Midlife on the Mat with Donna

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Midlife on the Mat with Donna

🧘‍♀️Embodied led Pilates & Yoga teacher bringing wellness to Rossendale, empowering women through midlife with movement to connect mind, body & soul ✨

04/01/2026

So excited to see you all back on the mat this week and to welcome my newbies to classes!

I’ve got a gorgeous reset Pilates class planned for my mixed level classes this week - think mobilisation, posture reset and core re engagement to leave you feeling aligned, strong and balanced (physically and mentally!)

See you there!

02/01/2026

Want to try yoga but nervous/not sure what to expect????

When we are young, we try new things all the time. As adults, we can sometimes find it daunting to walk into an entirely new situation especially in midlife when confidence maybe low and anxiety maybe high.

So if you are thinking about coming to my yoga classes this year, there’s some things I’d like you to know:

1. I will warmly welcome you and settle you into the space. I was you once and know how it can feel to step into a room of yogis!

2. Wear ANYTHING that is comfortable to move in. No one cares if it even matches!

3. Phones off (so before class just let everyone know you’ll be disconnecting from the world for an hour or so and connecting with yourself)

5. Enjoy the silence and stillness of your yoga pose. Both of these can feel feel weird when you are not used to it. And that’s ok! Oh and when we come into relaxation at the end (savasana) that may feel strange to you too because you may not be used to simply being in a world where we are constantly doing.

6. Do your own thing. Seriously. I am just your guide so please feel to breathe and move in any way that feels right for you. Yoga is a practice - NOT a performance. If all you do is show up and lie down on your mat to breathe, that’s all good with me and the lovely students in my class.

7. Give it more than one chance. I came to my mat over 30yrs ago for a “good stretch” but stayed because I realised that it was sooooo much more. The journey is incredible!

I teach Monday evenings at 6pm The Unity Hub, Rawtenstall and Wednesday mornings at 10.15am St Thomas Musbury

I would love to see you there! Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

Booking in comments…

📸taken on our yoga retreat in Anglesey in Autumn 🧘‍♀️

31/12/2025

As we approach the cusp of a New Year, this is your reminder that January is still the depths of Winter.

It is a time when all of nature slow downs or is in hibernation but it is also a time when we are repeatedly told this New Year means it is time for a “new you”.

Aside from already being enough, just as you are, January is not a time for reinvention but rather reflection, cultivating intentions and planting seeds for action in Spring.

We are very much looking forward to guiding our guests through a relaxed morning of reflection and intention setting this weekend.

Our workshop is not about setting New Year’s resolutions or goals. It's about giving our guests the space and time to pause, reflect on their year, to connect with themselves, to work out what they really want their life to look like and to live their values in 2026 and beyond.

We are also very excited to be hosting two Spring Pilates, Yoga & Spa Retreats in The Lakes in March and Shropshire in April, where we will explore these themes further and guide our guests to reset and recharge with a clear mind and positive attitude, to be ready to step into Spring.

If you think a Retreat sounds like what you might need for 2026, comment below for more information.

Happy New Year! 🌟

Yoga & Pilates classes back on 5th January 🧡

28/12/2025

EDIT: Just one space left in the morning class and only 3 left for the evening class!!

✅Booking now open and spaces are selling fast! ✅

As the minds start to think about the New Year, have you heard of the incredible health benefits of Pilates? Do you want to get stronger and/or relieve aching joints or reduce the pain in your back, knees, neck, hips?

Then welcome to my Pilates Beginners classes!

This is a brilliant form of exercise for ALL but especially our (hormonal!) midlife bodies because:

✳️ all mat based (low to no impact)

✳️you learn to breathe properly to bring calm to the mind (and boy do we need that!)

✳️the movement eases hormonal joint pain

✳️ the exercises strengthens the whole body while working on core stability

✳️ we get the body moving with functional movement and balance to move with ease

✳️ builds bone density (which declines with hormonal changes) to prevent fractures keeping us strong and healthy💪

I would love to see new faces (or those who practise Pilates but want to get back to basics) to bring my love of it to you so you can get hooked too. 😊

It is a friendly and supportive group.

Trust me, once you start Pilates, you find you NEED Pilates!!! 👏

Comment below if you are interested and want more information 😊

14/12/2025

This is how we will roll on Monday evening in our candlelight Yin yoga.

Last class of the year and I cannot wait to see you there!

Think stillness, breath and calm 🙏🎄

6pm The Unity Hub, Rawtenstall

Booking for the last couple of spaces in the comments.

12/12/2025

A huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who came to my Christmas coffee morning🫶

I know it’s a really busy time of the year and really do appreciate you taking the time to join me!

So lovely seeing and chatting with so many of my Pilates and yoga students. I had a really lovely time and hope you did too 😊

Thanks to The Loom Café & Bar for hosting us. Fabulous, as usual!

Happy Christmas!! 🎄

09/12/2025

Pick n mix Pilates (sounds “sweeter” than it was but there was chocolate!) followed by our Annual Pilates Ladies Christmas lunch.

Thank you so much for my lovely flowers and for my gorgeous meal 🥰

Me thinks I should make them plank more often if that’s what I get!!! 😂

We had such a lovely long lunch chatting about all sorts things! Did someone mention delivery drivers?!? 😳

I genuinely feel so grateful to teach such a fabulous community of women! Thank you 🫶

Same time next year?!?

04/12/2025

Festive Timetable!

Looking forward to seeing you all either in classes or at our coffee morning next Friday🎄

Lots of the classes and events are now full but I have the last few spaces for the yin yoga class at The Unity Hub, Rawtenstall.

A beautiful class to end our year of yoga. Think stillness, calming candlelight, meditation and breathwork. Bliss!

29/11/2025

Ho ho ho! 🎅Well there are worse ways to spend a wet Saturday afternoon!

Such a lovely time with a fabulous group of women finding calm and our light in a calming yoga practice before snacking, mulled wining and creating fantastic wreaths, guided as always by the brilliant Emma from Buds To Blooms Florists. 🙌

I absolutely love hosting this event with you each year! Thank you 🙏

And a huge thanks to everyone who joined us. Emma and I are
so very grateful for all your help in clearing up at the end🫶 Such a wonderful community of women🧡

I hope you are all proud of your fantastic creations! Mine is already on my door.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 🎄

Missed you and your mum Emily Parr x

23/11/2025

Last few spaces for our candlelight yoga 🧘‍♀️ mulled wine 🍷 and festive wreathmaking🎄event next Saturday 29th November!

Here’s a few pics from last year.

Such a lovely festive event, finding some calm with the candlelight yoga and fun with creating our beautiful and plentiful wreaths to adorn our homes!

With Buds To Blooms Florists help, even I created something that I was proud to show.

Can’t wait to do it all again with you Emma Bury next weekend!

Booking 🔗 in comments.

See you there!

20/11/2025

Still soaking it in! 💓 All that beautiful energy we created at our recent Pilates & Yoga Retreat in Anglesey.

I am so truly grateful to each and every one of my guests who trust me to guide them into a safe space to reset, recharge and connect with a likeminded group of people.🧡

It is incredibly important to me to plan a Retreat that gives my guests the time and space to simply be while encouraging them to attend my carefully planned sessions and activities.🧘‍♀️

Come and join us on our next retreat! Bookings open for 2026. Comment “interested” below for more information.

We have received such wonderful feedback including this:

“It’s difficult to put into words how amazing the retreat was. I had no expectations as I had never been on a retreat of any kind before. It was exceptional in every way and such a joy to become acquainted with the special group of women I met. I loved how all ages just mixed so easily and mealtimes became noisier and noisier as the days went on.

Everything was meticulously planned and orchestrated by you Donna, without pressure but encouragement to join whatever was right for the individual. I loved the mix of Yoga, Pilates, breath work, meditation, walking, touring the garden and the creative activity offered. The surroundings were perfect and the food to die for. I would convert to veganism if Catherine could be my daily chef!

Your teaching is outstanding and your support and professionalism sprinkled with the Donna sense of humour make for a wonderful experience.

I have been feeling very positive since my return and also reflective. My health app tells me I am also less stressed, and have an improved heart rate variability. I’m not religious but do appreciate meditation, reflection and spirituality which again were carefully integrated into the long weekend.

Thank you again to you and your team. I look forward to returning in Spring”.

Thank you Fiona 🫶🫶🫶

Extra special thanks to the wonderful Catherine Wildings Vegan Kitchen. You are an amazing chef!!! 🙌

12/11/2025

Thinking about coming to my Pilates classes? Here’s a few reasons why you should! (Always best to hear it from my students!)

Address

Pilates & Yoga In Helmshore, Haslingden And Rawtenstall
Helmshore
BB4

Website

https://midlifeonthemat.offeringtree.com/

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