Celebration of herbal medicine

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), May 17, 2007

The theme for this year's Western Herbal Medicine Week, starting on Saturday, is the transformation of urban spaces into community medicinal herb gardens.

To this end, qualificed medical herbalist Sue Salmon, who lives in Kirkburton, is organising the planting of two gardens - lllklone at Burton Dene near her home and one outside the Colne Valley Clinic in Marsden.

The gardens will hark back to a time when natural herbal medicine was the only medicine available to most people.

Today, herbal medicine is enjoying something of a renaissance and there's a growing interest in herb gardens for both culinary and medical uses.

Sue will be planting out the garden at Burton Dene on Saturday from 10am until noon and will be available to talk about the herbs she uses.

The Colne Valley Clinic garden will be planted out on Sunday from 10am. Visitors will be able to buy herbs at the Marsden clinic as the event is on the same day at the National Trust plant sale.

Other events for Western Herbal Medicine Week are as follows:

' Saturday, May 19, 2pm. Herb walk at Shelley College, Skelmanthorpe. A chance to learn about the medicinal properties of wild and cultivated herbs.

' Tuesday, May 22, 2pm. Drop-in at Your Nuts health food shop in Holmfirth. Book a free 15-minute session with Sue to find out how herbs can aid health.

' Wednesday, May 23, 7pm. Workshop on "Reclaiming our Herbal Tradition" at Healing Hands, Moldgreen. Places are limited and must be booked.

' Thursday, May 24, 10 am. Drop-in session at Dodds health food shop in Huddersfield. Free 15-minute sessions with Sue. Must be booked. From 1pm-3pm Sue can be found at Half Moon Wholefoods. Details or booking call Sue Salmon on 01484 348357.