I completed my 4 year BSc (Hons) Degree in Phytotherapy (herbal medicine) in 2001. My exam subjects included pharmacology, clinical medicine, differential diagnosis, anatomy and physiology, medicine, clinical examination, pharmacognosy, materia medica and a thesis. Students also had to complete 500+ hours of clinical training and a final hour-long viva exam. Whilst studying, I worked for two herbalists for several years as their Dispensing Assistant and also at the college clinic in Bermondsey, London. I did as much extra clinical training as I could and when I qualified went straight into business, running my own herbal dispensary and seeing patients in the clinic room. I was busy right from the start and although this was highly pressurised in the beginning, the experience I gained from the intense research laid a lot of the groundwork for my practice for the past 25 years, for which I am very grateful.

I’m located in a historical part of Tunbridge Wells, literally a few yards from the old High Street. My apothecary, ‘The Herbal Dispensary’, is a bright, attractive shop space with a clinic room. It’s within a vibrant and characterful area full of independent shops, buzzing cafe’s, good restaurants and wellness centres. There’s free parking locally, together with optional car parks and the train station is nearby. The famous ‘Pantiles’ is a few minutes’ walk away and Tunbridge Wells common, an area full of sandstone rock formations and wooded walks, is less than 100 yards from my shop.