A new community interest company has opened in Hasland, aimed at improving access to heath and wellbeing for people in the area.
Kula is seeking to make yoga and mindfulness within reach to more people in Chesterfield. Co-founders and local couple, Bronwyn and Kevin both found benefit in yoga and mindfulness and are excited to share it with more people. The pair want the rewards of yoga to be available to all, regardless of experience, background or income.
Bronwyn explains: “We moved to Chesterfield in 2019, just before lockdown. Those two years were hard not knowing anyone, and as we’ve gotten to know more people, we’ve heard the same story repeating itself. People saying they want to meet others and saying they want to look after themselves better.”
Bronwyn and Kevin have a track record of delivering for the community. Kula is a for-impact organisation, acting in the interests of the people it serves. Profits are reinvested into the community, helping to subsidise classes for those who need it. Every class you pay for at Kula does two things. It helps fund subsidised passes, and it helps teachers hold regular ‘pay-what-you-can’ classes for all.
“We have tiered pricing” Kevin explains, “not everyone is in the economic position to pay for classes. Our Oak passes are the true price of classes at Kula, but we also have Elm passes. Elm passes are our effort to make access to classes within reach.”
Depending on your financial situation, you choose the right pricing for you. And if you can’t commit to a membership, you can drop in to classes or attend their ‘Karma Classes’ that are pay-what-you-can, between £2 – £10. As Kula establishes, they’re hoping to be able to offer more Karma classes on their timetable.
Kula’s mission has clearly resonated. They received an overwhelming level of support from the people of Chesterfield in their recent Crowdfunder. In just 5 weeks, Kula’s fundraiser surpassed their initial target of £1,500 and has raised £1,740 to date.
The financial support from residents has made the space even more warm and welcoming, and has funded the tools necessary to start helping the people of Chesterfield. The space is now stocked with yoga chairs and other specialist equipment that will enable even more people to take advantage of all Kula has to offer. Even though the official Crowdfunder is finished, they’re still accepting donations.
Kula are hosting an open weekend 22–24 September, where you can try a class for £5. These taster classes will be shorter than usual, at 45-minutes, allowing time to meet and chat to the team. Or, for those not sure about yoga, people are able to pop in to meet the team and ask any questions. There’ll be herbal teas, freshly brewed coffee and homemade cake to share. As space is limited, advance booking is required for these classes onto classes.
The venue will also be hosting plenty more opportunities to get involved, with a variety of classes and workshops coming up. If you’re new (or returning) to yoga, their 6-week Introduction to Yoga course is a great place to start. You’ll get an overview of the core poses and how to get the most from them. This will be running on Tuesday evenings at 8pm, starting October 3rd.
And it’s not just yoga & mindfulness, Kula is planning various events, like film nights, food nights, wellbeing workshops and more to help in bringing the community together. Find out more about Kula on their website.
Looking for a great location and quality of life for you and your family? look no further than Chesterfield! Find out more about the benefits of living in the area here.
