“LAUGHTER is an amazing medicine, I complement the medicine that doctors give,” says laughter yoga instructor Lynette Webbe at the beginning of a lesson for residents of Stelvio Park Court, in Newport.

“Today we’re introducing laughter yoga, and rhythm to the brain and music to the mind.

“I shake the cobwebs from the mind and from the body. What we’re doing is meaningful activities but using fun and laughter, jester and music, movement and dance.

“Today, we will get together, fighting isolation and loneliness - we will knock it out."

From the beginning of January, Newport City Homes has been offering laughter yoga lessons at one of their sheltered schemes in Newport.

Every fortnight, residents are able to have fun with Ms Webbe while de-stressing and re-energising.

“The sessions may help improve brain function, reduce pain and stress, alleviate depression, lower blood pressure, boost immune system and change mood within minutes,” says the 59-year-old. “I was made redundant in 2009 and three months after being made redundant, I was depressed.

“I did different therapies, such as cognitive therapy and relaxation. I learnt about health through ill health.

“My own ill health and subsequent healing motivated me to learn more about natural therapies, holistic approaches to healthcare.

“This led to my training as a laughter yoga leader, combining my compassion and empathy for others with my drive to promote positive mental health through laughter and joy.

“It’s all about connecting to your inner child to feel good about yourself, heal the mind and transform the body.

“We do act like children but that is the wonderful thing about it - the brain doesn’t know the difference between a real or fake laugh.”

Ms Webbe explains that laughter yoga is based on the idea that "fake laugh" provides the same benefits as spontaneous laughter. However, forced laughter soon turns into real and contagious laughter when being at one of Ms Webbe's workshops.

Laughter yoga is done in groups and one of the most special moments of the class involves holding hands with another participants and laugh while making eye contact.

During the lesson, they do different exercises, ranging from breathing-focused ones to singing and from holding hands with each other and laughing to playing musical instruments.

They use props and one of of the exercises involves passing to each other items such as a dummy and a balloon. For some of the activities, they stand up, for others they remain seated.

“I enjoy it very much,” says Liz Hewinson, 69, one of the residents at the scheme. “It is the second or third time I have come. It gets me out my flat, it makes me mix with other people, which does you good.

“It is relaxing, I like the breathing part of it.”

Gloria Gladwell, 75, another resident at the scheme, agreed with Mrs Hewinson.

She said: “I came last time, it is very good. The day after, I feel very relaxed. It helps me with my breathing. "Unfortunately, I won’t be able to come back to the next lesson and I am going to miss it.

“It is lovely to mix with others, I think we all get on very well.

“I am very grateful they offer something like this, I do not think we exercise enough. Exercise is very good.”

“It is the first time I have come, it is good fun,” said Eunice Stock, 75, another resident at the complex. “It is nice to interact with other people, if I wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be interacting with anyone.

“I will be coming again.”

Laughing yoga will run for four weeks for residents of the shelter scheme as part of a free trial.

Newport City Homes’ community investment officer Casey Edwards said that, at Newport City Homes, they are committed to make a difference in our communities.

She said: “We’re offering four free Cobwebbe Shaker taster sessions with the aim of improving the physical and mental health of our residents, tackling isolation and bringing people together.

“The sessions involve a lot of laughter, and you can’t help but come away smiling, which is something a doctor can’t prescribe. It’s what everyone needs on a Monday morning!”

The community investment officers said that Newport City Homes has done a lot of work with Ms Webbe as they have known her for a long time.

“Her workshops have been very good for our residents, they are really enjoying it. If people are interested, we would like to run it in other parts of Newport,” she said.

Kathy Griffiths, scheme manager at Newport City Homes, agreed with Ms Edwards.

She says: “Everybody is enjoying themselves, it is very different. They look forward to the lessons because they feel good when they leave.”

Ms Webbe, who delivers workshops for different groups, including Women's Aid or for people who suffered a stroke, says she can see the difference in the participants at the end of the lessons.

She says it is good for them because they get to see each other.

"It is good for their mental health," she says. "It is something they are looking forward to."

For more information about Ms Webbe's workshops, visit cobwebbeshaker.co.uk/