Cakes, Cornrows & Self Care

A 12 week empowerment and wellness programme for black and mixed race women

Dates: Every Saturday: 17th Feb 2024 till 4th May 2024 || Location: Barking Learning Centre, 2 Town Square Barking Learning Centre, Barking IG11 7NB || Time: 10am -1pm

What's In Store

Designed for Black and mixed-heritage women, 18 - 30, living in and around Barking and Dagenham area.  Our  Cake Cornrow & Selfcare is a holistic natural hair care programme that will provide a supportive and transformative environment that fosters personal growth, self-confidence and a sense of community. We will incorporate sessions that will delve deep into mental, emotional and physical wellness, while you learn to nurture, style, and cornrow your natural afro-textured hair.

Preventing Hair Loss

Learn effective strategies to maintain the health of your beautiful locks.

Stopping Hair Thinning

Discover practical tips and tricks to get any thinning edges back and maintain voluminous and healthy hair.

Growing Long Hair

Unlock the secrets to fostering natural hair growth and length.

Tackling Hair Bias In The Workplace

Navigate the professional world with confidence and pride in your natural beauty.

Conquering Imposter Syndrome

Arm yourself with tools to overcome self-doubt and step into your true power.

Psychology-Backed Mental Health Support

Prioritise your mental well-being with expert-backed guidance.

Self Presentation

A session dedicated to showing up as our best self, closed off with a professional studio photoshoot.

Wellness & Wellbeing Session

Cultivate a balanced and harmonious lifestyle with our dedicated wellness sessions.

Special Treats Awaits

All participants will receive exclusive goodie bags at the end of the programme, filled with products and surprises to continue their journey towards self-love. Individual styling and photoshoots from the Self-presentation session will be available for viewing via our exhibition and close out celebration.

Meet your facilitators and Coaches

Your facilitators and coaches have decades of experience in empowering and leading transformation through their work. We have carefully selected these experts and inspired women to lead these sessions.

Abi Onuoha

Abi Obuoha is a Health & Wellbeing Coach and the founder of Ato Life, a physiotherapy private clinic. Abi is passionate about helping people with physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation, and health and wellbeing coaching. Abi's Session is the Mindfulness Session: Using Mindfulness practices to create a strong foundation in fostering self-awareness and empowerment. Participants will be assisted in setting goals based on identified core values, newfound insights and newly created vision boards. Guided journaling and mindfulness techniques will be employed to encourage personal growth and development.

Serena Nwokoye

Serena Nwokoye, is the founder of Detangled Hair, a one-stop shop for all your natural hair and skin needs. Serena's Session is Starting Your Self-care Journey: Using Mindfulness practices to create a strong foundation in fostering self-awareness and empowerment. Participants will be introduced to what self-care looks like, natural hair care as part of their self-care, understanding your natural hair, and developing a good hair care routine.

Amanda Townsend

Amanda Townsend is a Mental Health and Wellness Educator and the founding director of Pharus Training, an organisation that delivers online and in person Mental Health First Aid training. Amanda's Session is the Mental Health Awareness Session: It aims to raise awareness around mental health. Participants will be instructed on what mental health is, how to challenge the stigma often associated with mental health, and how to look after their own mental health. They will be given a certificate to show they are now mentally aware, a workbook, and a manual to refer to whenever needed.

Rachelle Ertlé

Rachelle Ertlé, is a therapist and spa director and is the founder of Heal Studio, an award-winning spa and massage treatment center in Barking. Rachelle's Session is Self-Massage For Wellness: Teaching self-massage to help maintain physical and mental health. Participants will be introduced to massage techniques they can use on themselves to aid relaxation and ease stress.

Paige Lewin

Paige Lewin is a natural hair advocate and the founder and host of Texture Talks, the UK's only active podcast dedicated to educating, entertaining and engaging the afro and curly-haired community. She founded the show out of a desperate need for a resource that could help guide her on her natural hair care journey and connect her with the rest of the community who share her experiences.

Angela Stewart

Angela Stewart is a TV/Film hairstylist and Afro Hair Educator. Angela's sessions are Cornrows and Haircare: The aim is that at the end of the 6 sessions every participant will understand the fundamentals of healthy natural hair care and how to use the technique of cornrowing. Participants will be introduced to healthy ways to care for their natural hair that will promote growth. They will also learn proper washing techniques and simple styling techniques, including how to cornrow afro-textured hair.

Catherine Byaruhanga

Catherine is a broadcast journalist working for the BBC as a Presenter and Correspondent. She has worked for the BBC for over a decade as a producer, field journalist based in Uganda, covering stories from East and Central Africa, to BBC African correspondent. Presently she is a News Presenter and Correspondent based in London.

Shirley McDonald

Shirley McDonald is a Consultant Trichologist with over 30 years experience. She adopts a holistic approach with attention given to lifestyle, diet, hair care and other factors that may contribute to the patient’s condition. Shirley deals in all hair types including those with Afro-textured hair at her London practice. She is a clinical tutor and a board director with responsibility for professional practice and ethics (Chair of Ethics) for The Institute of Trichologists (IoT).

Empowerment Series Nurturing Mind, Body, and Soul

A Journey Through Self-Care, Mental Health Awareness, and Holistic Wellbeing

1st Session

  • 17th February -  Serena Nwokoye ( founder of Detangled Hair, a one-stop shop for all your natural hair and skin needs.)

  • Starting Your Self-care Journey: Using Mindfulness practices to create a strong foundation in fostering self-awareness and empowerment.

2nd Session

  • 24th February - Amanda Townsend ( Mental Health and Wellness Educator and the founding director of Pharus Training, an organization that delivers online and in-person Mental Health First Aid training.)

  • The Mental Health Awareness Session: It aims to raise awareness around mental health

3rd Session

  • 2nd March - Angela Stewart (/Film hairstylist and Afro Hair Educator)

  • The Cornrows and Haircare Session (Introduction to hydration and moisture retention)

4th Session

  • 9th March - Angela Stewart (/Film hairstylist and Afro Hair Educator)

  • The Cornrows and Haircare Session (Creating and maintaining cornrows)

5th Session

  • 16th March - Paige Lewin & Cathering Byaruthanga (Panel Discussion).

6th Session

  • 23rd March - Abu Onuoha - Health & Wellbeing Coach and the founder of Ato Life

  • The Mindfulness Session: Using Mindfulness practices to create a strong foundation in fostering self-awareness and empowerment.

7th Session

  • 30th March - Angela Stewart (/Film hairstylist and Afro Hair Educator)

  • The Cornrows and Haircare Session (The Twist as a styling option)

8th Session

  • 6th April - Rachelle Ertlé - Therapist and spa director and the founder of Heal Studio

  • The Self-Massage For Wellness Session: Teaching self-massage to help maintain physical and mental health.

9th Session

  • 13th April - Angela Stewart (/Film hairstylist and Afro Hair Educator

  • The Cornrows and Haircare Session (Styling your hair in The Flat Twist - all you need to know)

10th Session

  • 20th April - Session facilitator TBC

  • Shirley McDonald (Consultant Trichologist)

  • The Food & Nutrition Session: How food can aid you in nurturing your hair and encourage growth.

11th Session

  • 27th April - Angela Stewart (/Film hairstylist and Afro Hair Educator)

  • The Cornrows and Haircare Session (Recap and Practice)

12th Session

  • The Photoshoot session with Tessa Lwanga founder of Photoetc

This Programme Is Funded & Supported By

Let's celebrate the power of authenticity, one strand at a time!