Louise Walpole started her business The Kindness Company in response to what she described as “shockingly” high levels of anxiety in her social group. 

The professional photographer, who lives in Poringland said since the pandemic, she’d noticed more and more of her friends feeling “burnt out and in need of a sense of community”, especially single parents. 

Louise Walpole, from Poringland, founded The Kindness Company to help people suffering from burn out (Image: Louise Walpole)

Operating from her home, Ms Walpole decided to run a series of day retreats, which include guided meditation, mindfulness tips from local experts, a charcuterie board lunch, and an afternoon of group crafting.

And, she said that although she’s unlikely to get rich from the venture the sense of purpose it brings is priceless.

She said: “I wanted to create something that people could give their loved ones as a gift – something they could come and do together and leave feeling truly better than they did before.

“The world we live in is so focused on gathering possessions and making money – nobody has a moment to just stop and enjoy what they already have.

“That way of thinking is contributing heavily to burnout.”

Each day retreat can accommodate up to 10 people, with Ms Walpole saying she likes to keep the groups small enough for people to “really get to know each other” throughout the day.

Although still running her photography business for the time being, she added that she hopes to move over to offering retreats full-time once they have a strong enough customer base. 

She said: “I feel it so strongly in my heart that this is exactly what we need right now.

“More kindness, more understanding, and more connection with each other.

“That would make the biggest difference.”