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 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 Lymm Radio, where she discusses all things herbal in a monthly segment.

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 founded 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.