Blossome

24/03/2026

Thank you to the Women’s Institute Frinton for inviting me to speak on International Women’s Day, alongside two wonderful women, as part of the “Give to Gain” event.

I shared a little of my own journey with giving, how for many of us, it comes so naturally… and how, over time, I’ve learned that sustainable giving begins with kindness towards ourselves.

What if kindness to ourselves is the training and fuel that makes our giving sustainable?

It was an afternoon full of connection, honesty and shared humanity, the kind of space where women can recognise themselves in each other’s stories.

And after the panel… we celebrated in true style with a fantastic Dolly Parton tribute 🎶✨

A special thank you as well to everyone who supported the tea bar and donated to my half marathon run in my pink bloomers, together you raised £93.59 for Blossome, which means so much.

I left feeling full, not just from the tea and cake, but from the warmth, openness and generosity in the room.

Here’s to women supporting women… and to giving from an open heart 💛

Kim 🌸

20/03/2026

Our self-care community is much needed and growing… so we’re looking for someone special to be part of our team.

At Blossome, we believe healing happens in safe, compassionate spaces, and our volunteers are at the heart of creating this safe supportive space.

We’re now looking for a Volunteer Coordinator to help us nurture, support and grow our volunteer community.

This is a beautiful opportunity to:
🌸 Support volunteers to feel welcomed, confident and connected
🌸 Help grow a compassionate, peer-support community
🌸 Play a part in breaking the generational cycles of addiction in families
🌸 Enjoy taking part in self-care activities and learn to prioritise your own wellbeing

This is a part-time role (6 hours per week, 12-month contract, remote) perfect for someone who loves bringing people together and building meaningful community.

If you have experience coordinating volunteers or community initiatives, and feel aligned with our values of self-compassion, belonging and peer support, we would love to hear from you 💛

📩 Send your CV to: kim.moore@blossome.support

Please share with anyone who might feel called to this role 🌸

Thank you to the East of England Co-op for the funding to make creating this role possible. It will helps enormously. 🙏

15/03/2026

A mothers compassionate love.
We have so many mums in their 60,s 70s, 80s turning to Blossome for support after decades of silently supporting their adult children while they struggle with the grips of addiction.

We understand why moms stay by their adult children,
through it all.
When the whole world does not understand - we do.
Hopefully this poem may help others to understand.

🌼🌼🌼🌼

Mother to Son
by Langston Hughes (excerpt)

Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.

But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

15/03/2026

Mother’s Day can be a complicated landscape for many in our community. For some, it arrives with flowers and breakfast trays. For others, it carries quiet spaces, memories, unanswered calls, or relationships that ache in ways words struggle to hold.

Today, we want to speak gently to every kind of mother
and to every person carrying a mother-shaped space in their heart.

If today brings joy, we hope you can savour those moments.
If it brings tenderness or pain, you are not alone in that either.

To the mothers who have lost their children,
and to the children who have lost their mothers to addiction,
we hold you in compassion today. Love does not disappear with loss. It often lives on quietly in memories, lessons carried forward, and in the strength it takes to keep going.

To the mothers who are separated from their children right now whether through circumstance, recovery, or the painful distance addiction can create, we recognise how heavy that can feel. Even when bridges feel broken, the capacity for love and healing remains. Healing rarely follows a straight line, and every step toward health and hope matters.

To the mothers holding families together while a partner’s addiction shakes the ground beneath them,
the ones quietly managing the bills, the school runs, the worry, the late-night tears, we see the courage it takes to keep showing up. That quiet perseverance deserves care and compassion too.

To the mothers who won’t receive cards, flowers, or thank-yous today, who may feel unseen or alone, please know that your care and effort matter deeply. The love you give shapes lives in ways that may not always be visible, but its roots run deep.

And to those whose mothers are no longer here, or whose relationships with their mothers were complicated or painful, today may bring many different feelings. Grief, relief, love, anger, longing… all of it belongs.

Mother’s Day is not one story.
It is thousands.

Wherever you find yourself in that story today, you belong here.

If today feels heavy, perhaps this is a moment to offer yourself a little extra kindness. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply stay present with what is here, one gentle step at a time.

And if today brings even the smallest moment of warmth, a memory, a laugh, a quiet cup of tea, a child’s smile, you might allow yourself to receive it fully.

From all of us to all of you: we see you, we honour you, and we are walking this path together. 🌼

13/03/2026

🗓️Saturday 14th March 3pm -5pm
📍Berryfields cafe, Firstsite, Colchester

If you have been affected by someone else’s drinking, drug use, gambling or any addiction, you are welcome to join us for coffee, tea, cake and slow stitching. You are welcome to bring your crochet or knitting if you prefer.

Meet others who understand all you are carrying.
No fixing, no advice giving, no judgement, just care and compassion. No stitching skills required either.

Julie will be your host.
Julie is one of our Blooming Companions, and has been part of the Blossome Community since summer 2024. She loved slow stitching so much that now she volunteers to host the sessions.

Come along and stitch an expression on a square, or you could make a name badge, or start a thread journal. If you don’t feel like stitching, simply enjoy a cuppa and some good company.

Book your ticket here or just come along.
https://www.blossome.support/event/slow-stitching-3-2-2-3/2026-03-14/

12/03/2026

You can help increase Blossome entries into Easyfundraising’s giveaway to win a £250 donation – every new supporter who joins is an entry!

Easyfundraising is simple. simply set up an account, and click on easyfundraisig before you shop online. Your usual shopping can help us earn donations, without it costing you anything.
Every little helps. 🙏

Sign up before midnight 15th March, it’ll only take two minutes:

https://join.easyfundraising.org.uk/blossome-cic/t62uab/c2s/J1YccjD6/CE942/facebook/

11/03/2026

We are at the Women’s Conference hosted by African Families in the UK - afiuk CIC at Firstsite Colchester.

The event celebrates a decade of empowerment, insight, and connection at AfiUK's 10th Annual Women’s Conference.

We are here with a message of self-care. 🤗

"For 10 years, our Women’s Conference has brought together visionaries, change-makers, and leaders. This year, we celebrate the milestone with inspiring speakers, engaging sessions, and transformative discussions.

Inspired by this year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, our Women’s Health Conference is built on the belief that investing in women’s wellbeing is an investment in stronger families, workplaces, and communities. When women are empowered with knowledge, access, and support, the benefits ripple far beyond the individual, creating lasting social and economic progress. This conference brings together healthcare professionals, advocates, leaders, and community members to share insights, resources, and solutions that advance women’s health across the lifespan. By giving our time, expertise, and collective commitment, we gain healthier futures, stronger leadership, and a more equitable world for all."

Come say hello and one listen to a great lineup of speakers.

10/03/2026

Beat the Street starts tomorrow in Colchester! 🚶‍♀️

Have you heard of Beat the Street?

From 11 March - 22 April, Colchester is being transformed into a giant game where you earn points by walking, cycling or wheeling between Beat Boxes across the town.

We’re joining in!

Blossome and Walkntalk Women CIC have teamed up to create a team, and we’d love for you to join us.

Walking outdoors is one of the simplest ways to support your self-care and wellbeing, moving our bodies, getting fresh air, and connecting with others can have such a positive impact on how we feel.

On some of our walks we may also include a “Sense & Savor” moments, slowing down to really notice what’s around us, taking in the sights, sounds and sensations of being outside. These small mindful pauses help boost positive emotions and support our wellbeing.

Of course, you don’t have to walk with a group to take part in Beat the Street, you can play anytime that suits you.

But it can be more fun doing it together, meeting new people and exploring new routes. We might even create some routes to see how many Beat Boxes we can tap in one go 😉

You can play using a game card (available from Kim Moore or Rebecca Woolf ) or by downloading the Beat the Street app.

Find out more and sign up here:
https://beatthestreet.me/colchester/

Let’s play, get moving, and take care of ourselves along the way 💛 message below any questions you have.

07/03/2026

We’re sharing this research because it helps explain something many of us experience when we dip together all year round.

Cold water dipping isn’t just invigorating, emerging neuroscience is showing that regular cold water immersion may actually help train the brain’s stress response system. Studies like this from the University of Copenhagen suggest that repeated, short exposures to cold can strengthen how the brain regulates stress, helping our responses become more balanced and resilient over time.

For us at Blossome, the dip is never about pushing yourself. It’s about gently meeting the cold, together, with self compassion supporting you, and discovering that your body can move through challenge and return to calm, with the support of community around you. This is evidence- based resilience building. 🌸

Neuroscientists and physiologists at the University of Copenhagen have characterized the precise neurobiological mechanisms behind the stress resilience benefits of habitual cold water immersion — finding that regular cold water swimming (10-15°C water, 10-20 minutes, 3-5 times weekly for 6 months) produces permanent structural changes in the locus coeruleus (the brain's primary norepinephrine hub), including increased dendritic branching, enhanced norepinephrine synthetic capacity, and upregulated alpha-2 autoreceptor sensitivity — changes that result in more controlled, proportionate stress responses that persist indefinitely after cold swimming cessation. The cold is rebuilding the brain's stress architecture. 🏊
The locus coeruleus is the neurological origin of the acute stress response — it produces the burst of norepinephrine that drives increased heart rate, alertness, and fight-or-flight physiological changes. In individuals with anxiety, PTSD, and burnout syndrome, the locus coeruleus is dysregulated — firing too readily and too intensely in response to non-threatening stimuli. Copenhagen's findings show that the repeated controlled stress of cold water immersion — which activates the locus coeruleus intensely but briefly, with the swimmer maintaining behavioral control throughout — acts as graduated functional training for the stress system, analogous to progressive overload training for muscles. The repeated controlled activation followed by recovery builds a more regulated, more resilient norepinephrine response architecture.
The mental health implications are immediately practical. Conventional anxiolytic treatments (SSRIs, benzodiazepines) suppress stress responses pharmacologically without addressing the underlying locus coeruleus dysregulation. Copenhagen's data suggests cold immersion therapy creates durable structural changes that improve stress regulation from the neurological architecture level — and unlike medications, the effect outlasts the treatment. Six months of cold swimming produces stress resilience that persists for years.
Copenhagen is now running a clinical trial of cold water swimming for treatment-resistant anxiety and PTSD. A swimming pool and cold water may be among the most cost-effective mental health interventions identifiable.
Source: University of Copenhagen Neuroscience Center, Cell Reports Medicine 2024

06/03/2026

It’s important to show up for yourself, for yourself care.
And it’s important for us all to show up, to be heard, to be seen, to be a voice for families affected by a loved one’s addiction. When we stay silent, the shame grows, the suffering grows.

This week we showed up at Community Voice, an event hosted by Essex Recovery Foundation.
Their aim is to make recovery visible, which we support whole heartedly.

We will keep showing up to be a voice for families - the whole family needs to heal. Commissioners services need to recognise this. 1.58% of recovery budgets spent on families just is NOT good enough.

We know that with support from Essex Recovery Foundation, we can change this. If you’d like to help, please do. 🤗

04/03/2026

Resourcing Me 🫶
Join us for this week’s Resourcing Me session, a Self-Compassion Gathering where you can gain support and skills for improving your own wellbeing, crucial when you are impacted by a loved one’s drinking king, drug use or any addiction.

Everyone is welcome.
No experience is required, just curiosity to see how being kinder to yourself in the face of difficulty can help.

The session will begin with a guided self-compassion meditation led by Kim Moore, followed by a reflection and question-and-answer session.
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You will have the opportunity to ask Kim questions on any topic related to self-compassion.
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📆 Wednesday, 4th March
⏰ 7:00 PM GMT
📍 Zoom
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Free for all.
No registration required. Just drop in.
Find more info and the joining info here
https://www.blossome.support/event/mindful-selfcompassion-dropin-series-2-2-2-2-3-2/2026-03-04/

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03/03/2026

What’s On in the Blossome Community this month🌼

March in the Blossome Community is all about a gentle reawakening. As spring begins to stir, so can you, slowly, softly, at the pace of self-compassion. There is no rush here. You are allowed to thaw out gently.

Resourcing Me - Led by Kim
Every Wednesday
7 pm - 7.45 pm
A calm, guided 45 minutes to pause, ground, and resource yourself with what supports you. Learn to self-regulate your emotions and strengthen your compassionate inner voice with practical self-compassion skills. Come exactly as you are, quiet listening is always welcome.

https://www.blossome.support/event/mindful-selfcompassion-dropin-series-2-2-2-2-3-2/2026-03-04/

🧵 Slow Stitching Circle - Led by Julie
Saturday 14th March, 3 pm - 5 pm
A soothing, creative space to stitch a meaningful message onto fabric. Sometimes stitching the words feels gentler than speaking them. Sit together, breathe, share cuppa and cake, and let your hands move at their own unhurried pace. No experience needed, just shared presence.

https://www.blossome.support/event/slow-stitching-3-2-2-3/2026-03-14/

🌅 Sunrise Dip & Breakfast - Led by Kim
Friday 13th March at early dawn
A brave-but-gentle way to welcome the light returning. Cold water, warm connection, and that quiet inner glow of “I showed up for myself.” Watch the horizon brighten and feel the steady strength of doing something kind for your body and mind.

https://www.blossome.support/event/sunrise-dip-2-4-2-4/2026-03-13/

🌸 Blossome Celebration Gathering
Saturday 28th March
A heartfelt celebration bringing together graduates from our recent self-compassion and self-care programmes, alongside past graduates. A space to reconnect, reflect on how far you’ve come, and honour the courage it takes to choose yourself. Community, warmth, and shared understanding.

Every group activity is an invitation to connect with others who understand the impact of loving someone with addiction, no fixing, no explaining, no judgement. Just being. Just compassion.