About The Living Tree

The Living Tree is a registered charity which offers friendship, creative activities & holistic therapies, relevant diet & lifestyle information for anyone with any cancer. We offer mutual support, helping people cope with the fear, anxiety, isolation or stress that cancer can bring by offering a chance to unwind and share laughter (we do a lot of this!) and coping strategies. We also share our knowledge and information about services and resources in the locality.

There is currently no cancer care centre in Dorset to help people living with cancer take back control of their health and lifestyle. Our nearest centres are The Force in Exeter and the Penny Brohn Centre in Bristol. There are excellent disease specific support groups, usually supported by Clinical Nurse Specialists, but few are very local and some are quite a distance away in Poole.

MacMillan made a video of the Living Tree, its members, its activities and the way it works in the summer of 2019. Please watch it here.

We meet weekly on a Friday afternoon over a cup of tea in comfortable surroundings at the Friends Meeting House, South Street, Bridport between 2.00-4.30pm. As a rule, we have a speaker or demonstration first and finish the afternoon chatting, sharing experiences and exchanging thoughts. People are welcome to drop in for part of the afternoon – not everyone can spare the full two and a half hours. Also, everyone is free to “pick and mix”, there is no obligation or even expectation to attend each and every Friday. In fact, the Living Tree supports members who never attend meetings at all.

We have a programme of speakers and therapists on a wide variety of relevant topics such as complementary therapies, exercise, relaxation, diet and nutrition, creative arts for those with cancer, NHS support. We’ve had talks and demonstrations on Dorset Cancer Care, acupuncture, reflexology, soul midwives, diet and nutrition, homeopathy and tried out Qigong, as well as paper crafts, mindfulness, singing and playing the ukulele! We have regular gentle stretch & relaxation times. Please find our current programme (plus a few local events we think might be of interest) here.

Bridport Friends Meeting House

The Living Tree was set up in October 2012. We became a small “community group” in July 2016. We were given a start-up grant for 2013 by Macmillan Cancer Support. The Living Tree became a charity in March 2020, our registered charity number is: 1188213

Past Events

Wellbeing – Healthy Living

May 8, 2018 |

WELLBEING is an event offering info and tasters on complementary therapies, nutrition, exercise, creative arts etc to help us live well/better. It will be on 3rd Wednesday of month 10.30am-2.30pm at Bridport Town Hall. On September 19th, local herbalist Mary Tassell...

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Hula Hoopathon on 4 February 2018

Feb 4, 2018 |

Fun was had by all at the 12-hour Hula Hoopathon at Bridport Leisure Centre. Surprising what you can do with a hoop when you put your mind, hands and hips to it...Follow this link to see hula hoopers in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f0Wup8jE24 The event...

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Workshops in early 2018

Jan 26, 2018 |

Living Tree Workshops coming up: Mental Health & Wellbeing workshop with Louise Wender: Wednesday, 14th February, 10am-12.00 in central Bridport. Goal setting: Wednesday, 7th March, with Wendy in her sea-view home in Charmouth, to include lunch Puppet-making with...

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