Ardrossan Community Sports Hub Gym
Ardrossan Community Sports Hub SCIO (ACSH) took over a former Maximum Potential Bodybuilding Gym that had closed down in the town just before the Covid Pandemic started, they repurposed it to cater to wider Ardrossan Community and secured initially £49,000 from North Ayrshire Council’s Investing In Communities Fund to pilot their Community Gym for an initial year to deliver the only Fitness Centre in the town of just over 10,500 people.
Quickly ACSH Gym's fantastic Staff developed good links within their Community and Gym Memberships soared to 250/300 members in their first year of operating. This was an incredible feat during a global health pandemic, the Gym’s coaches delivered a safe environment, tailored programmes and virtual online classes for members to stay connected and keep their mental health and fitness levels high whilst under lockdown restrictions.
In early 2022 One For The Team CIC were approached by ACSH to help them secure further long term funding to sustain this new crucial community facility for a more sustained period of time.
One For The Team worked with the ACSH Board and Gym Staff to develop programmes, a feasible staffing structure and identify crucial equipment which would form the applications for Ardrossan Community Sports Hub SCIO to go on and secure a total of £122,369 grant funding which could be drawn down over the next 3 years.
The biggest award was from the National Lottery Community Led Fund to enable the Gym to sustain employment of core gym staff within the Community Gym, purchase equipment and fund the delivery of a range of community based fitness and wellbeing activities.
A further funding bid for £30,000 to North Ayrshire Ventures Trust was submitted to support the sustainable growth of the organisation and was awarded in the summer of 2022.
Video Credit - Speed Of Light Digital (YouTube)
ACSH Gym staff have grown the Membership significantly in the last 3 years and have taken on further staff to help them deliver 30 + Fitness Classes per week and ensure they have an ever present Gym Instructor on the Gym floor to assist members with programmes and specific advice.
The Gym in 2024 had doubled their membership numbers to around 650 people. Proving that the gym’s affordability and quality service is a huge attraction and the local community are attending and reaping the rewards of this fantastic community facility.
One For The Team CIC and Ardrossan Community Sports Hub still work in partnership together on a frequent basis to identify further funding opportunities for ACSH to target and maximise the reach, services and equipment they can provide to their local Ardrossan Community.
Check out Ardrossan Community Sports Hub Gym below.
https://www.ardrossancsh.org/home/
