About Victoria

Victoria Cunningham is a trailblazer in the wellness industry, renowned as the Founder and CEO of the Ordinary People Academy. Armed with an MA Honours degree in English Literature & Sociology and an MSc in Marketing, Victoria seamlessly blends her academic prowess with over two decades of entrepreneurial experience. Her multifaceted expertise extends to copywriting, mindset, and marketing, making her a master at transforming wellness businesses into successes.

After doing youth work by day and teaching yoga by night she developed award-winning charity Stretch & Play for children and young people back in 2006 and she continues to offer her model of facilitator training online.

She then created Stretch NI in late-2009 to work specifically with adults and then moved to Scotland in late 2012 and developed this work into teacher training courses through StretchBodyMind (later the Ordinary People Academy).

With over 30 years of yoga practice and two decades of teaching experience, Victoria is a Yoga Alliance Professionals Senior Yoga Teacher, boasting over 10,000 hours of instruction. Since 2011, she has been at the forefront of Pilates instruction, delivering Northern Ireland’s first Level 3 accredited Pilates Instructor Training. And since 2023 Victoria has spearheaded the development of Breathwork Facilitator Training in the UK.

She is a creative force – continually developing new and innovative training for Yoga teachers, Pilates instructors and other wellness professionals – and her expertise was recognised when she was shortlisted for Health & Wellbeing Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 by the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

As the Pilates expert for Platinum Training Institute and Master Trainer for Fitness Academy Europe, Victoria’s influence extends across Europe and the Middle East. In 2023, the Ordinary People Academy achieved international accreditation as an executive training provider with IPHM, solidifying its commitment to holistic education with the IPHM Trustmark. Victoria continues to inspire and empower wellness professionals worldwide with her visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to wellness education.