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12974 Educators providing Courses

Reading - Kadampa Meditation Centre

reading - kadampa meditation centre

Reading

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful we shall be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we shall experience true happiness. By training in meditation we can gradually learn to stay peaceful all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances. If we practice meditation we will experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and many of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations will become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel warm and well disposed towards other people, and our relationships with others will gradually improve. Kadampa Meditation Centre Reading offers introductory meditation classes and courses in Reading and the surrounding area. Our beginners classes include guided meditations, a short practical talk about how to use meditation to solve daily problems, and an opportunity to ask questions and discuss. Our meditation courses and classes are open to everyone, whatever level of interest or experience, and give people the opportunity to learn more about meditation, Buddhism, and finding peace & happiness from within. The benefits of meditation include: Improved concentration and focus in daily life Less stress, worry & anxiety Reduced irritation, anger & frustration Greater inner peace & happiness Increased confidence & self-esteem Improved mental and physical well being A positive outlook on life & better relationships These beginner Buddhist meditation classes and courses provide practical advice for the problems of modern living. Through attending our classes you can learn to view everyday situations in the most beneficial and constructive way leading to greater happiness for yourself and others. “When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within. If we train in meditation our mind will gradually become more and more peaceful, and we shall experience a purer and purer form of happiness. Eventually, we will be able to stay happy all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances.”

Samantha Valand

samantha valand

My interest in wellbeing and weight loss was sparked in my early 30s when maintaining my weight was suddenly not quite as easy as it was in my 20s. Around the same time close family members were prescribed drugs for high blood pressure and cholesterol problems. I became interested in the concept of ‘eating yourself healthy’ and how lifestyle impacts a person’s health. This curiosity has never left and has evolved to include how we are choosing to age as we get older. #agingwithattitude In 2006 I trained as Pilates teacher and Personal Trainer, leaving the world of IT behind. While most of my clients successfully lost weight – usually men, a number did not – usually women. This was despite the women following exercise programmes and restricting their calorie intake. The “Eat Less and Exercise More” mantra was not working for everyone. I decided to determine the underlying cause by undertaking further training and research. I trained to become a Metabolic Effect Nutrition Consultant. This training is provided by a US company which combines holistic Medical Doctors and Personal Training qualifications. This course covered hormones and how they impacted the body and weight loss, for women in particular. Menofitness Training from Australia was next. It was a course about the Menopause and the health and fitness aspects for women as they get older. You can find a list of my qualifications here This combination of years of experience and courses has become my first book The Menopause Diaries I wrote it because I struggled to find any practical information on how to adapt to the changes that comes with the menopause. I cannot be the only person that is finding this challenge. Hopefully my book will help other women be as healthy as they can at this time in their life. coffe and cake I enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like coffee and cake at the weekend and rediscovered the joys of reading novels after purchasing a Kindle a few years ago. You can find some of my favourite health books here. While I don’t sit up reading in bed with a torch anymore (need to balance hormones with a good nights sleep!) I still enjoy a good book. Europe is one of my favourite destinations where I enjoy taking life a bit slower while enjoying good food and wine.

Vanessa Potter

vanessa potter

London

Thanks for finding me here. I’m a self-experimenting author, speaker and wellness advocate, but it wasn’t always that way… On October 1st 2012 I sat in a hospital waiting room staring at a white notice board. When I’d arrived, the letters had been visible, but over time they’d started to fade. Punctuation marks dissolved, as if wiped off by a zealous cleaner. Every blink washed away more of my sight. Within 72 hours I was blind and paralysis had snaked up my body, leaving numbness in its wake. Losing two of my senses was terrifying and I didn’t know if I’d see my children again. For a while I lost connection with the outer world and my future was uncertain. Slowly my visual system rebooted, but the world didn’t look like it should. Grey wispy shapes swirled and eerie lines jiggled on the horizon. None of it made any sense. Over time I listened to the more subtle cues my body transmitted and learnt new ways to adapt. Months later when I started to feel, rather than see, the colour red and when blue objects fizzed and spat like a lit sparkler, my curiosity was ignited. I set out on a mission to better understand the incredible resilience and healing power of my mind. It was a journey that led to collaborations with scientists, my first book, Patient H69: The Story of my Second Sight, a TEDx talk and then a second book, Finding My Right Mind: One Woman’s Experiment to put Meditation to the Test. Nature played a huge part in my year-long recovery, so in 2021 I co-founded ParkBathe, a citizen science, green health initiative in collaboration with Derby University. The project encourages people who are wellness sceptics to experience a 1-hour version of forest bathing in urban parks and is funded by the National Lottery. Forest bathing is simply walking mindfully in nature while absorbing the woodland atmosphere via the senses. As the project is part of a research study, walkers are invited to wear heartrate (HRV) monitors which record their stress levels before and after each session. This provides each person with an individualised measure of the wellbeing benefits. Get the whole story and listen to interviews with walkers, scientists and nature guides on the ParkBathe podcast. I am partially sighted and live in London, UK, with husband and two children.

Suffolk County Council

suffolk county council

London

Workers at ABP’s Port of Ipswich are plugging in to an e-bike trial scheme with Suffolk County Council. The council’s Way To Go Suffolk team, which helps people to travel sustainably, has launched a scheme for businesses where employees are encouraged to ditch the car and try out an electric bike free of charge. Employees can choose to trial commuting for a week at a time with some of the bikes, whilst others are used as pool bikes allowing staff to pop out at lunchtime for a break and some exercise. The Port of Ipswich is the first organisation to get involved with the scheme, having taken delivery of eight e-bikes for a trial period of three months. The bikes are supplied by e-bike rental provider Hurrecane. They have a range of around 50 miles and, other than punctures, are covered with a call-out service for any breakdowns and repairs. They are different to conventional bikes as they are powered by a battery to assist the rider, increasing the distance that someone can cycle. The council is initially looking to work with organisations that have at least 50 employees and are based in a large town environment. Councillor Alexander Nicoll, Suffolk County Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport Strategy, said: “Cycling is ideal for short journeys in an urban environment, where we need to reduce car use if we are to address congestion and air pollution. “Excellent schemes such as this will help encourage people out of the car, freeing up road space for those who really need it and improving the environment for all of us.” Paul Ager, Divisional Port Manager for East Anglia of ABP said: “We are delighted to be the first organisation to partner with Suffolk County Council on this trial e-bike scheme. “ABP is committed to reducing emissions, as well as supporting the health and wellbeing of all employees. “With the use of the eight bikes, we have the opportunity to test alternative, greener ways of getting to work and staying healthy.” For more details of the scheme email the Way To Go team at Suffolk County Council at thewaytogosuffolk@suffolk.gov.uk PICTURE CAPTION: Paul Ager, left, Divisional Port Manager for East Anglia for Associated British Ports, and Councillor Alexander Nicoll with Port of Ipswich e-bike scheme users Andris Abitkins, Dean Trigg, and Richard Lungley.

Natural Animal Centre

natural animal centre

London

The Natural Animal Centre provides educational courses on animal behaviour, training and management. The NAC courses have been running since 1999 and have trained many animal behaviourists who have gone on to build successful careers in behaviour and training. The NAC is run by a team of industry experts and is an approved UKRS and ABTC provider, offering the highest standard of accredited courses to animal owners and professionals alike. The NAC has its own virtual learning environment that allows students from all over the world to join in with courses, lectures and webinars, ultimately fulfilling the NAC mission statement; “Positively influencing the wellbeing of animals worldwide”. Heather and Ross Simpson founded the NAC in 1997 when they opened the first centre in Sussex. In 2003, they moved to Wales and opened the second centre and they remained there until 2019 when the NAC Sanctuary moved to Chichester after Heather sadly passed away the year before. With a background in animal behaviour, Heather has published her first PhD paper on zebra behaviour working with Professor Christine Nicol of Bristol Vet School. The Natural Animal Centre ran animal behaviour courses for people to come and stay and spend weeks at a time studying the science of animal behaviour, in a centre purpose-built for the animals it was home to. The NAC then developed further and converted the EBQ and CBQ stage 1 courses into online distance learning programmes which pioneered the way that people could learn the science of animal behaviour for these species, in as much depth as they would have done in person, from home. With this step forward came the release of the EBQ Stage 2 and the CBQ Stage 2. As of 2021, the ownership of the Natural Animal Centre changed when Ross chose Alex Le Grand as a successor. Alex brought on board Debbie Busby and Aliyah Woodland to help him develop the NAC further into the future of the animal behaviour industry. The Natural Animal Centre is now managed by the new team and is re-structuring all the courses and developing them further to move in line with the animal behaviour industry becoming more controlled over the coming years. With this, new programmes are undergoing development and in 2022 there will be more courses available for owners, professionals, degree students, etc.

Carwarden House Community School

carwarden house community school

Camberley Surrey

We are an amazing special school and 6th Form with up to 150 students aged between 11 to 19 years old. Students are taught in classes of up to 12 individuals, supported by a teacher and normally at least 1 teaching assistant. Most new students join us in September in either Year 7 or Year 12 but we do admit young people into other year groups throughout the year where vacancies exist. Our students all have complex learning & additional needs (LAN) and all are supported by an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP) which is reviewed annually. The majority of students join us are operating at least 3 to 4 years below chronological expectations. Our students’ additional needs include global developmental delay, autism, ADHD / ODD/ADD, anxiety, OCD, sleep apnoea, cerebral palsy, visual or hearing impairment, dyspraxia/coordination difficulties, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, chromosomal abnormalities including Down syndrome, speech, language & communication difficulties. It is our explicit aim to facilitate every opportunity to help address our students wider ‘therapeutic’ needs. Whilst some of our students have some mobility difficulties, due to the split-level nature of our site we are unable to cater for young people in wheelchairs. We describe our young people as not disabled but differently abled. We have a highly dedicated, experienced and specially trained staff team committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for every young person. We believe in building a real and lasting sense of community and belonging – we are proud of being an especially welcoming school. Feeling safe and developing positive and trusting relationships are key to our students’ success. Securing our students’ wellbeing and positive mental health is central to our provision. We employ a multi-disciplinary approach in meeting the needs of our students and each individual is following their own personalised programme. We place special emphasis on partnership working (with parents, other professionals, Local Authorities, business / industry and the local community). Everything we do is designed to ensure positive & successful adult life chances for our students (not just ‘next steps’). The school is located in 21 acres of peaceful and beautiful woodland and we are proud of the high quality and well maintained learning environment we have created, including many specialist resources and teaching areas. Carwarden House Community School and Sixth Form grounds are owned by Surrey County Council.

The British Association of Body Sculpting

the british association of body sculpting

Essex

Definition of Lipo Surgery Body sculpting is a cosmetic surgery procedure, and is a body reshaping technique that works by selectively removing subdermal fat. It is one of the most commonly requested aesthetic procedures in the United Kingdom. The body typically stores fat unevenly. In women, fat is likely to accumulate disproportionately around the hips and thighs, and in men around the abdomen. Liposculpture can be used to debulk, and balance fat distributions to achieve a more proportional and attractive silhouette. It can also be used to improve the definition of subdermal muscles. Other areas commonly treated include the neck, arms, tummy, flanks, back, loins, thighs, inner side of the knees and the ankles. In men, fatty deposits can also develop under the nipples and begin to look like breasts (gynaecomastia). Body sculpting, also referred to as liposculpture, liposuction, lipectomy, or colloquially simply as lipo, is rarely a medical necessity. However, some individuals can be adversely affected by the perceptions of others. This real cultural bias can have a cascade effect on professional success, as well as personal health and mental wellbeing. The success of a body sculpting procedure depends on provide both a safe medical result as well as a good aesthetic one. For this, it is important that patients select doctors who have both top medical credentials, as well as a history of verifiable cosmetic success. It is also essential that patients considering liposuction have realistic expectations, and understand what can be reasonably achieved. The best results will be achieved by patients in good health with reasonable skin elasticity (needed for retraction), and good underlying muscle tone. The goal of the British Association of Body Sculpting is to standardize and to develop best practices in liposculpture by building on the substantive joint experience of surgeons working in this field. The association has been established to agree and document best practices in pre-operative consultation and evaluation, medically safe and effective procedures in the operating theatre, and post-operative care. This website is intended to help patients, medical regulatory authorities, insurers, lawyers, and legislators to understand body sculpting, and to be the most authoritative source of information about best practices in the UK. It can also be used by patients to find and select surgeons who have demonstrated a minimum level of experience, as well as adherence to the best practices defined by this association’s efforts.

Zion Bristol Ltd

zion bristol ltd

Bristol

Zion is a Community Hub in Bedminster Down, where everyone is welcome. We provide a warm safe space for community groups to run, our cafe is open 9-5pm every weekday and we put on an array of affordable events. Although originally a church, Zion was bought in 2011 by Jess Wright, who lovingly crafted Zion into an essential and well loved hub in Bedminster Down. In the Summer of 2022, members of the community, local businesses and grant organisations came together to purchase Zion as a community share offer! Meet The Team Emma Centre Manager Sadie Cafe Manager Bianca Kitchen Manager Natalie Bar Manager Stuart Cafe Assistant Manager Dan Community Outreach Rosa Programme Coordinator Meet The Directors Martin Sereena Hannah Aimee Claire The History of Zion Back in 2011, Bristol resident Jess Wright purchased an empty Methodist chapel with a loan from Triodos Bank. Once a focus for the local community of Bedminster Down, this historic chapel had been left derelict after the congregation could no longer afford to sustain it. Jess wanted to breathe life back into this beautiful building, a real landmark in BS13. She also wanted to create a much-needed community centre in a residential area with few social or cultural venues. She wanted a place where people of all ages and backgrounds (especially those who were isolated or excluded) could meet to improve wellbeing on a personal and community level. Using a small start-up budget of £5,000 (her own money), Jess began renovating the building. Thanks to the support of a small team of volunteers, Zion opened its doors to the community once again; this time as a small-scale café serving coffee and cakes, and offering a few extras such as film nights and kids’ creative sessions. Over the past 11 years, Zion Community Art Space has become ever more popular. It attracts 15,000 people a year and is now open at least five days a week, offering: a daytime community café that serves freshly made food at an affordable price a broad programme of over 200 events and activities a year, ranging from quiz nights and children’s workshops, to live music, theatre, talks and food events regular daytime drop-in groups such as a Memories Café, Creative Writing Group, Local History Group and Breast-Feeding Support an indoor and outdoor private hire venue for weddings, parties and other celebrations