Heather Large talks to a yoga instructor who says the ancient art is more than poses and has the ability to connect communities and aid wellbeing.
For Jenna Blair, there is more to yoga than what takes place on the mat.
She believes the ancient form of gentle exercise has the power to connect people and communities.
Through yoga, Jenna is bringing people together in a bid to reduce isolation and improve physical and mental wellbeing.
Last year, she was awarded lottery funding to provide more than 600 people with access to yoga classes and wellbeing workshops, including sessions for people living with cancer, people living with dementia and carers.
Now she is spearheading a new project called Create & Connect and will work with a team of local creatives and fellow yoga teachers, to offer introductions to journalling, painting, crafting, sound therapy, as well as yoga sessions.
“When we think of yoga we think of what we do on the yoga mat like Downward-Facing Dog but the word yoga loosely translates as ‘connection’.
“Through this work we will be taking yoga off the mat and connecting with the community,” explains Jenna, who has a studio in Belle Vue, Shrewsbury.
The project, which combines creativity and wellbeing, has been awarded a £22,000 grant by Arts Council England (ACE).
“I am hugely passionate about the power that both creative practices and yoga can have on our lives – the two are so connected and help us to find opportunities for self-expression, relaxation and mindfulness, as well as being invaluable in supporting our wellbeing,” says Jenna.
“The scale of the funding means we’ll be able to offer a breadth of enriching creative experiences that support people’s wellbeing, as well as helping to develop new skills.
“Through this generous funding, we’ll be able to reach more people than we’ve been able to reach before, specifically for those most in need or who wouldn’t ordinarily have access, thanks to Arts Council England.”
The funded workshops will take place at Jenna Blair Yoga in Belle Vue Road and will also be offered in other venues in communities across Shropshire.
Jenna’s team will also be working with charities including Shropshire Mind as well as Headway, a charity supporting people living with brain injuries.
They are hoping to reach people who would otherwise not have access to such activities.
These include refugees, people experiencing physical and mental health challenges, as well as many other groups of people such as young carers and those experiencing homelessness.
Jenna’s love of yoga, which has been proven to increase strength, flexibility and balance and can be beneficial for people with aches and pains, depression and stress, began in 2017.
She qualified as a yoga teacher in 2019 and launched her business in 2021 when she left her job in the property sector.
Jenna has also been awarded funding of £1,780 from the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund to enable those impacted by cancer in our community to access free yoga and Tai-Chi.
Having run these kinds of sessions before, Jenna says they can be a huge benefit to people, in more than just a physical way.
“Some of the sessions we have previously offered have been specifically for people living with cancer, gentle yoga and Tai Chi classes that focussed on mindful movement, breath work, finding stillness and peace, and also offered a sense of community.
“What really struck me was that cancer wasn’t spoken about but there was a real understanding that people had a shared experience.
“I’m often asked about cancer-specific sessions, people feel comfortable knowing others understand.
“It can be a little daunting trying something new but I would encourage people to give it a go – the team likes to have a conversation before any class to help build the confidence of those attending,” she explains.
Lingen Davies have funded 24 sessions in Shrewsbury to begin with, with a view to rolling them out further across the region.
Combining gentle yoga and Tai Chi, they will be open to everyone impacted by cancer.
The funding has been agreed through the Lingen Davies’ small grants applications process – available for anyone looking to run services and support to benefit those impacted by cancer.
Jenna’s studio currently offers a full programme including 23 classes a week for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, including specific children and mums and baby classes, chair yoga and specialist yoga workshops.
“You can see the transformation in people even after just 45 minutes of yoga,” she says.
“Even if that’s the only tiny slice of peace and calm in their lives, it’s fantastic to see.
“We don’t make people do anything they don’t want to. We’re here to guide but it’s down to the individual to do what feels right and rest when it’s called for – it’s gentle, inclusive, and kind.
“We offer variations on moves, we can accommodate those who might just want to do yoga from a chair and we encourage people to listen to their body.
“Yoga can provide little sparkles of peace, it has an amazing array of physical benefits and can improve bone density, muscle strength, circulation, lung capacity, mobility, flexibility, balance, and functional movement.
“And on top of that yoga has enormous holistic benefits, it’s good for the body, the mind and the soul.”
The full programme of Create & Connect activities can be found on www.jennablairyoga.com and across Jenna Blair Yoga’s social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram.
For more information about the Lingen Davies-funded sessions, call 07812 596609 or email enquiries@Jennablairyoga.co.uk
