Gerda Bayliss
Gerda began her yoga journey at 5, attending her first class at the age of 10.
Teaching now for 16 years, she holds a Level 2 certificate and has studied at the Ramamani Iyengar Institute in India several times, attending classes with BKS Iyengar & the Iyengar family, and other renowned teachers. She continues her learning with Alan Brown, Lois Steinberg & Debbie Bartholomew. Gerda is also a register mentor.
Gerda's classes and workshops are fun & enjoyable, and encouraging, always giving her students individual care and attention. She is the studio director of Yoga Metta
Debbie Bartholomew
Debbie is a Level 3 Iyengar yoga teacher, who has been teaching Iyengar yoga for over 30 years. After working for 24 years in the building trade as a builders merchant Debbie has taught yoga full-time since 2000.
Debbie has been so lucky to have been taught by BKS Iyengar, Geeta, Prashant and Abhijata Iyengar. She has visited Pune many times. She has assisted in the medical classes, and spent time observing how they teach students at all levels.
She has many years experience of running therapy classes covering a wide range of conditions and was also part of the team involved with the long covid project.
Debbie is also an IY (UK) assessor and vice-chair of the Assessment and Training committee for IY (UK)
Debbie teaches across Yorkshire and Lancashire. She teaches all levels, from beginners to teachers. She brings enormous clarity and humour into her teaching.
Myka Ransom
Myka began practising Iyengar yoga in San Francisco in 1990. After moving to the UK, she trained with Lilian Biggs in Bradford and qualified as a teacher in 2002.
She has studied with BKS Iyengar and family at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India several times, helping in the medical classes and volunteering at the Institute library archiving project.
She is now a Level 3 teacher and additionally qualified as a therapy teacher. Myka is a registered Mentor and qualified assessor for IYA UK
Jayesh Mistry
Jayesh started his Iyengar Yoga journey in 1991, due to suffering from chronic fatigue illness. Initially trained by Lilian Biggs, a senior level Iyengar Yoga teacher. He continued training with Jayne Orton along with many other advanced and senior level Iyengar Yoga teachers in the UK and India. He has visited Pune many times to be taught by Guruji BKS Iyengar, Geetaji, Prashantji and Abhijata Iyengar.
He has over 30 years experience studying and practicing Iyengar Yoga, including application of Yoga therapy. He is passionate about integrating Yoga Philosophy into his teaching, with key emphasis on respecting Yoga as a spiritual science.
He is now a Level 3 teacher, qualified in therapy and a registered mentor.
Jo Lovell
Jo's journey with Iyengar Yoga began in 1995 and she quickly became devoted to the practice. By 2000, she had obtained her certification as a teacher and has since had the opportunity to study with esteemed teachers such as Geetaji and Prashantji in Pune, as well as Rajiv & Swati Chanchani in northern India.
With extensive experience in studying, practicing, and teaching Iyengar Yoga, Jo also has a keen interest in its therapeutic applications. Her fascination with the yoga tradition and its related sciences has also driven her to study Ayurveda, a sister discipline of yoga, and she is now a qualified Ayurvedic Practitioner.
As a Level 3 teacher, qualified in therapy and registered mentor. Jo is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and passion for Iyengar Yoga with others.
Simon Welsh
Simon is a level one teacher who began practicing Iyengar Yoga in 1988 through Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, and qualified as a teacher in 2003, training with Lillian Biggs.
Simon initially took up yoga to aid meditation, appreciating the focus which comes from the blending of the mental and physical in asanas. His own practice supports a range of other activities including cycling, climbing, kayaking and music-making. He has a particular interest in the evidence base for yoga.
Simon took time out from yoga teaching to focus on childcare and re-certified as an Iyengar Yoga teacher in 2021. His teaching aims to empower students to develop their yoga practice, and is delivered with humour and compassion.
Diane Laybourn
Diane has been dedicated to the practice of yoga for over 30 years. She began practicing yoga as a way of keeping fit and flexible and this evolved into a lifelong love of yoga. Diane is a qualified Level 1 Yoga teacher. She has practiced under Debbie Bartholomew, Manuela Meadows and Helen White.
Her extensive experience and passion for yoga shine through in her teaching. Diane is committed to guiding her students on their individual yoga journeys.
Jo Ramsden
Jo has been practicing since 1999. Jo’s passion for Iyengar Yoga was ignited when an Iyengar teacher covered the regular Hatha yoga class she attended. Jo loved the precision and intensity and studied with this teacher for 20 years (Kristal Clarke).
Jo is a qualified Level 1 teacher and studies regularly with Debbie Bartholomew, Helen White, and Manuela Meadows. Jo has a career in the NHS as a Dr of clinical psychology and is keen to blend her knowledge of yoga and mental health to offer classes and workshops which allow for an appreciation of how the physical and spiritual practice of yoga leads to a range of other benefits.