Laughter yoga: Meet the Chorley woman who helps people laugh - a lot!

Tomorrow marks World Laughter Day – an annual event celebrated worldwide to raise awareness about its many healing benefits. One woman who knows this all too well is Gerry Kerfoot, 54, who runs a laughter yoga class at the Garden Studio on Heapey Road. Described as “mayhem, madness and laughter galore”, the aim of the hour long class is to relax your breathing and cultivate joy, bring out your inner child, and help you let go of daily life stressors.

Gerry said: “The reason why we do laughter yoga is that it is fantastic for you. It gives you an internal workout and is also good for your heart. It also helps with depression, anxiety and stress. You can be laughing at anything or nothing. It’s just really good fun and it’s contagious. It’s almost like you fake laugh until you make it as it isn’t long until you are laughing properly. It’s all about sustained laughter over a long period of time that creates the health benefits.”

Gerry, who is married to Michael and has a 19-year-old son called Laui, also runs a spiritual giftware shop – Following the Joy, from the downstairs half of her home at 8 Eaves Lane, Chorley. The shop is an extension of relaxation continued from the yoga sessions and sells candles, incense and crystals which she hand makes. She also sings trance and mother earth music and runs bookshop workshops from the shop. The shop also holds engraved memories of Gerry’s late mother Barbara Bell who left her an inheritance which she used to fund the shop.

Gerry, who previously worked at Chorley Women’s Centre as a manager for 17 years, added: “When my mum passed away she left me some money so I invested it into the shop which is also a nice legacy. I run the shop from the bottom of the house and live in the upstairs part.”

Laughter yoga session can also be booked as team building events in the workplace, for adults and children with special needs, festivals and other events. The classes, priced at £10 per person, run fortnightly every Monday from 7pm. If you would like to book on you can contact Gerry on: 07947542452.