Walsham-le-Willows Sports Club on track for village's first gym
A Suffolk sports club has issued a call-to-arms to help raise the final funds for a ‘much-needed’ community gym.
Walsham-le-Willows Sports and Social Club has turned to crowd-funding to try to raise the last £10,000 needed.
The Summer Road club has teamed up with Neil Evans, of Neil Evans Fitness, to get the £90,000 facility up and running.
They won planning permission for the nine by seven metre container unit last year, with grants from Mid Suffolk and Walsham-le-Willows Parish Council getting the project off to a flying start.
So far, just over £8,000 has been raised for the final money needed to buy the container unit, which will house a range of specialist equipment.
Sports club chairman Mike Powles said: “Being in such a rural area with poor transport connections many local people just simply cannot access a gym.
“The community gym will change this, allowing locals of all ages to have access to a state of the art, clean and safe area to exercise and socialise.
“We want to inspire, engage and connect with the community to realise their full potential and live happier, healthier lives.
“We believe this will be so much more than just a gym. It will be a hub to get locals physically fit, healthy, combat loneliness, improve mental and emotional wellbeing, bring people of all ages across the community together.”
The gym will have membership for the community and also provide specialist equipment and training facilities for local schools and sports clubs. It will also be available to hire for other local professionals, such as yoga and pilates instructors.
Neil Evans Fitness has been running bootcamps at the sports club for four years, and will become the community gym manager. The gym will have 24/7 access via a secure card/fob entry system.
“We’re very excited about the gym and almost there with the funding. Any help would be appreciated to get us over the line,” said Neil.
“We’re hoping to open in late spring and early summer.”
To support the fund, visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk and search Walsham-le-Willows Community Gym, or click here
