Australia now has its first nine certified Junior Herbalist Club Leaders after the UK founder Mel Hornby (pictured above right) personally delivered the training course at the end of last month at Torrens University, who kindly provided the space in Sydney. The Herbal Extract Company are proud Gold sponsors of this unique and enchanting program which helps children, aged between seven and twelve, learn about the healing plants around them in a safe and supervised environment. The program takes the children on a magical journey of discovery, engaging all their senses with playful practical skills, thus creating a whole new generation of budding herbalists.
During the five days of intensive training the passionate leaders, who are all qualified naturopaths and herbalists from throughout Australia, entertained their inner child and the most popular word throughout the week was FUN. The student leaders actively worked through each of the twenty sessions (covering the two-year syllabus) in ‘real time’. This included making, among many other goodies, marshmallows with real marshmallow root, lavender lemonade, lemon balm sun tea, cinnamon sugar lip scrub, bath bombs, daisy soda, magic liquorice throat coats (using Herbal Extract Company Liquorice 1:1), aniseed cough drops (made with Herbal Extract Company Aniseed 1:1), and antiseptic healing cream (made with the Herbal Extract Company Natural Base Cream and Calendula 1:1), a rose love potion (with the antidote), a dandelion clock lumiere to allay nightmares, learning about the importance of honey bees and how to help “windy bottoms”. The Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia will maintain the register of qualified JHC leaders.
Sarah Hunter (pictured above left), from blackwoodapothecary, @blackwood_apothecary in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, was the lucky winner of our competition to win a ticket to the training course. She said: ”JHC training reaffirmed my love of herbal medicine and left me feeling so inspired. Mel has meticulously developed JHC to empower children with herbal wisdom and I felt so fortunate to spend an intensive week exploring the curriculum. I cannot wait to begin teaching my own classes in 2024. I am so grateful to HEC for giving me this opportunity.”
The Herbal Extract Company are committed to encouraging practitioners to create and run a JHC in their local area, giving children the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills that will benefit themselves and others for a lifetime. The leader training is expected to be offered again in 2024 so watch this space.
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