Meet The People
Hayley Court
My favourite part of running retreats is seeing the change in our guests across the day or weekend, from when they arrive after a busy week feeling frazzled, to when they leave feeling relaxed and full of joy. This is why I love my job!
Tom and I met at university in Birmingham 2001, whilst studying BA (Hons) Tourism Business Management and have 3 Children between us. I started Forest Retreats in 2015 after being made redundant from the charity sector whilst on maternity leave. My passion for Yoga grew after suffering anxiety after giving birth to my second daughter, adjusting to being the mother of two and losing my Grandmother. Yoga has helped me to feel less anxious, more centred and overall happier.
We have recently moved to Tintern where we are busy building a retreat centre. I have practiced yoga regularly for 6 years and am now fully qualified to teach. I run classes in Tintern and Llandogo and on my retreats. My passion is teaching others how to experience to same joy that Yoga gives me.
Namaste.
“My passion for yoga grew after having my second child and suffering from severe anxiety. Yoga helped me get out of my head and feel back into my body. After being made redundant on maternity leave, I used my tourism background to start yoga retreats in the local area by using other teachers to teach the yoga classes on the retreats. Over a period of 4 years, I naturally progressed to becoming a teacher myself and absolutely love it! I enjoy meeting different people, guiding them towards a more peaceful life and continuously learning on this incredible journey. Forest Retreats – Simply Yoga combine a mixture of different yoga styles, depending on where our journey is taking us. I like to think of myself as a pirate yogi!”
Tom Court
I have spent most of my life working in the hospitality industry and took a degree in Leisure and Recreational Management. I have a passion for being outdoors and when possible, I spend time canoeing, walking and biking around the River Wye. Hayley and I have recently purchased Hill Farm in Tintern and I am busy on the land building our dream of a retreat centre.
My favourite part of running the retreats is cooking fresh vegetarian foods with lots of nutritional benefits, as well as tasting great! The reaction of our guests is very rewarding and I love sharing the recipes to allow guests to recreate the dishes at home. As a keen nature lover, I also enjoy taking the groups out for a walk and exploring the beautiful local woods. I specialise in eco-therapy and am now a qualified practitioner. I am looking forward to incorporating Forest Bathing into our retreats.
