PHARMACY is an art form of sorts, and the dispensary is the stage on which pharmacists perform, so it is fitting that a British couple is opening a world first poetry pharmacy.
The Shropshire-based duo, Deborah Alma and her husband James Sheard, have bought an Edwardian pharmacy, and are currently running a Kickstarter (kickstarter.com) funding campaign to get their performance centre up and running before the end of 2019.
The move into pharmacy has been a natural progression for Deborah, who is also known as The Emergency Poet, after picking up an ambulance to travel to festivals and schools around the UK delivering "poetic first-aid".
The Lonely Planet reported the pharmacy will be decked out in traditional style with a section for each 'emotional ailment', while those looking for the poetic version of a medication review, will be able to access a private consultation room.
"The Poetry Pharmacy is a way for me to park up the ambulance and bring the therapeutic effects of poetry under one roof, with an emphasis on well-being and inclusivity," Deborah said.
"I have believed for a long time that poetry can do so much to match or alter a mood, to help in so many ways with good mental health."
With 14 days left on the couple's fundraising campaign, they have raised more than 20,000, and are less than 8,000 short of their target.
It's a fallacy that no words rhyme with pharmacy.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 17 May 19
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 17 May 19