Social Enterprise Start-Up Competition 2023 finalist: Hello Wellness CIC
Nourishing Trauma Recovery Through Movement
Laura Scully is the founder of The Pilates Kitchen, Certified Pilates Teacher, and mum.
Laura’s social enterprise idea, Hello Wellness CIC (Community Interest Company), aims to redefine wellness through inclusivity, trauma awareness, and the healing power of movement. Laura’s journey is one of resilience, empathy, and a passion for fostering positive change in the lives of women who have experienced trauma.
A Quest for Inclusive Healing
Laura’s motivation to establish a social enterprise was rooted in the realisation of an unmet need: inclusive and trauma-sensitive practices that can bring transformation to all spheres, particularly within the movement sector. Having worked in the not-for-profits and the public sectors over two decades, Laura recognised the limitations imposed by funding constraints and changing priorities. She envisioned an organisation that was not only financially sustainable but also steadfast in its commitment to addressing the impact of traumatic life events, extending beyond marginalised concerns to become a universal cause.
Laura’s personal journey further fueled her passion. Having encountered Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that led to a diagnosis of PTSD when she was 15 years old. This was compounded by experiencing domestic abuse as an adult.
Despite this diagnosis and involvement with mental health services over the years, it was never explained what trauma was and how it affects the brain and the nervous system. It was only due to the attention trauma has received in the media/social media in recent years, and the popularity of books such as ‘The Body Keeps The Score’ that Laura began to fully understand the impact it has had on her life.
Suddenly, so many things started to make sense – why the body and brain responded in certain ways in certain situations. This understanding gave Laura much more control over her life as she could recognise there wasn’t something ‘wrong’ with her, but her brain had just adapted differently. Laura realised that there is a huge information gap in this area that could be so helpful for people to make sense of their experiences.
This newfound understanding empowered Laura to navigate her experiences with a sense of control and led her to recognise the opportunity to bridge this knowledge gap for others.
Empowerment Through Pilates
In 2017, Laura embarked on a path that would ultimately shape her social enterprise: becoming a Pilates teacher. Her personal practice of Pilates steered her through some very challenging times. As a single parent with a young infant, Laura turned to Pilates for solace and stability. The practice grounded her, stabilised her mental health, and provided the resilience needed to navigate parenthood’s demands.
This personal revelation became the foundation of Hello Wellness’s mission. Laura understood the transformative power of Pilates and its potential to help individuals who have experienced trauma reclaim their bodies and regain control. Hello Wellness aspires to make this practice accessible to women, particularly those who have encountered domestic abuse and reside in underserved communities.
Aiming for Resilience and Healing
Hello Wellness aims to help women find strength and safety within their bodies after enduring trauma. Through trauma-informed Pilates classes, trauma-awareness and health-coaching workshops, Laura’s goal is to facilitate healing, build resilience and an understanding of the impact of chronic stress. Trauma can keep our nervous system on high alert or lead to feelings of disassociation. By emphasising the mind-body connection, Laura believes that movement can be an accessible, powerful tool for transformation.
Hello Wellness’s reach will extend beyond community-based initiatives to partnering with workplaces. Research has found that over 20% of employees have been victims of domestic abuse. Nearly half of the British population have experienced Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs). Experiencing several ACEs has shown to have a major impact on health and can profoundly impact people’s lives. Traumatic events can happen to anyone during their lives and it is clear that when they are working with people, they are working with trauma.
The organisation seeks to develop trauma-informed workplaces that address the significant impact of traumatic events on employees’ lives. Laura believes the workplaces of the future will create working cultures that are kind, compassionate and empathic. Environments, where shame, criticism and toxic stress are endemic, will no longer be fit for purpose for our future generations.
Income generation
Hello Wellness plans to fund its activities by delivering workplace wellness activities to help with trauma and chronic stress, partnering with local and regional businesses, as well as statutory partners and fundraising.
The Award’s Significance
For Laura, winning the Kirklees Social Enterprise Start-Up Competition would be a resounding affirmation of her dedication and vision.
Laura said, “Receiving this award would be an incredible honour and a significant milestone in my journey to create lasting social impact. This recognition would not only validate the hard work and dedication I’ve poured into Hello Wellness but also provide a platform to amplify the causes I am deeply passionate about.
The accompanying resources, visibility, and network connections would empower me to scale up my efforts, reach a wider audience, and create a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of individuals and communities that need it most. In the spirit of shared inspiration, Laura draws from Umbrella Yoga CIC, another local initiative striving to make wellness accessible to all. Just as she seeks to remove the barriers that can hinder participation in practices like Pilates, Laura’s determination is clear: to create a movement of inclusivity, empathy, and empowerment through Hello Wellness.
To find out more about how you could make your ideas for a social enterprise a reality visit the TSL Kirklees website.