Hackney GP surgery to host free virtual retreat to help people ‘struggling during lockdown’

A Dalston GP practice is to launch a free virtual retreat next week to help people “boost their physical and mental health” at a time when access to open space is limited.

Richmond Road Medical Centre has teamed up with mindfulness platform Reworked to host a three-week programme of online yoga, meditation and fitness sessions, starting on 24 November.

‘Be the Best You’ is open to anyone with internet access, and is part of the surgery’s long-standing commitment to offering alternative and holistic treatments alongside traditional medicine.

Richmond Road partner Dr Gopal Mehta said: “We want to reach people who may struggling at home during lockdown. With all the pressures people are going through, we hope the retreat sessions can really help. Many people don’t have the chance to get out into open spaces for now.

“We hope this gives people a chance to try something different, that they can do at home, to really boost their physical wellbeing and mental health.”

The Reworked platform covers nutrition, yoga, meditation, sound, mindful fitness and breath work in online sessions run by instructors with a combined total of more than 10,000 hours of teaching under their belts.

The sessions are intended to be fun and accessible for all levels of experience and fitness. Instructors use simple language to guide participants through the techniques, highlighting the science behind each one and removing any non-essential spiritual elements.

Richmond Road is hoping to continue the programme in the new year.

To join the retreat and choose from the sessions on offer, visit the programme’s Eventbrite page

For more information, visit Richmond Road’s website or follow the surgery on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram