How to Live Mindfully

What was your “lightbulb moment” when it came to the importance of living organically?

There were really two, both in the late 1970s. I had not long given birth to my daughter Alice and I was in the garden, pushing her around in her pram. We went to look at the roses I had planted a few days earlier only to find that they were wilting. I spoke to the farmer next door who explained that the local farms were being sprayed with Roundup. As a new mother, I was frightened and horrified, and I knew instantly that we couldn’t carry on farming as we were, harming the earth in that way – it wasn’t right for the health of my children and it wasn’t right for the land.

Not long afterwards I was at an agricultural show where an organic farmer had a small tent. The organic movement was quite small in those days, but I went inside and spoke to the farmer for a few hours. On the way home I remember saying to my husband, ‘We can’t carry on farming as we are. We’re polluting the soil and the environment with those chemicals.’

What does being ‘well’ mean to you?

It means feeling happy and healthy in body, mind and spirit.

Tell us about The Club by Bamford: what was the inspiration behind it; what were you hoping to create?

I wanted to create a fitness and wellbeing offering unlike anything that you would find in London. The Club is set within Daylesford’s farm, so you’re immersed in nature and that instantly feels restorative. I’ve always believed that being in nature heals and at The Club we’ve been able to create that environment – you can have a swim looking out into an orchard; have a juice or some nourishing food on the balcony overlooking the place where it was produced. There’s a first-class gym full of state-of the-art equipment with high-energy classes, but there’s also the chance to take your training outdoors with strength classes in the open air and a Padel court. But there’s also a slower side to it – it’s a place that’s going to give you the opportunity to slow down, to take time for yourself and fuel your mind, body and spirit in the way that feels right for you – whether that’s by having a nutritionist design a bespoke programme, plunging into our outdoor pool or taking a gentle Pilates class.

Is there anything further at Bamford that you would still like to explore in terms of sustainability? For example: formulations, packaging, spas, retail…?

I’d love us to continue developing sustainably innovative beauty products, similar to our Stem Cell Serum, which uses cutting-edge biotechnology. And to explore how we can work more closely with UK growers, including my own farm at Daylesford, to shorten and localise our supply chain.

Our packaging is another key focus – something we’re constantly reviewing and striving to improve. I’d love us to reach 100% recyclable packaging and reduce our reliance on plastics.

Which skincare ingredients are you currently fascinated by?

Ceramides. I’ve been reading a lot about the importance of looking after our skin barrier and how to strengthen and support it so that it seals in moisture. Ceramides help protect the barrier and make it look more hydrated, which in turn minimises the appearance of wrinkles.

What are your three beauty products you’d never be without?

1. My bottle of Calèche by Hermès.

2. I have used Chantecaille products for a long time but their Philanthropy Cheek Shades are a favourite – the Elephant Smitten is a particularly beautiful colour and I love the brand’s philanthropic endeavours. Many of their products are aligned with a cause that needs a platform: this blush supports the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and their efforts to protect elephants, a cause I am also passionate about supporting.

3. Bamford’s Nourishing Mask. I always turn to it whenever I think my skins looks a bit dry or lacklustre as it really does feel like I’m feeding my skin with lots of rich, soothing nutrients. I put a thin layer on at night and in the morning, my skin looks and feels refreshed, plump and brighter.

What do you do to feel grounded?

Being in nature always makes me feel grounded, especially being by the sea or anywhere you can get a sense of the scale of nature – how vast it is and how much more powerful it is than we are. I think that awareness of our place in the world feels very humbling and reminds us to keep our two feet on the ground.

You’re an advocate for eating mindfully and seasonally… what are you cooking with right now?

We’re just coming out of the hungry gap before the abundance of spring produce starts to come through in full force, but I’ve got lots of radishes in my garden, the first of the purple sprouting broccoli, rocket and we’ve still got plenty of kalettes on the farm.

You’re a great traveller – what are the countries and places that have inspired you the most in creating the Bamford brand?

I’ve drawn from lots of different places. India has been such a huge and important part of my life that inevitably I’ve been very inspired by my travels there – we work with many hand-spun and hand-woven Indian textiles for our Bamford clothing collections, as well as many traditional textile techniques, such as block-printing.

At Bamford’s wellness spas and The Club we combine a range of modern and ancient techniques – we’ve the latest development in therapeutic treatments, such as cryotherapy and red light therapy, but they’re complemented by traditions that have centuries of history: meditation, Pilates and breathwork, which I’ve experienced through my travels around the world.

Japan has also been a great source of inspiration. Almost unconsciously, wabi-sabi permeates everything I do and the way that I work. I was first made aware of the concept when travelling to Japan and realised that there were parallels between my own choices and tastes and its ethos.

What’s your idea of the perfect morning?

I’ll always take my dogs for a walk. I need that time in nature. One of my favourite times of the day is when the garden is waking up; you can hear the sound of the birds and perhaps the wind or just a rustle of leaves and the world feels so peaceful. It’s such a blessing to be able to have that time and I savour it. I always do a meditation practice, along with breathwork and yoga. They’re very important to me and really set the tone for my day. Meditation leaves me feeling calm and centred and I feel imbalanced – as though something is missing – if for some reason I don’t manage to fit it in. Breakfast with my family – I just love having everyone around the table with me.

If there was one thing we could all do to live more sustainably, every day, what would that be?

Trying to shop locally and seasonally is one of the simplest but most effective actions we can each take. Producers who work according to the seasons are connected to the land and to nature and therefore they are inherently kinder to the planet.

The most important thing, however, to do is to try to make changes that are sustainable for your lifestyle. There are lots of relatively simple swaps we can make to ensure we’re avoiding plastic, for example, but there are plenty of other small steps that we can take to adapt our lifestyle, such as reducing or preventing any food waste at home; looking after our clothes to make sure they last; and buying clothes that aren’t designed to be worn for a season then thrown away. Trying to shop locally and seasonally is one of the simplest but most effective actions we can each take. Producers who work according to the seasons are connected to the land and to nature and therefore they are inherently kinder to the planet.

The most important thing, however, to do is to try to make changes that are sustainable for your lifestyle. There are lots of relatively simple swaps we can make to ensure we’re avoiding plastic, for example, but there are plenty of other small steps that we can take to adapt our lifestyle, such as reducing or preventing any food waste at home; looking after our clothes to make sure they last; and buying clothes that aren’t designed to be worn for a season then thrown away.

Edited by Francesca Ogiermann-White