17th December 2018
Hundreds of people in Carlisle are improving their physical and mental health thanks to a £5,855 grant from the Cumbria Fund.
iCan Health and Fitness CIC is a community gym in Denton Holme, open 5 days a week. The development of what was the former Curves building and new equipment purchased with the grant, means the local community is able to exercise without fear of judgement, unhealthy competition and can exercise at any level or ability. It provides structure to those who need to find a purpose and is a safe, fun workout facility that is ‘their place’.
This grant has been a lifeline to the club’s sustainability as iCan would not have been able to continue without it due to having out of date and unsafe machinery. The gym is used by up to 125 people on a daily basis. One client said “I arrived at iCan with various health and incapacity problems, including Arthritis in my knee and I was having to go upstairs one at a time. I have lost 3 stone in 9 months and I can walk upstairs with no knee pain. I am enjoying being able to continue to improve my fitness levels.”
Another client, who after having a knee replacement joined the gym, said: “I was put at ease as soon as I walked in the door. I saw other women of similar age to myself working out and the staff were so friendly. I was guided round the circuit and shown which machines would be suitable to use during my recovery and which ones I would build up to using once my knee was a little better. I was able to use 7 out of the 12 machines available, which were purchased with a grant.
“The staff supported me during every workout, making sure I was safe, looked after and I was having fun whilst exercising too. Without the staff at iCan and the new keep fit machines I honestly don’t know where I would be.”