Free Mum & Baby Yoga in Norfolk | SunFyr Barns

When a new mum arrives at Norfolk’s SunFyr Barns with her baby in her arms, she often carries more than just the weight of nappies, bottles, and sleepless nights. She may be carrying quiet feelings of loss — of the life she once knew, of friendships that have faded, or of a sense of self that feels far away.

This is where the SunFyr Community Project begns.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, Freedom Wellbeing Project CIC has been able to offer free mum and baby yoga classes to families who might not otherwise have access. These classes are held both in rural communities, where distance and cost can be real barriers, and for mothers at the Kingfisher Mum & Baby Unit at Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich, where support is needed in community spaces.

A Different Kind of Prescription

We call these sessions a form of green prescription.

Unlike the prescriptions you might pick up from the pharmacy, green prescriptions are non-medical pathways to health. They focus on practices like yoga, mindfulness, breathwork, and time in supportive natural environments. They invite mothers to heal not just physically, but emotionally and socially too.

Academic research is catching up with what many of us already know from experience: that these kinds of strategies work. A 2023 review of randomised controlled trials found consistent positive effects of green prescriptions on psychological wellbeing, physical activity, and even heart health. Studies across the world also show that nature-based social prescriptions are strongly linked to better mental health outcomes.

As Dr Annette Haywood, who leads the UK Green Social Prescribing evaluation, puts it:

“Nature is a great medicine and our research demonstrates that Green Social Prescribing is not only beneficial for mental and physical health, but also a cost-effective tool.”

At SunFyr Barns, we see this come to life each week.

A Mum’s Story

When Sarah first walked into SunFyr Barns with her six-week-old son, she wasn’t sure what to expect. She had been struggling with exhaustion and loneliness since the birth and almost didn’t come at all. “I just didn’t feel like myself anymore,” she admitted afterwards.

But something shifted as soon as she stepped into the barn. The space was warm, calm, and filled with other mums who seemed to understand without words. During the gentle yoga stretches, Sarah found herself breathing more deeply than she had in weeks. When her baby fussed, no one judged — other mums simply smiled knowingly, and Jax reassured her it was all part of the experience.

At the end of class, lying quietly with her baby resting beside her, Sarah felt a rare sense of peace. “It wasn’t just the yoga,” she later reflected. “It was being here, with other mums, in a place that felt safe. I left feeling lighter.”

Sarah’s story isn’t unique. In fact, 100% of mums who attend the SunFyr classes say they find them worthwhile.

Why It Matters

For rural mums, these classes offer more than movement. They provide connection at a time when isolation can feel overwhelming, and they support physical recovery in the postnatal period.

For mothers from the Kingfisher Unit, the chance to come to SunFyr Barns has been especially meaningful. The combination of yoga, community, and the calm, rural environment has offered a sense of healing.

These experiences show that green prescriptions are about more than spending time in nature — they are about creating spaces where wellness strategies, environment, and community combine to support genuine wellbeing.

Jax’s Reflection

For organiser and facilitator Jax Heffer-Cooke, this project comes from a deeply personal place:

“I personally struggled with feelings of loss of previous lifestyle, and loss of community when I was postnatal — I felt very isolated. I have been running mum and baby groups with Yogabubs and ZenMuma for 16 years, and now provide trainings for others, so we can help support new mums through what can be a beautiful, but overwhelming time in women’s lives.”

Looking Ahead

The SunFyr Community Project is only just beginning. With every class, more mothers find that wellbeing can be found in breath, movement, countryside air, and the reassuring presence of others who understand.

Freedom Wellbeing Project CIC is inviting charities, community groups, and health organisations to join us in this work.

• If you’re a new mum, you are warmly welcome to join our free classes at SunFyr Barns, book here
  

• If you’re part of a community organisation or charity, get in touch and explore how we can work together to bring more wellbeing opportunities into the lives of families who need them most.

Because every mother deserves more than survival in the postnatal months — she deserves support, connection, and the chance to feel well again.

Discover free mum and baby yoga at SunFyr Barns, Norfolk. Green prescriptions for postnatal recovery, wellbeing, and connection. Join us today.