Massage and the comfort of touch is one of our simplest human needs. It is also something we can share with each other every day. It is important to me that my work is accessible, affordable and touches everyday people.
I have consistently formed massage co-operatives, and have worked in community settings to facilitate little pockets of healing that is accessible to all.
MASSAGE SHALA
The Massage Shala was created in 2016 to provide low cost high quality massage in a group healing format.
Massage Shala finds its inspiration in the communal, more informal massage rooms of South East Asia. The shared space creates a safe and open informal atmosphere, welcoming all. A container for community, connection and healing.
Massage Shala has run a multidisciplinary clinic in Centre 151 in Haggerston, Hackney since 2016. We now host event here on a quarterly basis. For more information, please email therapies@centre151.com.
Massage Shala also hosts a weekly sliding scale clinic at St Margaret’s House, Bethnal Green on Friday mornings 10am-1pm. Jo works here intermittently.
HAPPY FEET HAPPY HEART
Happy Feet Happy Heart is a mobile foot massage pop-up stall. It brings cheap and cheerful foot massage to local events. Based on open air foot massage at local markets and beauty spots in Thailand.
Happy Feet Happy Heart began in 2011, and has appeared at The Towpath Cafe, Centre 151 Open Day, St John’s Church market, Andrew Logan’s Christmas sale, amongst other places.
“NHA”=HOME
Nha was a one time collaboration between Centre 151 and the Museum of the Home in 2019.
Centre 151, formally known as the VLC Centre, supports a refugee population from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia who arrived in the UK in the 1980s and 90s. The collaboration explored “nha” the Vietnamese word for “home”. The things the refugees brought with them from home, their memories of home, and how they kept their traditions alive in the time that has passed.
The collaboration produced an exhibition, a book and day at The Museum of the Home where different Hackney communities had a “take-over” of the museum. My role was to collect oral histories off the elders whilst giving them foot massage. We also set up a stall during the “take-over”.
MASSAGE LAB
Massage Lab is a swap session for massage practitioners to share and learn from each other. The Massage Lab is currently inactive.
Jo Lim 