Spotlight on Pause & Breathe CIC
We’re delighted to be joined for our latest spotlight by Pause and Breathe CIC, a social enterprise providing wellbeing services to enhance health and happiness. We caught up with Susie Hooper, Managing Director, to find out more about the work they do, plans for the year and tips for other social enterprises.
What’s your social and/or environmental mission?
Pause & Breathe CIC provide accessible wellbeing sessions, courses and retreats both online and offline in and around Stirlingshire. Participants will be more able to manage their stress and anxiety, which will impact positively on their mental, emotional and physical health.
How do you do it? (client group, practical daily work, customers etc)
We offer a variety of wellbeing sessions both for the general public, and to specific groups via organisations. We provide 1-1 mindfulness coaching and sessions for families too.
What’s your personal motivation for being a social entrepreneur?
After working as a Social Worker for 20 years, I have witnessed so much inequality in our society. I strongly believe that everyone’s wellbeing is important, and yet so many people lack the tools they need to help them feel more balanced physically, emotionally and mentally. A lot of people won’t access wellbeing sessions through traditional means – I want to bring these to them, where they are.
What are your current projects?
We were honoured that community votes helped to award us funding through Community Choices, so with Lindsey Porter from Yoga-Nu-U, we’re bringing wellbeing sessions to a variety of community members in Bonnybridge and Larbert. We also have a thriving online community, with different sessions most days, and we’ve just finished putting together an extensive online library which people can access for a nominal fee to practice mindfulness, qi gong and yoga nidra in their own time.
What exciting things do you have coming up?
I am starting to work with Women’s Aid, and next month I’m attending training to bring Mindfulness into prisons. I am collaborating with Lesley-Anne Martin from The Yoga Tree – we’re both in the Stirling Community Lottery, and we’re putting our funding together to hold an afternoon retreat next month.
Who do you want to work with more?
We love working with a wide variety of individuals and organisations to help people to feel more in control of their emotions, and less overwhelmed by stress and anxiety. I have a particular interest in working with carers – both people in caring professions, and those caring for loved ones in either a paid or unpaid capacity. People who consistently put others first need to have the space to rest, and to develop self-compassion.
What’s your biggest challenge?
At the moment, as we grow, it’s trying to balance everything that needs to be done – becoming proficient in marketing and advertising, building links with organisations and communities, focusing on social impact at the same time as being financially viable. It feels like a big balancing act!
What top tips would you give to other social enterprises?
There’s lots of free advice out there – seek it out before starting up.
For more information about Pause and Breathe CIC, please visit their website and make sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to keep updated with their work.
Want to read more Member Spotlights? Visit our blog. If you’d like to be featured, please email our Membership Manager Jayne at jayne.chappell@socialenterprise.scot.