The origins of “parlour” trace back to the medieval word parle, meaning “to speak” or engage in dialogue. In times of conflict, parle was a structured process of negotiation—a chance for opposing sides to meet, share words, and ideally prevent a skirmish or war. Over time, the concept evolved: parle inspired the term “parlour,” designating a special room within homes where people could visit, talk, play games, and foster a sense of community. These parlours were set aside for connecting with others, filled with warmth and purpose, yet reserved for meaningful gatherings rather than everyday use.
In modern times, parlours have mostly faded from households. Instead, we have functional living rooms designed for daily use, while the once-sacred space for meaningful face-to-face connection has largely disappeared. During the Covid pandemic, when isolation and disconnection became all too common, we launched The Parlour Project as a way to revive that sense of community in a digital age. The Parlour Project brought people together online, rekindling a sense of connection when it was needed most. Our vision was to help people thrive by reducing isolation and encouraging genuine dialogue—even from afar.
As the world has reopened, so too has our project, evolving from a virtual gathering place into a real-world community. Today, The Parlour Project continues to bring people together by offering resources for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. We provide fitness programs for body care, meditation and energy work for soul searching, and food programs for nutrition and shared cooking. Our community events bring people face-to-face, giving everyone a chance to reconnect with one another and with the world around us.
The Parlour Project isn’t just about reliving the past; it’s about fostering meaningful connections today. We believe that human connection is vital to well-being, and we’re dedicated to creating spaces where people can gather, learn, and grow—where everyone is welcome to speak, to listen, and to be heard. Together, we’re rekindling the spirit of the parlour for a modern age, helping our community connect deeply with each other and with the world we share.
GATHER • COLLABORATE • CONNECT
VISION
Our vision is to inspire people to gather and collaborate in each of our communities to bring well-being and happiness to all.
MISSION
The Parlour Project is a non-profit initiative supported by volunteers dedicated to bringing people together in the community. Our mission is to inspire uplifting experiences for all, we strive to create and share opportunities to grow and foster connection.
PURPOSE
People experience sadness, moments of isolation, and depression daily and some don’t even recognize it. Isolation and loneliness are central causes of depression and despair, 1 in 2 people feel alone and need connection. Our purpose is to bring joy to individuals through the community to heal and inspire positivity in the daily lives of people. We offer opportunities to gather, collaborate and connect in kind.
WELCOME
We are so excited to welcome you to the Parlour Project! We strive to create connections with family, friends and neighbours. An early origin of parlour is derived from the french language and simply means “to speak”. We believe that as we travel together in this busy world , for many, social media is dominating our input and often our output as well.
Communication now, more than ever, is a skill that requires practice to positively serve as an integral part of our well-being. Sharing our vision of the Parlour Project with you as a place of gathering, creating connection and collaboration is only the beginning. By joining together to unite a sense of community and extending our ideas and support to one another, we know that the Parlour Project will grow and ultimately be shaped by each and every visitor starting with YOU!
