Yorkshire Yoga has won the
2009 BBC Power of Sport Award, supported by Sport England, for
Yorkshire.
Yorkshire Yoga, a registered charity from
Knaresborough, was set up to increase the number of local people
taking part in yoga. It has a particular focus engaging women,
people with disabilities, the over 45’s and those on low
incomes.
By breaking down the barriers which often prevent people from
taking part in sport, the project has contributed to the
regeneration of an area that has suffered from vandalism and crime.
The project has therefore developed beyond just being an exercise
class and is now a way for young people of all abilities and
backgrounds to be educated and empowered.
As an approved centre for the national
governing body, Yorkshire Yoga hosts a wide range of teacher
training modules developed by the British Wheel of Yoga. One of
those is ‘Yoga for living with cancer’ - a training scheme aimed
specifically at teaching yoga to people with long standing
illnesses. They hope to widen yoga participation across the
country.
In addition to the all-inclusive general classes, Yorkshire Yoga
has established the following specialist classes which are free of
charge for those working fewer than 17 hours a week:
- Gentle Yoga for People with Physical Disabilities
- Yoga for Teens (Wii Fit Yoga Balance Challenge)
- Yoga for Teens with Learning Disabilities (same Wii Fit Balance
Challenge)
- Yoga for Lone Parents and Toddlers
- Yoga for Adults with Learning Disabilities
- Able & Enabled Yoga for wheelchair users
- Yoga for Carers.
The number of active members with disabilities
has increased by 85% in the space of one year. Most of the new
members live in deprived areas and the project now delivers its
services to special schools, day centres and residential
centres.
The long term plans for the Yorkshire Yoga
project are to continue developing specialised programmes with
further pilot studies. Laura Bissell, founder and chairman, also
plans to do further research trials with the University of York
Trials Unit, so that they can provide documentary evidence of the
benefits Yoga brings to students with specific needs.
Julia Ellison, a wheelchair user and dedicated
yoga student, has been attending Yorkshire Yoga’s Able and Enabled
classes for almost six years. The yoga centre has a hoist to
lift wheelchair users from their wheelchair onto the floor,
enabling them to take part in the exercises.
Julia said:
“Being on the floor to do exercises is
wonderful. You can stretch and exercise, with assistance,
parts of the body that otherwise would not get exercised. Some of
the helpers, along with Laura, are specially-trained in handling
disabled people in the correct way. It is their smiling friendly
faces that make a disabled person feel valued and respected.
This, along with the healthy exercise, can help with overall
‘well-being’ and help lift depression.”
For more information about this project,
visit their
website