Join Eliza Marshall (Freedom To Roam), Deborah Norris (Ballet Folk), and Katie Whitehouse (Company of Song) for an inspiring retreat designed to reconnect you with the natural world and your creative self, with a touch of folk tradition woven into the experience.
Come as you are, and leave with renewed energy, ideas, and connection to nature.

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Through the interconnected disciplines of writing, music, movement and nature-based activities like mindful walks, you’ll explore how creativity can deepen our relationship with the earth, and each other, encourage meaningful connections, and inspire positive change.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Halsway Manor, this retreat offers a unique blend of nature immersion and artistic exploration. Evenings will be spent sharing nature-inspired songs, stories and dance.

Who is it for?

This course is for anyone who is looking to find ways of expressing their creativity with gentle guidance and leadership for an amazing team of collaborators. No prior experience is necessary—this retreat is for anyone seeking inspiration and connection through creativity.

Whether you’re a beginner or experienced in the arts, you’ll discover new ways of responding to the world around you and expressing yourself. With workshops, mindful activities, and space for individual creativity, you’ll leave recharged and inspired.

This is the retreat for you if you would like to

• Discover mindful and playful ways to respond to the natural world through art.
• Engage in mindful practices such as nature walks to inspire creativity and connection.
• Explore creative writing: inspired by nature and personal experiences, using guided meditation and experimenting with writing from our stream of consciousness, and journalling.
• Understand the power of music as a tool for expression and storytelling.
• Experience movement as a form of storytelling, learning to connect physical expression with emotional and environmental themes.
• Create a collaborative piece of art combining writing, music, and movement, presented on the final evening.
• Recognise the potential for small creative actions to spark personal growth and contribute to positive change.
• Experience group singing.

The Team

Eliza Marshall, a founding member of award-winning folk group Ranagri, has released five albums and performed at various festivals. In March 2020, she released a new album with co-writers and performers Jackie Shave, Catrin Finch, and Dónal Rogers. She co-produced a documentary and directed Freedom To Roam: The Rhythms Of Migration, a Fatea Innovation Project Award winner. Eliza has appeared on radio broadcasts, including Classic FM and BBC radios. She is passionate about cross-cultural music-making and has toured and collaborated with musicians from various countries, including Africa, North and South America, Europe, Scandinavia, India, Japan, and Australia.

Deborah Norris is a choreographer and doctoral candidate at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, focusing on narrative works by women ballet choreographers using a feminist narratological lens. She holds an MA in Dance Studies from De Montfort University, a BA in Communications Studies – Dance from the University of Leeds, and a Professional Performance Diploma from the José Limón Institute. Deborah has taught internationally at conservatoires in Taiwan, Slovakia, and Lithuania, and has presented works internationally in London, New York, and Barcelona. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and serves on various committees and boards.

Katie Whitehouse is a mover and shaker in the music scene in the South West and beyond. She’s the founder of Fromthewhitehouse the award winning SW music booking, management and promotion agency, is a choir leader, composer and arranger, and a poet and songwriter. Her writing is deeply felt and sincere, inspired by personal life experience but with a universality that draws everyone in.