What Our Lottery Funding Means to Us – Adapt and Flow CIC

Supporting accessible Qigong, yoga and meditation for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

So… where have we been and what have we been up to?

Adapt and Flow CIC received National Lottery funding to provide online and community classes in yoga, Qigong and meditation for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

We received our funding just before Christmas — such exciting news! I’m still a little bit in shock, to be honest. The last year has felt like a huge amount of preparation and planning — numbers, spreadsheets, applications… I’ve been calling it The Year of the Admin!

I set up Adapt and Flow CIC, with Linda joining me as Director. We opened bank accounts, wrote policies, created budgets, and applied for Lottery funding… fingers crossed.

And now, all that hard work is starting to come to fruition. What was once just a dream is becoming a reality. I feel incredibly grateful for this opportunity — to spread a little Qigong both online and within our local community.

It’s more than just the money. Having the support and recognition of the National Lottery feels very real — very official. It feels like confirmation that someone else believes in our vision. That they see value in what we’re trying to do. They want to support and promote us — wow. I feel truly proud to have the backing of the Lottery and all the players across the UK who make this possible.

It’s also given me a bit of a push! I love teaching and I’m deeply passionate about sharing this work, but I’m naturally quite shy when it comes to self-promotion and social media. Part of our funding will be used to create online content — videos, reels and guided meditations — and to build an online presence. That doesn’t come naturally to me!

But this support has boosted my confidence. It’s time to find my voice, to share my story, and to bring this work to a wider community. The main way to do that is online — and I’m gently working through my own fears and blocks as I go.

What’s Been Happening Behind the Scenes?

Online Classes – Now Free

We are delighted and incredibly grateful to now offer all of our online classes completely free of charge.

Our classes blend Qigong, yoga and mindfulness in a modern, inclusive format, designed and delivered by people with lived experience of spinal cord injury. This is not just a movement practice — it also emphasises healing, emotional regulation and mindfulness.

Our online sessions allow people who are unable to leave home, or who cannot access suitable services locally, to practise from the comfort of their own space. A typical yoga class can cost around £10 per session. For those on tight budgets or low incomes, that cost is a real barrier. Current pricing structures often serve wealthier communities, making yoga less accessible to the very people who might benefit most.

Our online classes have got off to a lovely start, with both new and familiar faces joining us for Qigong and meditation. Thank you to everyone who has become part of our connected community ❤️

It’s been a gentle start to the year. Our Qigong classes have focused on the Water element and the principles of going with the flow. January can bring pressure to rush into action and “get everything sorted,” but this theme has been a reminder to slow down — to rest, nourish the body and not try to do everything at once.

Our meditation sessions, also guided by Matthew Lindley, offer a blend of mindfullness and traditional meditations. These have had a theme of kindness and compassion, tuning into the energy of the seasons and gently waking up for Spring.

Community Classes

Our funding includes four six-week community blocks each year — 48 sessions in total.

To spread the word, I began by offering free taster sessions within the local community and to disability groups. Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Qigong for the MS Society

Last November I visited the local MS Society group at the MS Therapy Centre in Catcliffe. MS and spinal cord injury share similarities, as both affect the central nervous system and can cause weakness, spasticity, fatigue and bladder or bowel issues.

Qigong can have a soothing, therapeutic effect on the nervous system, so I was keen to share the practice and explore whether it might be beneficial.

We worked with the Earth element, focusing on digestion, grounding and stability. Earth is a beautiful place to begin — it brings awareness into the body and helps us settle.

Studies into Qigong for MS have shown positive trends in mental health, quality of life, reduced fatigue and depression. Participants often report improved energy, flexibility, sleep and mobility.

Warm Welcome Wednesdays – St Peter’s Church

This local church group certainly lived up to its name — I received a very warm welcome! The group is open to everyone and has a strong emphasis on kindness. I loved the atmosphere straight away.

The most challenging part was settling the group at the start. We begin in seated Wuji posture — “the state of nothingness.” It’s deceptively simple but often the hardest part: finding a balanced body and balanced mind. There was some wriggling, a phone ringing, background chatter from another group…

And then — a hush. The group softened into mindful movement. Smiles appeared! At the end, there was a brief moment of shared silence. Calm. Coherence. A moment that was there… and then gone. And I knew the practice had landed.

Qigong at the Memory Café

I was invited to the Methodist Church to work with their Memory Café — a gathering space for people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Instead of beginning with a formal talk, I went table to table for relaxed conversations, introducing myself and sharing a little about Qigong. It was a wonderful group — some in early stages, others more progressed. The church has created a truly supportive and welcoming environment.

We considered splitting into smaller groups but ended up practising together — and it flowed beautifully. Qigong felt very natural here: swinging arms, gentle sounds, childlike freedom.

We worked with the Water element — flow, tranquillity and peace — connecting with winter as a season of rest and recuperation.

Qigong can support neurological conditions by gently stimulating cognitive function and supporting balance and coordination. The repetitive movements can help nurture neural pathways in a calm and accessible way.

I was later invited to their community meal — another example of local kindness in action. I feel very grateful to be involved.

Big Tree Qigong – Greener in Greenhill

One of my favourite events was practising outdoors beneath the large sycamore tree at Stone Cross Field. With support from Greener in Greenhill, we held an open community session.

Standing beneath the tree, surrounded by green space, felt powerful. We worked with the Wood element — growth, strength, compassion and rising energy — tuning into the sycamore’s presence.

Pinderfields Spinal Unit – Staff Session

Following the outdoor event, I was invited to speak at Pinderfields Spinal Unit — the very unit where I completed my rehabilitation in 2012.

Returning was a bit emotional!. Dr Ram invited physiotherapists, psychologists, consultants and staff. I shared my journey and how I discovered Qigong, explaining its potential benefits for spinal cord injury recovery. We practised a short Water element sequence, focusing on the kidneys and spine.

The staff seemed relaxed and receptive — and perhaps they need a little Qigong too!

Pinderfields – Patient Sessions

Following on from this I have been invited back to teach inpatients at the unit. We’ve had three sessions so far, with positive feedback.

We start with gentle spinal warm-ups, breathing exercises, tapping and shaking to awaken awareness. Then we move into flowing sequences to support balance and centring.

Finding calm within a hospital environment is challenging — bright lights and echoing sports halls aren’t ideal! I’m exploring ways to create a softer atmosphere, perhaps with projected nature scenes or calming sounds.

Spreading the Word

The next steps are:

·                  Expanding community classes to reach more disability groups

·                  Developing social media and online marketing

·                  Creating supportive YouTube videos and content

If I’m honest, I do feel a little overwhelmed at times. The past year has been intense — setting up the CIC, applying for funding, stepping into new leadership roles, and navigating fatigue, stress and big life transitions.

Receiving Lottery funding feels incredible — but even positive change can take energy. I’m learning to balance creativity with rest. Winter has been a time of recuperation, of going gently, of gathering strength.

Overall, I have absolutely loved beginning these community sessions. They’ve given me the opportunity to share Qigong with people who may never have come across it before — reaching different groups, different spaces, different communities.

It has brought its challenges too!

I’m often met with, “You want to do what?” or “Oh… I don’t think so!” And of course, “How do you even say it? Kwee-gong?”

Moments like that remind me how important it is to build more of an online presence — to create simple, accessible material so people can see what Qigong actually is before they step into a session.

Settling a brand-new group can be the hardest part. The beginning — especially Wuji posture — is always the most challenging. Finding stillness. Finding balance. Arriving.

But then something shifts.

There is something magical about being in the same room, sharing space, sensing the collective energy soften and settle. Feeling that flow emerge. Noticing the calm at the end of a session — even if it lasts only a minute or two.

In those moments, I know the work is having an effect — however small.

And small ripples spread.

Tiny circles in water can grow into wide, powerful waves.

And so we continue.

Spring is coming!
There is excitement here.
There is gratitude.
There is vision.

2026 feels like a year of creativity — of finding my voice, sharing this work more widely, and allowing Adapt and Flow to grow steadily and sustainably.

We are spreading the word.
We are building community.
We are sharing the light.

One steady breath at a time. ✨