Kendal First Friday: Nature &Move
Fri 4th September 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Fri 4th September 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Our new season of “Kendal First Friday” events will have a different event on the first friday of each month with opportunities to try something new and meet up with new friends in a safe space.
On Friday 4th September join Paul Smethurst for “Nature &Move”.
Come and spend a couple of hours slowing down, getting creative and finding inspiration in nature.
Led by Paul Smethurst, Nature &Move brings together forest bathing, nature connection and gentle creative movement — an opportunity to step away from the noise of everyday life, open your senses and reconnect with the world around you.
Forest Bathing, or Shinrin Yoku, means “bathing your senses in the atmosphere of the forest.” Rather than a hike or fitness class, we’ll move slowly through the garden, exploring a series of simple invitations — creative and mindful activities designed to help you feel grounded and connect with nature, your body and the other people around you.
What to expect
- 2 hours outdoors in a rewilded community garden, with an orchard, allotment and forest garden.
- A small, relaxed group of up to 15 people.
- Gentle nature invitations/activities designed to engage and awaken your senses — using mindfulness, noticing, nature art and gentle movement to slow down, spark curiosity, feel grounded and connect more deeply with your body and the natural world around you.
- Simple, playful movement activities inspired by what we discover in nature, helping you connect with your body, get creative and experience the outdoors in a different way. No dance experience or choreography needed.
- Opportunities to respond to nature through with our bodies through movement wander, notice, collect, create, imagine and respond, experiencing familiar surroundings from a different perspective.
- A mix of solo exploration, connecting with another person or small group, and shared experiences that bring everyone together.
- Moments of stillness and quiet alongside creativity, curiosity and connection.
- Everything is an invitation — there’s no right answer and you can adapt, observe or sit anything out.
- A phone-free couple of hours away from screens and everyday distractions.
- We’ll finish by slowing down together with a calming tea ceremony.
Above all, expect a friendly, informal queer space to switch off, get curious, be creative, meet others and enjoy experiencing nature a little differently.
What to Bring
- Comfortable clothes you can move in and don’t mind getting a little grassy or muddy.
- Comfortable outdoor shoes suitable for uneven ground.
- Warm layers and waterproofs – we’ll be outside for the full two hours.
- A water bottle.
- Any medication or personal items you normally need when spending time outdoors.
- Optional: a sit mat, cushion or small blanket for moments when we stop and sit.
About Paul
Paul Smethurst is a queer artist, choreographer, movement practitioner and certified Nature Therapy and Forest Bathing Guide with over 20 years’ experience across dance, theatre, creative engagement and wellbeing.
He began his career as a performer in contemporary dance and physical theatre, working with companies including Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and Gecko. He later developed his own practice as a choreographer, movement artist and facilitator, creating work across theatres, community settings and outdoor environments.
Alongside this, he is the Founder and Artistic Director of MOR (Misfits, Outcasts & Rebels), a queer-led dance and physical theatre company creating spaces for LGBTQ+ people to move, make, express themselves and connect.
His Nature &Move practice brings together his experience in movement, choreography and facilitation with his long-standing connection to the natural world, alongside his work as a certified Nature Therapy and Forest Bathing Guide.
No experience of dance, movement, mindfulness or forest bathing is needed. Come as you are. 🌱