I went to an event in Barnoldswick on Saturday which was organised by the charity Bosom Friends They do great work supporting people in a variety of ways in the Craven, Pendle and Ribble Valley areas. The day was an opportunity for local people affected by cancer to come and have a chat with some artists and therapists who might be able to help support them and their families.
There were several talks and workshops and we started off with a Laughter Yoga session led by Gill Lowe. I know laughing is good for you and releases endorphins and happy chemicals but had never experienced it myself. Gill was brilliant at getting everyone involved with some simple movements, clapping and of course laughing!
Gill and her husband run a laughter club in Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales and they meet fortnightly on a Saturday morning. For more info on Gill and her work http://laughter-health.com
She also does workshops and if you are in the area for Grassington Festival then you can join them in the incredibly odd surroundings of The Luminarium on Saturday 23rd June. This is an enormous inflatable, colourful, maze-like structure which makes me laugh just looking at it! There are a wide range of events taking place inside this unusual venue including story telling, poetry, life drawing and laughter.
This is a short video in which John Cleese meets Dr Madan Kataria founder of Laughter Yoga, discovers
Laughter Yoga and visits a Laughter Yoga session in an Indian jail.
