Andrew Swiney and Ed Deakin are behind Wellness in the Wild Festival, a new one-day festival in Suffolk taking place in June, to celebrate and replenish the mind, body and soul. Here, Andrew explains how it has come about
How do you and Ed know each other and are you both Suffolk born and raised?
We have known each other since the primary school years. Ed is born and raised in Suffolk, and I moved here when I was 10 years old.
When did you both have the idea for Wellness in the Wild Festival and what’s the thinking behind it?
We came up with the concept back in December last year after catching up for a drink. Ed’s passion for creating events, wellbeing and the outdoors, and my experience as a food trader at festivals and owning a wellness events management company, were the perfect combination for creating a wellness festival.
What do you both do (when you’re not busy organising a festival)?
I own a wellness events management company and Ed runs a company that produces events in marquees and tents across East Anglia.
What made you decide on Rickinghall as a location? Has Latitude Festival been an inspiration in any way?
Ed lives in Rickinghall and has grown up in this area. He owns a beautiful woodland which is where the festival will take place. I think that Latitude has been an inspiration for us with its beautiful setting, its intention to make wellness a priority at the festival, and with the fact that it has put Suffolk on the map for hosting major festivals. We would love the word to get out there about Wellness in the Wild and to create a popular wellness festival in Suffolk that will attract the local and wider community.
Is there something special and ‘wild’ about Suffolk, do you think?
Yes, absolutely. It is a very special county. People are proud to come from Suffolk and people love coming here, too. It is rural, unspoilt, and still feels “wild” compared to many other counties across the country.
Have the last three years have made us all think about our health wellbeing more than ever before? What wellness activities are you both big fans of and why?
I definitely think that it has. The pandemic was incredibly tough which has made people prioritise their wellbeing. We are both big fans of meditation and also love trying different practices that will help improve our wellbeing.
What can people expect on Saturday June 10 and who have signed up to appear so far?
People can expect to see a day of yoga, Pilates, meditation, sound baths, breathwork and much more. We have a full line-up confirmed, with various teachers, guides, and speakers throughout the day. The line up can be seen on our 2023 programme on our website. These include Nick Higgins who is the co-founder of Hotpod Yoga guiding a vinyasa flow yoga class, Fini Cooper guiding breathwork sessions, and Claire Young providing Pilates classes. We also have a packed schedule in the kids tent, healthy street food traders and local market stalls selling ethical and sustainable products.
What are your hopes and dreams for the festival and will it be the first of many?
Our main hope is to create a memorable experience for everyone who comes. We want people to go away feeling happier, calmer, and wanting to come back again. We hope this to be first of many with an aim to create a weekend festival in the future.
Wellness in the Wild will take place off Mill Lane, Rickinghall, Suffolk, on Saturday 10th June 2023. Gates open at 9am and last session finishes at 6pm. To find out more and book tickets, visit Wellness in the Wild (stripe.com).
Featured image of Andrew Swiney (one the left) and Ed Deakin – supplied.
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