He will be teaching ‘Yoga Amongst the Carrots’ at the Food is Free Green Space throughout January, February and March. 

The class name has generated interest from more than 100 people on Facebook, with 30 people already signed up to join the first session on January 27. 

Mr Sedgwick said the outdoor class setting would help participants strengthen their connection to the planet and themselves. 

“Gardening has been shown to have so many benefits for mental health as well as physical health…. so there are a lot of nice links with yoga and trying to find a quiet physical and mental space in the garden; the garden for the soul, the garden for the fruit and veg and the garden for the heart,” he said. 

Food is Free Inc. founder and director Lou Ridsdale said the Green Space would provide a relaxed, inclusive and non-judgemental setting.

“What better way to get in touch with yourself in amongst nature and in amongst the carrots in the Green Space?,” she said. 

“We feel like health is related to wellbeing and yoga fits in really well with healthy eating, kicking off the new year with good habits and hopefully we get some people who are interested in yoga with potential for doing it as a regular thing if there is good take up.”

The Food is Free yoga classes follow the expansion of the Green Space at Western Oval and planning for increased community engagement. 

The grassroots community organisation that is working to ensure all people have access to fresh food in Ballarat was awarded a $128,000 Pick My Project grant in October. 

READ MORE Food is Free movement empowers a community

“We wanted to kick things off at Green Space with gold coin donation entry yoga as a reward to the community for all the support they have given us over the time we have existed but also during Pick My Project,” Ms Ridsdale said. 

The group will use the Pick My Project funds to build a classroom to run workshops on how to be self sufficient, grow your own food and healthy living. 

They will also install storage units for the greens recycle centre where community members can drop off their waste to be used to create soil. 

Other projects in the planning stage include a mini orchard, grow houses to grow food all year round, communal seating and a pizza oven. 

Food is Free Inc. committee chairperson Ginelle Polanske partnering yoga with gardening would help build a stronger sense of community. 

“One of the things that is so interesting about this space is the people that do connect but they don’t actually see each other. Most of our volunteers come in their time slot when there is nobody else here,” she said. 

“We are hoping our volunteers will come to these type of events as well so that they can have that opportunity to meet up, enjoy the space and be proud of what they have achieved here.”

The yoga sessions will run every Sunday from January 27 to March 31, excluding February 17 and 24. Visit Food is Free on Facebook for more details. 

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