From setting up medical camps in India and sourcing fair trade goods from Africa to feeding the homeless on our doorstep, our Outreach Projects show Dru at its best. They rely on the team work, determination and the numerous skills of our many volunteers all over the world.

The Snack That Gives Back

Julie Hotchkiss of Dru Natural Foods was inspired after a visit to East Africa last year.

She said ‘It was a real eye opener seeing how most people lived. Having a background in nutrition and seeing the benefits that ‘superfoods’ such as our green barley grass have made to people’s health in Europe encouraged me to look carefully at what was available there. Everywhere I asked, the same answer came back ‘have you heard about moringa?’ As soon as I returned back to work at Dru we began the creative process of seeing what we could make from moringa and eventually came up with the idea of the Miracle Bar.'

‘The moringa we add to our Miracle Bar is purchased from co-operatives in Muteesa, near Kampala, Uganda at a fairly traded price. We give back 10% of the net profit from all Miracle Bar sales to support projects in villages that grow and use moringa in East Africa. In that way we can encourage the growing of the Miracle Tree and increase awareness of its uses and benefits. In Muteesa School, where 270 local children receive free schooling and food, moringa leaf is included daily in the school lunches.’ said Julie.

‘Here at Dru we believe in giving back and we have created the Miracle Bar so that every time one is bought it directly benefits families in Africa. That's why we call it ‘The Snack that Gives Back!’’ said Julie. ‘Not to mention giving great nutrition and the inimitable ‘feelgood’ factor to anyone who eats one – I believe it is an icon for the future of nutrition and health for all!’

CV: Sylva Barrington:

“I take Dru Yoga into inner city Liverpool, where there is very little wealth. My experience is that people are very open to something that will benefit them. Initially they may have a view that yoga is only for the fit and flexible but once they see Dru Yoga, they think “Oh I can do that!” And the results have been amazing!”

Day job:
I work for Blackburn House– a self-development centre of education for women which helps them to get back into employment in some cases, develop their careers pathways in others.

I was employed four years ago to develop all their health related courses, At the time they were looking to develop yoga programmes and to health-related and confidence-building courses with yoga in them.

Qualified as a Dru Yoga teacher:
In 1992, when yoga was still considered very much a fringe activity.

First Dru yoga class taught:
I took over a class from another yoga teacher in W. Kirby, consisting of around 40 middle class, middle aged females, for whom yoga was definitely a social highlight of their week.

Main difference between then and now:
Yoga is being recommended by GPs and other health professionals more than ever - that wasn't the case 10 years ago. Dru Yoga is also being backed up by clinical trials to prove its effectiveness. I myself was involved in a research project with backpain sufferers where I taught Dru Yoga to a control group, and a second group received reflexology. My group reported significantly less backpain. I think people responded better to a positive movement programme which they themselves participated in - than a therapy where they played a more passive role.

Doctors are now much more open to recommending yoga to help prevent so-called 'lifestyle illnesses' such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer.