I know we are hurtling towards the time of the year when most people’s mantra will be ‘eat, drink and be merry’ but it’s amazing how – within weeks – my gym is suddenly jam packed with those paying with sweat for their ‘sins.’
You can’t blame Bath businesses – at this post-Christmas and rather dismal time – for cashing in on our desire to get fit again.
So for those wanting to get active and just feel better in themselves at this bleak time of the New Year, you will be pleased to heard that ReBalance Bath is set to return to the UK’s no.1 spa city in 2025.
ReBalance Bath builds on the city’s 2000-year deep rooted connection to wellbeing, with laughter yoga sessions in the historic Roman Baths among the roster of diverse events that will stimulate mind, body and spirit.
Running 30th January – 16th February 2025, the ‘Festival of Wellbeing’ follows a hugely successful year in 2024, with more than 3,000 attendees at over 250 feel-good activities for mindfulness, motivation and movement. The format of the 2025 festival will be similar but with some notable additions, including through a partnership with Bath Arts Collective, a community interest company that drives a vibrant and varied arts and events scene in Bath and the surrounding areas.
Launching the 2025 event, lifestyle entrepreneur and Made in Chelsea alumna Millie Mackintosh will talk about new book, Bad Drunk: How I found my freedom from alcohol – and you can too. Due to go on sale in January, the book details her alcohol-free journey and the positive effects of the sober lifestyle she has enjoyed for more than two years. Other speakers will include James Gwinnett, a former recruit on the hit Channel 4 show SAS: Who Dares Wins, and author of Ready, Set, Life, and Nicola MacDonald, a resilience coach specialising in parenting, technology addiction and mindfulness, and author of Resilient Teen.
Also new for 2025 is the ReBalance Wellbeing Day, which will include a selection of fitness and mindfulness taster sessions led by a handpicked team of local wellness experts. Andy and Connor from Bath Fit Fam, and Siobhain and Jess from Dance Fit Bath will get the blood pumping, while the focus will be on mindfulness and calm practice with Bex Bridgford from Yoga and Wild Wellness and Madeline Blackburn from The Soul Spa. The ReBalance Wellbeing Day will take place on 2nd February at Green Park Station and will include a wellbeing and vegan market. Tickets are on sale now for £15, including access to all activities.
Elsewhere, from laughter yoga sessions in the Roman Baths to meditation in Bath Abbey, rooftop pool Aquasana (a combination of tai chi and karate moves) at Thermae Bath Spa to tours of The Pig near Bath’s kitchen gardens, there’s something for everyone; all in the stunning setting of a World Heritage City and with many tickets available at accessible prices of less than £20.
Allison Herbert, CEO of organiser Bath BID, says, “We are thrilled to bring back the ReBalance Bath Festival. It’s a fantastic opportunity for everyone to engage in activities that are accessible and make them feel good, whether it is just getting out into the winter sunshine or hearing from one of our fantastic speakers. We are proud to have an exciting lineup once again, and we can’t wait to see the city showcasing its wellbeing credentials.”
Tickets are on sale now via Bath BID’s Welcome to Bath website and events are being added all the time. For the 2025 iteration, festival curators have made a special effort to include several events to focus on men’s mental health and wellbeing. Financial wellbeing, too, will be a key focus, thanks to support from headline sponsor Unividual. The financial advisers will run sessions on setting realistic financial goals, building strong money habits, and creating a sustainable plan for long-term financial stability.
Cherie-Anne Baxter-Blyth, Marketing and Strategy Director at Unividual, adds, “Financial wellbeing is a foundation for living well, reducing stress and empowering ourselves to make informed choices. This is what drives Unividual, so for the last year we have committed to giving free financial literacy workshops to companies, schools and charities across our community. We have given hundreds of local people some basic foundations and resources on managing their money. Now, we’re excited to bring this mission to the ReBalance Festival in Bath and are proud to be the headline sponsor.”
Event Details:
· Date: 30th January – 16th February 2025
· Location: Various around Bath
· Ticket prices: Various, with many of the activities available for £20 or less.
· Tickets for Millie Mackintosh’s talk will go on sale (priced £15 and £12 concession) at 10am on 16th Dec viabatharts.co.uk/events. The event will include a book signing with Millie at the venue after her talk (with the chance to meet her and have a photo taken with her). The book is due for release on 16th Jan.
