News

Tis The Season to be ‘Conscious’: The Pop Up Gym to Bring Their Mindful Approach to the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre...

Tis The Season to be ‘Conscious’: The Pop Up Gym to Bring Their Mindful Approach to the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre

For the first time, Bury St Edmunds-based The Pop Up Gym are transforming a marquee within the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre with a one-day event ‘Conscious Christmas’.

Featuring short talks and demonstrations, family-friendly creative activities and information and signposting to local services and charities, the day invites visitors to prioritise their health and wellbeing – and that of others- over the festive period.

Natalie Pace of The Pop Up Gym explains the inspiration:

“ Whilst Christmas is a time of celebration, for many people the festive period leads to stress and excess. We juggle expectations of family and friends and this all plays havoc with our health and wellbeing. Lack of routine, abundant food and lots of sitting indoors watching Christmas films mean we can feel like we head into the New Year lacking energy. Small changes and effort can change this though and Conscious Christmas aims to provide bite-sized advice to help people navigate this”.

The Pop Up Gym are excited to be bringing together an array of local experts to offer visitors respite from the bustle of the Christmas Fayre and a space to think about sustainable approaches to Christmas that extends to the communities we live in and the environment. Expect therapies from Neal’s Yard, Christmas craft using sustainable materials, a mini Christmas workout from personal trainer Lucy Cronin, breath and stress-reduction techniques from Jacqui Sinclair of Sahasta yoga and much more.

Natalie stated; “Everyone knows someone who finds Christmas difficult. Maybe personal circumstances, financial stress, mental health challenges or a past trauma. The aim of Conscious Christmas is to try and engage people in how we can look after ourselves better and think about those around us. It’s trying to readdress the balance at Christmastime of giving / receiving and celebrating and contemplating.”

Cllr Robert Everitt, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities at West Suffolk Council said: “Christmas can be a time that puts great strain on families and on individuals. There’s pressure, not just financially, but also socially with some people experiencing Christmas alone, some feeling alone even sat amongst their families and people trying to perform to a happy ideal. It can cause huge stress and anxiety. We recognise the irony of hosting Conscious Christmas at an event celebrating the festive season, but we want the fayre to be inclusive and hopefully people visiting the marquee will find it a help.”

Conscious Christmas will take place on Sunday 24 November between 10-4 in Haart's Community Tent, located on the bowling green in the Abbey Gardens.