Because good health is more than just exercise
Our Teachers
All our teachers are qualified Pilates instructors with extensive experience and knowledge. All the instructors teach very differently and add there own personal flavour to the classes, giving you the choice to choose what style you prefer.
Candice Faqir
Owner of Pilates Health & Fitness, Candice has been teaching Pilates in the community since 2000.
Starting the classes at a local dance school, (before Pilates was a known form of exercise in the UK), the benefits of Pilates soon became apparent with classes been over-subscribed within 3 months.
The awareness of Pilates was made known to the UK by the publication of 'Madonna' endorsing it as a form of exercise. Overnight, classes exploded in popularity, creating a larger demand for classes.
Candice expanded her class availability into the wider community, teaching at the local Sports Centre and private hotel gym.
In 2003, Candice opened a dedicated Pilates Studio calling it 'Pilates Health & Fitness'.
To help teach the classes, she approached one of her regular students, who showed the potential to become a great instructor. Tanya, qualified in Pilates in 2003 and continued to teach classes until Covid-19.
Combined classes taught was now 35 classes a week as well as 1-2-1 sessions. These covered basic mat-work Pilates, Pre and Post Natal, Ball Pilates, Circuit classes, Advanced Pilates and Flexi-bar.
Throughout this period, a further 3 more instructors (all students of the classes) joined the studio and provided their own unique style to Pilates.
In 2007, PH&F expanded into 2 studios, allowing more classes to be offered as well as a variety of new classes (Zumba, Pole Dancing, Yoga, HIIT....).
2009 brought a significant change for both studios.
Pilates Health & Fitness had to re-locate all the classes to a new venue.
The timetable was streamlined (17 classes) and moved to St James Arts Centre and SAMYE Meditation Centre.
These two locations opened the door to larger classes and a new client base. However, Covid-19 changed everything for all classes.
The classes went to online via Zoom which proved a valuable life-line for all the clients that continued. As a career, Candice went back to part-time work alongside the classes and Tanya retired from teaching.
January 2022 saw the return of community classes at St James and these classes, still continue to run.
From Candice:
"I have been privileged over the last 25 years to meet truly incredible people both as customers and instructors. I fell into teaching Pilates thanks to Julie Hatton, the owner of the Dance School. She had heard about Pilates through her dance channels and recommended I go on the course. I never realised what a life-changing decision this would be and how huge a part of my life Pilates would become and still is.
It is an honour to teach any form of fitness to help improve someone's health and I have never taken that responsibility lightly.
I hope to be still teaching Pilates for a further 25 years because I cannot imagine my life without it",
Candice Faqir - Founder & Owner of Pilates Health & Fitness.
Qualifications include Level 2 & 3 Mat Pilates, L3 Nutrition for Exercise, L3 Exercise Referral, Foam Roller, Zumba, Piloxing, Flexibar, Exercise to Music, BrainFit and most recently Pelvic Floor Training.
More recently, Candice has been focusing on the importance of the mind body connection in relation to exercise and health and is continually developing her skills to make the class experience as relevant and up-to-date as possible.