Breathworks Founder Vidyamala was announced as one of the most influential people with a disability in the UK at a reception at the House of Lords earlier today.

The Shaw Trust Disability Power List 100 is an annual publication of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK. It is compiled by an independent judging panel, chaired by Kate Nash OBE.

Vidyamala founded Breathworks in 2001, teaching small local mindfulness courses for people with chronic pain and illness. She had suffered from multiple spinal injuries as a young woman, which had left her with chronic pain and partial paraplegia. Exploring mindfulness and meditation in her 20's led her to recognise their power to profoundly transform suffering - and inspired her to share them with others.

Today, Vidyamala's work—through retreats, speaking events, audio recordings, articles, lectures, books, conferences, and Breathworks courses—has reached hundreds of thousands of people. Find out more about Vidyamala and Breathworks' history here.

Please join us in congratulating Vidyamala for the extraordinary work that she continues to do.

Check out the full Shaw Trust Disability Power List 100 here.