OUR TEAM

WHO WE ARE

A small team of qualified Pilates instructors and fitness professionals, each on their own journey towards balance. Sojourn was built around the belief that how you feel in a space matters as much as what you do in it, and each of our instructors brings a distinct style of teaching that quietly builds your body awareness and control with every class.

Our core team

Charlotte, founder of Sojourn Pilates, mid-conversation in a cream long-sleeve top inside the Broughton Astley studio in Leicestershire, with a hanging plant and infrared affirmation mirror behind her.

Charlotte H.

Studio Owner & Reformer Pilates Instructor

Wednesdays 07:00

Saturdays 09:00, 10:00, 11:00

Sundays 10:00, 11:00, 12:00

If I’m honest, PE was the lesson I was most likely to skip, and for a long time exercise was like cutting a fringe: something I only did in a crisis. That’s to say, I’ve been in and out of love with movement for most of my life. I found it hard to maintain a routine when I didn't feel like I 'needed' to. Basically, I didn't expect to be here.

A few years ago, I was visiting LA when a friend invited me to a Pilates class. I said yes apprehensively, and that was it. I've always struggled with balance, mentally and physically, but Pilates was the first form of movement I found both grounding and challenging in the same breath.

That's the feeling I try to bring to my classes. Whether you're choosing Pause, Flow or Ignite, I love helping you connect with, challenge and appreciate your body and your mind.

Certified Reformer Pilates Instructor, Pilates Academy International via The Pilates Programme (2023)

Pre and Post Natal Pilates (CPD), The Pilates Programme (2025)

Jess, Community Lead and instructor at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, smiling as she threads grip socks into reformer foot straps in warm studio light.

Jess F.

Community Lead, Mat & Reformer Pilates Instructor

Mondays 06:00, 07:00

Tuesdays 07:00, 08:15

Thursdays 09:00, 10:00, 11:00

My love for movement began when I started strength training a few years ago. Having suffered from eating disorders for many years, I loved how strong and empowered I felt lifting weights, and since then I've never looked back. I wanted to try new things to mix up my training and came across reformer Pilates two years ago. Unfortunately for my bank account, I became obsessed!

I always said that I wanted to work within this industry but was worried that the market was overcrowded and that I shouldn't turn a hobby into a career. It was only in January 2025 when my younger brother passed away that I realised how much I relied on daily movement to help keep me strong, both mentally and physically.

Since then I have adapted the 'life's too short' mindset and took the plunge to become an instructor. I was wrong all along. Turning a hobby into a career is the best decision that I have ever made and I know my little brother will be so proud of me.

Level 3 Certified Mat Pilates Instructor, HFE (2023)

Level 3 Certified Reformer Pilates Instructor, HFE (2023)

Hayley, instructor at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, smiling in a cream Pilates set as she sits gracefully on a woven jute rug beside a potted palm, floral tattoos along her forearms and a dancer's poise in her resting pose.

Hayley T.

Mat & Reformer Pilates Instructor

Mondays 17:45, 18:45, 19:45

Tuesdays 18:45, 19:45

I grew up as a dancer, so movement has always been a huge part of my life. Throughout my training, Pilates became more and more prevalent, especially during my study for my degree from The Royal Academy of Dance. After I graduated, gaining a Pilates qualification seemed like the logical next step as I transitioned from performer to teacher, and I quickly fell in love with it.

Since then, I've been specialising in teaching mat Pilates, bringing in my love of movement and creativity to inform my classes. And, after a decade of teaching mat, I finally took the plunge to train in Reformer in 2024. Again, I fell in love! Despite the differences between mat and reformer Pilates, I found reformer giving me such a different experience in terms of building strength and control through my body. There is nothing that makes my body happier than Pilates! The alignment, the control, the breath: it's just the gold standard of movement!

In my classes you'll find creative, movement focused flows, with a heavy focus on technique and core engagement. Expect some spicy flows, we love the slow burn, and a warm environment to enhance your Pilates technique.

Level 3 Certified Mat Pilates Instructor, HFE (2015)

Level 3 Certified Reformer Pilates Instructor, HFE (2024)

BA (Hons) Dance Education, Royal Academy of Dance (2015)

Lorna, instructor at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, seated on a dark sofa in a burgundy sports bra and leggings, floral arm tattoos visible against a soft curtain backdrop.

Lorna N.

Reformer Pilates Instructor

Mondays 12:00

Wednesdays 11:30

Fridays 09:00, 10:00

Movement has shaped my life. I've always been a dancer, and four years ago I began weight training, staying consistent all the way through pregnancy. When I'm not moving or being mum, I love being creative, exploring new hobbies and reading.

I left my full-time role to teach Pilates full time in 2026, and have loved finding community in studios ever since. In my classes you can expect some sneaky spice, and the shaky legs to prove it. I love to challenge the body in a supportive environment, leaving you feeling energised and confident.

Level 3 Certified Reformer Pilates Instructor (2026)

Emily, instructor at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, in profile wearing a charcoal zip-up activewear top with delicate gold necklaces, soft daylight through linen curtains behind her.

Emily A.

Reformer Pilates Instructor

Wednesdays 17:45, 18:45 & 19:45

With a background in strength and conditioning and a passion for injury prevention and rehabilitation, I bring a performance-focused edge to Reformer Pilates. I believe true strength starts with control.

Reformer Pilates bridges the gap between mobility and power, building deep core strength (all those planks we love), improving alignment (those bridges aren't for nothing), and enhancing overall performance.

In my classes you can expect: strength training principles, strong Pilates foundations, maybe some cheeky holds and pulses, and lots of fun and laughter along the way.

STRONG Pilates Academy (2023)

Level 3 Personal Training, Active IQ (2019)

Rachel, Trainee Instructor at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, in profile working with reformer straps in a cream long-sleeve top, a fellow client visible beside her in the warmly lit studio.

Rachel H.

Reformer Pilates Instructor

Thursdays 17:45, 18:45 & 19:45

Living in London for 10 years, I was spoilt with incredible studios and that’s where my love for Pilates truly began. When I moved back to Leicester, I was on the hunt for a studio that gave me the same feeling: somewhere that centred my nervous system while fulfilling my love of movement.

And then I found Sojourn…

Coming from a family rooted in movement, staying active has always been a huge part of my life. My auntie was the second-best gymnast in Britain, and my dad completed six marathons, so movement has always been something that inspired and grounded me.

Over the years, moving my body has helped me through some of the hardest moments in life, which is why I believe Pilates is so much more than just exercise. For me, it’s a space to escape, reset, and reconnect with yourself, whether you’re feeling on top of the world or simply trying to get through the week. Those 45 minutes in class are your time to switch off from everything outside and just be present.

My dad being diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia and MND completely changed my world, and it pushed me to turn something I love into something I could share with others. Teaching Pilates fills my cup more than I ever imagined, and creating a space where people can move, breathe, and feel good in themselves is something I feel incredibly grateful for every day.

Level 3 Certified Reformer Pilates Instructor, The Pilates Programme (in training)

Behind Sojourn

Charlotte Hayto, founder of Sojourn Pilates, in the Broughton Astley studio with the infrared affirmation mirrors behind her.

I'm Charlotte, the owner (and an instructor) here at Sojourn. I spent thirteen years working in marketing before this, but the studio came from somewhere more personal.

In 2022, I went travelling. Italy, then LA, then Mexico. It was in LA that I took my first Pilates class, and there was something about the movement and the people around the studio that pulled me in straight away. I moved back to Manchester at the start of 2023, and the first thing I did was find a studio. I trained there that September, and what had started as one class on a trip quickly became the rhythm of my week and some of my closest friendships.

In 2024 I moved back to Broughton Astley, the village I grew up in but hadn't called home for years. I loved being back in the countryside, but I missed the studio I'd had in Manchester. Somewhere to move, reset and feel part of something. When I couldn't find it here, I built it.

Sojourn opened in 2025. Every part of it was built around one question: how does this make you feel? The infrared warmth, the affirmation mirrors, the lighting, the playlists. All of it chosen to support your nervous system as much as your body.

What I didn't expect was how the room would fill it back. Sojourn has far surpassed what I thought a community could feel like, and I'm still blown away by the warmth in a class, not just from the heaters.

You'll find me teaching on Wednesday mornings and across the weekend, if you'd like to say hello.

Charlotte, Studio Owner & Instructor

OUR LEICESTERSHIRE STUDIO

No overhead lights, soft infrared warmth, alkaline water, air-purifying plants and fresh flowers. The details matter, in class and out of it. You deserve to move in a beautiful space, and our team deserves to teach in one.

The alkaline water station at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, with upside-down glasses lined on a dark wooden counter, a woven basket beside, and soft daylight catching the plants behind.
The affirmation mirrors at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, printed with 'Energy Shift' and 'Happy Here', framed by a warm wall sconce and seasonal flowers.
A row of reformer beds at Sojourn Pilates in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, lit by natural light through linen curtains, with the studio's 'You Look Good' window decal softly in view.

Had the best first experience of reformer today! everything was clearly explained and felt super comfortable asking for any help or to be re shown any moves! will definitely be returning 😀

Caitlin

Beautiful, chic studio. Amazing vibe. Charlotte has done an incredible job of creating a space where there is no judgement, or fear of not being a "pilates pro"! I look forward to my next session... :)

Samantha