Yoga Gives Back - 10 years of Fundraising
As the tenth anniversary year of Breathing Space Yoga draws to a close, this blog post is a celebration of all of the students that have joined me in class over the past 10 years, and a celebration of some fantastic charities that we have supported in that time.
Every year since 2013 I have organised annual fundraising classes. It has been really important to me to be able to give back to important causes through the yoga that I love to teach. I carefully choose the charity that we support each year, you can read more about them below.
Over the ten years my fantastic students have generously raised over £5,100. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking part and to these amazing charities who do such essential work supporting people.
Here’s a little summary of each of the charities we’ve supported – please do follow their social media pages and share their stories, and of course if you have a few spare pennies maybe you can click ‘donate’ on one of their webpages.
2013 & 2014
For the first couple of years of Breathing Space Yoga fundraising was through my postnatal classes for mums and babies. We enjoyed Christmas parties and Summer Picnics. We raised £87 each for Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Ronald Macdonald House at Alder Hey Hospital. These charities were chosen as they supported babies and their families who had attended class.
Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK's leading charity supporting people with cystic fibrosis (CF) which is a genetic condition which causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system. It affects more than 10,800 people in the UK. One in 25 of us carries the faulty gene that causes it, usually without knowing. CFT are working towards a brighter future for everyone with cystic fibrosis (CF) by funding cutting-edge research, driving up standards of care and supporting people with the condition and their loved ones every step of the way. https://www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk/
Alder Hey House is the largest Ronald McDonald House in Europe, with 83 bedrooms, including 15 longer-stay apartmentsand supports over 2,000 families a year. Ronald McDonald House Alder Hey offers support and a safe place to stay for families at the toughest time in their life. We try to take the worry away from our families, so that they can concentrate on the well being of their child. https://rmhc.org.uk/our-houses/alder-hey-house/
We also raised £422 for The Brain Tumour Charity. A charity close to my heart as a very good friend was diagnosed with a Brain Tumour in 2012 at the age of 35. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet they receive less than 2% of funding for cancer research and survival times have improved little over the last 40 years. https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/
2015 & 2016
In 2015 & 16 I had added regular adult yoga classes and pregnancy yoga to my timetable as well as my postnatal classes. We raised £339 for Cheshire Search and Rescue – my husband volunteered for the team for a few years and as a volunteer organisation they make such a difference. The primary function of the team is to assist Cheshire Police with searches for vulnerable missing people. But the team also has capability for flood response, evidence searching and assisting other emergency services such as neighbouring Mountain and Lowland Rescue teams. . http://www.cheshire-sarteam.org/
2017
We raised £330 in 2017 for Mid Cheshire Foodbank – sadly such an essential service in these times.
Mid Cheshire Foodbank is run completely by volunteers, their distribution centres are operated from places kindly provided by local churches, community hubs and car park spaces for their mobile service from our vans. MCF provide five days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis. They are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. https://midcheshire.foodbank.org.uk/
2018
We raised another £370 in 2018 for the Brain Tumour Charity and £370 for Evie’s Gift, a small charity supporting families of critically ill children whilst they are in hospital.
Evie’s Gift was established by the parents of my husband’s cousin, Evie who sadly died of a Brain Tumour aged 13 in 2018. while hospitals treating critically ill children have accommodation on site for parents to stay whilst their child is receiving treatment, these facilities are also over-subscribed, meaning there isn’t room for everyone. Evies gift cover accommodation, travel and food costs to ensure parents are able to look after themselves whilst caring for their child. https://eviesgift.org.uk/
2019
In 2019 we raised £368 for the Arrhythmia Alliance and £368 for LQTS fund.
Arrhythmia Alliance supported a close friend of mine diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). This condition is a disease of the heart muscle, and people who have it are at a high risk of arrythmias, heart failure and sudden cardiac death, which can be brought on by activity that raises the heart rate. https://heartrhythmalliance.org/
LQTS is a local fund to provide defibrillators to schools. Set up by the family of Leilah who had a sudden cardiac arrest in her sleep when she was just three years old. Leilah’s mum and I met at a pregnancy yoga class and Leilah now lives with Long QT Syndrome which is a genetic heart condition that can cause serious irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias). https://www.facebook.com/LQTSFund/?locale=en_GB
2020
During the pandemic in 2020, we raised £438 for Theatre Porto (previously Action Transport Theatre) Pre-yoga teaching, I used to work for this amazing, professional theatre company creating work for by and with young people based in Cheshire. They now have their very own studio theatre in Ellesmere Port.
Established in 1986, the company has been making work for children, young people and the communities of Ellesmere Port for over 35 years. The company provide opportunities for local children and young people to work with them throughout the year through their free, inclusive engagement programme.
Theatre Porto’s professional work is made collaboratively with children, schools and other companies/artists touring locally, regionally and nationally. They are part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio. https://theatreporto.org/
2021
£487 was raised in 2021 for The Neuro Muscular Centre in Winsford. A wonderful local charity which I chose after the death of a past colleague from motor neurone disease.
The centre supports the physical and mental health of a wide range of people with neuromuscular conditions. They offer lots of practical support from physio treatment to advice, community groups, connections and training. Just as importantly the centre provides a community and support for their carers and family members. They are also home to NMC Design+Print, a bustling social enterprise offering creative graphic design and a range of professional printing services, all with an added serving of social value as some of their patients train and work in NMC Design+Print.
Many of the Centre's staff have a neuromuscular condition as well. All their work enables people to lead fulfilling and productive lives. https://www.nmcentre.com/
2022
In 2022 we raised £447 for the Alzheimers Society which I chose after the death of my aunt from dementia. Dementia is the biggest health and social challenge of our time. There are currently estimated to be 900,000 people in the UK with dementia. Many are undiagnosed and facing the realities of their condition alone. As a Society, and with the help of our supporters, we’re changing that.
With your help we can give vital support to those who need it most, hold decision-makers to account, and fund groundbreaking research to transform the future for everyone living with dementia. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
2023
In 2023 we added a summer fundraising as part of my anniversary year to support Sands – the baby loss charity. We raised £480. Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to support anyone affected by the death of a baby, before, during or shortly after birth, whenever this happened and for as long as they need support. Around 4,900 babies a year are lost before, during or shortly after birth. And an estimated 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. For more than 40 years, Sands has supported people affected by pregnancy and baby loss through its Freephone helpline, mobile app, online community and resources, and locally through a UK-wide network of around 100 regional support groups. https://www.sands.org.uk
Our usual Christmas Fundraising this year is for Macmillan Cancer Support and we have raised £549.10
Macmillan is here to do whatever it takes to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can. If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, we're here to help. We provide services for people living with cancer at every stage of their cancer experience. We are here to provide emotional, practical, physical, and financial support. We run public campaigns, build partnerships, and influence decision-makers on all cancer-related policies at UK-wide, national and local levels.
