Jane Parkinson – Member

I’ve viewed the last few months as a breathing space, ‘a time to be slow’ in the words of the Irish poet and philosopher, John O’ Donahue, and as a time for reflection. As we move towards our post-lockdown world, we are having to adapt and accept that for a while at least we will not be able to run our businesses as in the past.

During this period, I have already been looking to offer some courses online and to events and courses for next year 2021 venturing into new exciting areas including a Portrait Photography course, a stress management workshop with the Alexander Technique and plein air painting in the Tuscan hills as well as my staples of yoga and Pilates. In the meantime, I am delighted that I will still be able to offer our yoga retreat near Lucca this Autumn which we had to postpone in March 2020.

My new beginnings also involve a big move to Florence this year so I am likely to be wanting to use Florence and the surrounding area as a venue for many of my courses and events in the future as well as still linking into the Lucchesia. I’d be delighted for any WIN members to point me in the right direction with apartments etc in Galluzzo which I like or on the southern edge of Florence. I am so excited about the prospect of being in Florence, savouring all this amazing city has to offer, and meeting more of you in this inspiring group in person.

And lastly, my first grandson Jack was born in London on 7 May 2020 which we are all over the moon about (he was born on the full flower supermoon too, which was clever of him). I’m missing out on him as a newborn due to current travel restrictions but am excited about the prospect of meeting him in person and doing my stint as a nonna this summer!