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Some Guidelines On How To Respond To The Department Of Health Consultation On Statutory Regulation Of Herbal Practitioners

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We're On Facebook - Become A Fan!

If you have a Facebook account, you can help promote the Herb Society by 'Becoming A Fan', we've created a page on 'Facebook' designed to let people know about the Society, who we are, what we do and to promote the benefit of herbs.

You can access the page by clicking on the logo to the right, once there just click the [Become A Fan] link and you'll be added to our fan list. You can also join our Facebook Group if you're so inclined. Using popular social networking tools like Facebook can help get the word out to people who otherwise may have not heard about us.

Latest Companies To Join Our Members Discount Scheme

We're currently taking a look at ways to give additional benefits to members and one area we're currently focusing on is the members discount scheme. Several new companies have recently joined the scheme to offer discounts to members. The latest to join are Teapigs, who are offering members a 15% discount when they order from their online shop. Hooksgreen Herbs Ltd and Nicholson's Herb Farm have also joined the scheme offering members a 10% discount. Plus several American companies such as Nichols Garden Nursery have joined the scheme offering discounts to our US members. You can find out more about the discount scheme and access the discount codes in our Members Area.

Latest Issue Of 'Herbs' Out Now!

The autumn issue of the Society's journal 'Herbs', is out now, Cheryl Waller's love of herbs derives from her grandmother and has led to her creating show gardens and real gardens for the Herb Society, read her story in My Life In Herbs. Jekka McVicar looks at Growing Herbs From Cuttings and takes us back to basics as she gets to grips with taking cuttings from herb plants.
Caroline Holmes showcases the new garden to awaken the herbal sense that she is designing around Notre Dane de Calais in Entente Cordiale In Calais.
Pamela Westland has two articles for us this time in Ways with... Sage she chooses seven ways to use sage for top flavour, and in Herbal Oils And Vinegars.. And Salts And Sugars she suggests ways to preserve the aroma and flavour of your garden herbs to enhance sweet and savory dishes all year round.

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.

Latest Members Area Additions

In the members area we now have a Mail Bag section for members questions and comments, we've added an online Questionnaire on events, and several new articles, including one by our Chair Sue Minter who has written a rather informative article on The World's Herbal Trade which compliments the High Street Herbals document also written by Sue and recently uploaded to the site exclusively for members. Sue looks at the British herb trade, and talks about why medicinal plant 'sustainability' is so difficult to define, as well as providing 10 top tips for the eco-conscious consumer.

High Street Herbals: The Top 300 Over-The-Counter Herbal Medicinals Available In The UK The Conservation Concerns' by Sue Minter

Just uploaded to the Members Only area is a 16 page list of the top 300 over-the-counter herbal medicinals available in the UK, which details the botanical name, the condition the herb is used to treat, the part(s) used, whether the herb is wild or cultivated and any conservation concerns surrounding the herb.

This research has been done by Sue Minter the Herb Society Chair, who is open to adding more information (or correcting it) from knowledgeable herbalists/producers/growers and conservationists in the interest of sustainable trade. It is believed to be the only information available to the consumer on this subject. Non-Members can view a sample page of this document here. Members will find the full document over in the Members Area.

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.

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.

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.