Meet the Instructors

Gareth has over a decade of experience as a yoga teacher, having studied a number of different hatha yoga traditions. His initial training was with Shadow Yoga before gaining a teaching diploma with the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) and he’s also a qualified teacher with the Association of Yoga Studies (AYS) through the Sādhana Māla training program. His main training continues to be with Dave Charlton and Ranju Roy, two senior Viniyoga teachers and so his classes naturally follow this approach.</p> <p>Gareth draws upon his varied experience to create a stimulating practice that is light hearted as well as challenging and effective. After all yoga should be enjoyable rather than a chore!</p> <p>As a complement to his yoga teaching, Gareth is an advanced Thai yoga massage practitioner, accredited by The Thai Yoga Massage Association (TTYMA). He trained with Kira Balaskas from The School of Thai Yoga Massage in London and attended several courses with Asokananda, one of the world's leading teachers. Asokananda who is now sadly missed, was the first to publish a book on the subject in any language other than Thai.</p> <p>Gareth along with his partner Chantal, also trains others to be practitioners in<br /> this ancient, yoga related healing art at their Thai yoga massage training school<br /> in central Cheltenham.

Chantal began her teacher training studies with the Sivananda tradition and received her first teaching diploma in 2006. After attending courses at the SVYASA Yoga University in Bangalore, India and the Yoga Biomedical Trust in London Chantal continued her studies with Dave Charlton and the Viniyoga approach. Through him she gained her British Wheel of Yoga teaching diploma.</p> <p>She continues her ongoing Viniyoga studies with Dave Charlton and Ranju Roy.</p> <p>After working with cancer patients and their carers Chantal became deeply interested in using yoga as a therapeutic tool, not only to cope with illnesses and conditions but as a way of dealing with the modern stresses and strains of day to day life. Her regular workshops look at using the ancient wisdom of yoga as effective every day tools to deal with the many ups and downs life has to offer!</p> <p>Chantal has also completed training with Fiona Agombar, author of 'Beat Fatigue with Yoga' and runs yoga classes specifically geared towards people with M.E./C.F.S.</p> <p>In addition to teaching yoga Chantal is also an advanced Thai yoga massage practitioner, having trained with Kira Balaskas in London and Greece and is accredited by TTYMA. She currently gives Thai yoga massage and Thai foot massage treatments in and around the Cheltenham area and specialises in Thai yoga massage for pregnancy. As well as practicing the massage, she also works with Gareth in training Thai yoga massage practitioners.</p> <p>Chantal is both a member of the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) and of the Association of Yoga Studies (AYS).