I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it’s only a choice of attitude.
– Judith M. Knowlton
Our First Blog Post
Hello! This is our first blog post here at The Nest. For the past year we have been finding our feet, and mostly using our Facebook page as a place to share news and views. But 2021 has lots of plans and it feels like time to open this forum as a place to expand and share stuff that’s going on, dreams of the future and updates as they happen.
Let me take this opportunity to give a bit of background to who and why we are. We formed this social enterprise, not-for-profit, community interest company back in October 2019. Myself (Hazel) along with Jodie and Nancy came together because we wanted to bring together these different stages of life in a holistic and cohesive way. When we were thinking of a name we listed some of the things we wanted people to feel when they participated with us… these were things like feeling warm, welcomed, respected, finding connection, feeling nature connection… and we talked about how a nest held all those things and could become a sanctuary from the world. a place to rest before flying on your way. And so, ‘The Nest Southwest CIC’ was born.
Unlike a regular business whose main purpose is generally to maximise profits for owners or stakeholders, a social enterprise focus’ on positive social change in the world – a business with a vision. And this vision is built on our personal sets of values. These values are an integral part of everything we do, they are:
- Building Connections – to self, to other and to the wider world
- Respect
- Nurture and compassion
Our vision is of a cohesive society where rites of passage have the power to connect us compassionately to each other and the planet.
Our mission is to inform, support and empower peer support through menstruation, pregnancy & birth and menopause. We do this through holding peer support groups, raising awareness through communication, reducing landfill waste by starting a library of things and promoting reusable sanitary products, running educational classes and building partnerships with local organisations.
We are currently offering a weekly drop-in Pregnancy & Birth Well-being support group on Friday evenings 6.30pm – 7.30pm. We also run a Pregnancy Yoga class on a Monday evening. And a monthly Red Tent. Get in touch to find out more and join in. There’s no waiting list and all local Devon people are welcome.