Calm and purpose with Pilates Active

Just a few yards from the bustle of Gloucester Road is a place of calm and purpose, where the noise of traffic is replaced with a gentle background of ambient music. This is Vicky Woodington's Pilates class at Horfield Baptist Church - and its members know exactly what they're here for.

Liz Lewis says: "I like the way Vicky mixes up the exercises. And if you have a particular injury, she always tailors the class for you".

Rosie Down is still coming after four years. She says: "As a mother, I don't have much time for exercise. I wanted something that was a bit more challenging than yoga, and this really suits me."

But after all the talk - what is Pilates? Vicky says: "It's about core and posture, working the abdominal muscles and aligning the body. It's definitely a gentle form of exercise and there's always adaptations that can be made to deal with individual needs.

"But it's also about calm and de-stressing. The class is a space where people can forget about what's going on in other parts of their lives".

That de-stressing was one of the reasons Vicky took up Pilates in the first place. A former primary school teacher, she found juggling full-time work with being a mother too much. After qualifying to be a Pilates coach, she started out running four evening classes a week at another church hall on Gloucester Road.

Now her business Pilates Active stages 16 classes a week at three local venues. In addition to Horfield Baptist Church they take place at Horfield Methodist Church opposite Filton Avenue and St Peter's Community Centre at Manor Farm.

As for the future, Vicky says: "I'm hoping that I can open my own studio, here on the Gloucester Road."