I’ve been doing yoga with Sarah for about seven years, following her through four different spaces. I first found out about the (BNHF) project when I was homeless and living in emergency accommodation. I think it was my St Mungo’s support worker who told me about it.
Back then, yoga was everything—it was the only thing that resembled a normal life. I was in a really difficult place, and going to a class made me feel like a person again. I even went to a choir. When you’re in that kind of housing, everything is destabilising. Yoga helped me stay grounded. Sometimes I went every day, just to keep sane.
I’ve been diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder and ADHD, so finding emotional balance is essential. Now I also have psoriatic arthritis, which affects my joints. Yoga helps me manage the pain, stay mobile, and reduce stress—because stress makes everything worse.
Even now, with a flat of my own, yoga is still my calm. It softens me, resets me, and gives me strength. I’ve been practising for 16 years. I’m on benefits, so being able to access community yoga means everything. I didn’t just discover yoga—it’s what’s got me through.
