222 Educators providing Courses

SkandiHus

skandihus

London

Our founder, Stine Dulong, quit her corporate lawyer job in 2013 to become a full time potter. For her, clay was a gateway into transformation. Not only did it become her career, and change the structure of her life on the surface, but it fundamentally shifted who she is and how she perceives the world. She had tried yoga and meditation, but it never “clicked” for her. Yet through pottery, she found a way into a slower, more mindful and joyous way of existing. Having experienced such a powerful transformation through working with clay, Stine decided that she had to share this magical material with the world, so she started offering classes at her studio. Little did she know that the demand would be so great that SkandiHus now consists of three studios, a team of 26 and more than 350 happy students every week. Bearing witness to the profound effects working with clay has on almost everyone who walks through the studio doors, is the greatest privilege of Stine’s life. When she isn’t busy teaching and running the business, she makes tableware for the likes of Nigella Lawson, Anna Jones and Tom Kerridge, and her work is in many high-end restaurants, including The Connaught Hotel, The Hand & Flowers and Nobu. When Stine first touched clay in an evening class in 2013, she felt like she had arrived home. Whilst she never intended to become a full-time potter, she decided somewhere along the way to trust the journey and continue to follow her heart no matter what. She is now a firm believer that the world would be a better place if everyone did more of what sets their soul on fire and that when we allow ourselves to follow our dreams, we indirectly give people around us permission to do the same. She often gives talks about following your passion and living a more present, slower and fulfilling life. She has recently signed with Rachel Mills Literary and will be writing a book about pottery and her journey. STINE’S WORK Stine’s work is inspired by a love for Scandinavian design in which beauty is radiated through light colours, the ample use of natural materials, minimalism and functionality. Like many Scandinavian designers before her, Stine believes that quality design should stylish and relevant to the modern human being by providing minimal distraction and maximum aesthetic value. Stine both throws and hand-builds her pieces, using a broad range of techniques to create her finished pieces. She also uses a wide range of clays and materials, but most of her pieces are made from reclaimed studio clay, as she is a firm advocate of minimising waste and our impact on the world. She finds great joy in making something beautiful from something once considered waste. When Stine is not busy making her own designs, and running the business, she teaches classes and events as she feels that she has been given this gift to share it with the world. She is slowly building the clay revolution, one ball of mud at a time.

St Laurence School

st laurence school

London

It is a great privilege to be the Headteacher of such an inspirational school. St Laurence is a thriving and successful comprehensive academy where great and equal value is placed on both academic excellence and developing the whole person. We work hard to create opportunities for every student to achieve to their full potential and have the best possible preparation for adult life. In the words of our mission statement: we care, we inspire, we succeed. As one visitor commented, “a school with head and heart working together”. We benefit from a dual foundation status. One of these is the Diocese of Salisbury, meaning that we are a Church of England school. While we are fully inclusive, welcoming students of all faiths and none, we believe that our Christian foundation provides a context within which to foster a sense of understanding and compassion for others, and the courage to act on our beliefs. We are proud to have the Lord Fitzmaurice Educational Trust as the other part of our foundation. The Trust links us firmly to our community and Lord Fitzmaurice’s vision of creating opportunities for all local young people through education is very much alive today at St Laurence. Over several years, GCSE exam results remain excellent, with student attainment well above the national average. We have a strong and successful 6th Form, with a very high proportion moving on to university including Oxbridge. Following their visit in June 2017, Ofsted inspectors commented on our commitment to high standards: “…improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is at the very heart of the work of the school. You have created a clear vision of teaching and learning that is based on two pillars: firstly, that teachers must ensure the tasks they set accurately meet the needs of their pupils. Secondly, that pupils understand what they need to do to improve their work”. Despite the extremely challenging times we have faced in education over the last year, the relentless commitment to ensuring that our young people thrive and achieve their best has not changed. We have a great reputation for the many opportunities for personal development our students enjoy: superb Performing Arts productions, a huge programme of clubs, sport, overseas expeditions, exchange programmes and residential “challenge” weeks. In all of these, the development of confidence, enjoyment and leadership are as important to us as high levels of performance and achievement. As a Headteacher, I am aware that the years our young people spend in secondary school are extremely precious. We are not a start or an end point, we are one part of the journey that a young person takes to become the best they can be. I believe secondary schools are in the business of opening doors. Whether that be by ensuring that young people gain the best qualifications they can to move on to their next step or by building their character and opening their minds to new opportunities My staff work with huge commitment, professionalism and passion to make this a reality for all our youngsters. That said, we can be most successful when we work in close partnership with parents. We are committed to developing trust, openness and support so that together we can enable your children to flourish. Whether your child is already with us or you are thinking about joining us, you are most welcome to contact us to arrange a visit.

Yasmin Zaman - The Portable Guru

yasmin zaman - the portable guru

For 20 years I’ve dedicated my life to inspiring others by teaching the self-awareness and self-care practices of connecting to the body and mind through various styles of yoga, mindfulness meditation, physical activity & trauma sensitive approaches to healing and recovery. My own life, and decades of working with diverse groups of people all over the world, taught me that when we take good care of ourselves, we value and appreciate others, and forge a better connection with the natural world on which we depend. My Bio includes more on my background, training, research papers and publications About four decades ago, yoga originally began as a way to care for my sore bones and tender tissues traumatized by a childhood fall, taught by a specialist teacher, practising what was then known as remedial yoga, today commonly referred to as yoga therapy. I know, without a doubt, that yoga and mindfulness meditation can heal the body, centre and focus the mind and restore sagging spirits. But being human and subject to the pressures of life, I didn’t always listen! Insecurity had me chasing a career: from teaching to working my way to senior roles alongside the great and the good in global Public Relations and communications for various not-for-profits and humanitarian organisations. The stress levels were stratospheric though it provided a dubious kind of glamour! Then one day I was diagnosed with a TIA (a stroke). And I listened. You don’t have to go through the same! Today, my work is varied: working therapeutically with patients referred for psychiatric care in a team of psychiatrists, psychotherapists and others; to teaching mindfulness-based and yoga classes & courses to the public who come in all shapes, colours and sizes. I am also interested in healing traditions from other cultures as a pathway to wholeness, e.g., shamanism. It’s been my privilege to lead programmes in partnership with local government agencies, GPs, academics, schools and corporate organisations to support everyone from children, young adults, working people, stressed, anxious and clinically depressed people, & those suffering with trauma diagnoses to learn ways to restore their wellbeing with skills and knowledge with an evidence base in science, mindfulness and yoga-based traditions. I have enhanced DBS and teach either group or one-to-one sessions online or in person: Weekly group yoga and mindfulness-based meditation classes (online & in person) One-to-one sessions and courses (online & in person) Yoga and mindfulness courses & workshops for all levels (dates to be confirmed) A blog and social media posts to inspire and provide resources to oil the wheels of your week (irregular!) A few retreats a year where you can immerse yourself in learning body wisdom and mind craft among kind, friendly and welcoming groups of like-souled people. In my free time I enjoy travel or watching travel documentaries, learning languages, walks with Mother Nature, the gym (not really but I do resistance exercise), music, art and dancing – Argentine tango and historical dances from the Baroque and Regency periods with the Winchester Baroque Dancers and Duke of Wellington’s Dancers. I am a Jane Austen superfan or Janeite and appear in a BBC documentary commemorating 200 years of her death in 2017! I have twin nephews and a niece, who all started practising yoga while very young. I’m hoping to add a rescue pug to the family very soon.

Pure Serenity

pure serenity

Shrewsbury

I'm in my local gym, setting up my weights for body pump and a "strange lady" approaches??? Right out of the blue she says "I've been watching you", "I've seen you working hard and I'm looking for ladies to join a ladies crew to row 3000 miles across the Atlantic ocean!". Can I ask you a question???....... Have you ever been approached with a proposal like this? Do you know what is involved in rowing the Atlantic Ocean? Fortunately, a few years earlier, my son returned home one day and announced he was rowing the Atlantic ocean - What????????? I quickly started to get as much information together to understand what was involved so I could support him as much as possible despite knowing the risks (eek!!). Unfortunately, my son's challenge did not happen as planned however, had he not brought the challenge to my attention and had I not researched it, I would not have had the foggiest idea about what was involved in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC) and thought this lady was "crazy"!! Strangely enough, I was really excited that this "strange lady" had approached "me"! "I want to break the Guinness world record for the oldest crew of ladies ever to row and ocean" she said. "Wouldn't that be just amazing" I thought to myself?!?!? Now...being 53years old, very near to being able to take flexi retirement, I was frequently asked about when I was retiring like I was well past my sell by date!!! What is it about ladies of a certain age that people seem to think we are "passed it!" After a little thought (not much) I was in! I hadn't got a clue how we were going to raise a minimum of £100,000 plus charity funds to complete the challenge, I couldn't row, I despised the rowing machine in the gym, I disliked deep water because I like to see what's below the surface of the water (thank you very much), plus so many more reasons for not accepting the challenge! "If not you, then who? If not now, then when?" To cut a long story short - you can see from the picture - we did it!!! The details for the trip are being saved for a book, after all everyone has a book within them! What's the point of me sharing this story? Not a lot really?!? I'm a very ordinary person (Mum, Wife, Midwife, Life Coach and Ocean Rower!) who had the privilege of doing something really unusual. I cannot put into words how incredible the experience was. I follow the annual TWAC and am there with the crews in spirit, knowing how exhilarating and frightening it can be out there in a small ocean rowing boat on that amazing ocean. I believe ordinary people can achieve incredible things if they want it and if they really believe in themselves hence, my passion for life coaching. I want to help women achieve those things they only dream of, I want to help women believe in themselves and their body, to gain confidence and empower them to lead a fulfilled life. I want to help women be the best version of themselves and influence their children and their children's children. We only have one life - lets live it!

Monkey Music East Grinstead & Reigate

monkey music east grinstead & reigate

Reigate

Autumn term bookings are now open and are showing to be very popular. We are also pleased to say that classes with be running again in Reigate on a Monday from the 7th Nov.CloseThere are so many proven benefits that music is good for our children and it’s an absolute privilege to be able to provide a stimulating, fun packed music and singing class for your little ones.At Monkey Music we are proud to be part of your child’s musical journey from the age of 3 months to 4 years, meaning it is suitable for babies, toddlers and kids & I am delighted to be able to offer this fantastic experience to you and your children.I played the violin as a child and sang in the school choir, in my teenage years, I was always listening to music wherever I went.Now as an adult the radio is forever on and I love a good sing song.After I had my first child, I decided I wanted to share my love of music with her. She was only a few months old and I wasn’t sure where to start. We went along to quite a few different baby and toddler music classes and groups, but when Monkey Music was recommended to me by a friend, from the very first class we were hooked and never looked back. I was impressed with everything about the class, the structured lesson plans, the progressive musical curricula and a wonderfully caring teacher.Very soon my little girl loved her sessions so much we had to have a collection at home of the Monkey Music songs, books and of course Monkey and Mo so she could perform her very own classes.Because the curricular is progressive by nature, it often means that families stay with Monkey Music and even bring their new additions along, (I’m now attending with my second child).The four levels of Monkey Music are specially developed around the capabilities and interests of your child, at that specific time in their lives. You will hear traditional nursery rhymes as well as some of the 500 original Monkey Music songs that have been specially written to support the curricula and your child’s development. To aid this we will use an extensive kit of carefully selected instruments, sensory and colourful props with lots and lots of activities and actions. All of the above will certainly help your child with their Social, Physical and Language Skills. It has been scientifically proven that music has great advantages and health benefits for children. One of those benefits is Music helps to improve brain power and memory. Students who were exposed to music while growing up excelled better academically than those who were not. Music helps in stimulating the part of the brain that is responsible for reading, mathematics and emotional development. Music also helps with a child’s development of social skills.Being part of a Monkey Music class will help your child relate to others, feel part of a group and eventually listen to instruction. You will watch their confidence grow and they will certainly be rewarded with praise and will feel a great sense of achievement. I have undergone extensive training to ensure I can provide a fun packed but professional class for your family.I am fully CRB checked and paediatric First Aid trained. Our classes will allow you to share precious time together, meet like-minded people and for your children to make Musical friends, so why not book your complimentary class so you can experience Monkey Music for yourself and I’m sure you too will become part of the Monkey Music family.

Property SQ2

property sq2

BEST PRACTICE TRAINING IN THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY   Property SQ2 Limited is a leading provider of online education and training courses related to the property business.  We are registered with the CPD service and proud members of the Property Educators Accreditation Scheme. Between us we have 25 years experience in Property Investment and the Property Industry, and over 20 years experience training people in skills and techniques for best practice in the industry via a combination of face to face, live online, on demand and 1-2-1 training events. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE From building a retirement pot, to replacing your current income. Property is the vehicle to create financial freedom, choice and security Drawing on over 30 years of property and business experience with over 20 years of training, coaching and mentoring people in property investment strategies,  Our training courses and 1-2-1 coaching and mentoring solutions are here to help you succeed in the property business. Whatever your goal, whatever your background, whatever your experience. Whether you want to... * Build a safe and sustainable portfolio to bolster your retirement pot * Create a passive income to generate job-leaving level profits * Learn how to add value and recycle your precious savings through multiple property deals * Need a way into the property industry without a big deposit we can help. ARDEN HANLEY                                                                          Arden Hanley is a property investor, business owner, consultant and trainer. Having experience across multiple property investment strategies and related businesses such as lettings management, sourcing and property consultancy. A landlord and business owner for 20 years, trainer, mentor and coach to the property industry for 12 years, member of the Property Educators Accreditation scheme and a CPD trainer, Arden has not only extensive experience in the industry, but also a track record of using that experience to train others to achieve their property goals. Buy To Let & Social Housing  With previous buy-to-let experience in Australia, Arden was immediately drawn to this as a primary strategy. Today, Arden has an extensive buy to let portfolio in the UK that he has built in Northampton, Nottingham and Hull. He has a range of houses for family lets, rented to both working tenants and within the social housing sector, and flats serving the young professional market. Arden says, “I think buy to let is the foundation of any successful property portfolio and this part of my portfolio was what allowed me to first achieve financial freedom. I think every investor needs to learn the fundamentals of buy to let, even if they ultimately choose to focus on other strategies within their portfolio because there are so many simple but important lessons to learn around being a good landlord and managing tenants effectively that you get from understanding this core strategy.”  HMO & Rent To Rent                         HMO was a natural progression from initial Buy to Let purchases to “increase my cash flow and take advantage of market conditions in my target area at that time being Nottingham.” With an extensive HMO portfolio, his preference are a larger number of smaller HMOs i.e. 4-6 tenants rather than a smaller number of large HMOs, although he has experience of both. How can an investor make this strategy work for them? “I believe HMO provides an excellent income stream and if done correctly can be a very stable income stream as well. I think the key to a successful HMO is setting it up correctly from the outset to make it as attractive and user friendly for tenants, and identify potential cost centres or savings before tenants go in and empowering my lettings agents to put together the right tenant mix to create a harmonious environment.”  Distressed Property & Adding Value  Every property that Arden has purchased has been distressed to some degree, as he says “I believe this is the one true route to make money out of property.” He has applied the lessons he has learnt on smaller projects as he has moved on to larger more complex investment properties. It’s also given him the opportunity to work with distressed sellers which he regards as a core skill in a property investor’s arsenal. As Arden says, “With a distressed seller, you are a solution provider trying to create a win/win situation where you can offer a route for the seller to sell the property that removes their financial burden, while at the same time offering an opportunity for you as an investor to make a fair profit.”  Commercial to Residential & Development                         As his confidence has grown, so has Arden’s willingness to commit to more complicated projects and he has successfully adopted commercial to residential conversions as a strategy since 2013 primarily working with either disused retail or office space which is in abundance in the UK. It’s not hard to see the appeal, as Arden says, “I find that there is a huge opportunity for value uplift in this strategy as the closer you get to effectively a shell, the more opportunities you have to make money.’                     Portfolios                    There are a number of options for approaching the acquisition of a portfolio, whether it’s title splitting a block of flats, via a freehold/leasehold strategy, organising a share buyout of a property company, or structuring a staggered sale to maximise buyer and seller value and tax savings. Arden has experience dealing with the simple acquisition of a portfolio to the complex and sometimes challenging world of dealing with portfolios in trouble, direct to owners, via agents, liquidators or administrators.                     Complimentary businesses and deal structuring  Having an interest in a lettings agency, experience running a sourcing business/property consultancy for 7 years and working with multiple business partners has taught Arden the value of building business clusters to support each other and working with business partners and private investors to make business happen. ‘Property deals can come together from your own resources, time and effort, but as your ambitions grow and the opportunities get bigger, it’s important to think about how private finance and joint ventures can create profit for you and your partners. I’d rather have a cut of something than the whole of nothing.’  Mentorship & Training               For Arden, it’s an honour to be invited to mentor to share his knowledge with others which provides enormous, personal satisfaction. Even though he’s not naturally outgoing, Arden admits that “As a self-confessed property geek, if you ask me questions about property, I’m happy to talk for days.” He encourages his mentees to “Soak up as much as you can from people who have done it before and been successful. Soak up the knowledge for sure, but also the motivation and mindset.” He concludes, “I don't think there is any better way to start in property than to work side by side with someone who has been where you are starting from and has proved how to make it work.”  CHRIS CORMACK Chris Cormack is a property investor and business owner with a vast experience working with people to develop their property investments and business growth. Helping people to succeed has been a large part of his business focus over the last 16 years as a mentor, trainer and coach. His understanding of the industry through building his own portfolio across a range of strategies enables him to work with clients around their goals so they achieve whichever outcome they are looking for. Chris is recognised within the property industry and is member of the Property Educators Accreditation scheme and is CPD certified. From a standing start in November 2004 Chris built his property business across various strategies within the property industry. Property had a great appeal for 5 reasons: 1. Being his own boss  2. Recurring monthly income  3. Large lump sums of income 4. Long term capital growth 5. Opportunity to help others benefit from the same reasons 1-4. BUY TO LET & SOCIAL HOUSING  Chris believes "Buy To Lets are the foundation to any successful property portfolio because it's the quickest way to generate income while you learn the initial fundamentals of the business. Demand is high across the country for BTL which other strategies don't necessarily have. Within our portfolio we have a wide mix of tenants including families, couples, singles as well as fixed term guaranteed social housing contracts." Understanding the industry and our responsibilities is paramount and gives us the necessary grounding to progress income across other strategies. A number of his properties have been used as serviced accommodation through a commercial contract. These have resulted in guaranteed income, ensuring a hands off pain free outcome. HMO  Chris continues "For larger income, having HMOs brings considerable changes to your monthly bank account which was our natural progression. A major learning moving into HMOs was all the necessary fire requirements and additional management needs. These of course add costs which are not present with your BTL's. Having this knowledge prior to committing to this strategy is important along with a deep understanding of who will be your tenant market. Generally this is less flexibility so more targeted research initially is imperative to achieve your successful outcome. ADDING VALUE & FLIPS Lump sums of income is an area Chris has targeted when buying properties, modernising them and selling them. A key component to achieve these returns is looking to see where true value can be added, increasing value is paramount here. His view on this is that while it generates substantial income it also gives the opportunity to allow faster growth within his portfolio. Having addition capital to invest gives a wider deal choice and opportunities to structure deals. "Having greater tools while in front of a motivated seller allows you the facility to be more creative especially if you can offer a solution to their current situation." STRUCTURING SOLUTIONS  Over the years he has been able to structure deals which has helped the seller which in turn helped him dramatically reduce initial capital to acquire the property. "The key is to focusing on them, the seller and come to a win, win scenario." Achieving this has added numerous properties to the portfolio.  With a deal seeing what is really there gives Chris an edge. Where most people see a single outcome in a deal Chris likes to look for multiple outcomes across strategies. As his experience has developed the confidence has taken him into larger projects which can deliver multiple opportunities. Understanding the finance and tax implication can give additional advantages. Having bought a portfolio with land created multiple flip opportunities which resulted in the land cost him nothing, free land. Having free land gave him further choices around planning. Sell with planning or build out and sell with a decision based on whichever gives the greater return for time/money invested. MENTORSHIP, COACHING AND TRAINING Chris has been mentoring property investors since 2007. He himself had the benefit of a mentor and fully understands how it accelerates your portfolio growth, "money well spent" and that's from a Scotsman....! "It was a privilege to be asked and was something I had wanted to do, so I enthusiastically jumped at the chance." Being able to pass on market experience, as well as working with people to develop the best strategy for them is extremely rewarding. Sometimes it's the smallest thing that creates the biggest impact and it does not matter if you are new or have some experience in property, accessing another person's experience is a springboard to a new set of outcomes, for the better. 

Laura Batten - Hello Baby Brighton

laura batten - hello baby brighton

My name is Laura Batten (she/her); I'm mum to Joshua (11) and Martha (5), wife to Leigh and I'm the founder of Hello Baby Brighton. We live in the Preston Park area of Brighton and have done for the last fourteen years. Being beside the sea is such a privilege. There's something about being right on the edge of the land - the sense of freedom, the waves and even the pesky seagulls add character! My pregnancy in 2010 with Joshua was very straightforward and complication-free. I absolutely loved being pregnant and felt carefree and marvelled at my growing bump. My labour, however, was a rollercoaster of stops and starts, and I felt out of control and I didn’t know how to help myself. It ended in the birthing pool - which is what I'd wanted - but looking back (knowing what I know now) I was getting in my own way. I wasn't letting my body do what it needed to do and without realising, contributed to my labour stalling. But in those final two hours in the pool with the most incredible midwife, I felt invincible. I knew immediately that I wanted to do this for other women. I'd never even heard of Hypnobirthing back then, so I originally thought about re-training as a midwife. Since then, sadly, I've experienced the pain of three consecutive miscarriages, and I deeply empathise if you've been through this trauma of any type of loss. How I was treated through one particular journey really cemented my passion of becoming a care-giver who can meaningfully change someone's experience of birth in a positive way. I’d had so much pregnancy and birth trauma and anxiety before I came to Hypnobirthing and I wanted to change that for myself, and for others. In 2017 I gave birth to my daughter, at home in the birthing pool, using Hypnobirthing techniques while my son slept upstairs! It was such a calm and empowering experience and I put it entirely down to my practice during pregnancy, and the mindfulness I used. I can't quite communicate in words how it feels to be able to teach women and couples to be completely empowered and have a birth they feel great about afterwards. So many don't think it's possible; they've had a bad experience before or heard horror stories; generally conditioned through the media and society that birth is painful and long; scared to believe that they're capable of a positive experience of birth. Hello Baby Brighton was founded with a passion to not only work with couples to help change their experience of birth, but also with the goal of continuity of care - something which is quite rare these days. From the moment you say ‘hello baby’ (however you have come to be pregnant or intended parents) to the moment you're holding your baby for the first time, it is the most wonderful and crazy journey of very mixed emotions. My Group and Private Mindful Birth Courses give you the tools you'll need to stay calm and focused, throughout pregnancy and during the birth of your baby and my online monthly Pregnancy Relaxation classes will help you feel grounded and looked after. And of course if you choose me to work alongside you as your Doula, we will have many opportunities together in your pregnancy to prepare you physically and emotionally. I trained in Hypnobirthing back in 2016 and have supported hundreds of couples since. I now teach the Mindful Birth Group course - an incredible 1st-4th-trimester package, which is rooted in mindfulness (and hypnobirthing techniques) but gives you so much more. You can read about them here. I would absolutely love to come alongside you in your pregnancy or new parenthood in one of my courses, classes or services. I feel so strongly about the right antenatal education and the magic of a Doula, that even if you don't choose me, please do choose fantastic pregnancy and birth support - it always, always makes a difference, whatever type of birth you have.

The Self-compassion Community

the self-compassion community

London

I'm a former board level executive director who rose quickly ... and became burnt out, young. I am also a former voice artist - something which served me well when a life-changing injury occurred in 2006. I suffered a ‘hip replacement gone wrong’ which left me with major arterial internal bleeding and genuinely fighting for my life ... physically of course, and subsequently mentally too as the months of physical recovery and pain rolled into many years. I went from being a high-achieving, fast-paced, super capable person, to someone who needed to learn to walk again. That took its toll. And years of pain and effort. Cultivating self-compassion and mindfulness helped me find a way through. Sounds trite almost doesn't it? But it's powerfully, powerfully true. Catherine Kell Meaningful and adaptable teaching I have studied hard to do the work I do, to get all the necessary qualifications and registrations (more on those below). Yet what exams and qualifications alone can't give someone is the heart to do the work. That 'in the veins' pulse to help improve the life of another. And I believe my journey gives me the authenticity to bring compassion-based approaches meaningfully and wholeheartedly to others. I embody what I teach, and I bring kindness, sincerity, warmth, and of course compassion to every interaction. I'm friendly and lively too! I bring an adaptable pace and tone depending on the environment. I'm passionate about bringing the skills of self-compassion and mindfulness into people's lives to help them make transformations, build their resources and step into their full expression and power from a place of self-acceptance and inner strength. It's a privilege to witness the unfolding of all aspects of their good health. Qualifications and Education Catherine has had a personal mindfulness and meditation practice since 2006. She is a qualified and authorised Trained Teacher of the evidence-based and empirically-supported Mindful Self-Compassion programmes and trained through the globally renowned Center for Mindful Self-Compassion in their intensive MSC programme developed by self-compassion pioneers Kristin Neff PhD and Christopher Germer PhD. She is trauma-sensitive in all her work, undertaking ongoing CPD in the trauma field. She has an MA Degree with Honours and as well as her training as a Mindfulness Teacher she holds a Professional Certification in Clinical and Therapeutic Mindfulness for applied use in 1-to-1 session work. Additionally, Catherine is an alumni of Compassion Cultivation Training with the Compassion Institute, a scientifically-backed and evidence-based training programme developed at Stanford University, as well as various compassion, mindfulness, meditation and lovingkindness professional development programs with Tara Brach and Sharon Salzberg, both global leaders in compassion and mindfulness. Catherine is also a Trained Teacher with the Mindfulness in Schools Project, and has passionately brought her skillset to scores of teenagers and school staff as a teacher of kindfulness, gratitude practices and the MiSP evidence-based 10-week mindfulness curriculum developed specifically for pupils and staff in schools. Catherine is a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist (Dip.Cl.Hyp (Distinction), Cl.NLP, CNHC Reg., SICH HPD, MNCH(Reg.) and Paediatric Clinical Hypnotherapist (Dip.Hyp Paediatrics (Distinction). In her past work with children, Catherine had a particular interest in anxiety, panic attacks and sleep, helping children and adolescents from the age of around 7 to 18. Today, working with adults, Catherine uses hypnosis in a coaching capacity rather than a clinical one in order to help those working with her to cultivate self-compassion, boost life-satisfaction, uplevel and truly thrive. Previously, Catherine provided in-depth parenting support and empowerment services for whole families either in office from a local health centre, or via home visits. Catherine led specialist therapeutic support and learning sessions for mothers based around cultivating mindful self-compassion and strengthening the parent-child connection in parenting. Catherine is a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator, holds a Diploma In Positive Parenting and is a graduate of the 'Parenting by Connection Professionals Programme' with Hand in Hand Parenting. Catherine draws all her rich experience into every interaction. She is passionate about guiding people in developing the capacity to be with themselves in the kindest and most supportive way. Self-compassion can truly transform lives. Catherine is an accomplished speaker and provider of workshops and talks. She has contributed as a mindfulness and self-compassion expert to many podcasts and a number of mental health books.

London Elite Sports & Football Academy

london elite sports & football academy

London

We are a youth and sports organisations who seek to improve the welfare and wellbeing of all children and young people through organised football/sport training and competitive games, education and social activities of all kinds.Clasford Stirling MBE was invited to establish a youth football team on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham in 1979, which he duly did and called it Broadwater Farm United. Due to his personal commitment and consistency, two key ingredients for success, that first ‘team’ eventually turned into Broadwater Sports & Football Academy, which is still going but with a rebranding to it’s new name, London Elite Sports & Football Academy, which was founded and established by his son, Jude Stirling. As a youth and community advocacy organisation, it has been incredibly successful, supporting several generations of young people against all the odds, to reach their full potential. Clasfords example of care, discipline and clear mentorship as a strong role model, has attracted other skilled volunteer coaches and workers around him, who are also simply motivated to help young people and their parents to understand the transforming principles of great teamwork and cooperation. London Elite are now key providers within Haringey of youth provision projects that target those young people who are struggling against the adverse effects of poverty and low societal expectation, that can often lead young people into anti-social behaviours that are not good for either their own health and wellbeing, or those around them, especially parents who do not know how to overcome the powerful influences of peer pressure exerted upon their children. London Elite have established a model programme to address this vulnerability of young people, called ‘Off The Street, Less Heat’ aimed at providing a safe and secure ‘Drop-In’ place with a range of social and sport activities during late evening hours, in order to offer them alternative activities that are good for them and enhance their skills through training, education and mentoring. Equality has always been at the very heart of all that guides the way forward for Clasford and his team, with a vision of equal access to not only sport, but also education and all other facilities that are available to young people. London Elite, with the funding support of Nike, are now leaders in developing young women’s football, from the age of 10 and up, with our first team entry into a league, happening this season, which is very exciting for all concerned. London Elite exists and operates within a very diverse community and have the privilege of hosting and training children from many ethnic backgrounds, without discrimination, so all of their work is underpinned by the example and policies of the Football Association, especially in terms of promoting the anti-racist principles of their Respect agenda, which apply to not only the coaches, but to players, parents and spectators alike. London Elite’s vision for going forward, is to continue it’s good work and set a strong legacy plan for it’s continuation on into the future, laying the foundation of good strong ‘best practices’, so that anyone who joins the staff will know exactly what their role and aims are and how to achieve them in the best interests of the young people that they are supporting. There is also an idea to extend the vision to develop a one-stop shop for promoting job opportunities, interview training and entrepreneurial development. Partnerships are key to this future success and their collaborations with local schools, Nike, the London borough of Haringey, Spurs and many others, show just what can be achieved once the will and resources are put to good responsible use. London Elite is governed as a non-profit company limited by guarantee, meaning that there are no profits to be taken out of any funding or income that the management team receive, with any excess of income over costs, having to be ploughed straight back into the work of the team in helping young people. Continued long-term and stable funding is hard to come by now, especially with the financial hardships caused by the effects of the pandemic and so any help is much appreciated. London Elite are always seeking to put any funding opportunities to good use for our young people, so if you feel in alignment with our basic aims and objectives, please feel free to contact us at any time with ideas or concrete offers that you may be aware of. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Makris Music Society

makris music society

London

Alexander Polyanichko, an internationally renowned conductor and educator regularly leads conducting masterclasses in cooperation with organizations such as Peter the Great Music Academy, Royal Baltic Festival, Hermitage Theatre, and St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic. A graduate of the Leningrad State Conservatory and the former student and assistant of the eminent conductor and pedagogue Ilya Musin (whose students were Yuri Temirkanov, Semyon Bychkov, and Valery Gergiev, among others), maestro Polyanichko has been one of Musin’s biggest proponents, carrying the great tradition of the St. Petersburg school of conducting. Maestro Polyanichko’s artistry, knowledge, his genuine willingness to share his experiences, his sense of humour, as well as his friendly and respectful manner of communication create a free exchange of ideas and a spirit of collaboration, while he and his students search for ways to resolve emerging issues related to the mastery of conducting, in a comfortable and productive masterclass atmosphere. Masterclasses traditionally consist of two parts: First Part, where the music conducted is being accompanied by two experienced pianists; and the Second Part where the students have the opportunity to work with a professional symphony orchestra. The dress rehearsal preceding the concert is where the conductors have a full assestment of their skills, as well as the final public concert (professionally recorded) as the culmination of the masterclass. During his twenty or so years of teaching at masterclasses, aestro MAlexander Polyanichko has worked with conductors from countries around the world including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America. His students have consistently expressed their appreciation on his pedagogical skills and the masterclasses, and have gone to conduct many successful performances of their own in their respective countries and beyond. Formerly a violinist in the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Philharmonic Orchestra under Evgeny Mravinsky, Alexander Polianichko studied conducting at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire with Prof. Iliya Musin. In December 1988, he was awarded first prize in the Sixth All-Union Conducting Competition. In February 1989, he was invited by Maestro V. Gergiev to join to the Mariinsky (Kirov) Theatre as a House Conductor. Alexander toured with the Company throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States. In 1994, Polianichko made his London debut conducting English National Opera’s production of Eugene Onegin. This led to him conducting two productions of Tchaikovsky’s operas with the Royal Opera Covent Garden: a revival of The Queen of Spades with Placido Domingo, and a new production of The Tsarina’s Slippers by Francesca Zambello of Cherevichki. As a guest conductor, Polianichko has appeared at many renowned opera houses, including the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Royal Opera House, La Scala, Deutsche Oper, San Francisco Opera, Australian Opera, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Danish Royal Opera, Stuttgart Oper, Colorado Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Norwegian Royal Opera, and Swedish Royal Opera. In 1996, he was invited to take the Opéra National de Paris to New York for their appearances at the Met. The symphonic orchestras he has conducted around the world include the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony, Hallé Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Danish National Radio Orchestra, English and Irish Chamber Orchestras - among many others. From 1986 to 1989, Polianichko was the Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Belorussian State Chamber Orchestra in Minsk. He also taught conducting in Belorussian and Leningrad State Conservatoires. From 1996 to 1999, he was the Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta. From 2012 to 2015, he was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Rostov Academic Symphony Orchestra. He also served as the professor of the conducting department of the Rostov State Conservatoire. He was awarded the Honoured Artist of Russia title in 2009. Polianichko appears at many prestigious music festivals in Russia and abroad, including Edinburgh, Aldeburgh and Savonlinna, Golden Mask, White Nights and Chaliapin Opera Festivals, and had the privilege to work with many world-famous artists and singers, such as Anna Netrebko, Anne Sofie von Otter, Elena Obraztsova, Dawn Upshaw, Olga Borodina, Makvala Kasrashvili, Larissa Diadkova, Irina Bogacheva, as well as Placido Domingo, Jonas Kaufmann, Vladimir Galuzin, Ildar Abdrazakov, Sir Thomas Allen, Pata Burchuladze, Sergey Leiferkus, John Tomlinson and many others. He participated as the Jury member at the Rimsky-Korsakov Opera Singers’ Competition (1996), the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition (2011), and the Makris International Conducting Competition (2019). His featured recordings on DVD include Romeo & Juliet with Royal Sweden Ballet (2013); Cherevichki/Tsarina’s Slippers with Royal Opera House Covent Garden (2009); Beyond the Score with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (2008); as well as television recordings and live radio broadcasts worldwide. His is featured on various CD/audio recordings on the label Melodia in Russia. Since 2005, Polianichko gave orchestral masterclasses for the Swedish National Orchestra Academy, Symphony Orchestra of the Royal College of Music, London, Chamber Orchestra of the Cambridge University, and Britten-Pears Youth Orchestra. Since 2002, he has been holding annual conducting masterclasses in St. Petersburg organized by Peter the Great Music Academy, the Royal Baltic festival, and the Theatre of Hermitage Museum, to which students come from all over the world.