OUR PEOPLE
Ruth Solomon
Lead Practitioner
Ruth set up Memory Gardens with other collaborators In 2002 when she discovered a piece of derelict land in Islington. She is interested in ecological patterns of renewal in people and places. Ruth holds a BA in Social Anthropology. She went on to train as a Creative Adult Education Tutor for people with Special Needs. Later she trained as a Professional Shiatsu Practitioner with further annual training in Seiki Soho from Akinobu Kishi. She is involved in Art and Music and brings these practices into the "Hand and Sky" sessions. She is also involved with Dance and Somatic practices with a long term involvement with Contact Improvisation. In 2008 she undertook an MA in Research Architecture at Goldsmith's College researching Haptic learning styles in non-verbal autistic children at "Memory Gardens". Ruth has a further Diploma from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust in "Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Well-being" (2017). As a Dyslexic Practitioner she considers herself part of the community of Neuro-Diverse Practitioners and artists currently questioning issues of place and belonging through practical art and performance programs.
Marion Trigance
Marion is a first year Student Volunteer from the Shiatsu College, London. She helps Ruth at the PMLD Infant group mat session at Golden Lane Children's Centre and receives guidance and in how to apply Shiatsu to these children. She has proved herself to be perceptive, engaged and thoughtful with an ability to see things from the child's point of view. In her other role as a Nanny, she is experienced in working with infants and clearly enjoys being with them.
Trustees and Friends
Molly Porter:
Molly is a long-term Friend to Memory Gardens and she has been involved from the beginning. Molly is a Quaker with interest in Community, joint Stewardship of the land and care of one another. She built important links between Autistic people participating in our first garden project in Legard Road and people living with mental health issues in the neighboring café.
She has also carefully sourced and shared relevant news items connected to our interest in Neuro-Diverse processes of thought, perception and experience. Molly was our Chair for many years and has now retired from this role and continues as our friend.
Dr Christina Macrae:
Christina worked at Manchester Metropolitan University and has been involved in a slow research residency with a Nursery School and Children's Centre. Before this she practiced as an Early Years Teacher. Her research has a focus on young children and famillies and she is interested in embodied and relational approaches to learning. She also builds research collaborations with artists working with young children because she believes passionately that they bring unique skills and process-orientated approaches. Christina joined us in 2023 as a Chairperson in the run-up to us becoming a Charity and helped in many ways.
George Hobhouse
George has worked considerately and patiently with us since 2021 as a Volunteer Accountant. He works for a firm in London and is a qualified and experienced accountant. He has filled in some of the gaps in our knowledge base regarding numbers and audits. He joined us in 2023 as a Trustee accountant and he also helped greatly as we prepared to become a registered Charity.
Lisa Barr
Lisa is a Person-Centred Counsellor who works relationally, primarily with neurodivergent clients. She has been the Garden Co-ordinator for Islington for London Open Gardens weekend for many years and is passionate about building links in the community. Lisa is our new Secretary.
Nadine Modest
Nadine is a dedicated parent who has brought her daughter, now age six and on the autistic spectrum, to Hand and Sky sessions with commitment and openness. She is trained as a Humanistic Counsellor and works in Hackney to provide schools with services.
*Nadine and Lisa joined us and were both voted in at our last AGM in June 2026. We are all thrilled to have them with us!