Wander Magazine Issue 1 | Summer 2021

wander. .

ISSUE 1

SUMMER 2021

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CONTENTS 5

Why should we shop locally?

Whatever you’re looking for, source it from your high street and support Cockermouth’s small businesses

8

Reduce, reuse, refill Goodness & Grain Supporting a future where food is grown without chemicals and packaged with as little environmental impact as possible

11

Tasty wild garlic cheesy scones

14

Cockermouth’s beloved coffeehouse

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Recipe courtesy of Holly Baker, owner of Goodness & Grain

Stephen Kidd shares an insight into Main Street’s cherished coffee shop, The Moon & Sixpence

17

Coconut and lime loaf cake Recipe courtesy of Melissa Kitling, baker at The Moon & Sixpence

20

Wild and wonderful!

23

Homemade pierogi

26

Perfect gallery for perusing

30

Finding inner calm at Little Lotus Yoga

Wild Zucchinis Bistro, Station Street eatery, is a home for friendly connection and wholesome food

Recipe courtesy of Tamara Przytula, head chef at Wild Zucchinis Bistro

Sneak a peek at the beautiful artwork on display at Market Place art gallery Percy House

Bryoni Meighan explains how she plans to help the community combat post-pandemic stress

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Hello & welcome!

M

y name is Emily and I’m so glad you have picked up a copy of my magazine. I’m a third-year student at the University of Cumbria, graduating this summer with a BA(Hons) in Illustration and I wanted to finish with a bang!

The early part of my life was spent in the seaside town of Maryport and at the age of 17, I moved to Cockermouth with my mum, Karen. We were welcomed into the community, and immediately fell in love with the beautiful town and friendly people. Growing up, my sisters and I were always encouraged to think creatively which led to us pursue a career in the creative arts. Laura, my older sister, has a passion for music which her a BA(Hons) in Music Practice and Sarah, who has always had a camera attached to her hip, did her degree in Media (Film and TV). As for me, I was never happier than when I was colouring, sketching or making something. It looks like my mum’s addiction to crafting has rubbed off on me!

The last project of my degree is self-directed, meaning we had the opportunity to choose our own topic and write a project brief that would keep us inspired for the whole summer term. I’m super passionate about supporting the local community and with the COVID pandemic bulldozing so many shops on the high street, my mission is to use my creativity to encourage us all to visit and shop at the fantastic independent businesses we are lucky enough to have on our doorsteps. There are so many wonderful characters here in the heart of Cockermouth and collaborating with a few of them has been really exciting. I’ve spent the last few months working with five small business owners, all of which you will read about here in the first issue of my magazine. I’m hoping that this issue will be the first of many, as there is so much to write about and celebrate here in Cockermouth.

Me with my very own Mini Me

EMILY BAILEY Editor, Wander embaileyillustration.grillust.uk

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Why should we shop locally?

Help preserve Cockermouth’s independent businesses, one purchase at a time by Emily Bailey

Left: Mini Emily in Lowther Went shopping centre, Cockermouth.

Top Right: Relaxing by the River Cocker.

Bottom Right: Sitting in the flower beds by The Mayo statue.

D

uring the first lockdown in the UK, online businesses across the five most popular sectors (food and drink, gifting, fitness, beauty and home and garden) received a 162% sales increase whilst our small independent local shops have had to stay closed and invent ways to keep their heads above water.

Cockermouth has an incredible community spirit, and the creativity and tactical thinking of shop owners has shone throughout. They have found ways to advertise on social media, arranged click and collect shopping, delivered locally for free and, despite their worries, have always made sure to take care of their more vulnerable customers.

Now the current lockdown is easing, it’s finally our chance to

show how much we appreciate all the shops that make Cockermouth such a friendly, unique and beautiful place.

Although we still need to remember the importance of social distancing, we can meet our friends and family again! We can stroll along Main Street and be greeted with a friendly ‘hello’ or a warm smile and immediately feel like we belong.

Shopping local is a lovely experience. Customers are given a personalised shopping experience here in Cockermouth, and they can buy so many unique products or quirky one-off gifts. Most importantly, be served by friendly, welcoming faces who genuinely want to serve you and value your custom and support! Small independent

shops care so much more about their service as you, the customer, matter so much to their business. In return for your support, the local shops often put money towards in the local community and support local charities as well. Thriving local shops mean more jobs for local workers, and this in turn means that farms and food producers are able to boost supply to reach demand and not rely on imported goods.

Locally grown or produced foods can be sold at farmers markets or local shops, so they don’t have to travel around the world to arrive on our plates. Locals are able to eat a freshly cooked meal that has made the journey from field to plate in a matter of days or even hours, all while helping the environment reduce fuel

costs and air pollution from transporting food from further afield. There’s also less packaging wasted when buying local. There’s no need for everything to be wrapped in plastic or packaged in oversized boxes. Shoppers can provide their own reusable bags when they shop for fresh, seasonal products.

It feels amazing to wander along a street filled with a diverse array of local independent shops and know that you are making an ethical choice to support your community. Helping the independent traders to stay open breathes new life into the heart of the community and makes sure that innovation and creativity continue to be valued.

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Shop sustainably at

Mini Holly Baker owner of Goodness & Grain

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Reduce, reuse, refill You can buy lots of staple foods without the plastic but you’re also supporting a future where food is grown without the dodgy chemicals

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olly started her own eco-friendly business in 2018 with her friend, Natalie. They started out as a mobile market stall offering a few loose grains and pulses.

They traded for a year and a half at a sustainable pop-up market in town before reevaluating how they both wanted G&G to evolve. Sadly, Natalie left the business due to health reasons. Then lockdown hit, so Holly continued supplying people with plasticfree produce from home. The shop officially opened its doors last year.

This charming little shop supplies refill pantry staples like rice, pasta, nuts, seeds, snacks, pulses, and grains. You can bring your own containers and fill by weight - it’s all sold loose!

It’s not just pantry staples filling Holly’s shelves, there’s also a variety of eco-friendly washing refills, toiletries, household items and framed illustrations on display.The atmosphere in the shop is bright and inviting.

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“It can get a bit messy and frantic as it’s a small space. I like to keep things light and fun and am always ready to laugh at some of the ridiculous things that happen when you’re dispensing messy liquids or when loose oats are flying through the air!” says Holly.

Many of Holly’s regular customers are curious and want to do better when it comes to supporting ethical businesses.

She enthusiastically says: “They are the friendliest customers in the world and I’m yet to meet someone who hasn’t been kind or supportive! I feel very lucky.”

All food sold in the shop is organic, and she always makes sure she can trace where the food is grown. Goodness & Grain supports organic farmers who are working to support our natural environments.

The suppliers she buys from are worker cooperatives which means they are run by the people who work there.

Goodness & Grain helps the community by connecting all the local ethical businesses and letting people know what’s available locally to them. When in season, she stocks farm greens, organic potatoes, and farm eggs – all locally sourced.

Holly has also teamed up with Felicity who runs the Cockermouth Online Market.

This means you can order from local producers: organic cheeses, meat and veg, cakes and local crafty bits and pick them up on Friday nights at Holly’s shop.

19 Market Place Cockermouth CA13 9NH

www.goodnessandgrain.co.uk

Holly’s top tips for foraging

Top Left: Paper crafted Goodness & Grain shop front Middle Left: Mini Holly leaning on jarred lima beans Bottom Left: What’s in the jar?

Right: Sitting on a shelf with her lima beans, mung beans, black beans and lentils

Finding your food in the hedgerows with Holly

“

Three Cornered Leek

Hedgehog mushrooms

Waxcap mushrooms

Wild Garlic

I really got into mushroom hunting a couple of years back!

I couldn’t believe these little guys had been there all my life, but I’d only recently started to spot them. Perks of Lakeland living! I suddenly became addicted to the process and found foraging in general really relaxing and I’ve been eating wild food ever since.

Mushrooms appear in autumn when the trees release all the sugar they’ve been storing throughout the summer, which then feeds into the ground

helping mushrooms sprout.

Wild mushrooms, especially blewits and ceps, are delicious in butter and garlic on toast! In springtime, below the hedgerows, you’ll find lots of wild spring greens - Jack by the Hedge (garlic mustard) and Three Cornered Leeks are delicious allium garlic plants which you can add to omelettes and stews. Wild garlic, of course, is found in dappled sun-spots such as woodlands or the shady spots along rivers and pathways.

”

PHOTOGRAPHY: @goodnessandgrain INSTAGRAM

Turn the page to find out what to cook using these foraged finds! wander / JUNE 2021 / 9

• Organic seeds and organic compost.

Find us @newleafcumbria

• Supplied in boxes made from Vegware, which is compostable.

Microgreens are young plants harvested within one to several weeks from sowing. They come in a variety of colours and flavours, and have concentrated nutrient content compared to the adult plant. They contain a range of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants and enzymes that are very supportive of human health and wellbeing. As such, they are sometimes referred to as superfoods.

By Kevin McTiernan • Supplying fresh microgreens to the local community, all year round.

PHOTOGRAPHY: @newleafcumbria on INSTAGRAM 10 / JUNE 2021 / wander

IAN AR

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TASTY WILD GARLIC CHEESY SCONES Recipe courtesy of Holly Baker, owner of Goodness & Grain Serves 5-6

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

• 225g self raising flour, extra for dusting • pinch of salt • pinch of herb or spice of your fancy • handful of wild garlic • 1 tsp baking powder • 55g chilled butter, cut into cubes • 120g mature cheddar, grated • 90-100ml milk, plus 1 tbsp for glazing

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6 with a large baking tray inside.

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and herb/spice of your choice into a bowl, then sift again to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Add the butter to the bowl and combine with your fingertips to make breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle 100g of the cheese into the breadcrumb mixture and rub together until evenly distributed. Try not to mix too much as the heat from your hands may start to melt the butter.

Add chopped wild garlic - depending on how much garlic you require, add as much or as little as you want. I usually go for 30-40g worth.

Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in enough milk to give a fairly soft but firm dough. Do not pour in all the milk at once as you may not need it all to get the right consistency.

Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to approximately 2cm thick. Cut out the scones with a medium (about 8cm) cutter, then put on a sheet of baking parchment, glaze with a little milk and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Slide onto the hot oven tray.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until golden brown and cooked through.

Top Tip: For a better rise use cold or even frozen butter.

PHOTOGRAPHY: @goodnessandgrain on INSTAGRAM

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Cockermouth’s cure for coffee cravings

Mini Stephen Kidd - owner of the Moon & Sixpence 12 / JUNE 2021 / wander

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Mini Stephen slurping a flat white made by Stephen himself

Cockermouth’s beloved coffeehouse

29 Main Street Cockermouth CA13 9LE

01900 829378

the-moon-sixpence.business.site

Comfort, coffee and conversation lovingly served with a smile

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his authentic little coffee shop has been open for just over four years. Its doors opened on International Coffee Day, 2016.

The Moon & Sixpence is one of Cockermouth’s ‘go to’ places to get a gourmet cuppa, all provided with a guarantee of exceptional service. Perfect coffee has always been the focus of The Moon & Sixpence and it always will be. Owner, Stephen believes in excellent service and a quality product.

All drinks on their menu are espresso based: Americano, flat white etc. Over the years, small food offerings like cakes, bread and soups were added to the menu and displayed on the countertops - all of which proved to be a resounding (and tasty) hit.

Maintaining a relaxing, chilled atmosphere is important to Stephen and all his staff. From the greeting you receive when you enter, to the music playing in the background; The tactile cup you drink from to the smell of fresh baking. Details like these are crucial to shape a truly personal experience.

Each table is decorated with fresh flowers. The walls display artwork from local artists, all priced and ready for new homes. It’s a space for people to meet in a warm, inviting environment. Stephen and his team have hosted Black Hand Wine (Penrith) tasting evenings, open mic nights once a month and The Moon & Sixpence is a venue for Cockermouth Live! music festival and other art walks around the town.

Making an espresso, operating the coffee machine

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Cockermouth is Stephen’s hometown, and he describes it as ‘a thriving beautiful town with a strong local supportive community.’ All of Stephen’s staff live in Cockermouth and share his value of developing their craft in barista expertise and delivering delicious coffee with a warm welcome.

Their selection of coffee is roasted in Threlkeld, near Keswick by Carvetii Coffee Roasters - hot chocolate buttons are sourced from here too. Stephen stocks a variety of Carvetii’s coffee beans, which he explains are identified by the colour of the label, the origin and the farm they are harvested from. He sells these by the bag full to enjoy in your comfort of your own home. The staff happily give advice on ways to make the most from your coffee beans at home using different methods of brewing, from using an aeropress to plain and simple filter coffee.

The Moon & Sixpence is as ethical and green as it can be.

The takeaway drinks are served in compostable cups and lids, waste is recycled and spent coffee grinds are taken to the farm to be added to compost.

The ‘regulars’ appreciate that they are served locally sourced

Chilling on a pile of books

Warming his mini hands up

produce that helps keep their food miles as low as possible.

Produce used for scones, soup, salads and such are sourced from Varnycrooks Organic Orchard & Low Stanger farms.

You can order fruit and veg from these local farms to collect from The Moon & Sixpence, thus providing the opportunity for the public to buy local produce, harvested and delivered for collection the same day.

“ I st hh oi npk i ts h se p ce ocfi af le e in a lot of different ways but mainly it has a strong heart and looks after you.

”

Paper craft Moon & Sixpence shop front

Mini Stephen making ‘coffee’ angels

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VEGA

COCONUT AND LIME LOAF CAKE Recipe courtesy of Melissa Kitling, baker for The Moon & Sixpence Serves 8-10

This delicious recipe is best served with an oatmilk flat white to match with the zesty flavours.

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

For the cake

For the cake

• • • • • • • •

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 40g desiccated coconut 240g self-raising flour 150g caster sugar zest of 1 1/2 limes juice of 1/2 lime 2 cups oat milk 1 cup sunflower oil

For the drizzle • • • •

60g granulated sugar juice of 1 1/2 limes zest of 1/2 lime sprinkle of desiccated coconut

Preheat the oven to 180º/160º fan/Gas Mark 4 Grease and line a loaf tin.

Measure out the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, add the zest and stir to combine.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes.

Once cooked, leave in the loaf tin and pierce several times with a skewer.

For the drizzle Zest the last 1/2 lime and put to one side. Juice the rest of the limes and pour over the granulated sugar. Give it a quick stir and drizzle over the cake.

Sprinkle with desiccated coconut and the lime zest.

Serving up a slice of Mel’s vegan Coconut and Lime Loaf Cake.

Top Tip: When pouring the drizzle, let it fall into your skewer holes so it is juicy inside too!

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Food with attitude!

Mini Manon Plouffe- owner of Wild Zucchinis Bistro and Outside Catering 18 / JUNE 2021 / wander

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17 Station Street Cockermouth CA13 9QW 01900 823446 www.wildzucchinis.com

Wild and wonderful!

A Station Street staple that attends to gastronomic needs with warmth and kindness

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ild Zucchinis bistro opened in January, 2014 offering Mediterranean style food with a focus on being wholesome, homemade and overall healthy.

Their primary mission is to create a sense of friendship and community whilst delivering high quality food and service.

Manon wants her customers to feel part of a friendly foodie family. Once a month, they host world food events in the evening, music gigs and also poetry and open mic nights.

Manon serves breakfast, lunch, and early tea. The thing that makes Wild Zucchinis so special is the buzzing atmosphere. Manon and her lovely staff work on providing customers a warm welcome and feeling of belonging; the rooms would be full of laughter, friendly banter and ‘no problems’. The relaxed style of service and decor is cosy and communal and the menu matches the happy vibe.

When speaking with Manon, she made a point of saying: “Our regular customers have been extremely supportive throughout the pandemic and have kept us going both financially and emotionally.

We feel very grateful and Top Right: Paper crafted Wild Zucchinis shop front Bottom left: Mini Manon cutting a slice of cake

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extremely appreciative of the ongoing support we have received during the past year.” All of Manon's staff live locally, she has also supported students from abroad volunteers on international schemes who came to experience working in the UK catering industry.

At Wild Zucchinis, lowering their carbon footprint and reducing waste are top priority.

Manon and her staff make concerted efforts to use as little plastic and non-recyclable material as possible. They buy loose fruits and veg as well as avoiding ingredients from other continents.

Wild Zucchinis prides itself in getting involved with community projects as much as possible. Every year, Manon organises fundraising activities and voluntary events supporting the community.

Every Christmas Day, they provide free Christmas dinners to those in need.

Eighty percent of the produce used at the bistro is from other businesses based in Cockermouth. Manon says that she knows most local restaurant owners extremely well, and they help each other out all the time.

“

Customers and staff are characterful individuals, who we love to celebrate and embrace their uniqueness.

”

Manon with Mini Manon inside of Wild Zucchinis Bistro

Reading from a French recipe book

Hugging the restaurant’s famous moose wall mount

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LOW STANGER FARM Contact at: 01900 823558

Low Stanger Farm is a small (54 acre) lowland farm situated between Cockermouth and Lorton. Our main farming activity is market gardening – we grow a wide range of vegetables and also around two acres of apple orchards. The farm is certified organic. Much of our produce is sold through our box scheme, which we have been running for almost 25 years (in the beginning this was from a smaller site on the edge of Cockermouth). We also

PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHELLE HUGHES

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sell produce through things like the Open Food Network and a buyers’ group operating from The Moon & Sixpence café.

Lorton Village Shop has been a loyal and regular buyer of our produce over many years. The climate in West Cumbria can be challenging for vegetable and fruit production. Late frosts, short growing seasons and soil that is all too often very wet mean that yields and quality can sometimes suffer. Like all organic growers and farmers

we try to minimise the risks by growing as wide a range of crops, and also as many varieties of each crop as we can. In this way, if one crop (or variety) fails we should have something else to fall back on.

We also have a small herd of cattle, small flock of sheep and grow arable crops like oats and wheat on a small scale. There are several miles of hedgerows, two wetlands and a number of small woods that, together with the market

gardens and orchard, make for a diverse and interesting landscape. In normal times, we host educational visits from school and other groups, and are always happy to share both the beauty of the farm and the knowledge we have gained over the years with anyone interested in organic food production and traditional agriculture.

By Pete Kerr

IAN AR

VEGE T

HOMEMADE PIEROGI Recipe courtesy of Tamara Przytula, head chef at Wild Zucchinis Serves 6 (5 each, 30 total)

Tamara is from Poland and this mini pastry style recipe is one that is passed down through generations. This traditional dish holds memories from her childhood, preparing them with her mum when she was younger. Tamara is now a mum herself, and is passing on her skills to daughter, Lucy.

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Filling

For the filling

• • • •

1 small carrot 1 onion 300g of sauerkraut 1-2 packets of wild mushrooms • 40g butter • pinch of salt and pepper

Dumpling dough

• 500g Plain flour • circle cutter (10cm diameter) • 1 large egg • pinch of salt • 250ml warm water

Soak the wild mushrooms over night.

Boil the sauerkraut, onion and carrot, add a bay leave to this too and a some salt.

Once the sauerkraut is soft, drain and chop finely.

Add the mushrooms into a frying pan along with 40g of butter, chopped sauerkraut and pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 5 mins and set aside.

For the dough Mix the flour with a pinch of salt, create a well in the middle of the mix. Crack the egg into the well, mix it in, adding water a little bit at the time.

Kneed the dough for around 10 mins until the dough is nice and smooth.

Using rolling pin roll out the dough until it’s around 3mm thick.

Cut out circles, spoon filling into centre. Fold in half and seal open edge with fingers.

Bring water to the boil, add 3 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of flour. Lower pierogi into the water and leave to boil for around 6mins.

Top Tip:

Fry an onion in melted butter to sprinkle on top of the pierogi as a garnish.

Top Left: Ingredients from Polski Sklep Dino, Maryport Bottom Left: Preparing dough for rolling. Pierogi press.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TAMARA PRZYTULA

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The artist’s way

Mini Karen Cottier - joint owner of Percy House Gallery

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38-42 Marketplace Cockermouth CA13 9NG

www.percyhouse.co.uk

01900 829667

Perfect gallery for perusing Market Place’s oldest and dearest treasure trove of local artistry

K

aren Cottier and Viv Austin opened Percy House in 2002. The gallery is in a Grade II listed building, built in 1390 and has maintained its wonderful historical features. There are seven rooms and each one is filled to the brim with beautiful and unique artwork. Percy House sells a wide range of gifts and crafts: paintings, photographs on canvas, jewellery, textiles, metal work, ceramics, glass, woodwork, soaps and cards. Karen and Viv

set out with the aim to sell and promote local artwork but over time, artists from further afield began approaching them. A small selection of their gifts are made abroad.

The owners pride themselves on the laid-back, friendly atmosphere of their gallery.

The idea is to browse, enjoy the historic building and peruse - if you see something you love, buy it! They allow their customers the comfort of browsing at their own pace, and to soak up the creative

atmosphere. Karen and Viv’s customers regularly comment on how they appreciate the support given to upcoming artists and small manufacturers.

They consider their customers to be friends and are delighted when they get visits, even if just for a chat.

Percy House encourages recycling. From day one, paper bags have been used - except for heavy rainy days when being mindful of protecting the quality of things purchased.

In recent years, people more

Bottom Left: Mini Karen perched with the artworks of Marilyn Ross (owl sculptures) and Anne Nunn (lantern) Bottom Right: Showing off John Rattenbury’s brass dog sculpture

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often use their own shopping bags. Customers are asked to kindly return package bubble wrap to reuse for other items.

The ladies’ kind and considerate spirit has led to Percy House being able to donate £700 - £800 to charity when a retired member of staff approached them to sell her handmade facemasks at £3 each. 100% of all the money was split between Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.

“

The nicest thing about our gallery is the interaction with all the lovely customers we have.

”

Mini Karen herding Simone Louise Ceramics’ sheep sculptures

Viv & Karen before Percy House

V

iv Austin trained as a graphic designer at Carlisle College of Art. After graduating, she worked as a graphic designer, then worked for David Winkworth at ‘The Printing House’ art shop that was situated on Main Street, Cockermouth.

You may recognise this green building, near to Wordsworth House. Sadly, the printing museum is now closed. Viv’s part-time position gave her the freedom to continue freelancing and while working

in the art shop, she ran the picture framing department and hand-coloured antique prints. Once her two boys grew up, she applied for a position working for ‘Groundwork West Cumbria’, running an art gallery in Cockermouth. The gallery showcased work produced from the company’s projects.

The position was a job share, meaning the role was taken on by more than one person. This is where Viv Austin met Karen Cottier. Karen had just moved back to Cumbria after living

in London. Her previous 10 years were spent working for ‘Liberty of London’, managing the gift showroom and British Craft department. Once the ‘Groundwork West Cumbria’ project ended, Regeneration Gallery in Cockermouth closed.

This led to Viv and Karen opening their own gallery in May 2002 and the rest is history! Viv’s background in the arts and Karen’s retail experience are the for perfect combination for the lively and contemporary Percy House.

Paper Crafted Percy House shop front

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27

Happiness, health and mindful fun for all ages

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Mini Bryoni Meighan creator of Little Lotus Yoga

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Connecting everyone with their inner calm at Yoga and mindfulness help people with their mental and physical wellbeing.

Everyone’s invited to come and benefit from the magic of yoga

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ittle Lotus Yoga has been open for three years this summer. Bryoni Meighan, yoga teacher, makes sure her classes are suitable for every level and age of yoga student.

Everyone who comes to class feels supported. She aims for her students to feel a little less stressed and more settled by the end of session. The classes coach students to move their bodies in a mindful and gentle way - all while relaxing in the tranquil studio. It also gives the clients a chance to connect with people in similar circumstances - a prime example being the pregnancy yoga class for firsttime mums. The studio is hired out to other local yoga teachers in the hope of building a supportive network of fellow enthusiasts. Everyone at the studio offers a variety of classes which means there's genuinely a class for everyone!

Lord of the Dance Yoga pose

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Bryoni holding mini Bryoni

Not only does Bryoni teach classes in the studio but she also travels around local primary schools teaching children the benefits of yoga.

Bryoni says that introducing yoga and mindfulness to children from a young age will contribute to happier, healthier lives. With plenty of nature around to explore without straying too far from the studio, Cockermouth is the perfect place for half term 'Yoga and Art' days with Bryoni's young students. You can also catch Little Lotus Yoga at a host of local events running free sessions to support the local community. Bryoni's business helps the planet by using eco-friendly and cruelty-free products in the studio. Also, Bryoni sources sustainable yoga equipment like cork yoga mats and blocks. These will be made available now that equipment

sharing is safe once more.

Cork is 100% biodegradable, recyclable and grows naturally - much better than traditional yoga mats, usually made from materials that can’t be recycled.

Although, access had temporarily been unavailable due to COVID-19 restrictions, Bryoni didn't let that get in her way of helping her students.

In the first lockdown, she ran regular online classes and received such a hugely positive response with new students joining from all over the UK. More recently, focus has been on 1-1 yoga and personalised plans for students to work on independently at home.

Paper crafted logo

43 Station Street Cockermouth CA13 9QF www.littlelotus-yoga.com Bryoni and mini Bryoni in namaste pose

Mini Bryoni being one with nature

“ Hey! Don’t forget about me!”

I’m Dora, Bryoni’s life companion, and I’m here to tell you a story about my breed, the tiny but mighty Lhasa Apso!

I

am fearless and assertive but, don’t worry, I have a super friendly personality once you get to know me! I got my fearlessness from my ancestors who lived in the mountains of Tibet. Back in those days, us Lhasa Apsos were tasked with the mission of watching over the Buddhist monasteries and their residents! Our job was

to BARK as loud as we could, to let the Buddhists know of any suspicious activity. This is where we got our name – the monks called us the ‘Abso Seng Kye’ which ‘ruffly’ translates to Barking Lion Sentinel Dog. Us watchdogs were thought to be sacred: the monks believed that if they didn’t reach enlightenment, their souls

would come back inside of one of us! So, who knows? I might be the spirit of a monk myself.

It wasn’t until the 1920s that we came to England. Before that, the Dalai Lama gifted only noble men and holy men with our companionship! Lucky for you guys, we’re here to stay...

You too could be ‘gifted’ with one of my kind some day!

PHOTOGRAPHY: BRYONI MEIGHAN - Dora

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wander.

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