whileVickycompletedthefinalyearofher
BScandKimstudiedfora Masters.Theiraim
wastosharetheirjointpassionforthenatural
powerandhealingqualitiesofplantswith
asmanyotherpeopleastheycould.
Theystartedoutrunningthreeorfour
guidedwalksa year,showingpeoplehow
tospotplantsinfieldsandhedgerows,and
demonstratinghowtoharvestplantsto
createhomemaderemedies.‘It’sa skillthat’s
beenlost,especiallyintheUK,wherewe
seemtohavea phobiaaboutanything
that’snotwrappedinplastic,’saysVicky.
‘It’ssoimportantforpeopletobeable
torecognisewhat’sontheirdoorstep.’
Fouryearsagothepairboughta
narrowboat that’s moored on the RiverLeainHertfordshirewhereVickylives,and
fromwheresheandKimrunHandmade
Apothecary.They’veslowlybuiltupthe
businessalongsidetheirdayjobs.‘Webegan
bydoingcharitablecommunityeventsand
talksfortheWomen’sInstitute,andslowly
increasedthenumberofwalkswedidand
introducedworkshops,too,’saysVicky.One
eventresultedina featureintheLondon
EveningStandardandfromthattheywere
askedtowritea book,TheHandmade
Apothecary(£13.99,KyleBooks).Now,their
secondbook,TheHerbalRemedyHandbook
(£18.99,KyleBooks)hasjustbeenpublished.
HandmadeApothecarynowrunsaround
10 workshopsandwalksa year– sometake
placeinLondonandsomeinHertfordshire.
‘InourLondoneventswetrytoshowpeople
thatthere’sherbalmedicinetobefound
everywhere– eveninthecity,’saysVicky.
InHertfordshire,theymakethemostof
theirriversetting.‘Onourworkshopswe
takepeoplefora cruisealongtheriveron
theapothecaryboat,’saysVicky.‘Thereare
junglesofgreeneverywhereontheriver
andwe’llstopif weseea patchwherethere
maybemeadowsweetgrowing,andtake
clientstoforagethere,makingsuretoget
thelandowner’spermissionandobeythe
foraginglaws.We’veworkedinconservation
sowe’reveryprotectiveoftheenvironment.
Peoplethenpickplantsbeforereturningto
theboatwhereweshowthemhowtomake
herbalremediesinthegalleykitchen.’
VickyandKimoffera rangeofworkshops
thatcovereverythingfromskincaretohow
tocopewithwhattheseasonsthrowatus,
plushowtopreserveherbsbyturningthem
intotinctures,teasorcreams.Walksstart
ataround£35forthreehours,while
workshopscostfromaround£45.
‘Plantsareourpassion,’saysKim,‘but
they’reourpleasure,too.Wealwaystake
thetimetoenjoysmellingthe flowers!’
HandmadeApothecary,
handmadeapothecary.co.uk❝❞KimandVicky
areattheir
happiestout
in nature
What we love about our work...