Unique Bristol gym asks for help to renovate site
Bristol Cooperative Gym is owned by its members, making it the only gym of its kind in the UK
A Bristol gym, which is the only one of its kind in the UK, is trying to raise money so it can refurbish its site.
Bristol Cooperative Gym in Brislington is owned by its members who want to create a more inclusive set up.
Its website says it was created to offer "an inclusive, welcoming space for exercise free from assumptions around identity, appearance and ability".
In a crowdfunder the gym is looking to raise £27,000 to build a space "that reflects our values" and makes their current site more accessible and at the time of writing it has already reached just under £22,000.
"Our model works," a statement on their fundraising page reads.
"We survived the pandemic, when many other gyms around us closed, without requiring any external support or dipping into our reserves."
Its aims are stated as:
- Building a culture of non-judgement through celebration of each other’s progress
- Building a supportive and inclusive culture that is free from assumptions
- Empowering people to create healthy training habits
- Engaging people who are excluded from training facilities
- Providing high-quality coaching and facilities
- Remaining affordable by using fair pricing models
- Being financially sustainable in our day-to-day operations, free from reliance on external funding
"As a not-for-profit that doesn’t depend on members not using their memberships like most gyms, we need to look outside of our usual income sources to make these sorts of large changes," the statement continues.
"Your support will enable us to take this next step."
If you want to donate, you can do so by clicking on this link.