summer Zen Yoga
As the sun reaches its highest point and nature bursts into bloom, summer invites us into action, connection, and vitality. In Zen Yoga, we honour these seasonal rhythms not just as poetic symbols, but as functional wisdom that supports physical, emotional, and energetic well-being.
This summer, our Zen Yoga course is grounded in the Fire Element , linked to the Heart and Small Intestine and focuses on joy, compassion, and open-hearted living. But this isn’t just a philosophical idea. It’s expressed directly through how we move, breathe, and feel in our bodies.
Our summer practice integrates modern anatomical understanding, especially the fascial system a continuous, intelligent web of connective tissue that wraps around and through every muscle, bone, and organ. Known in modern anatomy as the myofascial network, this system plays a key role in posture, mobility, hydration, and even emotional regulation.
We focus on four key fascial planes that correspond to both physical anatomy and energy pathways:
The Superficial Front Arm Line (Pericardium) connecting the chest, biceps, inner arms, and palms.
The Deep Back Arm Line (Small Intestine & Triple Heater) running through the triceps, shoulders, upper back, and neck supporting structural integrity and emotional processing.
The Spiral and Functional Lines (Heart) – which link the chest and sternum to the arms and hands, connecting expressive movement with heart-centered emotion.
The Thoracic and Abdominal Fascia (Triple Heater) – supporting the three “burners” or zones (upper intake, middle transformation, lower elimination), tying into modern understandings of metabolism and the connective tissue web.
Fascia is more than structure it’s communicative. It contains piezoelectric properties, meaning it generates tiny currents in response to pressure, movement, and breath. When we mobilise fascia, we improve not only posture and circulation but also nervous system regulation and emotional resilience.
By working with these lines in Zen Yoga, we help the body to hydrate, release tension, and restore the natural flow of energy both in a biological and experiential sense.
Bumble Bee Safari
Tuesday 11 August 2026, 1pm to 3pm
Meet at the Rose Garden, Whitehall Park, Darwen
Join us for a slow-paced Bumble Bee Safari Walk through Whitehall Park, as part of our Thriving with the Seasons project, made possible with support from the Heritage Fund.
We’ll be actively looking for bumblebees, learning how to identify different species, and noticing which flowers they are visiting. This is a gentle, accessible walk suitable for all abilities, perfect for anyone interested in bumblebees, wildflowers, seasonal living, or simply slowing down and observing what is happening around us.
At our last Bumblebee Safari, we learnt that there are 24 species of bumblebee in the UK, that some nest underground, some in long grass, and some in old bird boxes. We also learnt how important those little patches of flowers really are, even a pot on a doorstep or balcony can genuinely help.
One of the biggest takeaways for me was learning that bumblebees can be around 40 minutes away from starvation, so those flowers, herbs, dandelions, weeds and wild corners really do matter.
This session is about more than spotting bees. It’s about reconnecting with the land, understanding the role pollinators play in our food, our seasons and our heritage, and remembering that we are part of nature too.
Come along, slow down, learn something new, and spend a couple of hours noticing the small things that make such a massive difference.
Date: Tuesday 11 August 2026
Time: 1pm to 3pm
Meeting point: Rose Garden, Whitehall Park, Darwen
Suitable for: All abilities
Brought to you by: Reconnection to Wellness CIC as part of Thriving with the Seasons
Late Summer Zen Yoga & Sound Healing 19/8
Join us at Springbank Manor Hotel in Darwen for an evening of Zen Yoga, breathwork and sound healing.
Designed to help you feel grounded, nourished and more connected to your body.
In these sessions, we explore Zen yoga as more than stretching. We work with the body, breath, mind and energy together.
Each evening will begin with gentle, accessible movement . We will work with the body’s energy channels, known as meridians, using movement, breath and awareness to help stretch, strengthen, soften and encourage the flow of Qi.
These late-summer sessions are connected with the Earth element, associated with the Spleen and Stomach meridians. In Chinese Medicine, this seasonal transition is linked with nourishment, grounding, balance and transformation. When Earth energy feels supported, it is traditionally associated with greater contentment, clarity, stability and the feeling of being at home in yourself.
Our Zen yoga practice will include:
- grounding through the feet and legs
- opening the front of the body and hip crease
- strengthening the centre
- gathering awareness into the tanden, the body’s energetic centre
- breathwork to settle the nervous system
- practices to release tension, worry and mental overactivity
The movement will be followed by Leah’s Musical Healing, a deeply relaxing journey through live music, voice and sound.
Sound can be experienced through both hearing and vibration, helping the body and mind move into a calmer, more receptive state.
No previous experience is needed. The practice is gentle, inclusive and adaptable to different bodies and abilities.
Refreshments will be served afterwards, giving us time to rest, connect and allow the evening to settle.
Dates:
19 August
2 September
9 September
16 September
Time: 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm
Venue: Springbank Manor Hotel, Darwen
Cost: £15 per evening, including refreshments
Places are limited and advance booking is advised.
Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Buy ticket here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zen-yoga-sound-healing-tickets-1994673390807?aff=oddtdtcreator
Meet the Bees
Come and join us for a special Thriving with the Seasons visit to Roof Top Bees at Cherrytree Community Library in Blackburn.
This session is all about slowing down and getting curious about the incredible role bees play in our food, our gardens, our seasons and our wider ecosystem. We will be learning about honey, beeswax, pollination, and why bees are so important to both nature and our old seasonal ways of living.
Before supermarkets and processed food, people were much more connected to the land, the seasons, growing food, preserving food and understanding the natural world around them. Bees have always been part of that story. Without pollinators, so much of the food, flowers, herbs and plants we rely on simply would not thrive.
This is a gentle, educational session for anyone who wants to learn more about bees, seasonal living, nature connection and local environmental heritage.
Places are limited and booking is essential.
Date: Thursday 20 August 2026
Time: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Location: Roof Top Bees, Cherrytree Community Library, Blackburn
Booking:
Part of the Thriving with the Seasons project, brought to you by Reconnection to Wellness CIC and Roof Top Bees.
Late Summer Zen Yoga & Sound Healing 2/9
Join us at Springbank Manor Hotel in Darwen for an evening of Zen Yoga, breathwork and sound healing.
Designed to help you feel grounded, nourished and more connected to your body.
In these sessions, we explore Zen yoga as more than stretching. We work with the body, breath, mind and energy together.
Each evening will begin with gentle, accessible movement . We will work with the body’s energy channels, known as meridians, using movement, breath and awareness to help stretch, strengthen, soften and encourage the flow of Qi.
These late-summer sessions are connected with the Earth element, associated with the Spleen and Stomach meridians. In Chinese Medicine, this seasonal transition is linked with nourishment, grounding, balance and transformation. When Earth energy feels supported, it is traditionally associated with greater contentment, clarity, stability and the feeling of being at home in yourself.
Our Zen yoga practice will include:
- grounding through the feet and legs
- opening the front of the body and hip crease
- strengthening the centre
- gathering awareness into the tanden, the body’s energetic centre
- breathwork to settle the nervous system
- practices to release tension, worry and mental overactivity
The movement will be followed by Leah’s Musical Healing, a deeply relaxing journey through live music, voice and sound.
Sound can be experienced through both hearing and vibration, helping the body and mind move into a calmer, more receptive state.
No previous experience is needed. The practice is gentle, inclusive and adaptable to different bodies and abilities.
Refreshments will be served afterwards, giving us time to rest, connect and allow the evening to settle.
Dates:
19 August
2 September
9 September
16 September
Time: 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm
Venue: Springbank Manor Hotel, Darwen
Cost: £15 per evening, including refreshments
Places are limited and advance booking is advised.
Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Buy ticket here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zen-yoga-sound-healing-tickets-1994674194210?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Late Summer Forage Walk
Sunday 6 September 2026, 1pm to 3pm
Sunnyhurst Woods, Darwen, meet at the Olde England kiosk
Join us for a gentle Late Summer Forage Walk through Sunnyhurst Woods with Pete Compo from Pendle Plant Craft.
This walk is part of our Heritage funded project, Thriving with the Seasons, where we are remembering the old ways, the seasonal knowledge, the plants, the food, the remedies, the stories and the skills that would once have been passed down through families and communities.
Late summer is a beautiful time to notice the shift in the season. The flowers, berries, seeds, leaves and woodland plants are all part of that rhythm, and Pete will help us understand what is growing, what has been traditionally used, and how to forage safely and respectfully.
You can walk through a park or woodland and think there is not much there, then someone like Pete starts pointing things out and suddenly you realise you have probably walked past food, medicine and old plant wisdom hundreds of times without even knowing.
Most of us were never taught this stuff. We can name brands, apps, supermarkets and Netflix series, but half of us don’t know what is growing at the end of the street.
No previous foraging knowledge is needed. This is a relaxed, friendly walk suitable for all ages. Just come along, get curious and enjoy being outside with others.
Event details
Date: Sunday 6 September 2026
Time: 1pm to 3pm
Location: Sunnyhurst Woods, Darwen
Meeting point: The kiosk
Led by: Pete Compo, Pendle Plant Craft
Suitable for: All ages
Please wear suitable shoes and clothing for woodland paths and the weather on the day.
This event is part of Thriving with the Seasons, made possible with support from the Heritage Fund.
Late Summer Zen Yoga & Sound Healing 9/9
Late Summer Zen Yoga & Sound Healing 16/9
Join us at Springbank Manor Hotel in Darwen for an evening of Zen Yoga, breathwork and sound healing.
Designed to help you feel grounded, nourished and more connected to your body.
In these sessions, we explore Zen yoga as more than stretching. We work with the body, breath, mind and energy together.
Each evening will begin with gentle, accessible movement . We will work with the body’s energy channels, known as meridians, using movement, breath and awareness to help stretch, strengthen, soften and encourage the flow of Qi.
These late-summer sessions are connected with the Earth element, associated with the Spleen and Stomach meridians. In Chinese Medicine, this seasonal transition is linked with nourishment, grounding, balance and transformation. When Earth energy feels supported, it is traditionally associated with greater contentment, clarity, stability and the feeling of being at home in yourself.
Our Zen yoga practice will include:
- grounding through the feet and legs
- opening the front of the body and hip crease
- strengthening the centre
- gathering awareness into the tanden, the body’s energetic centre
- breathwork to settle the nervous system
- practices to release tension, worry and mental overactivity
The movement will be followed by Leah’s Musical Healing, a deeply relaxing journey through live music, voice and sound.
Sound can be experienced through both hearing and vibration, helping the body and mind move into a calmer, more receptive state.
No previous experience is needed. The practice is gentle, inclusive and adaptable to different bodies and abilities.
Refreshments will be served afterwards, giving us time to rest, connect and allow the evening to settle.
Dates:
19 August
2 September
9 September
16 September
Time: 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm
Venue: Springbank Manor Hotel, Darwen
Cost: £15 per evening, including refreshments
Places are limited and advance booking is advised.
Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Buy ticket here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zen-yoga-sound-healing-tickets-1994674648569?aff=oddtdtcreator
Late Summer Zen Yoga & Sound Healing 16/9
Late Summer Zen Yoga & Sound Healing 16/9
Join us at Springbank Manor Hotel in Darwen for an evening of Zen Yoga, breathwork and sound healing.
Designed to help you feel grounded, nourished and more connected to your body.
In these sessions, we explore Zen yoga as more than stretching. We work with the body, breath, mind and energy together.
Each evening will begin with gentle, accessible movement . We will work with the body’s energy channels, known as meridians, using movement, breath and awareness to help stretch, strengthen, soften and encourage the flow of Qi.
These late-summer sessions are connected with the Earth element, associated with the Spleen and Stomach meridians. In Chinese Medicine, this seasonal transition is linked with nourishment, grounding, balance and transformation. When Earth energy feels supported, it is traditionally associated with greater contentment, clarity, stability and the feeling of being at home in yourself.
Our Zen yoga practice will include:
- grounding through the feet and legs
- opening the front of the body and hip crease
- strengthening the centre
- gathering awareness into the tanden, the body’s energetic centre
- breathwork to settle the nervous system
- practices to release tension, worry and mental overactivity
The movement will be followed by Leah’s Musical Healing, a deeply relaxing journey through live music, voice and sound.
Sound can be experienced through both hearing and vibration, helping the body and mind move into a calmer, more receptive state.
No previous experience is needed. The practice is gentle, inclusive and adaptable to different bodies and abilities.
Refreshments will be served afterwards, giving us time to rest, connect and allow the evening to settle.
Dates:
19 August
2 September
9 September
16 September
Time: 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm
Venue: Springbank Manor Hotel, Darwen
Cost: £15 per evening, including refreshments
Places are limited and advance booking is advised.
Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Buy ticket here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zen-yoga-sound-healing-tickets-1994675156087?aff=oddtdtcreator
Harvest Festival
Come and celebrate the abundance of the harvest season with us at our Thriving with the Seasons Harvest Festival.
This relaxed community event is a chance to slow down, come together and reconnect with the food, skills and seasonal wisdom that have supported communities for generations.
The afternoon will be led by Jackie Robinson, holistic wellbeing coach, retreat leader, founder of The Balance Approach and Co-Founder of Root Connections Networking.
Jackie is passionate about seasonal cooking, foraging and helping people reconnect with nature through food. During the event, she will demonstrate how to create delicious and nutritious dishes using seasonal vegetables and foraged ingredients.
You will be able to enjoy:
- A seasonal cooking demonstration
- Food tasting
- Local and home-grown produce
- Foraged ingredients and traditional food knowledge
- Conversation, connection and a celebration of the harvest season
You do not need any previous cooking, growing or foraging experience. Just come along with an interest in seasonal food, nature and community.
Harvest traditions are part of our living heritage. They remind us of a time when communities worked more closely with the land, gathered food according to the seasons and passed practical knowledge through families and neighbours. Thriving with the Seasons is helping to keep that knowledge alive through shared experiences, stories and hands-on learning.
About Jackie
Jackie Robinson is a holistic wellbeing coach, retreat leader and founder of The Balance Approach, as well as Co-Founder of Root Connections Networking.
She leads wellbeing retreats, festivals, community events and online detox programmes, inspiring people to embrace simple, sustainable ways of living that support better health and wellbeing.
Date and time
Saturday 26 September 2026
2.00pm to 4.00pm
Venue
Springvale Church
Watery Lane
Darwen
Tickets and donations
This is a voluntary donation event.
Booking is essential because places are limited. Please only reserve a place if you intend to attend, and cancel your ticket if your plans change so that somebody else can come.
About Thriving with the Seasons
Thriving with the Seasons is a year-long community heritage and wellbeing project exploring seasonal living, food growing, foraging, traditional skills, nature connection and community stories.
The project is delivered by Reconnection to Wellness CIC and made possible with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
8 Week Stress Reduction Course
Feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or emotionally drained?
Join us in Darwen for a fully funded eight-week Stress Reduction Course, offering a supportive space to slow down, reconnect with yourself and learn practical tools for managing life’s challenges.
Drawing on modern research, neuroplasticity and practices from the Zen tradition, we will explore:
• Practical mindfulness and meditation techniques
• Ways to calm and regulate the nervous system
• Understanding your individual stress patterns
• Working with difficult thoughts and emotions
• Building greater self-awareness and emotional resilience
• Simple practices to support your everyday wellbeing
No previous experience of mindfulness or meditation is needed. The course is friendly, accessible and suitable for complete beginners.
Come to the taster:
Wednesday 30 September 2026
7.15 pm
Springbank Manor Hotel, Darwen
Come along, meet me and experience some of the practices before deciding whether the full course is right for you.
EIGHT-WEEK COURSE
Every Wednesday from 14 October to 2 December 2026
7.15 pm to 9.00 pm
Springbank Manor Hotel, Darwen
Places are fully funded, but numbers are limited. Please only book if you are genuinely interested in attending the full course.
The course is delivered by Dawn Juson, Zen meditation, mindfulness and Zen yoga teacher and Director of Reconnection to Wellness CIC.
This course forms part of Thriving with the Seasons and has been made possible with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Reserve your place through the Eventbrite booking link. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../free-8-week-stress...
For further information:
Donations
We try to make all our offerings accessible to all.
Your support and contributions will enable us to continue to deliver events and workshops for the benefit of all.
