A dream realised - The Snowfields Wellness shop

I started studying to be a naturopathic nutritionist about three years ago.

The original dream was to be a practitioner part time and to write part time. But one day, walking down London’s Bermondsey Street, the idea struck me:  my very own eco wellness centre (that would include shop and treatment space) in a boutique-like environment. I wanted to dissolve the compromise between shopping for true health products and a luxury, fun shopping environment. 

And I wanted to close the treatment loop by having a space where clients can receive the best treatments, have a space to rest before and after and be able to buy any recommended necessary products there and then.

In fact I wanted to create a space where there was no compromise: no compromise on making it utterly eco; no compromise on the products and treatments offered (e.g. no supplements that say more on the packet than they do to the body or no skin care that does not have a therapeutic value and only the best practitioners) and no compromise on making the space beautiful, restful and exciting.

My husband also loved the idea and we set off creating, researching, business planning writing, thinking, analyzing and thinking some more.

With such a high criteria, the stakes were always pretty high, so to start off with we just opened the shop. Tucked away behind London Bridge station, in a small, charming, sunny street is our little wellness palace. Everything is as eco as possible (vintage furniture and shelves made out of reclaimed wood (by www.richjohnstone.com), eco energy supplies, eco paint, ethical banking, eco packaging, recycling, reusing and reducing, and everything we sell has been checked for its ethical credentials).

The space is lovely, with a fireplace surrounded by vintage chairs for people to sit, rest, drink homemade smoothies, therapeutic teas, eat breakfast or a snack, chat, read or stare into space.

And then there is all the stuff we sell. To be honest Snowsfields Wellness is like my own personal treasure chest, rich in foods that promote health and are utterly delicious. We sell our own label therapeutic teas (created by the amazing naturopath Debbie Cotton) as well as the lovely Pukka teas; delicious Muddy Cook Gourmet artisan mueslis; Artisan Breads, Think Green sustainable tins of sardines and anchovies, Clearspring seaweeds and other Japanese glories, fair-trade black, red and white quinoa, own label dried fruit and nuts mixes and we specialise in cold pressed, eco and ethical oils.

Whether you looking for great hemp, coconut, macadamia nut or the most amazing olive oil – you’ll find it here. We also focus on raw foods. For example we sell wild and organic raw olives, the most delectable Raw Chocolate you’ll ever sink your teeth into, raw energy bars, raw nut butters, freeze dried sprouts, flax crackers and even a raw protein powder made from sprouts and super foods. Talking of superfoods, at Snowsfields Wellness we have loads of green superfoods (think: Sun Chorella and wheatgrass) as well as great superfood powders like maca and purple corn powder.  We do not sell mineral water as we believe that it is unethical. Instead we have a water filter machine, where customers are encouraged to fill their own water bottles for free.

You’ll also find potent supplements and luxury skin care brands such as Ila, Miessence, Barefoot Botanicals SOS, Inlight and Sensitive Skin Care company.

The full clinic will be open in the winter of this year – meanwhile we have an evening clinic with amazing practitioners: an osteopath, massage therapist, chartered counselling psychologist, naturopath and naturopathic nutritional therapists.

I am also passionate about the role education has to play in helping people to be truly well, stay well and love being well. We sell food, recipe, food-politics and natural health books and magazines. We have monthly workshops and talks on topics to help improve wellbeing, nutrition and to find out about the joys of nourishing foods.

We are hoping to open the clinic by the end of 2009. We are planning to have nutritionists, naturopaths, western herbalists, an accupressurist, cranio sacral therapist, osteopath and a few other wellness practitioners.

It is all far from perfect – but we are getting there. Every day is another lesson. Yet we are proud of our little shop. We hope to see you here someday soon.

Snowfields Wellness run by Daisy Green contributor Marissa-Catherine Carrarini is at Snowsfields, London SE1 4DN, www.snowsfields.co.uk