At UOK Brighton & Hove, we work with a wide range of trusted local partners to make mental health and wellbeing support more accessible. There is lots of amazing work happening in the city out of the partnership that we want to highlight using our platform. One such organisation is Brighton Natural Health Foundation (BNHF), who are helping ensure that mindful movement is available to people who might otherwise face barriers to taking part.
Brighton Natural Health Foundation provides free and low-cost mindful movement classes for people experiencing health inequalities. Their offer includes yoga, qigong and Pilates, delivered by kind, inclusive and trauma-sensitive teachers. These classes take place in familiar, local settings, making them easier to access and more welcoming for the communities they serve.
Mindful movement is an evidence-based, low-cost way of supporting mental and physical wellbeing. Research shows it can help reduce anxiety, lift mood, lower blood pressure and improve a range of health conditions. However, for many people, classes are often too expensive, too far away, or not designed with their needs in mind. BNHF works to remove these barriers by offering classes that people genuinely want and need.
The impact of this work is clear from participant feedback. One person shared:
“It softens me, resets me, and gives me strength. 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.”
Alongside their classes, Brighton Natural Health Foundation also delivers Mindful Movement Train-the-Trainer courses, enabling professionals and community members to lead sessions themselves. This approach helps spread the benefits of mindfulness more widely, supporting mental health and reducing stress across communities.
UOK Brighton & Hove Partnership Lead Brooke Joyce said:
“The impact you’ve described is really powerful, especially the feedback, and it’s great to hear how closely you’re already working with social prescribers, GPs, and the wider VCSE sector.”
If you’d like to find out more about Brighton Natural Health Foundation’s classes, you can view their timetable online. To commission classes for your service, contact tammymccann@bnhf.org.
For more information about the Train-the-Trainer course, visit their website or email samhart@bnhf.org.
