Meet the Tutors

Complementary Therapies

Ameena Rahman
Complementary Therapist and Tutor

Ameena qualified as a complementary therapist in 2009, she has been running a part-time community based therapy service since 2011. Ameena is passionate about preventative health and plays an active role in promoting screening and facilitating health & well-being workshops in the community. She holds a Diploma in Teaching in Lifelong Learning Sector and teaches accredited and introductory courses in Anatomy & Physiology, Massage including Massage for Improvers, Indian Head Massage and Aromatherapy. 

Ameena has been teaching introductory courses at Idea Store Whitechapel for several years and thoroughly enjoys it. She believes it is the social responsibility of us all to do what we can for each other to be generous with our skills, time and energy in order to prosper as a healthy community. 

Fitness

Christine Coker
Fitness Tutor

Christine is qualified to teach group exercise to adults, children’s fitness and exercise for  older people.  She attends many professional workshops, including Fit Pro Live Conventions, to improve and enhance her professional development and is a member of the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs). She is also currently developing her own fitness business.

Christine’s teaches a broad range of fitness classes which include: Body Conditioning, High Intensity Interval Training and Fitness for Weight Loss which encompass elements of mindfulness as well as advice about nutrition and wellbeing.  She designs and adapts exercises to each person’s level and ability.


 

Guiding

David Charnick
Tour Guiding Tutor

David is a qualified City of London guide, and has his own guiding business. He is also a local lad, having lived in Bethnal Green all his life. He has a keen interest in London, and guiding has given an extra dimension to his explorations of his home town, uncovering many of its hidden and forgotten stories. He is particularly keen to increase an appreciation of the rich heritage of Tower Hamlets by experiencing it at street level.

The 'Tour Guiding in Tower Hamlets' courses are suitable for the newcomer and the experienced guide. They help you develop presentation skills and give you a thorough grounding in guiding skills. Also, they give you a detailed familiarity with the history and character of Tower Hamlets, the original East End.

Life Coaching

Richard Hollingworth
Life Coaching and Public Speaking Tutor

Richard is a qualified life and voice coach.  He specialises in personal performance and achievement, public speaking and accents for actors.  He works around the UK, leading a variety of courses and workshops.  His students have included people from around the world and from a variety of occupations.

His courses for Idea Store Learning include workshops and introductory courses in Life Coaching and Public Speaking.  He holds a PGCE in Lifelong Learning, as well as a certificate in English language teaching for adults and also teaches Functional Skills as part Preparation for Life and Work.

Pilates

Tracy Gorbell
Pilates Tutor

Tracy initially qualified to teach group exercise in 1990 and worked as a freelance instructor for a number of years before combining this with a career in ergonomics and health and safety. Tracy has numerous academic and fitness qualifications and has taught exercise in health clubs, adult education and the NHS. Tracy has a particular interest in exercise for older adults and the community-setting as a place in which to promote physical activity and exercise for health.

Tracy’s Pilates classes are based on contemporary Pilates and draws from her experience in other exercise formats. Tracy actively encourages learners to work independently, to work within their own limits and with experience, to choose their own modifications.

Caroline Ings Chambers 
Pilates Tutor

Caroline has several years’ experience in teaching Pilates in adult education and health clubs.  Most people develop habits of movement, which cause them to overuse some muscles and underuse others.  Caroline’s Pilates courses tend to be about stripping movement back to the fundamentals, then building up new patterns that give the body all round connected strength.  By freeing the body, it can reconnect with its natural openness and strength.  Caroline’s classes are particularly beneficial to those who need to improve their posture, increase back strength, release the spine, and strengthen and lengthen muscles throughout the body. 
 

Reiki

Denise Bangs
Reiki Tutor

Denise has practiced Reiki since 2007 and completed Reiki Master Teacher training in 2011. She has taught Reiki one to one and in groups since 2012; she teaches in an empathetic way, with classes taught in an easy and accessible manner within a relaxed and supportive atmosphere.

Denise is passionate about teaching Reiki and assisting others to acknowledge their own potential.
She is a member of The UK Reiki Federation as well an accredited life coach.

Swimming

Brenda Sullivan
Swimming Tutor

Brenda Sullivan is an advanced swimming teacher having gained her qualifications over forty years ago from the Amateur Swimming Association, the Governing Body for swimming.  She is qualified to teach babies, toddlers, older children and adults and has taught all of these groups in Tower Hamlets over many years in many pools. 
 
At present Brenda teaches very successful classes for parent and child in the pool in Stephen Hawking School.  These classes concentrate on giving parents the confidence to handle their child in water and the emphasis is on having fun.  Brenda strongly believes that learning and success come from having fun and the classes are intended for parents to enjoy absolute quality time with their little ones.
 
Brenda is also a qualified swimming official and judges and referees high level swimming competitions. She is also Chair of the London Schools' Swimming Association which organises high level competitions for London schoolchildren.


 

Tai Chi

Matthew Leavey
Tai Chi and Shiatsu Massage Tutor

Matthew first came to Shiatsu through his martial arts training.  Having suffered various injuries he discovered its ability to alleviate pain and this became a directing force towards his studying Shiatsu and the healing arts.

Matthew’s early Shiatsu training inspired him to study 24 form Yang Style Tai Chi with Lei Lei Chu and he later returned to study Tai Chi Chuan Qi-Gong, Hsing Yi and Kung Fu with master Peter Warr.

Matthew supports learners to develop their own practice of regular exercise and treatment to promote a sense of lightness in the body together with an overall improvement in their state of wellbeing.

Yoga

Clare Day 
Yoga Tutor

Clare has been teaching yoga since completing The Life Centre Teacher Training in 2007, and is an active member of the British Wheel Of Yoga, the governing body of yoga in the UK

Clare teaches a variety of classes to meet the needs of all ages, ranging from antenatal and postnatal Yoga to chair-based Yoga. She teaches a form of Hatha Yoga with classes offering exercises to stretch and flex the body, develop breath awareness, relaxation and sometimes meditation. Once ability is improved she teaches a ‘Vinyasa’ or ‘flowing style ‘of yoga which can be adapted to suit beginners and the more experienced.

Clare strongly believes yoga has something for everyone no matter what their level of fitness or ability.