Functional Reflex Therapy

18/10/2025

“You didn’t really go in there… did you?” someone asked.

So I just thought I’d share our adventure ....and oh yes… we absolutely did! 😅😍😱

We are back in the UK now, and I’m just thinking about our work,
(so privileged to be invited to share the FRT Rainbow Relaxation skills with so many during the project in Zambia) but also thinking of some of our adventures and how a day away from FRT support took us to Mulube Village, and what an unforgettable day it was!

We say thank you 🙏 to all the families we met for their welcome, their sharing, their teaching and their fun. Janet and I were pretty rubbish at the stone game! ( Can't remember its name) You had to be quick, and quick enough....we were not🤣 ! Our crafting of pot making needed local help to finish - to make it look anything like a pot! (It's work in progress)

The highlight!!!! A steep descent had us testing every step on the loose rocks as we nervously entered the Leopard Hill Caves, perched on the edge of Lusaka. The only light came from our torches, so we were grateful for the reassuring hands of local villagers as they guided us into the darkness.

Inside the caves, the rock formations glimmered in torchlight streaks of colour, stalactites, and ancient secrets were shared.
I’ve always loved the thrill of stepping inside a cave, but this was something else!

Hundreds of fruit bats hung above, the air alive with their high-pitched chatter. We tried hard not to disturb them, keeping our torches low.

The narrowest chamber had us almost crawling which was a strange mix of fear and exhilaration 😱( Especially being a bigger than average kind of a gal🤣 )

Our guide, the head of the local village, shared stories and legends passed down through generations, within the cave and as we hiked through the bush discovering plants, herbs, and fruits, some used for healing, others for cleansing and even tasted a few surprisingly delicious ones! 🌿

Just when we thought we’d conquered the toughest part, the exit appeared… even steeper than the way in! I have to say emerging into the heat and sunshine, I think we both felt equal parts relief, accomplishment and awe.

What an incredible experience, one I’ll never forget. (and to be honest perhaps one of choice I will never experience again!)
Thank you Janet Hardman Zambia Explorers, Vishal and Mr Geoff our driver. 🙏

14/10/2025

😍Changes are coming with FRT for reflexologists.

If you visit the Dates & Events page on the Functional Reflex Therapy website you will see.............👀

A ❗BIG ❗statement about FRT training for reflexologists around the world. There is something new in the making! Thank you for your patience (I am quite a slow worker🫂)

Thank you for your interest and the messages I have received so far🙏. They are much appreciated and very encouraging.

🙏Please sign up to the seasonal newsletter so you keep up to date and you're ready for the announcement and special training opportunities.

You will also see.........👀

The opportunity to sign up for a webinar
An Introduction to Functional Reflex Therapy and its Framework October 28th 7pm - 8.30pm just £5 (all of which goes to the FRT Global Project Zambia 2026)

Hosted by the wonderful Carolyn Robert principal and lead tutor from the Gaia School of Natural Health on behalf of the Integrated Reflexology Consortium

Dates and information for the next courses for reflexologists wishing to learn Functional Reflex Therapy. Dates for events attended by FRT

11/10/2025

✨ It’s along post ........with good reason!!!!!🥰

❗And just like that…...... the FRT Global Project Zambia 2025 is complete✨

We're so incredibly grateful and proud of what’s been achieved😍

It was an absolute privilege to be invited to meet again with Dr. Ngulube, the Principal Education Standards Officer for Special Education (PESO) based in Lusaka, sharing thoughts about the impact of this year’s work and exploring exciting ideas and possibilities for the 2026 Project!

The feedback from headteachers, staff, parents, and children has been so encouraging. !!! We have a lot to do!!! But it’s clear this project needs to continue and grow and ripple out !!! 🫂

🤔Anyone have any suggestions how we can share news of the FRT project with Unicef Zambia British Council Zambia UK in Zambia 🙏

In the meantime, we want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone near and far, who has taken time to be part of this work 🙏:
💛 to those who encouraged us with kind words,
💛 to those who helped raise funds for FRT resources and educational equipment,
💛 to those who offered accommodation, travel and food support in Zambia,
💛 and to Elizabeth Mwansa from Multisensory international school , your support, introductions, and ideas for future development have been invaluable. 🙏

We have loved every moment of our month in Africa, (even in the mega heat, definitely not what we’re used to! ☀️).

Together, through the nurturing touch of Functional Reflex Therapy (FRT) and sharing the new skills of the FRT rainbow 🌈 and mutual respect, we’ve continued to support emotional wellbeing with fun kindness. ❤️

❗As we now take a little time to reflect and evaluate (away from social media), we’re already preparing to move forward.

Please note…… ❗While we’ve had many lovely offers from reflexologists keen to join us in Zambia, the project isn’t currently able to accommodate a larger group 🥰However, if you’d like to get involved or support in other ways, please do keep in touch and watch this space for updates.🥰🙏

🌈FRT Reflexologists that have attended training with me are encouraged to consider organising an FRT project and I feel so, so humbled and look forward to working alongside many and sharing my experiences to help them to get started.

Here’s to the FRT Global Project Zambia 2026! Excited to see how it develops! 🌍💫

The FRT team are HOMEWARD BOUND ✈️- thanks everyone 🥰

08/10/2025

🌈 FRT Rainbow Relaxation Programme 🌈

Time is flying!!! As our few days at St Mulumba Special School in Choma come to an end 🫂

🙏A huge thank you to all the wonderful staff who joined us, both those returning for FRT refresher training and the primary staff who were new to the programme. It was such a productive and great few days. What a super wellbeing session, a perfect reminder of how we can support our children in the classroom but also support one another through calm touch.

The therapy space, which has been developing over the past few years, looked fabulous. A special thank you to Elizabeth Kulus for all her hard work in keeping it this way!

Janet and I have enjoyed working alongside you all inviting learners to join us for the nurturing sessions and delighted to guide some of them to work together, giving and receiving the movements which was wonderful to see.

And to finish our project this year a cup of tea and a good chat with so many of the teachers. ☕💬

Thank you, everyone, for your warmth and enthusiasm. Until next time! 💖 see you in the rainbow relaxation WhatsApp group 🌈

Back on the bus to Lusaka🚌

07/10/2025

🥰What a beautiful welcome at St. Mulumba Special School in Choma, Southern Province! 🫂

🫂This school will always hold a special place in our hearts. It was the very first one we visited back in 2017 when the FRT Global Project began, and we’ve been privileged to return every year since (well, except when the world had other plans and everything paused for a while!).

🤣As always, our hair drew lots of curious hands and giggles 🤣 the children were full of love, hugs, and laughter 😍

Morning break in the playground was full of joy, and there was so much fascination with my inking (new since the last visit in 2024)! It was touched a lot! rubbed (just to check if it would come off!) and admired with a few wows! and soon many had learned a brand-new word - tattoo!

Every visit reminds us of the simple, beautiful connections we make through smiles, curiosity, and shared moments of joy. All of which began with the idea of sharing simple relaxation movements through the positive touch of reflexology.

We look forward to our continued support with the FRT Rainbow Relaxation Programme in the therapy room and classrooms with teachers and learners 🌈

02/10/2025

🥰The FRT Global Project in Zambia - Raising awareness of reflexology and some of the many benefits of positive touch.

This is our 7th visit. Each project is unique, and wonderful in different ways, we love sharing skills and learning new ones.

❗This post is all about the adults ❗

Over the past three weeks, we’ve met so many wonderful people, building new links and committing to work together. The smiles, laughter, and connections will stay with us. 🙏

We'll be seeing many of you in the WhatsApp group 🫂

From some very first experiences of nurturing touch to longer “follow the rainbow” training sessions, every day has been full of learning and inspiration. A special moment was Janet joining the mums in a physio class and the UTH Children's Hospital with Elizabeth Mwansa translating into Bembe, sharing some gentle effleurage movements, encouragement, relaxation and connection. 🥰

As we leave Flamboyant special school Mazabuka Zambia, we look forward to visiting St Mulumba Special School in Choma next week.

But before our final week...........… a last-minute change of plans means a weekend off! We’ve booked our bus tickets for a little adventure. 😍

01/10/2025

🌈✨ Feeling grateful ✨🌈

You will have heard me often talk about the FRT tool kit 🥰 It is more than just a bag!

It's a helpful communication aid and amongst many things, it can be used to encourage participation, responsibility, as children often enjoy collecting, carrying, and returning their kit after a session (sometimes however …..not wanting to take it off at all ha ha ha!)

Inside each kit is:
The rainbow logo
A towel
An apron/tabard
Some unscented balm
The rainbow mat

Teachers often add in fun extras, like squeezy balls, bubbles, or emotion cards which may help with reflection and connection at the end of a session.

Thanks to your generosity, during our many fundraising events we were able to bring 18 tool kits for this year’s project. Which have been distributed to schools during our visits and training sessions.

Special thanks in no specific order go out to:
Mary & Una from Story Massage Programme
Penelope Morrison Complementary Therapies
Karen's Reflexology Auckland School of Reflexology and
Jane Jaques who have had their names added to bags 🙏we are gifting the bags you have supported along with other resources to Flamboyant special school Mazabuka Zambia

We are so thankful everyone's kindness and involvement in the project. 🙏

If you'd like to know how you can get involved in the next FRT Global Project 🤔 drop me a message 🥰

29/09/2025

WOW! ✨ !! Twalumba !!✨

What a start to Week 3 of the FRT Global Project 2025! 🌟

Flamboyant special school Mazabuka Zambia is our new home for 5 days and today was a super start. 🙌

We opened the week with workshop for the family, and to our delight, so many came to enjoy the nurturing FRT Rainbow Relaxation Programme that we had to move the tables outside to make space! 💜🌈

We felt absolutely woooop dee dooo! 🎉 We are beyond grateful to share skills that families can use for wellbeing and relaxation and delighted to connect with so many new people. 💕 and to have the opportunity to share a tiny, tiny snippet of reflexology and the benefits of positive touch as we 'follow the rainbow'🌈

✨Thank you to Mr. Hamoonga, the headteacher, for our welcome and all the staff who helped things run so smoothly,

✨Thank you to all the parents, carers, friends and grandparents who came along.

Here’s to a week of learning, laughter, and lots more WOW moments!

29/09/2025

✨ Our time in Lusaka comes to an end, and what a few weeks it has been! ✨ ( Altho we are back for just one day later on in October which is already packed with meetings!!!!)

So many warm welcomes, visits, and training sessions with the nurturing touch of the FRT Rainbow Relaxation Programme.🌈

Thank you to all the schools, staff, joyful learners, dedicated parents, and the sisters of the RSHM for your kindness, care, and laughter.🫂

Off to catch the UBZ to Flamboyant special school Mazabuka Zambia, Southern Province, a 3-to-4-hour bus ride ahead.

The photos show training at the Multisensory International School and a relaxing evening wellbeing experience for friends and family with a little 'pandiculation' fun RSHM. Sharing is Caring 🫂

Thank you everyone 🙏….. This post comes with much gratitude from the FRT Global Project team.

29/09/2025

✨🌈 Wow!!!As World Reflexology Week 2025 ends, I post a little reminder that there are many, many ways reflexology can support wellbeing.

🤔Did you know, delivering reflexology techniques to yourself with a positive intention, can work so well to support your own wellbeing. 🫂

This week, through the Functional Reflex Therapy Rainbow Relaxation Self-Care Programme, 🌈young people have been encouraged to
🥰Pause...... and take a moment for themselves during the busy day in the classroom
🥰Close their eyes to feel the movements and
💜Embrace love and respect for themselves.

I think these beautiful photos tell all. Moments of calm and self-connection, during the school day.

The orange hug 🧡and the silver sweep 🩶of the rainbow 🌈were the absolute favourites.

Thank you to the staff and learners Multisensory International Schooland Elizabeth Mwansafor your openness, energy, and support for new experiences🙏✨

29/09/2025

✨ Wow! Week two of the FRT Global Project 2025!✨

Working through World Reflexology Week , the busy days, wondrous responses, smiles, hugs and very generous welcomes continue to reassure us we are doing a good thing! 💕

The FRT Rainbow Relaxation Programme is more than 'just' the touch of simple relaxation reflexology it’s about:
Sharing skills
Communication through positive touch
Encouraging kindness, caring, and connection
Building confidence through responsibility and participation
Guiding young people to share the touch with friends
Having fun ...and more, and more.......

😍This young learner looks so proud caring for the FRT tool kit that is now part of his classroom resources.
😍And seeing the joy when they have a chance to put the apron on and share the touch with their friends is truly beautiful!

When you are calm, respected, and engaged, you feel in a much better frame of mind to learn and enjoy activities. 🌟

We are so grateful to share the many benefits of FRT to ‘follow the rainbow’ 🌈

Here’s to more kindness, connection, and smiles as the project here in Zambia continues! 🥰

19/09/2025

✨ Wow! What a week! ✨

Reflecting on the first week of the FRT Project 2025 we’re switching off our alarms for a lay-in 😴 (we need it when school starts at 7! 🤣)

Through the nurturing touch of the FRT Rainbow Relaxation Programme, we’ve continued to raise awareness of reflexology while sharing wellbeing skills, smiles, and moments of calm.

This week we’ve had the privilege of being supported by Elizabeth Mwansa (thank you Elizabeth) and welcomed by:
🌈Multisensory International School, staff, learners and parents at a joyful workshop
🌈Children’s University Training Hospital, with the Principal Nursing Officer, the lovely Speech and Language Therapist, the paediatric centre of excellence, physiotherapy department, audiology students, and parents, experiencing the power of positive touch and learning new skills to support wellbeing
🌈The Mulenga Autism Foundation as we returned for a second year, refreshing skills and delighting in how the programme is being used.
🌈Inspire Leadership School, Chiwiledi School & UNZA Special School, where we’ll return on Monday for classroom support with FRT.
Aaaah….. so many smiles, joyful sighs, thoughtful questions and shared moments of calm! Thank you everyone 🙏

And buying equipment at GrossCare Zambia International for St Mulumba Special School thanks to your donations 🫂

Here’s to more rainbow moments next week! 🌈✨