A yoga teacher from the Peterborough has raised more than £7,000 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice by hosting four years of free weekly online charity yoga sessions.

Nancy Taylor, a yogi from Oundle, has been inviting participants to donate to the charity in return ever since she launched the classes during the Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020.

To date, the classes have raised £7,288 – far surpassing Nancy’s original target of £1,000.

Nancy hosts her fundraising sessions each Monday. For anyone who can’t make it, she will record the class and upload it to YouTube, for which people can also donate.

In addition to the regular Monday classes, Nancy holds one-off in-person yoga events at Christmastime, choosing a different cause each year, with Sue Ryder sometimes benefitting from these sessions too.

Nancy, who is a British Wheel of Yoga-qualified teacher, started practicing yoga when she was 25 - and began teaching yoga around 12 years ago.

Initially part-time in addition to her day job in fundraising, Nancy knows from experience how important it is for the community to get involved and support local causes.

Nancy said: “There is no obligation for people to donate but people have been very generous.

“I am in the fortunate position that I am now retired from my day job and, while I continue to teach my yoga sessions, I can also give some of my time to support fantastic causes like Sue Ryder.

“I lived near Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall in Peterborough before I moved to Oundle and would walk the pram around the gardens there.

“People I know have spoken to me about the fantastic care their loved ones have received there.

“It’s a charity close to people’s hearts and I wanted people to feel connected to the cause.

“I feel passionate about the whole hospice movement too, about dying well.

“Most of us have lost someone and at times you think things could have been better for them.

“Plus, part of our yoga teachings and philosophy is to be connected and generous to others. This also drives me.”

Nancy isn’t planning on slowing her fundraising efforts anytime soon and hopes to reach £10,000 for Sue Ryder with the ongoing support of the community.

In addition to Nancy’s Zoom classes, she offers in-person classes at a local hall and from her garden.

To donate, visit Nancy’s JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nancy-taylor1

To learn more about Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice visit www.sueryder.org/thorpehall

To support Sue Ryder, get in touch with the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall fundraising team on 01733 225 999 or email thorpe.fundraising@sueryder.org