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James Wong To Be Guest Speaker At 2009 AGM & Conference

We're excited to announce that James Wong star of the recent BBC2 series 'Grow Your Own Drugs' is to be our guest speaker at the 2009 Herb Society Conference. Members get the chance to pre-book tickets before they go on sale to the general public, book before 13th July to take advantage of our Early Bird price and save money on the cost of tickets, plus you get entered into a draw to win overnight accomodation for the night.

Also speaking at this years conference is Anna Parkinson writer, speaker, broadcaster, and former BBC journalist and possible descendent of John Parkinson. Anna is the author of the book Nature's Alchemist: John Parkinson, Herbalist to Charles I which tells the story of John Parkinson revealing the excitement and agony of those turbulent 17th century times. His lifelong passion for plants was bound up with the new dawn of scientific enquiry and the struggles of faith. Anna follows his life from a humble childhood in Lancashire through to a career as an apothecary in London which would bring him to high office under Charles I.

Latest Issue Of 'Herbs' Out Now!

The summer issue of the Society's journal 'Herbs', is out now, full of seasonal interest, Jekka McVicar continues her herb 'back to basics' series this time looking at Growing Herbs From Division. Caroline Holmes takes a look at the rich herbal entwined language in Shakespeares texts in How Does Your Garden Grow Mr Shakespeare? Pamela Westland packs a basket of herbal goodies to have by the riverside, at the beach or in the garden in Summer Picnics. Christina Stapley suggests ways to hold perfumes and aromas from your herb garden to delight you beyond summer in Holding The Fragrance.

For a complete article listing, visit our Journal Page. If you're not already a member you can get Herbs delivered to your door by joining the Herb Society.

New Online Herb Society Members Business Directory

We’re excited to announce a new online service to our members who run Herb businesses, which will be of use and benefit to the rest of our members. Members benefit from discount, where applicable, on production of their Herb Society membership card or online by entering the code that will be available in the Members' Area (coming in June). It's easy to get listed in the directory and it's currently FREE. If you're already a Herb Society member and run a herb business, simple visit the Directory page and contact me with the details required to get listed.

Back Issues Of 'Herbs' Now Available To Buy Online

Back issues of our journal 'Herbs', some dating back to 1998, are now available to buy online from our online shop. Will overseas members remember that postage quoted is for the UK only, if you want to purchase any of the journals, email me and I'll get a shipping price to you.

We also have 2 books by Sue Minter our Chairman which are available to everyone, but members get free postage! All proceeds from the sale of these books go direct to the Herb Society.

Herbs In The Kitchen - Horse Chestnut

It's 'sticky bud' season, the perfect time to gather horse chestnut buds to make a simple flower remedy, yet despite the popularity of horse chestnut trees, did you know that they are not a native of the British Isles?

Horse Chestnuts are also referred to as 'Conker Trees' and Buckeye in some parts of the world. Read more about the Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) and its herbal uses, and learn some interesting facts in Sarah Head's latest Hedgerow To Kitchen article on the Horse Chestnut.

Good News For Our Volunteers

At the beginning of January Council voted in favour of paying travelling expenses to our volunteer members. Read more about this on our volunteers page... you can also learn how to become a volunteer and see photos and information on previous events members volunteered to help out at.

Leaving The Society A Legacy

Your membership is vital in enabling the Society to maintain and spread information regarding the wide variety of herbs available and how they can be grown and used to great benefit, but there is never enough money to do everything that we would like to do. To enable the Society to meet its aims and continue its work into the future please remember the Society in your will.

There was an oversight with the December issue of the magazine, we said that there was a comprehensive note on how to leave a legacy to the Society enclosed with the magazine. Unfortunately the document didn't get included with the journal so it will be added in the next issue of Herbs. For those of you who wish to read more about it now, you can download the document as a .pdf file here Leaving The Society A Legacy. Please read it and consider how a gift can help.

Introducing our new President Anne McIntyre FNIMH

Members and their guests gathered at Sulgrave on the 27th Sept for our AGM and conference. Our new president was announced and Anne gave a talk introducing herself, she's promised to write some articles for the website and journal and also do a tour of her herb garden for members.

Anne McIntyre is a Fellow of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (FNIMH) and has been practicing herbal medicine for over 25 years, one of her speciallities is Ayurvedic medicine, she gives evening talks and runs regular courses in herbal medicine and Ayurveda from her home near Cheltenham and Oxford where she also has a delightful spiral herb garden which has featured on The BBC's Gardener's World TV programme. Further information about Anne can be found on the 2008/09 President's Page and Anne's own website Anne McIntyre.

2008 AGM & Conference Report

If you didn't make it to the AGM and Conference this year, you missed a wonderful event, 37 members and guests spent the day at Sulgrave, along with 8 council members plus Flick our administrator, the day started out cold and foggy but as one of our members said “it was well worth the cold damp journey!”

Read a report of the day with photos, plus see Tina Stapleys relaxing balm and lotion recipes and Mike Cullen's delicious 'Cullenary' recipes on our 2008 Conference Report page. There is also a small video of part of Mike Cullen's cookery demonstration.

Interested in starting a local Herb Society group?

If you're interested in starting up a local group that is an affiliate of the Herb Society, why not have a look at our groups page? We also now have a Herb Society Affiliate group in the Midlands visit their website, for further information and details of their next meeting.

As an example, you can check out the Dorset Herb Society Groups page and see what they've been up to and what they have planned for the future.

The Herb Society Is An Amazon Associate!

Want to help the Herb Society raise much needed funds? Do you buy books, DVD's, CD's etc from Amazon? Well from now on, simply use the link to Amazon on this page (found above the 'Members Only' link in the navigation menu) or use a direct link from the book links that are placed around the site promoting new herb books, and the Herb Society will then get 5% of your Amazon purchase!

The minimum order amount required to get free postage from Amazon is now £5.00 and not £15.00, so why not treat yourself? Every purchase you make through our Amazon links means the Herb Society will receive a percentage of the sale.

If you're not sure what to buy for someone, why not give them an Amazon gift certificate? Or use the Wish List facility on Amazon to compile a list of books you'd like and email the list to your loved one to give them a few hints?

What links the Druids, Henry VIII and Hilda Leyel?

We have a new article added to the Herbs In History section, written for us by Linda Harrold DBTh. MURHP. Linda explores the path of Herbal Medicine in Britain covering the Roman Invasion, the Physicians of Myddfai, through to 1927 when Hilda Leyel set up the Society of Herbalists, the 1941 Medicines Bill, and ending with the present day picture. Read the full article here History Of Herbal Medicine In Britain.

Most Important Herb Society News – make your support go further!

The Society has established with HM Revenue and Customs, that Gift Aid can be applied (where appropriate) to Member’s Subscriptions received since 6th April 2003. This will have a dramatic effect on finances, which in turn, will assist in securing the Society’s future as an independent organisation as well as being able to maintain the quality and frequency of it’s publications and services to members. For further details and to download a form visit our Gift Aid page.

Join the Herb Society Today

Explore our web site to find out about all the great things we are doing to promote the wonder of herbs.  Then find out here about the benefits to you of membership.

Herb Society Garden

Take a virtual tour of our garden at Sulgrave Manor.

The Herb Society is not qualified to provide medicinal advice.  Useful contacts for such advice can be found on our contacts page. Officers and Council Members of the Herb Society (UK) accept no liability for any harm, damage, or illness arising from the use of plants mentioned or described in articles that appear in this web site. Information on this site is the copyright of the Herb Society unless otherwise stated.  Text or pictures must not be reproduced elsewhere without permission from the Society.