Sophia Bourne

As a yoga and mindfulness/ meditation teacher myself, I wholeheartedly believe in the power of practice to come into a deeper relationship with our physical and emotional worlds, as well as the environment and community around us. 

I’m currently completing an MA in Social Anthropology; I'm passionate about the transformative power of community care, and creating inclusive, accessible spaces that encourage self-exploration and self-expression. I believe that connecting and listening to the needs of our bodies, alongside one another, is a radical act in itself. 

Alongside teaching I have worked as a community support worker for projects such as Active Reach - a campaign tackling systemic barriers to getting active and Bridge Builders - assisting women to reconnect to the community post-pandemic. I have also worked as a digital support volunteer for mental health charities such as BEAT and MIND; consoling, giving guidance, and supporting service users.

I co-organise and host an inclusive, community-oriented, monthly music project in South-East London called Sound and Space, celebrating traditional, global and diverse music styles.

I’m eager to bring my varied experience and passion to Natural Connection to ensure that everything runs smoothly!

Farah Diba

Wellbeing holistic therapist, trainer, educator, mentor and coach

As a professional therapist, mentor and life coach specialising in well being and stress management, I’m passionate about facilitating and motivating positive change in people’s lives and supporting them to thrive. 

I love to guide and inspire others to achieve deeper self-awareness and self-empathy through educating minds and expanding hearts. We are here, I believe, to love and lift others. 

I’m currently working with Natural Connection to provide holistic support for people with Long Covid. Recently I’ve co-developed and delivered innovative art and well-being courses with Green Shoes Arts, Creative Ways Harlow and Harlow Council for clients with mental and emotional health challenges. 

I’ve worked with diverse organisations and businesses across East London from London Stadium to inner-city schools, children and young peoples services and adult education authorities to develop and inspire positivity and resilience in adults, teens and children through mental, physical and emotional health.

Lauren Dutton

I'm Lauren, a yoga and breath work teacher, living and teaching in London and online. I love teaching outdoors and am delighted to be teaching at Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses this summer. 

I believe yoga should be welcoming, inclusive and accessible and I'm interested in sharing the benefits of yoga within community settings to support mental and physical wellbeing. Join me at the Greenhouses for Slow Flow to explore  a moving flow that invigorates your body and mind while resting attention on your breath or Gentle Yoga, a deeply nourishing practice to support a state of calm, healing and restoration. All bodies are different and variations will be given so you can make the practice your own. 

I also have specialist training and experience in teaching therapeutic yoga for stress and anxiety and chronic fatigue conditions, including Long Covid. I  teach yin yoga classes too and I'm currently developing a yin yoga teacher training course in collaboration with Parampara School of Yoga. 

I balance my time between working as an architect and teaching yoga in a variety of spaces from parks to Zoom. Yoga offers an invaluable tool for managing the stress and self-doubt I've experienced working within an often high pressure and male dominated environment - especially the power of the breath to positively shift internal states. This inspired me to learn how the practices effect the body/ mind from a scientific perspective and to train in yoga and breath work to share these benefits with others.

Tazeem Weljie

Whole strategy, planning and coaching for healthy organisations and individuals 

I love bringing my experience in the health and wellness sector, the corporate world, and the public sector, to holistically serve my clients. I believe health is all-encompassing - physical, mental, financial, work, spiritual - so I support people to nurture good health through all facets of life. 

I’ve lived, worked and consulted on four different continents, building on my MA in International Relations and BA in Kinesiology (the study of movement) after starting out as a corporate fitness consultant, assisting people to incorporate movement into their lives. Helping clear up the devastation after a near-miss with a South-East Asian tsunami inspired me to help empower people and organisations to move towards resilience and wholeness. 

I’m proud to have worked with Tower Hamlets local government and NHS in East London, developing recommendations for systemic change within the NHS, engaging with the community to understand and embed their needs into long-term strategic plans while developing consistent pathways of care for local residents.

I’ve recently consulted with organisations such as YMCA Calgary, Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB Financial Bank) and Dedicated Action for School Health British Columbia, leading them through five and ten-year strategic planning processes.

As a strategy consultant and a leadership empowerment coach I facilitate a healthy collaborative approach and provide helpful tools and strategies to help people step into their unique vision and shift to where they want to be, breaking through old patterns and unblocking barriers along the way.

Being an international consultant and a global citizen has taught me to adapt to diverse cultures and to be curious, ask questions and challenge assumptions. It’s taught me to drive solutions by challenging the status quo, and how to apply innovation and creativity in order to stay relevant and cutting edge. I’m well versed in assessing community needs through listening and learning processes and then developing and facilitating strategies to move organisations closer to their mission. 

I'm a community builder, a podcaster, a part-time yogi, have run four half marathons, summited Mount Kilimanjaro, love to jump on a bike, am a devoted foodie, avid reader, keen globetrotter, and a very proud aunty!

Miztli Rose Neville

Yoga teacher, performer, writer, and nature lover.

Miztli Rose Neville is a British-Mexican yoga teacher based in London. She first started practising yoga whilst training as an actor at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She noticed how yoga helped her drop down into the body and improved her performance on stage so she decided to become a yoga teacher too. She went on to do her 200-hour teacher training In London and has been combining her two professions ever since.

Miztli loves teaching yoga outside as it allows for a special connection between yoga and the natural world and all its beautiful elements. She likes to incorporate nature poetry and guided meditations to allow students to find deep connection with the world surrounding them, allowing the practice itself to become a sanctuary. 

She is especially interested in the power of yoga to enhance creativity, and is passionate about helping students nurture themselves through movement.

Miztli first worked with Natural Connection as a volunteer assisting Sally with outdoor yoga, English and wellbeing sessions for migrant and refugee women.

In June 2021 Miztli joined the teaching team at Yoga Point Brixton and HotPod Yoga London. When she is not on the yoga mat, Miztli continues to work as a performer and comedy writer.

Charlotte Hosier

First port of call for bookings, admin and communications.

I love bringing my diverse experience from across the public, private and social enterprise sectors to work on projects that have a wider impact on the community. 

I am passionate about helping to create safe spaces in the community that support individuals who often finds themselves, for no fault of their own, isolated, and struggling. I am interested in how providing these safe spaces can support individuals to thrive and how physical movement and body work can be transformational in providing holistic healing. 

This led me to study improvisation in Los Angeles with a view to bringing it to a community setting one day in the future. 

Professionally I have worked across the country in secondary schools with 11-14 year olds, in central Government as part of the Graduate Fast Stream and for a global Corporate company managing teams. 

I’m proud to have previously volunteered with Natural Connection on the Stretch, Walk and Talk Programme in Lambeth and am enjoying currently volunteering in Tower Hamlets on the Touching Safe Ground Project.