Meet the couple behind a cafe and not-for-profit wellbeing lodge in the idyllic Northants countryside
Meet the couple behind a cafe and not-for-profit wellbeing and health lodge located in the idyllic Northamptonshire countryside.
Ian and Jhiona Litchfield first launched the Wellbeing Coffee Lodge back in 2022 at Wold Farm, located between West Haddon and Crick. The location is surrounded by fields, ducks and cattle.
It was a year later in April 2023 when they added the not-for-profit wellbeing and health lodge, which specialises in Bemer Vascular Therapy for adults.
Ian says this treatment encourages better blood flow from head to toe, creates more focus, increases mobility, minimises pain, and assists with arthritis and Long Covid in particular.
Ian used Bemer Vascular Therapy to assist in getting him out of a wheelchair back in 2019 and had no idea he would one day provide it as a service to others.
“It helped me so much,” he told the Chronicle & Echo. “It got rid of years of pain and I never thought I’d be using it to get rid of other people’s. I was just a boring old farmer.”
What sets the wellbeing lodge apart is that they do not charge for treatments, but instead ask for a charitable donation from each person to Cancer Research UK.
One of the main draws of the adjoining coffee lodge is his wife Jhiona’s "outstanding cake” and Ian says people have travelled miles to try what she has to offer.
The coffee lodge is open from Thursday to Saturday, boasting a variety of homemade cake, hot and cold drinks, a picnic area and games for people of all ages to enjoy.
Ian shared that this venture has had an “unbelievable” response from the Northamptonshire community, with hundreds of guests welcomed during the three days they are open each week.
“It’s more than coffee,” said Ian. “It is such a nice and quiet wellbeing area. The atmosphere is wonderful and it is so relaxing to do our work here.”
When asked what he believes makes this such a unique venture, Ian continued: “We’re in the centre of fields all around us, surrounded by Christmas trees, sheep and cattle. It’s quiet and we have the best cake in the county.”
Ian is pleased that others have seen the same benefits from the therapy as he did, and he looks forward to increasing the variety on offer at the farm in the near future.
The pair hope to create a “wellbeing village” and are already joined by a reflexology therapist. This is hoped to increase to red light therapy, massage and acupuncture in due course.