AboutVision: To inspire, educate and connect our guests through history, art, culture and nature.
Our vision is to help people see themselves and the world differently through reflecting on history, beauty, culture and nature in the most bold and engaging manner possible. Pollen & Reid was inspired by the founders ancestor, Maria Hungerford Pollen was a decorative arts collector, writer and lecturer on the subject of ancient lace whose own collection of antique lace was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts museum in South Kensington. She inspired her children to lead lives of creativity, work and travel despite the constraints of being a woman at that time in the UK. She did things differently and curated her knowledge into different forms to spread what she learnt to the wider world. Pollen & Reid Services: - Unique experiential walking tours, bespoke itinerary planning and immersive experiences in London and around the world. - Lectures on history, art and culture to groups and organisations; - Delivers therapeutic services that incorporates history and gardens; - Curates immersive educational experiences. Our experiences and itineraries are intimate and multi-dimensional drawing together history, culture, art, sport, food, music and architecture and property. We make spaces and places come alive through our unique lens bringing you to extraordinary locations, landscapes and meeting a whole host of characters on the way. Our bespoke experiences literally and figuratively open doors. We have organised bespoke itineraries and guided tours in London, Paris, the Cotswolds and incredible experiences visiting unique homes and meeting fascinating and inspiring individuals. We can organise anything from a 2 hour tour to a two week itinerary travelling around the world discovering wonderful cinematic sights staying in the most authentic spots and eating delicious quality food and organising unique and bespoke experiences. Are you looking for something special? We cater for travellers looking for something beyond the ordinary, and for those looking for ideas on how to mark celebrations in new ways. Proposals, birthdays or anniversaries; do get in touch for more. We have delivered lectures on Gabrielle Chanel unpicking how she became a successful and enduring fashion designer, as well as on The History of Gardens exploring the innovations and philosophy of garden designers Vita Sackville West and Derek Jarman. We have also delivered our signature tour, 'The History of Chelsea' as a lecture. Our therapeutic services have incorporated history and gardens working in collaboration with museums such as The Order of St John to develop Art for Wellbeing workshops; and through the serendipity of meeting someone on a tour, have been sponsored to develop eco-art therapy at a South London school. Immersive experiential learning, connecting with nature and art and building relationships are elements that Pollen & Reid encapsulates. Sarah Reid |