Previous workshops and creations
‘The Art of Tea Blending’, various locations
This is a introduction to medicine making through the practice of blending tea. A variety of medicinal plants are studied through the senses and participants learn how to create their own custom tea blend to take home or gift to a loved one.
Taken place at Mindful May 2023, South Square Heritage Bradford, Leeds Corn Exchange as part of Leeds 2023 Hertigage Open Days, Thackray Medical Museum, University of Leeds
Halloween ‘Potion-Making’, British Library
A sensory and playful workshop to introduce children to plant medicine through ‘potion making’. Children use their own cauldron to mix herbs and syrups into a magican brew that they can taste!
Taken place at Fantasy Feats and Spooktacular for the British Library 2023 and 2024.
Tea Facilitator at Leeds 2023 Hibiscus Rising: Free Activity Day
Held at Yinka Shonibare’s Hibiscus Rising Sculpture at Aire Park, this was a facilitated hibiscus tea making session where people could make their own tea while viewing and reflecting on the sculpture.
Facilitated conversations around the legacy of David Oluwale and what the hibiscus flower means to us.
‘Welcome Mocktails’ for Dressing Disability Exhibition Launch, Thackray Museum (2023)
Custom made tea based mocktails inspired by the artists work served at Thackray Museum for an exhibition launch. All ingredients were picked and sourced by myself and catered for 200 people.
Mocktails for Thackray Community Late (2024)
Autuman mocktails inspired by the plants of LS9 served at a community showcase at Thackray Medical Museum celebrating East Leeds. Catered for 200 people.
‘Making herbal oils’ with the Culture Club at Thackray Museum 2023
Facilitated a medicine making workshop with a youth group of 16‐21 year olds at the museum. They were taught how to make calendula infused oil and learnt about its uses and properties.
‘Queer Botanicals’ at Leeds Queer Film Festival 2023
A herbalism workshop as part of Leeds Queer film festival. This session was focused around an experiential herbal study, learning about a particular medicinal plant through our senses and intuition. Through the preparation of a herbal infusion that was unknown to the participants, time was spent discussing thoughts and feelings around its taste, smell, colour and character.
∙ The herb was then revealed and participants were taught about its folklore and properties.
‘Early Spring Foraging’ at the University of Leeds 2022
A spring foraging session leading students around the campus to identify and forage wild edible plants
Seasonal growing workshops', Art Hostel, Leeds
Propagation workshops teaching guests how to sow different types of vegetables from seed such as brassicas, salad leaves and root veg.
Garlic and raspberry planting workshop: https://eaststreetarts.org.uk/events/garlic‐raspberry‐ planting‐workshop‐with‐matilya‐njau/
If you would like to book for me for similar workshops or to collaborate on a new idea, please get in touch.