Mindfulness Retreat 2025 Expand In October we held our third Mindfulness Retreat in the heart of Wales - a life-affirming experience for the 11 careworn mums who joined us. This year’s retreat offered guided mindfulness sessions, pilates, art therapy, a nature walk and time out for relaxation. A rare opportunity for each mum to step away from the demands of daily life for some much-needed rest, reflection and renewal. Surrounded by peace and natural beauty these mums found space to breathe, reconnect with themselves, and most importantly, to connect deeply with one another. Through shared mindfulness practice, the group created a compassionate space - everyone seen, everyone heard. The power of practicing together in a safe space is beyond measure – its impact reaches far beyond the retreat itself. Our heartfelt thanks to Gillian, Fiona and Lou for generously gifting their time and expertise to support this retreat. Their presence made this an unforgettable event - its ripple effect continues well beyond the weekend.
Time4Me Devon Retreat 2025 Expand A beautiful house set in acres of rolling countryside, a stunning kitchen garden, starry skies, a resident pig, and 15 mums in need of a rest. The perfect ingredients for a Daisy Garland Retreat. Over the weekend we were delighted to host our first Time4Me retreat in Devon. Our lovely mums benefitted from a weekend of self-care: mindfulness, art therapy, meditation, therapeutic drumming, cold water swimming and eating organic food (cooked by someone else) fresh from the garden. Thank you to one of our wonderful mums for writing this brilliant article summing up what this experience meant to her. Please click the link below to read more… Retreat Here are some of the photos from the weekend, which speak volumes.
Pennies in the Pound 2023/2024 Expand The Daisy Garland does not receive any government funding. We are hugely grateful to the kind individuals and trusts and foundations that support our vital work. The Daisy Garland remains resourceful and cost-conscious at all times.
1,000 Daisy's Keto Café Members! Expand We are thrilled to announce that today we have 1,000 Daisy Café members! For us at DG HQ a very proud moment indeed knowing that 1,000 families are being heard, helped and cared for. Thank you all for making Daisy's Keto Café your safe place. It's an honour to be able to support you xx Pic left to right: Nikki, Sara and Karen.
A 'Tree of Hope' for Epilepsy Expand MARKING 20 YEARS OF THE DAISY GARLAND We are extremely proud to announce that The Daisy Garland has been supporting children with drug-resistant epilepsy and their families for 20 years. To mark this milestone and celebrate our achievements we planted a sycamore tree at Longmarsh on the banks of the river Dart (a few strides away from our Totnes office) on Friday 28 February 2025. In the glorious morning sunshine, Daisy's parents Sara and David Garland, along with Karen, Nikki and Jean (Team Daisy) were ready with their spades to settle our special sycamore - a tree which is said to connect heaven and earth and symbolises knowledge and guidance - into its forever home. We will be sure to keep you updated on the tree's progress as the years go by. Meanwhile, some pics to share of this very special event. David Garland (Daisy's dad and Chair of Trustees) left, with Keith Rennells from Parklife right, who assisted greatly with the planting. Thank you Keith we now feel like seasoned sycamore planters! David and Sara Garland, spades poised and ready to rock! Digging a hole to accommodate the roots of our Daisy tree as Keith, Jean and Flossie also captured in this pic watch on... So proud to be planting our sycamore tree in such a gorgeous setting David mastering the art of using a special ground-breaking tool. Despite lots of rain over the past week the local clay soil was still very hard and stony. Power to your elbow David! You did an amazing job Mindful digging: one breath at a time, one spade at a time... this little hole is filled with love 💜💜 It's in! Firming the soil around the roots of our very special Daisy Sycamore Jean and Nikki, our 2 Family Support Assistants, keeping Flossie calm David and Keith figuring out where the two wooden supports need to go before adding the protective mesh cage Sara twirling hessian ribbon between the tree and the two wooden supports, giving our tree all the help needed to grow big and strong, with adequate room between the two supports for the trunk to thicken and expand. David, hammer in hand, secures the hessian with a nail and a few big taps. Nikki in the background keeping everything crossed we escape bruised thumbs! Keith gave us some sheep fleece to prevent weeds from growing around the base of the tree. This was secured with 5 little wooden pegs. It felt a bit like putting our tree to bed, leaving it safe and snug in this gorgeous riverside setting Lots to fit into the mesh cage, being very careful not to knock off any of the tender little branch buds. We can't wait to see our first leaf (we'll be sure to share pics of this proud moment) A delicate operation, far trickier than it looks. All hands to the pump! Team Daisy, all proud and happy to be part of this amazing morning L to R: Karen our Office Manager, Sara Daisy's mum, Founder and CEO, David Daisy's dad and Chair of Trustees, Jean and Nikki our 2 Family Support Assistants A moment of reflection for Daisy and all children who suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy 💜💜 Keith from Parklife, positioning the memorial plaque where it was examined from all angles making sure it was standing straight and proud A loving touch from Daisy's dad, David Our forever 'Tree of Hope', which we share with you all 'Keep Calm and Grow On' little sycamore sapling 20 extraordinary years of The Daisy Garland charity. Thank you for being part of our 'journey of hope... for children with epilepsy' Our work would not be possible without you. Please, please, keep supporting The Daisy Garland Thank you. 2025 Purple Day (Worldwide Epilepsy Awareness Day, March 26th) To mark this very important day on our epilepsy calendar Sara and Flossie took a short detour en-route to the office and tied a sparkly purple ribbon to our 'Tree of Hope'. I hope as many of you as possible will leave home today wearing/bearing something purple in support of epilepsy. Throughout the day, along with our fabulous families and supporters, Sara and the team we will be pulling out all stops to shine a purple spotlight on this much-misunderstood condition. Epilepsy. Please feel free to jump on board and join us!
20th Anniversary Celebrations Expand On 1st November 2024 we celebrated 20 amazing years of The Daisy Garland charity. Some of our Facebook families and supporters shared their memories and thoughts about The Daisy Garland and the work we do. We are bowled over by the wonderful responses and are delighted to share them below. To mark our special anniversary we are planting a beautiful Sycamore tree: a symbol of strength, stability and protection, which mirrors our support philosophy. This striking tree will be planted at the Arboretum in Totnes at the end of November and will carry a Daisy Garland plaque. Our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters past, present and future. Please click here to read lots of wonderful messages from the families we support...
Mindfulness Retreat 2024 Expand In October we hosted our second Mindfulness Retreat in Wales for 13 mums under our care. It was an opportunity to rest, relax and restore in peaceful surroundings. Everyone benefited from being with others who understood which helped greatly in alleviating the feelings of loneliness and isolation which epilepsy brings. The whole group fully embraced the nature walk, art sessions and mindfulness specifically tailored for them by our Mindfulness Practitioner, Gillian Higgins. Our thanks to Gillian for the care she pours into everything she does.
The Daisy Garland and Glut1 Expand Glut1 Deficiency Syndrome is a rare metabolic disorder which causes seizures and other neurological problems. This genetic condition, affecting approximately 2,000 people worldwide, affects brain metabolim caused by impaired glucose transportation. The standard treatment for Glut1 is the ketogenic diet which helps patients with most symptoms. The Daisy Garland has worked in collaboration with Reigate St Mary's School to create this fabulous film as one of their pupils, Charlotte Firth suffers from Glut1. Thank you to Headmaster Marcus Culverwell who has shared this film with over 600 schools, raising much-needed Glut1 awareness.
Mindfulness in Practice Expand A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by Gill Higgins on her podcast Mindful Life about The Daisy Garland, the work of the charity, my own practice of mindfulness and the classes I co-host with Gill. You can listen to the interview on Spotify by clicking here OR if you don't have Spotify, you can listen from Gill's website, by clicking here.
Pennies in the Pound 2021/2022 Expand The Daisy Garland does not receive any government funding. We are hugely grateful to the kind individuals and trusts and foundations that support our vital work. The Daisy Garland remains resourceful and cost-conscious at all times.
Daisy Garland Mindfulness Retreat 2023 Expand As part of the wrap-around care we offer our families we held our very first Daisy Garland Mindfulness Retreat last weekend in Pembrokeshire. Our fourteen participants enjoyed a weekend of mindful meditation, pilates and art in splendid and serene surroundings. Everyone benefited from spending time together: time to reflect, restore and relax. Even the wet and windy walk on the beach got a big thumbs up. Seeing the success of the weekend we hope to secure funding to hold our second retreat in 2024.
Beatrice How, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Cambridge Expand We are so delighted to announce Beatrice How as our newest Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker! Beatrice has joined the fabulous team at Addenbrookes in Cambridge. To read more about Beatrice and our team of keto dietitians, please click on the link below... https://www.thedaisygarland.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/our-daisy-garland-ketogenic-dietitians
Meghna Mundkur, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Oxford Expand A big Daisy welcome to Meghna Mundkur, our new Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker, who has joined the fabulous team at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Meghna will be a wonderful support to the busy Oxford team and the lovely families under their care. To read more about Meghna and our team of keto dietitians, please click on the link below - Our Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitians
By Royal Invitation Expand A glorious day, (in spite of the inclement weather) was had by Sara and Karen yesterday at The Queen’s Garden Party. Fascinators fluttered in the breeze as the invited guests relaxed and chatted with the royals in the splendour of the grounds of Buckingham Palace to the strains of 'In the Mood' played by the military band. It was a great honour to be invited and a huge privilege for Sara and Karen to have the opportunity to discuss the charity with Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, Princess Anne. A once-in-a-lifetime event which will never be forgotten. Please click here to see lots of wonderful photos from this truly special day...
Royal Garden Party Honour Expand The Daisy Garland has been invited to the Queen's Garden Party, to be held at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, 11th May. It is a great honour for us to have our work recognised and we will be sure to share photos of this fabulous event with you here next week.
Pooja Gumber, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Birmingham Expand Please join us in welcoming Pooja Gumber, our newest Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker, who has joined the team at Birmingham Women’s and Children's Hospital! Pooja will be a wonderful support to the busy Birmingham team and the lovely families under their care. To read more about Pooja and our team of keto dietitians, please click on the link below - Our Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitians
When Daisy Garland's Dietitian went Keto! Expand If you’re a ketogenic parent/carer, have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat like your child? Vicki Whiteley, ketogenic dietitian and Daisy Garland Trustee did just that. Read her ketogenic journal and be inspired.
Amanda Morbey, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Oxford Expand A big Daisy welcome to Amanda Morbey, our new Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker, who has joined the fabulous team at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Amanda will be a wonderful support to the busy Oxford team and the lovely families under their care. To read more about Amanda and our team of keto dietitians, please click on the link below - Our Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitians
Epilepsy APPG Letter to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Expand We are hugely proud to put our name to this joint APPG letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, inviting him to a future meeting of the APPG and highlighting the need to take action to avoid further increases in maternal deaths in women with epilepsy.
Spotlight on The Daisy Garland Expand The Daisy Garland are delighted to feature in the 20 Anniversary Edition of Complete Nutrition Magazine, the UK's number 1 clinical, medical and health nutrition publication.
Xander's Story Expand Thank you so much to wonderful Gina and her sweet family for making this beautiful video about their precious Xander.
Cumberlege Report Expand Following the Cumberlege Report 2020 we are hugely proud to put our name to this appeal to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock MP, asking for clarification of the Government plans to implement the recommendations of the report. Sending huge thanks to Emma Murphy and Janet Williams and their colleagues at INFACT for their strength and determination in their crusade for justice for all those affected by Sodium Valproate use in pregnancy 💜
Summer/Autumn 2020 Newsletter Expand We are delighted to have produced our recent newsletter during lockdown. Please click on the link below to read... Summer/Autumn 2020 Newsletter
Another Keto Success - Nottingham Expand After nearly 11 years of our financial support we are delighted to announce that Nottingham Children’s Hospital Trust has taken over funding our Daisy Garland Ketogenic Service. Pauline Pilling, Therapy Services Manager at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, told us “I would like to officially and formally thank you for all the amazing support you have given to us over this extended period of time. It has been a great pleasure to work with The Daisy Garland and I will continue to follow the progress of your fantastic work.” Naomi Cox our Daisy Garland Dietitian will continue in her post delivering a high-level service for children and families under her care.
The Role of a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian Expand Hannah Queenan, our fabulous Daisy Dietitian at Sheffield Children's Hospital, has written an article for Complete Nutrition Magazine on 'The Role of a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian'. Please click on the link below to read more... Complete Nutrition - Hannah Queenan
Enhanced Support During Lockdown Expand Daisy Garland support spans the UK, from the west country to Scotland and Northern Ireland. During lockdown we were able to increase our support in a variety of ways. Some families found sourcing ketogenic food items especially difficult and in over a dozen cases we were able to source these items and send them to families direct. With low stocks, and in some cases bare supermarket shelves across the country, several of our families took the decision to buy live chickens to ensure a plentiful supply of eggs. We quickly responded to this by launching an on-line Chicken Chat page which was immediately a-buzz with stories, photos and sound advice from experienced chicken keepers, notably Sarah Barker, Daisy Garland Parent Trustee. Several weeks in and it seems everyone is hooked on their newly acquired broods – if all else fails at least there will be eggs for tea! Daisy’s Keto Café, a hub of positive help and support, provided a place for its 481 members to share their lockdown experiences, exchange ketogenic recipes, and offer and receive support and encouragement. One mum told us “The Café provides me with such a strong network of support that I no longer feel alone. I know if I have a worry or concern at 11pm there will always be someone in the Café to help me. There’s no place quite like Daisy’s Café, because everyone just, ‘gets it’” Our website Recipes page received over 20,000 hits in May from families looking for keto menu inspiration and with over 35 easy to follow, across-the-board recipes from breadsticks to boboti, it’s easy to see why! Feedback has been overwhelming with families saying how much they enjoyed the dishes: some said once a week the whole family was able to share the same meal - who wouldn’t enjoy beef nachos followed by blueberry cheesecake? Busy keto mum, Sarah Barker, shared many of her own tried and tested keto recipes all of which went down a storm. Our exclusive keto cookery videos (see below) featuring Chef Derek, and kindly sponsored by Nutricia, have been a big hit too, demonstrating quick and easy ways make keto-friendly bread and cakes as well as yummy main meals and lunch box treats. It has always been our priority to support all the families under our care and help them in whatever way possible and lockdown proved no exception. Welcome Boxes, Care Packs and monitor grants continued to be dispatched daily: no one was left wanting or waiting.
Charity Film Award - Press Coverage Expand We are delighted that the Totnes Times has featured The Daisy Garland Charity Film Award in their latest edition...
New Parent Trustee - Sarah Barker Expand We are delighted to welcome Dr Sarah Barker to The Daisy Garland as Parent Trustee. After leaving Southampton University with a First Class M Chem (Hons) degree, Sarah went on to gain a PhD in chemistry, she is also a qualified Chartered Accountant. A passionate supporter of The Daisy Garland, Sarah’s interest in the ketogenic diet developed when her daughter Isi was diagnosed with West Syndrome; Isi is under the care of our Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian in Exeter. Sarah and Isi feature in our charity film You also can read more about Isi in our latest newsletter and see Sarah cooking up a keto storm in the video section of Recipes from Daisy's Keto Cafe . Sarah and her family run a busy farm in Devon where she is an active supporter of both the charity and the ketogenic diet, giving talks, organising fundraising events and raising awareness. Sarah has raised over £8,000 for the charity and is in training for an Ultra Marathon (50K) which she will be running in May in aid of The Daisy Garland. Sarah’s energy and experience makes her a much-valued addition to our Board of Trustees.
Recipes from Daisy's Keto Café Expand The Daisy Garland is delighted to announce the launch of our new website page - Recipes from Daisy's Keto Café. Click on the link below to browse a selection of downloadable yummy ketogenic meals and treats. 😊 RECIPES FROM DAISY'S KETO CAFÉ
Charity Film Award Winners Expand The Daisy Garland is delighted to be awarded The People’s Choice Award by The Charity Film Awards. Please click the link below to read more... Charity Film Award Winners
COVID-19 Crisis Expand In line with Government COVID-19 recommendations, The Daisy Garland has taken the decision to work remotely as a virtual office. Working virtually means we are still contactable so please don’t hesitate to be in touch by email, telephone, letter and via our website and Facebook page. Our aim is to continue to provide as broad a service as possible during these difficult times to all those who need our help. Please click here to see the wonderful ways in which The Daisy Garland have been supporting families through these difficult and challenging times... COVID-19
Shannah Hatch, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Oxford Expand We are so delighted to announce Shannah Hatch as our newest Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker! Shannah has joined the fabulous team at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. To read more about Shannah and our team of keto dietitians, please click on the link below... Our Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitians
Justine Urwin, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Bristol Expand A big Daisy welcome to Justine Urwin, our newest Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker, who has joined the team at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children! Justine is truly brilliant and will be a wonderful support to the busy Bristol team and the lovely families under their care. To read more about Justine and our team of keto dietitians, please click on the link below - OUR DAISY GARLAND KETOGENIC DIETITIANS
Charity Film Awards Expand We are absolutely over the moon to learn that we have reached the shortlist for the prestigious Charity Film Awards! A big Daisy 'Thank You' to everyone who has voted for our film 'The Daisy Garland - Capturing The Essence of our Work' in the Charity Film Awards! We will be sure to keep you posted - please watch this space! 🎉🎉
Working in collaboration with fifteen NHS Trusts Expand We are the leading UK charity funding ketogenic dietitians and dietetic support workers who work in NHS hospitals countrywide, treating thousands of children who suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy with the ketogenic diet. Each full-time dietitian costs c.£48,000 pa. Once a hospital has identified the need for a ketogenic service the consultant responsible contacts us to request funding. We offer pump-prime funding, usually for 2/3 years, on the understanding that a business case evidencing the success of the service is put forward to the hospital Trust to ensure that continued funding will be available when our funding ends. Our funding allows NHS hospitals to develop and expand ketogenic services and our proven success rate in Trust take overs has allowed us to make this medical-led diet widely available, free of charge, to families nationwide. In 2019 we funded our first two Daisy Dietetic Support Workers, who work within ketogenic services ensuring lengthy waiting lists are substantially reduced. Our work in the promotion of the ketogenic diet as a therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy has positively changed the way it is viewed by the medical profession and we are thrilled that it has been wholly embraced by the NHS. Our work in this field has been life-changing and is on-going. Hospital Trusts benefitting from our ketogenic funding - Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow Leeds Children's Hospital Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Sheffield Children's Hospital Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham Royal Derby Hospital Birmingham Children's Hospital Oxford Children's Hospital St George's Hospital, London Evelina London Children's Hospital Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading Bristol Royal Hospital for Children Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Derriford Hospital, Plymouth As one of the biggest ketogenic diet services in the UK, with an ever-increasing demand, our waiting list for the ketogenic diet has risen significantly. With timely funding from The Daisy Garland for a new dietitian we will be able to reduce the waiting time for children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Dr Shakti Agrawal, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital. Thank you for all of your help to date. It has been great to see the effectiveness of The Daisy Garland service develop and meet the needs of patients and families across the region. We are excited we will now be able to build the service even more to meet the increasing demand, and train other dietitians within the team to ensure the service is a success into the future. Mike McLean, Service Lead Paediatric Dietetics, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh.
Points of Light Expand We were extremely proud to receive a Points of Light award from The Prime Minister, Theresa May, given in recognition for our outstanding contribution to the community.
'TEAMDAISY21' Snowdon trek Expand On the hottest August BH weekend on record The Daisy Garland climbed Mount Snowdon to mark what would have been Daisy's 21st year.
Hannah Queenan, Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian - Sheffield Expand A very warm welcome to our newest recruit, Hannah Queenan. Hannah joins our team of Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitians working alongside Hannah Taylor and her team at Sheffield Children's Hospital. Hannah's arrival will provide a long awaited enhanced Ketogenic service.
Hannah Warn, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Bristol Expand Hannah Warn, Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietetic Support Worker, joins the keto team at Bristol Children's Hospital, one of the busiest ketogenic services in the UK.
The Daisy Garland Butterfly Ball - London Expand Our Daisy Garland Black-tie Ball, held in celebration of what would have been Daisy's 21st birthday was an evening to remember. 246 guests enjoyed a sparkling evening in the 5-star splendour of the Chelsea harbour Hotel, London. It was the perfect moment to launch our charity film, which received rapturous applause. Our grateful thanks to Will Foxwell for putting the film together for us and to our wonderful Patrons, Jane Asher, Rikki Londesborough and Anne Wadsworth OBE for their valued support in raising awareness of our vital work.