Favourite flower/crop and why:
Here at Trelonk it would have to be Borage, its flower is blue, beautiful and packed with gamma linolenic acid, natural healing molecules for the skin. I would also cite Rose Blossom from our new Rose crop which as an oil or extract summarises health and wellbeing support, comfort (that soft pink blanket that engulfs you), Femininity or Mother Earth and is the universal symbol of love; aside to its anti-ageing, mood improving therapeutics and as a sought-after perfume ingredient.

A Hobby:
Sumi Painting (Japanese water colour art, I love using black ink and all its tones). I was lucky enough to work with a Japanese Master and enjoy taking the time to explore the creativity it allows my mind to reveal through a paint brush.

What makes Trelonk so exciting for you?
As a child in West Africa, my father a Surgeon walked me around his medicinal/herbaceous garden harvesting plants to create his natural potions for his patients. At Trelonk we are creating health and wellbeing solutions out of the flora harvested here, the connection to Nature and its bountiful yields is made once more. To be a part of plant therapy, to help creating harmony within our bodies as a therapist of 40 years by incorporating Science with Nature is a dream realised!

Career Background:
Kim started her career working in the Hair and Skin department formulating and testing products for Unilever. She has had a successful career in Sales and Marketing, Branding, and formulating natural skincare products. Kim is also a perfumer and a trained nose; she has created signature fragrances for many hotels and International Spa companies such as Espa. Kim also worked for nearly 10 years in the world of Master Blenders and Sommeliers, teaching how to nose correctly in the food and drinks industry. Working with companies such as Bacardi (creating aromas for the raw materials room in Bombay Sapphire’s distillery), Pernod Ricard, Diageo, and other spirit and wine brands, Kim travelled internationally lecturing and teaching subjects such as “Awaken your Sense of Smell” and “Smell, the forgotten Sense”.

In total, Kim has over 46 years of experience in the field of complementary therapy, cosmetics and perfumery, and is a qualified Educator and Examiner. Kim has travelled as far afield as Japan to share her high level of aromatherapy knowledge and expertise. She is now a Director of the International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA). The IFA is an awarding and professional body of aromatherapists that is known to hold the highest standard of education internationally. The IFA has worked with government health committees worldwide to improve the practice of aromatherapy and is actively involved in elevating academic standards and influencing policy in the field.

Kim is also a member of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists (SCS) and the British Society of Perfumery (BSP), and is a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner. More recently, Kim joined the International Clinical Aromatherapy Network, which was set up to connect Aromatherapists worldwide, sharing the latest research and evidence-based information.

Besides her work within these communities, Kim works as a mentor and coach for start-ups, which she does through her company Simple Essentials that she set up in 2005. Kim has also spoken at many conferences and in 2019 was on BBC Radio 4’s series “Beyond Belief” talking about the role of essential oils in religion.

Passionate about combining the powers of science and nature, Kim joined the team at Trelonk last year as a New Product Development Consultant. Her passion lies in all the molecular chemical compounds found in essential oils, carrier oils and plant extracts, such as terpenes and specific CO2 extracts. Kim is also enthusiastic about harnessing the rich synergies of fatty acids and waxes found in vegetable oils.

The crops we grow here at Trelonk are full of these compounds, and Kim intends to harvest the power of plants for improving the health and wellbeing of our audience.  The Mediterranean native of the forget-me-not family, borage, is among Kim’s favourite Trelonk crops, as it is a rich source of gamma linolenic acid, which is well known for its natural healing properties.