Mindful movement can be transformative and our work makes a real difference to the people we support. Discover what our classes mean to people through reading our feedback, case histories and reports.
David, a former PE teacher, met Brighton Yoga Foundation* teacher Louise Windsor whilst he was living at the Turning Tides homeless charity in Worthing.
As well as being a career PE teacher, I have played many competitive sports in my life… In my earlier life, I never thought I would ever do yoga. But then again, I never thought I would become an alcohol addict, either.
Whilst at Turning Tides, I was allowed to try free yoga classes organised by BYF. There I met with Louise, who led the classes so well that I began to see that yoga is not simply a way of exercising. I began to feel drawn into the practices in a new way. The yoga classes awoke something in me. What that something was, I am still to this day finding out.
Finding yoga has been a life-changing event… I feel fitter than I have felt for many years now, but it’s a fitness of a different kind. I’ve found that the holistic nature of yoga has gone way beyond my understanding of ‘being fit’. For example, I am constantly finding out what physical limitations I have (like my wobbly balances) and embracing them. Now I can accept my limitations and even laugh at them, to laugh with them, you might say, as they are part of who I am.
Yoga is now part of my everyday life. After the classes with Louise, I joined the excellent Hotpod Yoga in Worthing.
My recovery journey continues. It is not a walk in the park, and there is no finish line. I will always be an addict. But I have yoga and the yoga community. The yoga community I now feel part of has accepted me for who I am today and who I hope to be tomorrow. This new, amazingly wonderful path began in my classes with Louise.
*Brighton Yoga Foundation merged with the Brighton Natural Health Foundation in 2024
I discovered this class through Fibro Flyers during lockdown and haven’t missed a week since. I’d never tried yoga before, and I was worried it might be too much—but it’s gentle, focused on small movements that make a big difference. I don’t have to leave the house, which helps conserve my energy, and because it’s live, it gives me the motivation to show up and feel part of something.
In winter, when my health really dips, yoga gives me more than just movement—it lifts my mood and helps with my mental health. I need fewer osteopath visits now, and it’s one of the few things that truly helps with stiffness and fatigue.
What’s surprised me most is the sense of inclusion. It’s the one time each week I feel part of something regular and supportive. That feeling of community, even online, really matters—especially when living with a long-term condition like fibromyalgia.
I’m so glad I listened when someone encouraged me to try it. If you’re unsure, just do one class. You might find, like I did, that it becomes something you really look forward to each week.”
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.
