Best of Bedford Business Award Winner Lynn Serafinn of Create-a-Life has taken networking back to its grassroots.

Lynn is a certified professional life coach, specialising in Personal Transformation, helping people to re-invent their lives to find greater fulfilment. Many of her clients are holistic and wellness professionals. Over time, she kept hearing her clients complain about the same thing-feeling isolated from the community.

In response to the needs of what she was hearing, in May, Lynn launched the "Bedford Wellness Circle" (BWC), a community-based project aimed at bringing together professionals in the holistic and wellness sector directly with the public. She says, "The BWC are NOT another business network. We are the 'holistic heart' of Bedford."

In addition to providing an online Holistic Directory of local practitioners, BWC hold monthly community evening that include informative talks by local practitioners, community-building activities, music, poetry and lots of fun and social interaction. They also have a highly information monthly online newsletter that is free to all.

Lynn says, "The feedback I am receiving from the community so far is excellent. They love the upbeat energy and the fact that they are making friends with people who embrace a similar value system, and who understand that real 'wellness' is a balance between mind, body, spirit AND lifestyle. I might add to that, that the need for a supportive and positive connection with a community is extremely important for that balance."

Lynn explains her feelings about the importance of community. She says, "In today's society, we all too often get caught in the thankless cycle of going to work, coming home, eating dinner, watching telly, and going to bed, just to repeat the whole process the next day. I find it small wonder that, according to various surveys I have read, stress-related illnesses including anxiety and depression are now considered to be the leading cause of sick days in the workplace. I cannot help but feel that building a strong community of local people, who hold the intention to 'create wellness' in Bedford, will contribute to the overall wellness of our town, and of society as a whole."

The next Bedford Wellness Circle Evening will be held on Monday 23 June at the Park Road Methodist Church Hall, MK41 7SB (just off Roff Ave). This month's programme includes talks on yoga, reiki, goal-setting, the health benefits of Mediterranean diet and how to overcome self-limiting beliefs, plus music, group activities, displays and fun. Doors open at 7 PM for social networking, and programme begins at 730. Tickets are £3.50 at the door, or free to BWC members.

More information can be found on the Bedford Wellness Circle website at www.bedford-wellness-circle.co.uk, or by writing to Lynn Serafinn at lynn@bedford-wellness-circle.co.uk. For information about Lynn's coaching company, Create-a-Life, see her listing on The Best of Bedford.