It’s a sunny afternoon in east Brighton and people are arriving for their weekly mindful movement session at a local community centre. It’s a lively affair. People come with mobility scooters, dogs and good humour. They chat loudly about aches and pains, grandchildren, the government and neighbours as they settle into the circle of chairs.
It’s a different atmosphere to the hushed, high-end studios just a mile away in the city centre where people in slim designer leggings slip quietly onto their mats and wait for the class to start.
Thanks to a burgeoning number of such yoga and wellness studios over the past decade or so, the city is well-served for people seeking holistic wellbeing and mindful movement. But this quiet revolution has unintentionally left behind sections of the community that could arguably benefit the most.
Health inequalities are stark and troubling in our city with men in the most deprived areas dying nine years younger than those in more affluent areas. Conditions like heart disease, hypertension, COPD, chronic pain, anxiety and depression place a heavy burden on communities.
Research shows that mindful movement such as yoga, Pilates and qigong benefits all these conditions yet is often inaccessible to those who need it most. Most studios are an expensive bus ride away from where people live and the cost can make regular attendance impossible. People also worry that they won’t fit in, aren’t bendy enough and don’t have the “right” body type or clothing.
At the Brighton Natural Health Foundation, we work with communities to provide the classes they want and need. We offer free and accessible mindful movement sessions to people who would otherwise be unable to access them, helping them live happier healthier lives.
Back in East Brighton, project manager and teacher Tammy creates a space where everyone feels they belong. This could be anything from offering a warm welcome, routinely offering chairs, offering a range of options, using invitational, inclusive language or simply providing an opportunity to chat at the end. Participants tell us they can “be themselves” and “not feel judged.”
And the results are life-changing. One woman - a carer for her disabled son told us that a community class gave her much needed time to reset and take time for herself: "I can only really leave my son for an hour so I can't travel far and don't have much money. Finding somewhere so local has been a life-saver."
For others, it has helped them regain a sense of self after trauma: “I was in a really difficult place, and going to a class made me feel like a person again.”
For many, the sense of practising together is just as important as the physical postures and classes often become informal support networks, fostering a sense of belonging for people who may be isolated, excluded, or unseen elsewhere in their lives. “It’s the one time each week I feel part of something regular and supportive. That feeling of community….it really matters.”
