Join us for a two-day workshop, led by Rasheeqa Ahmad and Annabel Cameron-Duff with the Material Cultures team, exploring the shared holistic principles and hands-on practices of working with clay and medicinal plants.
THE WORKSHOP: This workshop brings together the healing properties of plants and minerals. Day One is a herbal medicine workshop facilitated by Rasheeqa with seasonal plants that nourish and balance our tissues, bodies and health and speak to the elements of earth, water, air, fire. Participants will create their own herbal remedies to take home. Day Two is a clay finish plastering workshop facilitated by Annabel. This includes the underpinning principles of working with clay: preparation, mixing and techniques to apply top coat plaster. All materials and equipment are provided.
Rasheeqa Ahmad is a qualified medical herbalist and community practitioner based in Walthamstow, east London. Her work spans clinical practice, medicine-making, teaching, and community herbalism, rooted in a belief in our deep connection with the living world. She is part of Community Apothecary Waltham Forest, a grassroots project sharing gardens, knowledge, and herbal care, and teaches with Heartwood Education. Rasheeqa trained at the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine and Middlesex University, receiving the Ellis Snitcher Memorial Prize for Integrative Medicine.
Annebel Cameron-Duff is a natural builder, artist, and educator dedicated to reconnecting people with the land through hands-on, creative building practices. As co-founder of The Roundhouse Company, she leads inclusive, participatory builds and workshops that invite people of all ages and backgrounds to explore natural materials and empower themselves through making with clay, cob, straw, lime, timber, and more. Her work is rooted in a deep love of nature and a belief in building as a collaborative, healing act.
THE SITE: Pasteur Gardens is a seven-acre council-owned urban farm site situated in the borough of Enfield in north London. In the summer, the site is completely shielded from the city – a tranquil haven suggestive of a rural landscape. The land is farmed by Black Rootz and Wolves Lane. We spent last summer making an ecological building which will host this year’s workshops. Google Maps link here.
ACCESS: Some of the workshops will be held on rough terrain and may pose issues for those in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility. Reach out to us if you would like more information and photos in order to assess together whether you would be able to access the site. There are two compost toilets on the site, one of which is wheelchair accessible.
TRANSPORTATION: Material Cultures is rooted in a low-carbon approach so please travel to the workshop by public or shared transport if you can. We will be trying to do the same.
PRICE: Many people are under-represented in land work and construction and we want to do all we can to help respond to this. Material Cultures is a not-for-profit and we have tried to keep the price as low as possible. Before booking, we encourage all our learners to read the booking guidelines linked below. Price includes tuition, materials, tools and refreshments. We recommend you bring your own packed lunch with you as the site is no-where to buy lunch nearby.
£250/person Standard fee
£125/person Concession fee
£350/person Solidarity fee
BOOKING: There is a limited number of places in the workshop and booking is essential. Please read the BOOKING GUIDELINES before buying your ticket. If you have any questions, please email info@materialcultures.org
CONCESSION FEE: If you wish to apply for the concession fee, please email and explain your circumstances, based on the eligibility criteria listed. Please email your request to: info@materialcultures.org with subject line format: Workshop Name_concession tickets
Example: Clay Plastering with Annabel Cameron-Duff 2025_concession tickets