Students and staff at our Brislington Centre for independent living got to see the results of their incredible fundraising efforts this week as their brand-new outdoor gym equipment was installed.
The team organised a 24-hour bike ride back in February 2022 with the goal of raising £1,000 for a single piece of equipment. After staff and students rallied around the effort by donating and volunteering to cycle, that was quickly exceeded and the target increased to £3,000.
In the end, the final amount raised was a hugely impressive £6,000 – enough for the four pieces of equipment that now sit proudly outside the Centre in south Bristol.
The equipment includes an ‘air-walker’, a rowing machine, and an accessible exercise bike whose handles move as well as pedals, so it can be used for upper-body exercises from a sitting position as well as in the traditional way, and by pedalling and moving the handlebars for an extra challenge!
A total of 121 people supported the fundraiser on JustGiving alone, with many more donations coming in through other channels.
Residential Manager at the Brislington Centre, Adam Metcalfe, said “I am so pleased to see the new outdoor gym equipment installed and ready to use.
Encouraging our students to look after their physical and mental health is so important to everyone at Brislington, as is showing them that hard work pays off, so to see everyone supporting us the way they did was just amazing.
I can’t wait for the students to return in September and see the results of their amazing effort!”
