News / Gympanzees
New leisure centre for disabled children to open near Bristol
A Bristol-based charity is set to open a new “state-of-the-art” leisure centre for disabled children at a former motorway service station.
Gympanzees have secured £3.3m to purchase the old Aust Services in South Gloucestershire and transform it into the new centre.
The first of its kind in the UK, the centre is expected to welcome more than 200,000 visitors each year and plans to opens its doors in 2026.
is needed now More than ever
The 14-acre site near the Severn Bridge includes a 43,000 sq ft building with seven acres of green land, a woodland and 500 parking spaces.
The old Aust Services in South Gloucestershire is set to be transformed into a leisure centre for disabled children – photo: Gympanzees
Until now, Gympanzees have been running events in the Easter and summer holidays in special schools.
These are smaller pop-up versions of the proposed centre and have been running for five years with more than 21,000 visitors welcomed in 130 days.
The Gympanzees centre will provide disabled children, young people, and their families with a safe space to exercise, have fun and socialise with others.
It will be designed to cater for children and young people with the most severe physical disabilities who require support for all their needs and movements, through to those with autism and ADHD who can be incredibly active.
Gympanzees are launching the next part of their fundraising appeal so they can completely refurbish and fit out their newly acquired building.
It will include ten different specialist exercise and activity rooms and spaces, with therapy rooms, exercise studios and a community cafe.
Stephanie Wheen, CEO and founder of Gympanzees, said: “We have achieved this mammoth first step in fundraising and purchased the building, now we need to fit it out and deliver this much-needed centre for disabled children and their families.”
Gympanzees’ ‘Project Home’ appeal launches today aims to raise £8m in phase 1 and a further £2.8m to complete phase 2 work.
To find out more or get involved, visit www.gympanzees.org/appeal
Main photo: Gympanzees
Read next:
- £2.2m campaign to tackle isolation faced by disabled children
- Plan to open UK’s first fully-inclusive leisure centre in Bristol
- ‘It’s a totally different path when your child has a disability’
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