Dancer and Strictly Come Dancing personality Shirley Ballas, an avid fan of Hotpod Yoga, is to co-host a special live online yoga class for CALM – a suicide prevention charity that offers invaluable mental health support and services.
Hotpod Yoga, the UK’s biggest yoga business, has established an ongoing partnership with mental health charity CALM, which launches on ‘Blue Monday‘ Monday 20th January – via a special, live online class, that will be co-hosted by CALM ambassador and Hotpod Yoga customer, Shirley Ballas – a hugely popular dancer and TV personality, renowned for her role as Head Judge on the BBC’s TV sensation, Strictly Come Dancing.
The class, which takes place from 5.30-6.30pm on Monday, will be co-hosted by Hotpod Yoga founder and Head of Teaching Nick Higgins, and will raise funds for CALM – who provide life-saving services, information and advice to those struggling with life, helping them to navigate the issues that can make us feel miserable. To participate in the online class, people will be asked for a donation of whatever they can afford to give, with 100% of the proceeds going to CALM.
Ballas is a longstanding supporter of the practice and has spoken openly about the role that Hotpod Yoga plays in her overall health and wellbeing, including supporting her own mental health.
Shirley Ballas:
“I’ve been going to Hotpod Yoga classes for many years now and have found the practice to be highly beneficial to my own personal health and wellbeing, with any stress and anxiety slipping away in the warm environment of the pod.
“This makes their partnership with CALM, for whom I’m also an ambassador, an incredibly natural and powerful fit, and one that I’m delighted to support. I’m looking forward to joining the Hotpod team and to hosting as many people as possible in this special online class, whilst raising some much-needed funds for the charity. Let’s turn Blue Monday into something positive for those suffering with their mental health!”
Blue Monday is often known as being the most depressing day of the year. As well as using the date to highlight the importance of looking after our mental health and to shine a light on the brilliant work carried out by CALM, Hotpod Yoga’s own research also illustrates the impact of establishing positive habits at the beginning of each week.
Of all the weekdays, people most stick to a Monday class booking – Saturday is the lowest -with most Hotpod Yoga memberships and class passes also purchased on a Monday. Of all the weekdays, Monday classes also have the highest average customer attendance.
Nick Higgins, co-Founder and Head of Teaching at Hotpod Yoga:
“We’re so delighted to partner with CALM to help raise awareness and funds to support the incredible work that the charity delivers, and we’re very grateful to Shirley Ballas for joining us to co-host this very special online Hotpod Yoga class to shine a light on the partnership and to encourage as many people as possible to sign up and donate.
“Not only does Blue Monday give us a timely opportunity to talk about the importance of looking after our mental health, but it also provides a platform that encourages the establishing of regular, positive habits that can support our mental, and physical, wellbeing.”
Turning up the dial on a typical yoga class and deepening the effect, the benefits of hot yoga are varied and many, building mental and physical strength, and cementing positive habits for life. It can be unique for every individual, with key benefits including building mental and physical resilience, reducing stress, and supporting better sleep.
Customers can register to join the class, which will be live streamed online, HERE. The Hotpod Yoga x CALM online class hosted by Shirley Ballas and Nick Higgins takes place at 5.30pm on Monday 20th January. For more information and to register, please visit hotpodyoga.com/we-fix-mondays/.
