Our Teachers/Therapist

Charlene Carpenter
Charlene trained and qualified at the North London School of Sports Massage and at Body Control Pilates London and is a full member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA).

Having sustained a long list of injuries during professional Dance training in the 1990's, Charlene understands the frustration and restrictions caused by injury and pain.

Charlene is passionate about the use of Clinical Pilates for both injury prevention and rehabilitation. She qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates in London and then went on to qualify as a Certified Pilates Reformer Teacher also at Body Control Pilates. She has also undertaken further training in Pilates for Breast Cancer, Understanding Long Covid, Pilates for Hypermobility, Rehab exercise for Shoulder Injuries, Pilates for Scoliosis (spinal curvature); Pilates for the Older Person (incorporating Hip/Knee arthritis/replacement), and Pilates for Neurological Disorders including Parkinsons, Multiple Sclerosis and Stroke. She also holds additional Level 3 qualifications in Pregnancy & Post Natal Pilates and Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia).

Charlene is a Supervising Teacher for the Body Control Pilates Training Centre in London, assisting with the mentoring of Trainee Teachers.

Since graduating in Sports/Remedial Massage in 2006, Charlene has practised sports massage at Chelmsford Chiropractic Clinic, Bannatynes Health Club, Topnotch Gym Blackfriars and at various sporting events including the London Marathon. However, Pilates is her passion and she now devotes her time solely to teaching.

Charlene is currently on extended leave.

Jackie Fahy
Jackie qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA).

She became passionate about the benefits of Pilates and improving her posture and spinal mobility after years of working at a desk-based job and felt it gave her strength and mobility for everyday life.

It later helped her prepare for, and rehab from, major surgery. She felt that her recovery was much improved through having exercise goals and adaptations for her particular needs. Through this experience she is motivated to help people experience the many benefits, both physically and mentally, of becoming stronger, getting to know their bodies and working towards their own targets.

Jackie loves to create an enthusiastic and passionate atmosphere in her classes and aims to help motivate and encourage clients to both challenge themselves and become more aware of their own bodies. She continues to develop her own practice by attending classes. Jackie has completed both the Bone Health, and Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal courses and is studying to complete these qualifications.

Jackie teaches at the Studio on Thursday mornings and also teaches the early evening Pilates classes on Thursdays.

Anthea Lewis
Anthea qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA)

Anthea comes from a contemporary dance background and as a result of her training, came to Pilates through rehabilitation from dance-related injuries including Sciatica. She utilises Pilates as support to provide injury prevention, freedom in movement, awareness of alignment and repatterning unhealthy habitual movement.

Since qualifying, Anthea has completed her training in Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal, and also in Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia).

Anthea believes in the versatility of Pilates to benefit everyone, promoting the positive elements of movement while cultivating strength and mobility in the body. She encourages students to connect deeper with their bodies and gain more understanding of its full capacity.

In addition to teaching Pilates, Anthea teaches Dance at Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She is also a freelance producer, director and choreographer, and is Duty Manager at Danceworks Studios in London. Anthea has previously organised and produced a Retreat weekend for Dancers, and would like to produce a Retreat weekend for Pilates clients in the future. Other special interests in addition to injury rehabilitation, are Mindfulness/Wellbeing, and working with the Senior population.

Anthea teaches Pilates classes at the Studio on Tuesday evenings.

Sharan Cheema
Sharan qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA)

Sharan's Pilates journey started on the Reformer in 2015 as she was looking for a practice to complement kickboxing and yoga. She began a regular practice, instantly loving the flow of movement and the focus on moving with control whilst strengthening her body and improving flexibility. In 2020 she left her successful career in Marketing to re-train as a Pilates teacher.

Since qualifying, Sharan has completed her training in Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal, and also in Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia).

Sharan now enjoys the variety of teaching at three different Pilates Studios - one in Wanstead and another in Buckhurst Hill, in addition to ours.

Sharan teaches at the Studio on Monday evenings and on Tuesday afternoons.

Jemma White
Jemma qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London in 2012 and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA).

After working in Portugal as a Maitre d for many years, Jemma moved back to the UK to train as a Pilates Teacher. Jemma subsequently taught classes at Shoreditch Pilates whilst teaching several 1:1’s around East & North London.

Jemma then moved to East Essex and began to grow her own business there, with the aim to improve her clients wellbeing, strength and mobility. She started a family and took time out to raise her children, but continued with her CPD, gaining a further qualification in Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal, and taking courses such as Pilates for the Older Person and various courses on small equipment. Jemma has undertaken her training on the Reformer and is currently working towards her qualification. Jemma also has an extra qualification in Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia).

Jemma teaches Pilates classes at the Studio on Tuesday and Sunday mornings.

Stephanie Davis
Stephanie qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA).

Combining a background in education and a love of exercise and movement Stephanie enjoys teaching and empowering others to work towards their goals.

She initially took up Pilates as a way of strengthening and staying mobile for other exercise formats after having children but soon grew to love the understanding of her own body that Pilates can give. Through Pilates she feels stronger, more flexible and more balanced in body and mind.

Making classes welcoming, fun and motivating is important to Stephanie as she aims to help clients to grow stronger and feel positive about their bodies.
She continues to develop her own skills by attending classes on a weekly basis and is also working towards a qualification in Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal. Stephanie also has an extra qualification in Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia).

Stephanie teaches the later evening Pilates classes at the Studio on Thursdays.

Sophie Millett
Sophie qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA)

As a professional actress, singer and dancer, Sophie has always loved movement of many forms including both Yoga and Pilates. Due to a back injury, she was advised by specialists to focus more on Pilates for it’s
rehabilitative and strength training qualities which then lead to her qualifying to teach.

Since qualifying as a Pilates Teacher, Sophie has gained extra qualifications in Pilates for Pregnancy & Post Natal, Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia) and Pilates for Hypermobility.

Sophie teaches Pilates classes at the Studio on Wednesday evenings.

Neil Carpenter
Neil trained and qualified at the North London School of Sports Massage and at both STOTT Pilates and Body Control Pilates and is a full member of the Institute of Sport and Remedial Massage (ISRM),

With a background in Athletics, Gymnastics and Martial Arts followed by a career as a Firefighter, Neil understands the strain put on the body both in physical training and in day to day life and work.

Neil is fascinated by the body’s ability to produce compensation patterns very quickly following injury, or over a period of time from poor postural habits. He holds an additional qualification as a Biomechanics Coach™ and is able to screen for a number of ‘hidden’ compensations which can cause injury and pain elsewhere in the body. This enables him to target specific problem areas and prescribe simple ‘take home’ exercises to help rebalance the body, thus in many cases facilitating a quicker and longer lasting recovery and aiding the prevention of further injuries.

Neil qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher with Stott Pilates in London, and as a Certified Pilates Reformer Teacher with Body Control Pilates London. He enjoys bringing the benefits of Pilates to the male population with his 'Men Only' class in addition to his mixed classes. Neil has also undertaken further training in Pilates for Osteoporosis/Osteopenia, Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal, and Pilates Large Apparatus courses.

Since graduating in Sports/Remedial Massage in 2006, Neil has practised sports massage at Fore Street Osteopathic Clinic, One Addison Complementary Health Clinic, Fitness First Leyton and at various sporting events including the London Marathon and 24 hour endurance event Spitfire Scramble.

Neil teaches Pilates classes on Monday, Wednesday & Friday mornings, and is available for private appointments on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons and on Saturday mornings.

Vikki Kavanagh
Vikki qualified as a Hatha Yoga Teacher through British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) in 2015 with a level 4 Certificate in Teaching, later adding the BWY 500 Hour Teaching Diploma and has been teaching adults, children and teenagers through Heartfelt Yoga since then.

In 2017 she left her career in marketing to become a full-time yoga and meditation teacher. She has experience in teaching adult education classes, at studios and gyms, primary and secondary schools, as well as private classes, one to ones and family orientated classes and workshops.

Vikki’s teaches Hatha Yoga, a traditional non-dynamic style of Yoga, where you are encouraged to progress at your own pace with postures offered progressively so that all abilities can be taught together.

Vikki teaches Hatha Flow Yoga at the Studio on Mondays at 4.55pm

Alison Hayes
Alison qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London.

Over the past 18 years, Alison has benefitted from practising Pilates with Body Control Pilates teachers at a number of different studios across London, including Upminster Sports Massage and Pilates, and after feeling the huge benefits of practising Pilates throughout her first pregnancy, she decided, with the support and encouragement of her current teachers, Neil and Charlene, to train to become a Pilates teacher herself, with the hope of sharing her passion and to support others in their Pilates journey.

She loved the way that Pilates enabled her to be in a group environment but to work comfortably at her own pace, meeting the needs of her own body and was amazed that the calm, relaxing classes resulted in such a transformation to her physique and her strength. She felt the benefits of the way Pilates challenged her mind and body and the effect the classes had on her overall health and wellbeing, including the management of stress and anxiety.

Alison is currently working towards extra qualifications in Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal and Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia).

Alison is currently on maternity leave.

Sophie Balaam
Sophie qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA)

Sophie took up Pilates over 10 years ago whilst suffering from work related stress. Through attending classes she gained more body awareness and learned how to breathe more efficiently. She found that by applying some of the Pilates principles to her every day life, her anxiety reduced and she was better able to manage stressful situations. Over time she also noticed that her posture changed, she was standing taller and had increased flexibility and strength.

Sophie believes that moving well is as important as eating nutritiously, her aim is to help people discover and enjoy movement in their own bodies so that they can feel better both physically and emotionally.

Since qualifying as a Pilates Teacher, Sophie has gained extra qualifications in Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal, and Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia).

Sophie also runs workshops at the Studio on Mindfulness through Pilates, and on Pilates with breath and movement strategies for Respiratory Diseases.

Sophie is currently on maternity leave.

Beth Allcock
Beth qualified as a Certified Pilates Matwork Teacher at Body Control Pilates London and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA)

During a desk based career as a Journalist, Beth remained active by competing in many half marathons, and first came to Pilates when rehabilitating from a series of running injuries and fractures in her knee and ankle. Pilates made her think of her body in a different way, so much more aware of the importance of building strength rather than focussing purely on cardio.

During this time she was diagnosed with Osteoporosis. Following a programme of targeted Nutrition and Pilates weight bearing and resistance exercises, she managed to increase bone mass and her diagnosis was downgraded to Osteopenia (the pre-cursor to Osteoporosis). Beth continues to strive to further increase her bone density, and her journey has sparked a personal interest in bone health and strength. She holds an extra qualificiation in Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia) and plans to specialise in this area in the future.

Beth also holds an extra qualification in Pregnancy and Post Natal Pilates and has completed several courses including Understanding Long Covid.

Beth taught Pilates regularly at the Studio for 3 years, and now provides cover for us whenever we need an additional teacher.

Theresa Kalpee
Theresa qualified as a Certified Pilates Teacher at Body Control Pilates London, and is a member of the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA)

After years working in Banking, Theresa decided to make a change and embark on a career in Well Being. Theresa is passionate about helping people move better and also to feel better.

Since qualifying as a Pilates Teacher, Theresa has completed a course in Pilates for Scoliosis and another in Understanding PoTS and ME/CFS. She is currently studying for additional qualifications in Pilates for Lower Back Pain and Pilates for Older People. Theresa has completed both the Bone Health, and Pilates for Pregnancy and Post Natal courses.

Theresa taught Pilates regularly at the Studio from 2021-2024, and now provides cover for us whenever we need an additional teacher.