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oulstice Wellbeing, located in Newbury
Town Hall, opened in October 2016
with the aim of helping people unwind
and to raise awareness of mental
health issues.
Sandra Weir, who runs the centre with her
husband Russell, explains: “We all work
incredibly hard and lead stressful lives. So
much is expected of us and that can be
overwhelming.
“This is about taking some time out to relax,
maybe take a class, have a massage or a cup
of tea and cake and just talk or listen to music.”
Sandra believes that in a world of
appointments, deadlines, targets and meetings
we seem to be forgetting to take time out to
look after ourselves.
That is why Soulstice is such a breath of fresh
air.
It might sound like a cliché, but from the
moment you step inside it really does feel as
though you’ve left all your worries behind you.
The centre offers a range of holistic therapies,
including yoga, aromatherapy and massage,
while visitors can also sip herbal tea or simply
sit quietly and reflect in the ‘secret tea room’.
Sandra and Russell have decided that 10 per
cent of all profits from the secret tea room will
be donated to the mental health charity MIND.
There’s a personal reason behind this and why
Sandra and Russell decided to embark on this
adventure together.
Sandra worked for Vodafone for 17 years, but
says she became tired of the pressures of a
corporate career and originally planned to take
12 months off to spend time with her husband
Russell, who suffers from anxiety.
“I must admit I didn’t always understand what
Russell was going through,” she says.
“Sometimes I used to tell him ‘pull yourself
together, there’s nothing wrong with you’, but
now I know that’s just about the worst thing you
can say to someone with anxiety.
“Unfortunately, there is still this stigma attached
to mental health and because you can’t see it,
a lot of people just don’t understand.
“Russell calls it ‘the black dog’ on his back.
“For many people with anxiety it feels like
there’s a cloud hanging over them and a lot
of people lose interest in the things they love.
They have absolutely no energy and don’t
know how they can get through the day.
“Sometimes people find excuses not to have to
go out or do things.
“There’s the physical side too, such as the
panic attacks, sweating and heart palpitations.
It can be incredibly frightening.
“For some people, they can just wake up
feeling anxious and for others there are certain
triggers, like something in their childhood or
even something silly like an argument.
“All you can do is try and encourage someone
with anxiety, don’t tell them to pull themselves
together or keep asking what’s wrong.
“For Russell, music really helps and he’s very
passionate about it.
“Meditation also helps, just being able to sit
quietly and relax.
“What’s nice is that people have told me they
can sit on their own quietly at Soulstice and not
feel weird or like they are being judged.
“After I left Vodafone, Russell and I attended
a lot of meditation classes together and we
also got our Yorkiepoo, Bert. It is a breed which
really helps people with anxiety.”
Little did Sandra know that this career break would
ultimately lead her on the path to a new venture.
In the hustle and bustle of Newbury town centre, Dan Cooper
discovers an oasis of calm at Soulstice Wellbeing
Sandra Weir