Big Lottery funding!

Hackney Yoga Project is delighted to announce we have funding from Big Lottery's 'Awards for All' grant scheme.  The funding will cover all costs for the first quarter of 2013 and we look forward to working with Big Lottery very much. 

Want to volunteer

Just a typically Tuesday morning at the office

We are looking for a volunteer to help out at Hackney Yoga Project on Tuesdays, at Hackney City Farm, 9am-1:30pm. 

Interested? Drop us a line to hackneyyogaproject at gmail dot com with 'Volunteer' as the subject. 

We're looking for friendly, w

elcoming, organised, practical people who think on their feet and aren't easily fazed. Experience working with the refugee/asylum-seeking community (or vulnerable people) a bonus, though not essential. Minimum commitment of six Tuesdays. 

Travel paid and training provided.

Tamsin's Pedal to Paris!

Where's my cheese?

Early this morning our very own English teacher, Tamsin Robertson, set off on a 150 mile cycle to Paris to raise funds for Hackney Yoga Project.

Setting off from Brighton, she cycled to Newhaven and onto a ferry to Dieppe and will be tackling a further 30 miles this evening before resting.

Fuelled by wheels of brie, she'll be clocking up another 75 miles on Friday, as she pedals towards the Eiffel Tower. Aiming to arrive in Paris mid-day Saturday, Tamsin will face a final 50 mile early morning cycle – wish her luck!

To donate to Tamsin's Pedal to Paris challenge: click the secure PayPal ‘Donate’ button (top right of this blog).  100% of donations go directly towards making yoga accessible to survivors of human rights abuse and torture.

Keep up to date with Tamsin’s challenge by following HackneyYoga Project on Twitter and liking our Facebook page.

Tamsin is also joined by four other intrepid cyclists, in memory of a great friend Paulo Brr, raising money for the PauloMemorial Fund.

At last... how you can get involved!

When did you last arrange a pin the tail on the donkey competition?

Whether you’re short on time, a Yoga teacher or have decades you’d like to devote to getting involved with us, we would love your fundraising help!

Get your copy of Hackney Yoga Project’s How you can join in... 

This new publication is packed with fundraising ideas, from hosting an 80s dance-off to a ‘guess the baby’ competition. 

Of course if you have a fundraising idea you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear it – the door’s always open.

We’re a very small organisation and currently don't have any volunteering opportunities. However, if any opportunities do come up we’ll be sure to update this Blog and our Twitter.

Learning is easier when you're relaxed

Raising aspirations: one-to-one learning advice

On May 22nd an adviser from Hackney’s not-for-profit education service provider The Learning Trust held a series of fantastic one-to-one advice sessions about learning options and courses for the refugee and asylum-seeking women at Hackney Yoga Project.  The sessions were held in Hackney City Farm’s ‘magic hut’ – a wooden hut painted in bright colours at the end of the farmyard, with splashing ducks and chickens visible from the window.

“The women seemed to enjoy the sessions greatly,” said Khadijah Amani, Community ESOL Advice Co-ordinator at The Learning Trust.  “Thank you for a wonderful afternoon. I don’t think I can ever venture into the area again without dropping in to Hackney City Farm. You’re doing a very impressive job and long may it continue.”

“We are now following-up the advice given and helping the women enroll on literacy, numeracy, IT and fashion design courses amongst others,” said Tamsin Robertson, the project’s English teacher.  “This is a great step forward for many at the project who are keen to learn new skills but haven’t previously been able to access this information.”

Hackney Yoga Project is delighted to be working with The Learning Trust.  The concept of Yoga, lunch and English is simple but effective: learning is easier when you’re relaxed.  It’s also a good example of Yoga off the mat – which is what it’s all about...

Vodafone funds make a world of difference

Vodafone Foundation, thank you.  We salute you.

We’re delighted to announce that our English teacher Tamsin Robertson has won funding from the Vodafone Foundation's World of Difference UK programme to work at Hackney Yoga Project until the end of July. 

Tamsin has been developing a curriculum for our English support classes, which run after yoga and lunch.  She has also been conducting research into services we can signpost to, and helping to create learning and training routes for the refugee and asylum-seeking women attendees.

“The impact of being able to speak, read and write in the language of the community you live in cannot be underestimated,” says Tamsin.  “Fluency in English is a gateway for the women, and hugely empowering.  

“The Hackney Yoga Project model is unique in that English class follows yoga and lunch so the women are relaxed and receptive.  We also use the theme of the yoga class in English support to deepen the women’s understanding of how yoga whilst improving their English vocab and other skills.”

Some of the women attending Hackney Yoga Project are highly educated and accomplished in their first language.  Others are illiterate due to little or no education in their countries of origin – simply for the reason that they are women, and therefore not entitled.

And whilst there are many English classes in London, strict eligibility requirements apply for funded places, and many are male dominated and crowded (think 30 in a class).  

Hackney Yoga Project's English support classes are small, women only, and are targeted at strengthening the students’ language weak spots to help them integration into the community in which they now live.

Read Tamsin's blog.


Read all about the brilliant Hackney City Farm, the home of Hackney Yoga Project.

International Women’s Day at Hackney City Farm, March 6th

Spring is in the air, the blossom's out, and our door's open... 

This Tuesday, 6th March, we’d love you to join us as we celebrate women, men, donkeys, vegetables, trees, et al. for International Women’s Day.

Hackney Yoga Project is opening our doors to the local community.  The line-up includes yoga, a textile-printing challenge, and delicious afternoon tea with cake with reggae.

Yoga (women only).  The rest of the day, men, children and all are welcome.

As spaces are limited for yoga, please let Emily know in advance if you’d like to come along (hackneyyogaproject at gmail.com / 07964 551 090).  Beginners welcome.

Line-up, at Hackney City Farm, the best farm in the whole world

• Yoga with spring in its step, 10 -12, in the strawbale building
• Lunch, 12-1, Caffe-In, just across the road from the farm (with the Hackney Yoga Project crew) or at the farm’s very own Frizzante Cafe.  Delicious, either way.
• Textile challenge with reggae, with Songololo Feet on the Mat

In a three hour challenge, from 1-3, we’ll be making ‘patchwork print’ curtains for the strawbale room, including a well-earned International Women’s Day extremely delicious afternoon tea, and reggae.

Thank you to everyone helping Hackney Yoga Project's story get stronger. In a nutshell...