Recently launched, The Healing Hive is a support space based in Liverpool with an aim to create a community of understanding for people with chronic illnesses, disabilities and neurodivergence.
With their first event successfully selling out, they have already proven demand for the cause, and offered support to those in Liverpool who may not have had it previously. As well as these events, the page has had an incredible social media growth, with the TikTok page having over 1,300 followers and continuing to grow.
To support the growth of such an important project, we caught up with the creators, Ellie and Tayla, to learn more about the project and how it can help people in Liverpool. We asked them questions people may like to know before attending events, a little about their experiences to raise awareness for what the community can provide, and to just to generally get to know the creators of such an important concept.
What was the idea for creating The Healing Hive, and how did it come about?
Ellie: The idea for The Healing Hive (more fondly we’ve nicknamed The Hive) came out of a place of loneliness. Both of us had suffered with such ill health and looked for a space in which we could share our struggles, and found there was nothing out there.
We both started our own TikTok pages to try and build a community amongst people with chronic illnesses, and that’s where we found each other. We both decided together we could make a space where chronically ill people could feel understood and supported, whilst also making events and activities more accessible.
Tayla: Starting a community for people in the same situation as me was something I knew I wanted to do for a long time, but trying to figure that out on my own felt really overwhelming. When I began sharing my experiences on TikTok, it became a space for me to process things, but I also realised how many others also needed a space where they could feel understood. That’s where I came across Ellie’s TikTok and her content instantly resonated. I knew I had to reach out. We met for a coffee, and straight away it was clear we shared the same vision. We just got each other.
Finally having someone who truly understood what I’d been experiencing made such a difference and it pushed me even more to really make The Healing Hive happen, because I knew how many others would benefit too. Ellie’s lived with this her whole life, and I’ve come into it more recently, so we balance each other out perfectly. We’ve had to figure things out in our own ways, and that means we’re able to connect with more people in different stages of their journey. We’ve both poured so much heart into this, and from day one, everything has just flowed so naturally.
Could you share a bit about your experiences as chronically ill young women, and how that has inspired this project?
Ellie: I have been ill my whole life, I was born with a condition called Spina Bifida. This is a condition where the spinal cord doesn’t fully fuse in utero. Although I am extremely lucky, the issues I face include a completely neuropathic bladder meaning I am completely self-catheterised, mobility issues with my lower joints and a neuropathic bowel. Throughout my life I’ve had 8 surgeries, and by the time this interview is released I will have just had my 9th.
I think one of the biggest issues I’ve faced, specifically as a chronically ill woman, is embarrassment and shame. So many parts of being chronically ill are seen as taboo, and I think that adds to the feeling of isolation that comes along with it. We want to make an inclusive space where no topic is off limits. A judgement-free zone!
Tayla: I became chronically unwell in March 2024. Looking back, I’d dealt with health issues here and there over the years that were manageable, but nothing that ever completely disrupted my life until last year. I went through a really intense and traumatic time, and it was like my body finally couldn’t keep pushing through anymore. Things that had been simmering under the surface came to life, and since then I’ve been navigating living with multiple chronic illnesses and disabilities. They affect my whole body, including my mobility, and earlier this year I was also diagnosed with autism and ADHD. It’s been a huge adjustment, and at times, completely overwhelming.
Before all this, I was someone who loved being out dancing, going to raves, playing rugby and studying law. That version of me feels a bit distant now, and I’m still figuring out who I am in the middle of all this change. But I know I haven’t lost the parts of me that matter most.
I’ve always been passionate about justice, about speaking up for others, and about making a difference in the world. I still dream of going back to University to finish my legal studies and one day becoming a Human Rights Lawyer. I never imagined this would be the path I’d end up on, but The Healing Hive has given me a purpose again. It’s become a space where I can channel all the things I care about into something that helps others feel less alone. I have always wanted to make the world a better place since a young age, I just didn’t know how, but The Healing Hive has been an incredible place to start.
How do you hope these events will help people who have been in the same position as you?
Ellie: As for the events, we both agreed that so many activities and holistic care are recommended to chronically ill people, however they are not always accessible. We want to bring events to people that they actually want and need, but in the most accessible way possible.
Tayla: One of the biggest parts of our shared dream has always been the support side of this community. Both of us live with the emotional, physical, and financial weight that comes with chronic illness and we understand just how heavy it can be. Our goal has always been to do whatever we can to help make that burden feel a little lighter for everyone walking this path.
We both want The Healing Hive to be a place people can turn to for real, honest support and guidance, and also somewhere to get through the confusion and isolation that often comes with being chronically ill and/or neurodivergent. We’re working towards creating regular support groups and accessible events, because we know how badly they’re needed
There’s still this idea that chronically ill/neurodivergent people don’t want to be part of everyday life, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We all want to be included. The reality is that most spaces just aren’t built with us in mind. Even when there are “adjustments”, they’re often not enough. That’s something we’re determined to change because everyone deserves to feel like they belong.
Who can come to the events?
Both: We originally started up as a community geared directly towards young adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities as that’s what we thought was missing. However the more we have connected with people, we have realised there are no spaces for chronic illnesses and disabilities, regardless of age. We are an adults only space, and therefore require people to be 18+ (although 16 and 17 year olds can attend with a responsible adult).
In addition to that, we are open to all people who resonate with the chronic illness, disabled, or neurodivergent community. You do not have to have a diagnosis to come, which is something we found really important. So many people struggle for so many years without a diagnosis, but that doesn’t make their experiences any less real, and it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be able to access support or a community.
What sort of events do you have planned in the future? What can people expect?
Ellie: For the future, the skies are the limit in terms of events. Personally, I’d love to expand into the space of quintessential “fun” events such as nights out, as they may not always be accessible and puts people off going out and enjoying themselves. I think there’s a common misconception that all chronically ill people want to live a slow life. Although this is true for some people, young people still want to have fun, but chronic illness and disability can be a massive barrier to this. We have so many more holistic events planned, social meet ups, and support groups all in the works. Watch this space!
Tayla: Yeah I 100% want to keep filling that gap of events that simply aren’t accessible. From the holistic events we have going on at the minute, to social events where we can host craft evenings, bingo, coffee clubs, and walk and talks. We just want to keep expanding and adding as many accessible event types as we can for our community.
Are there any other ways to get involved with the community aside from events?
Ellie: Our online community is a massive part of what we do. We currently have a page on every social media platform, one group chat on WhatsApp, and a community page on Facebook. We are hoping to start running support groups soon in which people can come and talk about their experiences, and hopefully help process them.
Tayla: I absolutely love our WhatsApp group! It has been an incredible way to connect with people authentically and allows the community to get more comfortable and make friends before events.
I think our upcoming support groups will be beneficial for all of us to get involved with that safe space and being able to finally open up. We are looking to start fundraisers soon too within the local community to keep expanding the charity, so that will be another avenue for us all to come together.
How did you feel when your first event sold out?
Ellie: I was actually at work when the first event sold out! I opened my phone to a million texts from Tayla and was absolutely ecstatic. We had both said we’d be overjoyed with 20 people there, so to have a 50 person sold event (with a waitlist!) felt surreal.
Tayla: I was honestly so emotional. One of our TikTok’s blew up and the community just kept growing from there. I kept updating Ellie constantly as I couldn’t believe it. Following our launch we thought maybe we could get 5 or 10 people in the local area, so to reach as many people as we did was incredible and we’re both so grateful to be able to keep building this space. I have needed it so much, so personally the community is healing me too.
Is there anything else you think people should know about you?
Ellie: I think just how healing this is for us at the same time for everyone else. At the end of the day, we’re just two normal girls from Liverpool. We had this idea with the hopes of reaching just a few people. It has completely exceeded our expectations and we’re forever grateful to be sharing this project and have such a supportive community behind us.
Tayla: I agree with Ellie in every aspect! I think a lot of people don’t know or see the “face behind a business”, but that’s not what this will be. We are just as part of the community as everyone else, just two young girls! We have both struggled so much and have been desperate to find something like this, and we couldn’t, so we just created it ourselves. It has been better than we even dreamed of. We have reached so many incredible, lovely people!
I’d just want people to know that I understand how daunting new places and new people can be. I have autism myself, but pushing myself out of my comfort zone and doing this is saving me so much. The sense of community and support from the people I have met through The Healing Hive is beautiful and we just want others to be able to experience that too. If anyone has any worries or anxieties, always feel free to reach out to me and Ellie personally and we will help you in any way we can!
You can follow The Healing Hive on all social media platforms linked below to follow the community and keep up to date with future events!
Instagram: @thehealinghive__
Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/2198494207258312/
