Welcome to Brighton People, a series from We Love Brighton celebrating the brilliant individuals, organisations and businesses that make our city shine. Meet Katie Nicholson Of Neighbourhuud.
What is Neighbourhuud for anyone who doesn’t know?
Neighbourhuud is a wellness centre in Hove, offering a membership for people who want to grow, and a community to grow with! It’s a place to recharge, find purpose and truly thrive with good company.
Our wellness sessions are designed to bring more joy into everyday life. You’ll find Tantric Breathwork, Yoga Nidra, Tantra for Women, Sensual Dance and many other nourishing practices which invite you back into your beautiful body. Instead of rushing out after a session, we put the kettle on! It’s not for the anonymous. It’s for people who want to drop the mask and be themselves with real friends.
During our coworking hours, we cultivate a gentle yet productive vibe, supporting each other to build our dreams. But rest assured, naps are welcome! We also gather at the full moon each month to celebrate life, connect, and remember the magic of being in community.
Many who first come to hire the venue for workshops end up staying, because something here feels like home. Everyone who walks through the door becomes part of co-creating one of the most cosy, loved spaces in Brighton and Hove, a place where community isn’t just spoken about, but lived.
We’d love to have you!
Who are you and what is your connection to Brighton?
I’m Katie Nicholson, and I’ve helped hundreds of women to trust their bodies, feel confident and experience more pleasure by remembering how powerful our wombs are. Through ancient tantric techniques, we cultivate sensuality, creativity, and purposeful aliveness.
My women’s work began in 2019 and it’s steadily grown into the Birthing Woman project. I offer Women’s Empowerment Mentoring and group sessions specialising in Birth, Sexuality and Menstruality.
Finding this empowerment has been a wild ride. I’ve travelled from the foothills of the Himalayas to learn classical tantra, to the jungles of Iquitos to apprentice as an Ayahuascero, to home soil where I continue to learn birthkeeping with two of the most powerful women I know, Kate Woods and Uma Dinsmore-Tuli!
On this journey, I’ve learnt something unexpected…
Yes, the spiritual practices at the retreat centres were healing. But sometimes, the most healing part was meeting people who got me… people who saw what I was going through, how strong I am, and how inspiring it is that I’ve used the challenges I’ve faced to fuel my fire and find purpose in sharing what I’ve learnt with my community.
So, I moved to Brighton in 2022 hoping to find people I could relate to. I made wonderful friends! But, it was difficult to form a consistent community without a place to gather. Then came the whirlwind…
How did Neighbourhuud come about?
Whilst researching tantra and female sexuality during my MSc Psychology at Sussex, my attention was drawn elsewhere… A rather good-looking gentleman was moving into my building and I offered to carry some boxes to his room… we’ve been together ever since!
Being born and bred in Brighton, Jacques based his company, Manhuud, here. The unit next to his came up for rent and he jumped at the opportunity just in case he wanted to expand…
I suggested that in the meantime, I could create an epic events space so I wouldn’t feel so lonely and scattered trying to run around Brighton teaching tantra.
So, we co-founded Neighbourhuud in February 2024! Jacques took the lead on building the space and I focused on gathering people to enjoy it.
After much trial and error and listening to what the people of Brighton actually wanted, I realised that most people (including myself) care less about working out or spirituality, and more about connection. Now, we’ve landed on something which feels extraordinary (and Manhuud has expanded elsewhere).
What have you been up to and what do you have coming up?
Neighbourhuud is now Brighton and Hove’s only co-created community wellness centre offering social events, coworking, space-hire and deep dives into the tried and tested lineages of Tantra, Daoism, and Birthwork such as Tai Chi, Tantra Yoga, and Qi Gong Teacher Training.
It’s a place where we can explore and optimise our human experience by embracing the challenges of the modern world with the support of ancient tools and each other!
We launched our new membership on September 1 2025. Our Full Moon Gatherings have been the highlight with people bringing homemade food, musical instruments, and amusing activities (small talk is actively avoided)!
I’ve recently added Tantra for Women to our weekly schedule. It’s all about reclaiming the power of our pleasure… the funnest type of feminism! And in January 2026, we’ll begin Pregnancy and Postnatal Yoga where we’ll give ourselves the rest and nourishment we all deserve as we explore the intuitive intelligence of women’s bodies.
What do you love about Brighton and/or Hove?
I love that I get to be me in Brighton… and a slightly posher version of me in Hove! We seem to magnetise people with a shared vision for a more loving and creative life. It’s a place where our unique gifts can thrive because we are celebrated for daring to follow our hearts.
anything else you’d like to share?
If you’d like to join our community (which you should if you want to feel better every day!) check out our membership here!
Instagram: @neighbourhuud @birthingwoman
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