This month, Flourish Together is proud to celebrate Sanam Iqbal, founder of The Art of Joy Project and in-house therapist at Flourish CIC, whose work continues to inspire and uplift communities across Greater Manchester.
Sanam’s story highlights the transformative power of creativity, compassion, and courage, and the role organisations like Flourish play in enabling that change. To date, Flourish has supported over 600 women changemakers and helped develop more than 3,000 social ventures, offering mentoring, investment, and peer learning opportunities. Her journey is a powerful illustration to what becomes possible when women are given the tools and support to lead with purpose.
Sanam first connected with Flourish in 2020 with an idea and a passion to make a difference. Through our Time to Grow programme, she gained the tools, confidence, and community she needed to bring The Art of Joy Project to life. From podcasting workshops to networking support, Flourish helped her navigate the social impact sector and build a sustainable organisation rooted in healing and joy. As Sanam shared, “They really opened my eyes to the way the sector works… it has really helped me learn the things I need to help me grow my organisation”.
Since then, Sanam has supported women, and now men, through trauma-informed sessions, one-to-one support, and domestic abuse programmes. Her work is deeply personal, shaped by her own lived experiences and a fierce commitment to helping others find safety, strength, and self-worth. She’s even expanded her impact through a cake business that helps fund her initiatives, with customers including Flourish and Manchester City Council.
From stepping into public speaking to planning school sessions on healthy relationships, Sanam is constantly evolving, always with the goal of creating spaces where people feel seen and supported. Her presence at Flourish events, including a live chat for the council, has left a lasting impression, and we couldn’t be prouder to be part of her journey.
This September, Sanam is facilitating a powerful two-part workshop titled “Empowerment Within”, designed to help women explore their self-beliefs, internal narratives, and personal boundaries. Held at Flourish Hub in Heaton Chapel, Stockport, the sessions take place on 24th September and 1st October, from 10am to 12:30pm. The workshop offers a safe, inspiring space for open dialogue and creative expression, culminating in the creation of personal vision boards.
Sanam is also offering a “Youth Vision Board Workshop”, which will be held on 14th and 28th September, from 11am to 1:30pm, and invites young women aged 16-25 to explore their beliefs, aspirations, and goals in a supportive, hands-on environment.
Both workshops are free to attend, with refreshments and materials provided, and are funded by the UK Government, WEA (Adult Learning Within Reach), and GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority).
📞 Contact Sanam at 07849 028906 for more info.
📸 Follow her work on Instagram: @theartofjoyproject / @Sanam_thetherapist
You can also follow her on Facebook at The Art of Joy Project
