St Annes yoga group raising funds for Marie Curie

Inspired by her friend Marie Smith, Kayleigh Cooper – who runs Yoga For Everyone classes at Highfield Leadership Academy in South Shore and other locations across the Fylde coast – is raising money for charity Marie Curie.

She is selling the charity’s daffodil pins and donating 10 per cent of the money from all her classes throughout March.

Her friend Marie, of Marton, is a regular at the class and a Marie Curie supporter. Around 40 to 70 people attend the classes each week.

Kayleigh felt inspired to help the charity after hearing how Marie Curie had helped Marie’s mum Christine, with support following her diagnosis with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD).

Kayleigh said: “My classes are about relaxing, easy-going movement, with an emphasis on feeling good and at peace.

“I try to make the yoga as accessible as possible and by donating a portion of everyone’s payments to charity, it means that the good energy we create during our sessions can go further, helping others in some way.”

Marie said: “I think what Kayleigh is doing to help raise money for Marie Curie through yoga is such a fantastic thing. “For anyone caring for a terminally ill loved one – like I did with my Mum – I cannot recommend yoga enough.

“It really helped me through the difficult days, allowing myself just one hour a week to de-stress and focus on myself.”

Lucy Styles, Marie Curie community fundraiser for Blackpool, said: “We can’t provide care and support for people living with a terminal illness across Blackpool and the whole of the UK without the help of people like Kayleigh and Marie. “Marie Curie is now into its biggest fundraising campaign of the year – the Great Daffodil Appeal – so it’s the perfect opportunity to get involved and fundraise.”

Anyone interesting in fundraising should visit ww.mariecurie.org.uk/get-involved or call 01254 855 044.