Sarees in Gledhow



It was a joy to return to Gledhow Valley Woods this summer for Saree in Gledhow, two gatherings that brought colour, heritage and movement into one of Leeds' most treasured green spaces. Led by dancer Devika Rao and supported by Balbir Singh Dance Company as part of our Creative Health work, the project engaged Hindu women doctors and hospital staff who spend their working lives caring for others and rarely get the chance to wear a saree. Here, they could wear it in a new and creative way: outdoors, in movement and surrounded by nature.


26-27
Credits
2026 to 2027


26 July: Colour on the Wind


Our first gathering, on Sunday 26 July, brought together doctors from the British Sanatan Doctors Forum and their families. Many of the sarees were South Indian and decades old, woven in soft cotton and bamboo, and against the green of the valley their colours came alive. Worn among the trees rather than saved for a formal occasion, each one found a new life.

A lively Leeds breeze soon joined in, catching the fabric and adding a choreography of its own. Devika guided the group through gentle movement, inviting everyone to notice the ground beneath their feet, the rustle of the leaves and the feel of the cloth in the wind. For many of the doctors it was their first visit to Gledhow Valley Woods, and they left having discovered a new green space on their doorstep.






14 August: Celebrating Hariyali Teej


On Friday 14 August we returned to celebrate Hariyali Teej, the monsoon festival of greenery and new growth. Devika was joined by Rosa, Julia and Suhani, emerging artists from Devika Dance Theatre, filling the valley with colour once again. Celebrating a festival so closely tied to nature in the middle of a Leeds woodland felt just right.

Both days fed directly into our Creative Health work with hospital staff, exploring how creativity, movement and a relationship with nature can support the wellbeing of those who care for us all. Seeing it come to life in the woods, in colour and on the wind, was a real highlight of our summer.








Dancer

Devika Rao Photographers

Balbir Singh