A BIT ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Wendy – Somerset born and bred, with a deep-rooted love for the countryside, creativity, and community.
My family spent generations in agricultural engineering, but from a young age, I was more interested in engines of a different sort—I got my first motocross bike at 8 years old, and I still have three bikes today!
These days, I live just outside Glastonbury with my two wonderful sons (both now in their 20s), my cheeky Jack Russell, Luna, and my half-Siamese cat, Satchi—who, quite frankly, thinks she owns the place.
Luna inspires a series of children’s mindfulness stories I write, blending imagination with calming practices for little ones.
I’m also a big foodie and love spending time in the kitchen—though I’ll admit, my love of good food may explain why I lean towards the plus-size end of things! That lived experience is part of why I’m so passionate about making yoga accessible for everyone, no matter your size, shape, or ability.
One of my greatest joys is practising yoga outside—whether it’s under a wide open sky or barefoot in the grass. There’s something magical about connecting with nature while you breathe and move, and I bring that sense of grounded calm into all my teaching.
And when I’m not teaching or rolling out my mat, there’s nothing I love more than heading off for a camping trip, especially down to beautiful Dorset. There’s something so restorative about fresh air, open fields, and the simple pleasure of a cosy tent and a campfire.
I speak both French and Portuguese—languages I picked up during my earlier adventures and still love to practise whenever I get the chance.
Back in the mid-1980s through to around 2000, I was also part of the Glastonbury Festival team, where I eventually took on responsibility for buying for the festival—a role that gave me a real insight into working behind the scenes of a large-scale, high-energy event.
Around that time, I was also involved with the Chamber of Commerce in Shepton Mallet and worked as a Portuguese translator for the police, becoming one of Avon and Somerset’s first police volunteers. It was a really rewarding experience and something I feel quite proud of—helping people feel understood, especially in situations that could otherwise feel overwhelming.
These days, alongside my work in schools, I’m expanding my work online—creating accessible wellbeing and yoga courses for children, young people, and adults with special educational needs, as well as the people who support them.
My aim is to make these tools available beyond the classroom, so they can be used at home or in everyday situations. I also offer online sessions, including support for individuals with EHCPs, helping to provide continuity and calm outside of school.
For me, this feels like a natural extension of everything I believe in—creating supportive spaces where people can pause, breathe, and feel more like themselves.
Whether you're here to move, breathe, laugh, or simply slow down, you’re in the right place. My yoga is down-to-earth, inclusive, and here to support you—just as you are.
My Story
I started my yoga journey at the age of 10 back in 1974.
I found a book about yoga in the local health food shop, and that was the beginning.
After travelling around Europe for a few years, I decided to train as a Massage Therapist.
In 1994, I qualified in Holistic Massage Therapy, as well as Anatomy and Physiology, and returned to Portugal, where I became the resident massage therapist at the Algarve's beautiful Yoga Centre, Quinta da Calma. It was there in 1999 that I trained to be a yoga teacher and was given my yoga name, “Mahi,” by Sri Swami Satchidananda.
For many years, I continued to practise massage and yoga therapies at Quinta da Calma, where I was the personal therapist to many local dignitaries, including a Princess and media celebrities.
After returning to England to have my children in 2000, I continued to develop my skills as both a therapist and yoga teacher.
In 2010, a serious accident left me disabled and confined to a wheelchair for 9 months.
Fortunately, this was temporary—but during my long and challenging recovery, I began developing my own gentle yoga routines that I could practise from my bed, in my wheelchair, and in any environment where I felt safe and supported.
I can truly say that I have “walked in those moccasins” and experienced first-hand some of the challenges that many disabled people face daily.
During that time, I also gained weight, and when I returned to teaching, this inspired me to create my Plus Size Yoga programme—making yoga more accessible, comfortable, and welcoming for everybody.
What initially felt like a setback became a turning point. It guided me towards specialising in gentle, adaptive yoga for people with limitations, disabilities, mental health challenges, and special educational needs, including those with sensory impairments such as deafness and blindness.
From 2012 onwards, I focused primarily on working with disabled students and later trained with The Special Yoga Centre in London, studying “Special Yoga for the Special Child,” an adaptive yoga programme designed to support natural development in children with additional needs.
In 2016, I furthered my Yoga Teacher Training with Special Yoga, the UK’s leading accredited SEN yoga training organisation. This has enabled me to become one of the very few yoga teachers in the South West specialising in yoga for babies, children, and adults with special needs and learning difficulties.
In 2020, when my mum’s health declined, I became her primary carer. During this time, I also completed my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualification.
In 2022, I trained as a Mental Health First Aider, further strengthening my ability to support emotional wellbeing—something that has become increasingly important in recent years.
Today, I work extensively within SEND schools across Somerset, providing yoga as an intervention therapy in partnership with local authorities. I support both group sessions and one-to-one work, helping children and young people with a wide range of needs to feel calmer, more connected, and more confident in themselves.
Inclusive Yoga & Wellbeing for Every Body
© 2026 Wendy Sugg