Skip to main content

About Us - Lighthouse Tai Chi®


Lighthouse Tai Chi® is a registered business partnership, established in 2010 by Helena Kean & David Pelling, with the aim of bringing the health, fitness and well-being benefits of tai chi and qigong to people of all ages. Our instructors are members of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain and comply to the professional Standards & Ethics Policy of this organization. 

We provide professional, specialist instruction as part of a complete service package for leisure and fitness industry clients, sports centres, community centres and groups, seeking to hire a professional, specialist service that is safe and effective. 

Lighthouse is a recognized fitness and wellbeing brand in the UK, and a UK Registered Trademark in Class 41, verifiable at the UK Goverment website at IPO. Please see our Trademark & Copyright Policy.

Our company is based in Burnley, Lancashire, and our instructors deliver weekly classes across East Lancashire, plus online classes and videos that go worldwide. We also teach workshops in UK and Europe.

Here is a short video to introduce Lighthouse Tai Chi®

Helena and David have many years of experience, both learning and teaching tai chi. They continue their own studies to develop their teaching and tai chi skills, passing on the benefits they have seen from their own experience.

They work closely with leisure industry clients and NHS health professionals to provide appropriate tuition and support. They have both studied the NHS Physical Fitness programme and Mindfulness training and have First Aid and Defibrillator certification.


David Pelling is a certified Tai Chi and Qi Gong Instructor and a Black Belt instructor of White Cloud Kung-Fu system, created by Master Derek Gordon, incorporating Wing Chun, Xing Yi and Tai Chi Chuan.

He has trained in various Martial Arts for over 30 years and has been teaching tai chi for over 10 years. David has trained with Michael Fielden, Grandmaster Liming Yue, Sifu Aamir Rafi, Barry Spendlove and Dr Paul Lam and attended training opportunities with Neil Ripsky, Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei, Sifu Steven Burton, Master Faye Yip, Master Tary Yip and Master Kit Wah Hui. He also has experience in Judo and Systema defence.

David also has YMCA Personal Training Level 3, Gym Instructor and Hiit Training qualifications, Aqua Instruction, NVQ National Coaching Certificate Level 2 and Sport England 'Keeping children safe in sport', an Open University Certificate in Health and Social Care, and an Advanced Sports and Exercise Nutrition Advisor Diploma.

Helena Kean-Pelling is a certified Tai Chi and Qigong instructor with over 15 years of experience. She began her tai chi and qigong training with Sharon Poole, an instructor trained by Paul Underhill of Gateway Tai Chi Chuan.

At Steven Burton's Dragon Society Martial Arts School, she studied Chen style tai chi and was proposed by her instructors Steven Burton and David Eccles, to train as an instructor with Grandmaster Liming Yue at the Tai Chi Centre in Manchester. Her studies have also included Kung Fu, pressure point combat and Krav Maga.

She has also trained with Sifu Aamir Rafi, Andrew Plant and Dr Paul Lam, in addition to attending training opportunities with Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei, Master Faye Yip, Master Tary Yip, Grandmaster Tom Muncy and Adrian Simon.

Helena also has C&G Adult Education Certificate 7307, Aqua Instruction, Pilates and YMCA fitness qualifications, Workshop Leader, and Mental Health First Aid. She can speak French, German, Spanish and Italian and had studied Alexander Technique.



Popular posts from this blog

Lighthouse Tai Chi Weekly Classes

classes include Tai Chi & Qigong join anytime Classes are 1 hour except Aqua 45 minutes All sessions open to beginners Burnley & Accrington classes require advanced booking For venues and booking information, visit our Venues page or Tap Centre Name to visit their website or use our Lighthouse Map MONDAY 10.00    Trawden Community Centre,                Trawden, Pendle 13.00    Adrenaline Centre ,             Haslingden, Rossendale 14.00    Adrenaline Centre,             Haslingden, Rossendale   TUESDAY 10.00   Sion Baptist Church,                Church St. Burnley 13.00    West Craven Sports Centre,                Barnoldswick WEDNESDAY 10.00    Pendle Leisure Centre , Colne 11.00    Pendle Leisure Centre , ...

Lighthouse Summer Newsletter 2024

In this edition: Tai Chi in Victoria Park - Celebrating 10 Years NEW - Equinox Retreat Days A Weekend in Pisa Video Ordering T-shirts, Jackets etc Victoria Park Tai Chi Events We are delighted to announce our 10th and final year of free tai chi in Victoria Park, Nelson. The Launch event is on  Thursday 1st August at 1.30pm . The Mayor & Mayoress of Pendle will officially open the event, followed by a performance by the fabulous Pendle Ladies Choir. Singing and Tai Chi are both great activities to boost the mind and body and make us feel good. We are sponsored by Pendle Borough Council, The Marsden Building Society and Pendle Leisure Trust. There will be some Marsden goodie bags for the first 30 people who attend the launch. The Tai Chi only sessions will held on Thursdays 8th & 15th at 1.30pm and Saturday 10th August at 10.30am. Click the blue links to see the events on Facebook or the image below for our website info. If you love our park sessions or you've always want...

Lighthouse Aqua Tai Chi® - Weekly Classes - When & Where?

Our current timetable for aqua sessions for the benefits and general information, please visit our dedicated page ,  or scroll down to find your class Or click on the picture above to watch our short introduction video Wednesdays  11am – 11.45am Ramsbottom Venue : Ramsbottom Pool & Fitness Centre,  Stubbins Lane, Ramsbottom BL0 0PT   Prices & Bookings Tel 0161 253 7000 Fridays  9am – 9.15am Whitworth, Rossendale Whitworth Leisure Centre Venue: Whitworth Leisure Centre, John Street, Whitworth, Rochdale OL12 8BT Prices & Bookings Tel: 01706 801770 Opens 17th October 2024 Fridays  11am – 11.45am Barnoldswick Venue: West Craven Sports Centre Kelbrook Road, Barnoldswick, BB18 5TB Prices & Bookings Tel 01282 666710 Our Safeguarding & DBS Policy Our Data Protection Policy Our Social Media, Filming & Photography Policy Our Trademarks & Copyright Return to home page