Volunteering, Yoga and Rebuilding Community
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As loneliness rises and community ties weaken, giving your time may be one of the most powerful practices yoga offers.
This Volunteers’ Week (1–7 June 2026), it’s inspiring to see how volunteering is creating stronger, kinder communities across the UK.
Recent research from Sport England’s Active Lives Adult Survey shows that people who regularly volunteer in sport and physical activity build stronger community connections and a deeper sense of belonging, reporting higher wellbeing scores and a lower likelihood of experiencing loneliness.
And yet this picture isn’t without its challenges. National surveys on public trust and loneliness highlight that many people feel increasingly isolated and disconnected. The same research data from Sport England shows that volunteering in sport and physical activity has declined roughly by half over the last decade. Fewer adults are regularly giving their time to support local groups, even as the need for social connection grows.
This makes the case for change more urgent and the opportunity more meaningful. It tells us that simply showing up for others is one of the most effective things we can do for ourselves.
From a yogic perspective, there is more power when we come together. Shared activity carries its own kind of healing. Seva, the practice of selfless service, is not incidental to yoga; it is at its heart.
When we volunteer, we are practising yoga in its fullest sense, moving the principles of yoga from the mat into the world. This is central to what the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) seeks to support.
For Kate Holly, volunteering with the BWY has been deeply fulfilling. She initially thought she didn’t have time to volunteer, with a self-employed business to market, but she found a way to make it work. Watch her video (below) to hear how volunteering has enriched her life and connected her with the yoga community.
If you’d like to give your time to support your local yoga community and help BWY bring the principles of yoga into more places, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us to find out about volunteering opportunities: office@bwy.org.uk
About BWY
The British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) is committed to sharing yoga’s transformative power and rich heritage through events and education. Guided by yoga’s principles and traditions, BWY’s mission is to enrich lives through yoga, increasing accessibility and inclusivity. Established as a registered charity in 1965 and recognised as the National Governing Body for Yoga by Sport England and Sport Wales, BWY serves more than 5000 members and is supported by a 100-strong local volunteer network and a small central team.
For all media enquiries
Natalie Lyndon, BWY PR & Communications Officer
