The Herb Society Team

Barbara previously worked in the hotel and catering industry, before pursuing a life-long interest in health and nutrition. She qualified as a Consultant Medical Herbalist in 2012, becoming a member of the Unified Register of Herbal Practitioners, and the College of Medicine and Integrated Health.

Barbara is a third-generation herbalist and runs The Springfield Clinic of Natural Healing in Cheshire. She is an advocate of cultivating the use of plants in everyday life and keen to empower people with the confidence to embrace food as medicine.

As well as running her own practice, Barbara has been a Trustee for The Herb Society since 2014 and became Chair in 2025. She has appeared as a guest speaker at numerous events and conferences. She has had an allotment for over 28 years, where she grows both food and medicine.

Barbara has worked on behalf of The Herb Society to design gardens for the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. In 2018, she appeared in the BBC’s coverage of the RHS Flower Show, as part of a special segment looking at fermented foods.

Barbara attended Malvern Three Counties Show in 2019, where she was a guest speaker on the Women for Wellbeing Forum and Herbs for Health with Horticulturist Alys Fowler. Barbara also demonstrated in the Food Theatre at Malvern, alongside names such as Mark Diacono and Jean-Christophe Novelli.

At each of the shows she has worked very closely with Hooks Green Herbs and other herbal nurseries that are members of the Society. She has also appeared with Jon Wheatley on Gardeners’ Question Time at RHS and Malvern show and was a guest speaker at Southport Flower Show 2022.

Following RHS Tatton 2022, Barbara was invited to feature on Cheshire’s Mix 56, where she discusses all things herbal in a monthly segment, Herbs with Barbara.

Barbara’s expertise was recognised by Horticulturist Alys Fowler, who approached Barbara for support during the production of her book A Modern Herbal (2019).

Herb walks, workshops and events are a passion Barbara shares with many. She can often be found teaching foraging and the joy of herbs throughout the seasons, in physic gardens, private gardens, and community spaces across the North West.

Having been a member and supporter of the Society for many years, Barbara is a champion of all it strives to achieve and feels a strong affinity to its founder Hilda Leyel, whose values and beliefs align with Barbara’s own.

Being passionate about the education of traditional medicine for all life on earth, Barbara spreads the word about the importance of herbs, and believes they are our past, present and future.

Kate Morgan-Owen joined the Trustee Board in December 2024. She is based in Lincolnshire, though born in Oxford. After a music degree at Durham University in the late 90s, Kate managed a complete switch by 2014 to have completed the BSc in Herbal Medicine at Middlesex University with 1st class honours. This pathway change came from finding a local affiliated herb society in Welwyn Garden City, where she lived in the early 2000s, through her allotment association. Her enthusiasm for the Herb Society stems from experiencing that life-changing chance meeting of a herbal community. Over the years, Kate has juggled family life with a mix of clinical work, herb clubs, music, events and project management. Things have come full cycle with her passion for all things herbal, now back as a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, running a local herb club and ready to bring a hopefully useful mix of talents to the table here.

The first layer of bioprospecting for her dissertation meant many glorious hours in the British Library reading original herbals from centuries before. Her admiration for the incredible work from Hilda Leyel and her contemporaries, including Grieve and Sinclair Rodhe, was forged there, and she continues to enjoy research into that time period. Their goals and message are still so relevant today and their legacy incredibly important as we live through fast changing times.There’s a palpable sense of people reaching out to regain their herbal heritage when perhaps feeling insecure. From food sovereignty to personal agency, local self-sufficiency, biodiversity and sustainability, the Herb Society is in a position to join this all together for people, for all who seek it, with empowering herbal knowledge and she can’t wait to be a part of that ongoing journey.

Inspired by the resilience and wisdom of wild urban plants, Lynn Shore believes that herbs have the power to heal not only people but also communities and landscapes. A Medical Herbalist, educator, and writer, she works to reconnect people with the green world around them – even in the heart of the city.

Originally from Bristol, Lynn grew up on the edge of the countryside, where she spent her childhood foraging hedgerows and observing the life teeming in fields. That early curiosity about nature led to a degree in genetics, a short career in genome research, and then to teaching biology – before her lifelong passion for herbs drew her fully into herbal medicine and nature-based healing.

Lynn holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Liverpool, where she focused on Urban Food Security. Following this, she established Urban Herbology to help people rediscover urban nature through foraging walks, crafting workshops, and courses. She also runs Mugwort and Marigold, a therapeutic herbal practice in Amsterdam, and tends the River of Herbs orchards, foraging gardens where everyone can connect with the city’s wild plants.

Lynn has trained widely in herbalism and ecological living, studying Wise Woman Herbalism with Susun Weed and Glennie Kindred, Permaculture with Patrick Whitefield and Permaculture Visions, and Social and Therapeutic Horticulture with Thrive. She qualified as a Medical Herbalist with Heartwood, and also holds Dutch qualifications in herbal medicine, stress management, and depression coaching.

Her first book, The Green City Witch (Aeon, 2025), celebrates the magic of urban nature and offers a grounded, empowering guide to living in harmony with local plants. She took part in the Wildbiome 2 research project, living entirely on locally foraged foods to explore the impact of wild nutrition on health – an adventure she will repeat in 2026.

A passionate advocate for edible landscapes, herbal self-care, and community green spaces, Lynn also helps preserve the everyday herbal wisdom once common among city communities and families, including her own ancestors who worked the mines of Leeds. She shares her knowledge through workshops, talks, and writing, and is a member of the Herb Society, Herbalists Without Borders, the Association of Foragers, the Herboristen Gilde, and the Complementary Medical Association.

As a trustee, Lynn aims to inspire others to weave herbs into their everyday lives, strengthening the bond between people, plants, and place.

I was raised by a hardworking, powerful single mother who instilled in me strong values, a drive for growth and the wisdom of herbs, lessons that I carry through all aspects of my life. Growing up in Windsor, I developed an enduring bond with nature, with daily walks along the Long Walk and tending to our family’s herbal garden being central to my routine. From morning herbal tea to using natural remedies for well-being, herbs have always been an integral part of my life, fuelling my passion for sustainable living.

As a Namdhari Sikh, I embrace a cultural heritage that reveres nature as sacred, a belief passed down through generations. My work in environmental sustainability, heritage conservation, and community well-being reflects this commitment to safeguarding and promoting the wisdom of nature.

With a scientific background in astrophysics, I’ve come to appreciate the interconnectedness of the universe, how the same elements that form distant stars are found in the soil that nurtures plants. This perspective bridges the cosmic and the terrestrial, deepening my understanding of nature’s balance and reinforcing my commitment to its preservation.

I am passionate about addressing pressing issues such as domestic violence, tree equity, interfaith dialogue, and the role of NGOs in driving social change. My goal is to engage diverse communities with these causes, fostering understanding and collaboration.

In today’s world, where reconnecting with nature is more important than ever, I believe The Herb Society has the potential to become a household name, ensuring that herbal wisdom is accessible to all.

With extensive experience across multiple industries, I bring expertise in branding & design, project management, and governance. I am eager to contribute to The Herb Society’s mission of sharing knowledge and promoting the value of herbs. Whether through digital engagement, event planning, or strategic development, I am committed to supporting the organisation’s growth and outreach.

Mona Channet joined the Board of Trustees in May 2025. Originally from the United States, Mona brings over 35 years of experience as a holistic practitioner, drawing on a rich family heritage of multicultural herbal traditions. Raised in a household of biologists and traditional herbalists, her lifelong connection to nature and its healing power was nurtured from an early age.

With a parallel upbringing in San Francisco, at the heart of the Bay Area’s emerging tech scene, Mona’s path uniquely weaves together the ancient and the modern—blending her spiritual and herbal practice with a professional background in global marketing and leadership. She has led international teams and delivered marketing programmes exceeding £25 million, while also coaching and mentoring individuals worldwide.

Mona is a long-time practitioner of Tarot (over 40 years), a Master Reiki practitioner, certified NLP coach, trained clinical hypnotist, and speaker on health, technology, and spiritual wellbeing. Her focus lies in making traditional herbal knowledge both accessible and relevant in today’s fast-paced world. She is passionate about helping others integrate natural medicine into modern lifestyles. Her commitment to bridging ancestral wisdom with contemporary life underpins her work and vision as a trustee of the Society.

Hedgerow skincare expert and award-winning author of Vital Skincare, I’ve been crafting natural skincare from local herbs for over 20 years, and running my business, Field Fresh Skincare, for more than a decade. I write, give talks and teach in workshops and online training. By providing ingredients in the form of blend-it-yourself skincare kits I encourage getting hands-on, and make it easy to create your own award-standard creams and balms. Marshmallow Dream Cream won Best Facial Moisturiser in the Janey Loves Awards (2017) and remains our most popular product. 

Based in the Cotswolds, where rolling hills and the Severn Vale offer a wealth of purposeful plants, I co-founded the Cotswold Herb Centre to help people reclaim their connection with these local herbs. In this mode, I lead monthly Herb Walks, share seasonal insights through our newsletter, and host pop up Herbal Takeovers of local venues. Qualified in permaculture design, and with an academic background in archaeology and anthropology, my work is driven by a fascination with how people, plants, and places are deeply intertwined, and how reconnecting with nature enriches our daily lives.

An admin and project professional working across the charity, HE, environment and arts sectors, I have worked freelance for The Herb Society since 2016. I am still enjoying learning so much about herbs, and being part of such a dedicated team taking the Society from strength to strength, growing and adapting to many new challenges along the way.

I have previously volunteered with environmental charities including the RSPB, running a wildlife explorers club for children, including my own, aiming to instil a respect and love of nature in the next generation.

Happiest in the outdoors, I spend my free time walking, growing my own food at the allotment (albeit with very mixed results!), and foraging for wild berries and plants to add to the produce.

I am also a lover of reading, live music, the arts and historical folklore, but it is the natural world that provides me with all the inspiration I need for my other passion of lino printing, stemming from my earlier career in textile design.

I joined the Herb Society as a member in 2019 after partaking in a guided tour of a fantastic herb garden whilst on holiday in Jersey. This visit really piqued my interest in herbs and their individual qualities, and I was keen to learn more. I signed up to an online course to learn more, and soon after, I saw an advertisement for a freelance Finance Manager with the Herb Society and having worked in accountancy practice for my entire working life, I applied.  I live in Essex and was due to meet the rest of the team when Covid struck but we remained in close contact and found a new way of working remotely. I love working with the team and feel that I learn from them and their passion for herbs.

My passion is for gardening and flowers – my dad was a gardener – and I have an allotment which I am slowly turning over to mainly herbs and flowers. I absolutely love growing plants from seed in my greenhouse and spend most of my time, when I am not working, either in the garden, greenhouse or allotment!  I dry a lot of the flowers that I grow, and I enjoy making dried wreaths and flower arrangements. I have been attending Writtle College for the past three years studying floristry and achieved a City and Guilds Level 2 Diploma and am currently studying for Level 3. Last year, I was lucky enough to enter an arrangement at the National Flower Show at Hylands House, which was inspired by the pioneering 17^th Century plant hunters, which is a subject I am fascinated with. The whole experience was fantastic, and it was a privilege to witness such amazing displays being created.

I also volunteer at our local Garden Association Shop and am Club Secretary for both this and the local flower club, which I am also involved with.

When not at home, I love to visit Norfolk in our caravan and enjoy the beautiful scenery and large beaches whilst walking my beautiful Goldie, Dolly.

I discovered herbalism when I was in my early twenties, and have used herbs medicinally and nutritionally ever since. As a home herbalist I like to read herbal books and online resources, as well as listen to podcasts to learn more about herbs. I enjoy foraging, and I also grow fruits, vegetables and herbs in my garden.

I have eaten a plant-based diet for nearly 30 years, so I have an interest in the culinary use of herbs and spices to promote health and wellbeing. Herbs are an excellent source of micronutrients, and I love to try to utilise herbs in my cooking and baking whenever possible.

As a pagan practitioner, my spiritual path is closely aligned with the seasons and the earth, and nature and plants play a large role in my spiritual practice. As human beings we have largely lost our connection to nature and plantlife, and growing and using herbs helps to re-establish this relationship.

I am a professionally trained librarian and information professional, and I worked in academic libraries for 15 years before pivoting to working with charities. Along with my work with the Herb Society, I am also a member of my local community Transition group, and I volunteer at my local Repair Cafe.

I love working with the Herb Society, an amazing charity with a long history and important mission to promote and increase our understanding of plants.

I’ve always found joy in cooking, baking, growing food and foraging since I was a young child, having learned many of these skills – together with a healthy respect for the natural world – from my parents and grandparents. I grew up just 50 metres from the edge of Dartmoor, and I spent my young years foraging in hedgerows whilst riding my bike out across the moors and not coming home until the sun was setting. My dad always had a field guide in his pocket so we could learn to identify a tree, a berry or a bird whilst out on our weekly Sunday hike. And my mum always had a demijohn bubbling away somewhere in a cupboard!

Despite this start, I ended up working in the corporate world for 15 years! During which time I moved to Gloucestershire. I progressed to “regional business support manager”, so my job was basically everything but sales, and this is how I came to be involved in events.

Eventually my husband and I left our corporate lives behind and set up our own events business, which we ran up until lockdown. Our client events took us all over the world and to some incredible places, however we both just had this sense that we weren’t on the right track for many reasons, especially environmental concerns. We’d also moved to the Forest of Dean a few years earlier – which felt like returning to our roots. It was becoming increasingly difficult to leave our home and beautiful garden each time we went off to deliver whatever event was next. So when lockdown happened, and we were forced to stop, it was honestly a relief. And at some point during that time we decided not to go back to it.

I now run my own small food and drink business called ‘little batch’ which, like many new micro businesses, started as a lockdown project! I would send homemade food and drink gifts to friends and family to boost their spirits. I’m often at markets around the shires of Gloucester, Hereford and Monmouth as well towards Bristol. Sometimes with my vintage caravan, Gertie – where I serve herbal teas and seasonal mocktails, amongst other things!

Flo has a background in science communication working especially on public & community engagement projects exploring ethical and social issues relating to genetics research. She led interdisciplinary projects, managed research communications, and organised high-profile public events for a research centre while working for Cardiff University for 10 years. Following this Flo was until recently co-owner and managing director of a successful vegetarian and vegan food business in Wales. She ran this business alongside her partner Ben for 15 years, building their business from a farmer’s market stall in Cardiff, through years of festival catering & running a cookery school to supplying independent retailers and restaurants with award winning products all made with natural ingredients.

She began her studies in herbal medicine with Heartwood several years ago and she is deepening this knowledge independently now, documenting the plantlife where she lives on the edge of the Cambrian mountains in Wales to create locally inspired recipes and remedies. She and her partner Ben plan to use these in the plant based cookery school they are reviving at their hilltop homestead.

Flo is now indulging her love of travel, working for a company that organises self-drive safaris in Africa and later this year will be travelling to Namibia and exploring traditional plant knowledge in the country and creating plant based campfire recipes along the way.

Volunteering for The Herb Society, updating events on the website, makes good use of Flo’s communication skills and keeps her in touch with what’s happening in the herbal medicine community. Curious, thoughtful, and adventurous, she believes that knowledge is at its best when it’s shared.