Spen Court Care Home donates £1,920 to Umbrella Yoga to provide sessions for people with additional mental and physical needs in Kirklees

Umbrella Yoga is a not-for-profit organisation that brings communities together through yoga. It uses evidence-based practices to improve the physical and emotional well-being of the people it connects with.

Its mission is to provide yoga sessions to people with additional mental and physical needs in Kirklees.

The grant has been awarded by Barchester’s Charitable Foundation, a charity that helps older people and adults with a disability or mental health problems across England, Scotland and Wales by offering funding to help people connect or re-connect with others in their local community.

Spen Court representatives were welcomed by Ellie Firth, the founding director and yoga teacher, to a session at Holy Trinity Church in Batley Carr to receive the cheque and celebrate being awarded the grant.

Sessions are held at the church on Tuesdays from 1-2pm.

Paula Pearson, general manager at Spen Court, said: “We are always keen to show as much support as we can to local charities.”

Spen Court is also providing a pit stop for the local emergency services.

At any time of the day or night, emergency workers can call into the care home to get a hot or cold drink and a bite to eat, either to have at the home or to take away with them.

A spokesperson said: “Everyone at Spen Court is delighted to be able to offer this service to our wonderful emergency crews to thank them for all that they do.

“When crews come to Spen Court, they are always so glad of a drink and a rest if there is time, so staff and residents decided to extend this offer to all emergency teams in the area and they want to spread the word that all blue light staff are always welcome to stop in for a rest and some refreshment.

"The home has prepared snack bags to keep on hand should a crew have no time to rest and just need to grab a bag and go.”