Parkinson's UK has announced a new partnership with the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY), to help more people access yoga classes throughout the UK.

The partnership aims to deliver more accessible yoga classes and wellbeing support for people living with Parkinson's, as well as their relatives and carers. Training and coaching for yoga instructors will be offered as part of the collaboration to help teachers better understand Parkinson's as a condition. 

Currently there is no cure for this degenerative brain condition and the number of people living with it worldwide will double to 25 million by 2050. Someone is diagnosed every 20 minutes in the UK.

The disease has around 40 symptoms including tremours and anxiety and yoga can help with some of them. It improves balance and flexibility which helps to address the risk of falls. Yoga breathing and relaxing techniques can lower stress, anxiety and depression and the exercises can help stimulate brain neuroplasticity.

Jed Parsons, physical activity programme manager at Parkinson's UK, is delighted about the new partnership, saying: "Yoga is shown to have many benefits for a person's physical and mental wellbeing when they live with Parkinson's and it can be a very accessible and adaptable way to live well with a long term health condition." 

BWY will host a free online yoga taster session for anyone with a connection to Parkinson's on Friday 10 April, World Parkinson's Day. The 45-minute online chair yoga class will be delivered by experienced BWY yoga teacher, Richard Kravetz, and has been designed specifically for people with Parkinson’s, yoga teachers keen to adapt their classes for the community, and anyone with a connection to the condition.

Diana O’Reilly, chair at the British Wheel of Yoga, said: “Through this partnership, we want to give more teachers the tools they need to welcome people with Parkinson’s into their classes and to make sure no one feels that yoga isn’t for them.”