Speaker 1: Kim Walker

Herbalist, author and teacher

Kim trained gained a BSc in herbal medicine before moving into the field of research and ethnobotany. She wrote the best-selling Handmade Apothecaryin 2017 and completed a doctorate in the history of medicine in 2023 at Kew Gardens. She now teaches botany, research and medicine making at Betonica School of Herbal Medicine.

How to study herbs and herbalism

Kim will explore the different types of herbal education and various approaches to learning about plants. She will answer questions such as what is the difference between home and medical herbalism? Can I be a herbalist? What kind of courses are out there? How can I start my journey?

Website: https://www.betonica.co.uk/

Speaker 2: Asa Kaur

Asa is a discerning and principled advocate for sustainable and ethical living, with a record of work across strategic development, philanthropy and intercultural engagement.

Currently serving as Director of Fundraising and as an International Councillor at the International Vegetarian Union, she helps shape global initiatives at the intersection of food ethics, policy and public health. As a passionate Namdhari Sikh and representative of the Namdhari Sikh Sangat in the U.K, she supports community outreach, spiritual engagement and interfaith dialogue. Her contributions to several charities and plant-based organisations reflect a longstanding commitment to conscious food systems and compassionate living. With a deep love for cooking and an integral curiosity about the benefits of plant-based ingredients, she has a background in recipe development with plant-forward companies.

Her approach is grounded in service, collaboration and a longstanding commitment to creating meaningful, lasting impact.

Asa will be giving an interesting presentation on the Spiritual and Cultural connotations of herbs in India.

Each talk will last around 30 minutes, followed by a short Q&A session.