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Blog

A flurry of learning opportunities launching this summer at Flourish!

June 19, 2025 by Flourish Together Team

Thanks to backing from the WEA, and through local and national government UKSPF schemes, we are pleased to be launching a wide range of 1 day courses, a digital series of support and our award winning Social Enterprise and Careers in Holistic Health programmes!

Express your interest now and find out more about courses, programmes and events running September 2025 to January 2026 in themes such as:

  • Enterprise and Social Enterprise Development
  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Creative and Digital Skills
  • Careers in Holistic Health (accredited L2 and L3 holistic therapy and natural beauty courses)
  • First Aid in the Workplace (accredited L2)
  • Electrical Equipment/PAT Testing (accredited course)

Follow this link to Express your interest:

https://forms.gle/qddx9LyDbHKbgzQx9

Filed Under: Blog

CHANGEMAKER OF THE MONTH – JUNE✨

June 19, 2025 by Flourish Together Team

This month we are proud to celebrate Jayne Mclean Kremer, an innovative changemaker who completed our Time to grow programme in 2024. Jayne is the dedicated founder of Good Earth Community, an organisation on a mission to re-wild natural spaces, reduce biodiversity loss and create permaculture systems in neglected community areas.

Passionate about environmental education, Jayne delivers practical permaculture, rewilding and sustainability workshops for children and adults, fostering respect for the natural world and building permanent sustainable agricultural knowledge and spaces with communities.

Since 2022, Jayne and associates have built a permaculture garden and have delivered gardening and building community workshops in partnership with The Vale arts centre, in Mossley. They have plans to expand their mission to schools and community areas focusing on sustainability and energy.

Spending time in nature is proven to have a massive positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, through environmental education, Jayne hopes to share these benefits with the local community with her health walks at little to no cost. Flourish is proud of all she has achieved and we’re excited to see what is to come.

Find out more about Good Earth Community here –

Good Earth Community | Facebook

(@good_earth_community_) • Instagram photos and videos

Filed Under: Blog, Women Changemaker Series

Empowering Futures: Celebrating the Success of Our Holistic Training Programme ✨

June 18, 2025 by Flourish Together Team

At Flourish, our mission has always been to support women to lead change they see needed! Over the past few months, we’ve been apart of something truly inspiring: the growth, transformation, and empowerment of a remarkable group of young women who have faced set backs and are not currently in education, employment or training.

The last 12 weeks marked the successful launch of our community based Beauty & Holistic Training Programme, designed to equip young adults with accredited qualifications, practical skills, and the confidence to pursue and explore their ambitions within the beauty industry. We’re proud to report that the pilot has exceeded all expectations.

Throughout the course, our learners worked towards and completed three nationally recognised qualifications:

  • Level 2 Facials
  • Level 2 Manicure & Pedicure
  • Level 3 Indian Head Massage

Each participant showed dedication, professionalism, and a willingness to grow—both personally and professionally. With every week that passed, we saw confidence blossom and ambition take root. These women didn’t just complete a course; they embraced the start of a new chapter. Even asking for and turning up to extra sessions over the holidays and creating their own community event and socials!

Our trainers Fiona & Emma were continuously moved by the commitment these young women brought to each session. Many had never envisioned themselves stepping into a professional space like this before, and by week twelve, they were delivering treatments with care, skill, and confidence.

As the final stage of their journey, the learners will take part in a 2-part business enhancement course, focusing on entrepreneurship, helping them explore how to set up and sustain their own beauty businesses—from branding and budgeting to customer care and compliance. We believe that giving women not just the tools, but the know-how to build their own enterprises, is key to lasting impact.

We’re excited to say it has laid a strong foundation for future cohorts and expanded our vision for long-term, women-led training and employment pathways. To our learners: your courage and commitment have inspired us all!

Filed Under: Blog

CHANGEMAKER OF THE MONTH – MAY✨

May 16, 2025 by Flourish Together Team

This month we are proud to celebrate Yolande Ghola, a dedicated councillor and founder of Salford Community Upskilling an organisation that that provides comprehensive training and learning opportunities for migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and others facing digital exclusion, for whom English is a second language. 

With French as her first language, the struggles she faced when first moving to the UK is what prompted her to give back to the local community using her own experience. Since setting up her CIC, Salford Community Upskill in the first 18 months, its impact has been undeniable.

Their work has helped people grow their confidence in person and online. Yolande’s passion for wellbeing and welfare has been a driving force to ensuring no one is left behind in this digital era. The training they provide for digital literacy has increased attendees access to better support by simply being able to schedule doctor’s appointments and fill out applications for work.  

Yolande has truly become a valued, active member of our Flourish Network. She has attended several of our SOUP events, wellbeing retreats and has also participated on our Salford Time To Grow and was a key speaker at our International Women’s Day event!

We’re proud to have helped Yolande on this journey and are excited to see what she brings to the table next!

Yolande Ghola Facebook

Filed Under: Blog, Women Changemaker Series

🌷Spring Wellness Retreat -11.04🌺

May 13, 2025 by Flourish Together Team

Over 30 women from across the Flourish Together Network came together at The Space in Stockport, for a powerful day of wellness, growth, and connection. Following the themes of Spring renewal, change, and overcoming the Fear of the Unknown, the retreat offered a safe, supportive space for local women to inspire, collaborate and relax.

Inspired by a season of symbolic of new beginnings—the one-day retreat featured a carefully curated mix of mindfulness practices, creative workshops, and facilitated discussions. Each element was designed to help attendees explore their relationship with change and gently challenge the fear that often accompanies it. And true Flourish fashion, we couldn’t help but take the retreat as an opportunity to showcase the work, skills and talents of women across our Network, continuing our mission to invest in women as a force for social change.

The day began with a Mindfulness grounding circle, where Amna recited positive affirmations to calm the nervous system and set the tone for the day ahead. Followed by Erica McInnis – Nubia Wellness & Healing who gave us a taster of her Know Thy Self, Adinkra Cards, which prompted our attendees to think about how certain words and phrases related to their lives currently.

One of the most impactful moments came during the facilitative discussion where the ladies split in groups and shared their stories of change—from career pivots and relationship shifts to health challenges and rediscovery after loss. The vulnerability in the room was palpable—and so was the support. We paused for a hearty lunch before kicking off the second half of the day.

Clare Whittaker from H.E.A.R.T.S, reset the retreat with a Sound Bath, then Lucy from Calmer Yoga guided the group in a gentle yoga session offering a physical release to accompany the emotional work. We closed out the day, getting crafty with Andrea Young at Flower Therapy making Spring Peace Gardens. And we would like to extend a special thanks to Tamara & Pearline, our Therapists for the day who provided 5 star Indian Head and Neck, back & shoulder massages.

We love putting on the retreat because, for many who attended, the retreat marked a turning point—not because all their questions were answered, but because they were reminded they weren’t alone.

This retreat is the 2nd installment of our quarterly health and wellbeing retreat series following November’s Reclaim Your Calm event. With the success of this spring retreat, the social enterprise has plans to host future events that continue to explore personal growth, mental wellness, and community healing, so standby for dates around late summer.

As nature blossoms around us, so too do the women of Manchester—brave enough to face change, and wise enough to do it together.

Filed Under: Blog

CHANGEMAKER OF THE MONTH – APRIL✨

April 15, 2025 by Flourish Together Team

This month we are proud to celebrate Clare Whittaker, a multi talented holistic therapist, trainer, and founder of Hearts (Health Education and Resuscitation Training Services), where she delivers first aid and mental health training to organisations and social enterprises.

Over the years, Clare has accessed various training opportunities through Flourish, and collaborated on multiple wellbeing events both internally and externally as a freelancer. As a woman of many talents, she has worked within the probation sector helping young offenders find inner peace, to coaching boxing on a women’s team, yoga and sound bath facilitation, and is a qualified first aid trainer.

In the summer Clare also ran a 7-week Mindfulness course which Flourish Together supported through hosting at the Hub in Heaton Chapel, which was an overall great success. In 2024, she secured £5000 from Build a Business to grow her first aid training business. Clare has not only evolved her organisation, but exceeded her goals by expanding her services, accessing funding from multiple sources and growing her marketing and online presence.

Over the coming year Flourish are putting on series of accessible and affordable First Aid and Mental Health accredited courses in partnership with Clare to ensure start ups for the charity and enterprise sector. Upcoming dates can be found here.

Clare is a dynamic changemaker and we are proud of what she has accomplished and will go on to achieve.

Filed Under: Blog, Women Changemaker Series

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