Guest blog from Kimberley Britton, Marketing Manager at Gympanzees.
Physiotherapist Stephanie Wheen founded the charity Gympanzees five years ago when she realised the lack of play and exercise facilities for disabled children and young people. Since then, the charity has supported thousands of disabled children with some incredible results, such as a nine-year-old who held their head up independently for the first time.
Back in 2016, Stephanie received desperate calls from parents looking for help for their children with nowhere in the community to go.
Stephanie had a vision. A vision of a fully inclusive leisure facility where disabled children and young people could play and exercise without barriers.
Gympanzees have been running pop-up play and exercise centres since 2018. They have welcomed over 14,000 visitors in just 95 days over the Easter and Summer holidays, with some families taking 6-hour round trips to attend their sessions.
The charity has launched a capital appeal for a permanent centre near Bristol, the first of its kind in the UK. This visionary centre will change the landscape entirely for the 66,000 children and young people with disabilities that live within an hour of Bristol. Catering for children with the most severe physical disabilities, who rely on oxygen tanks, through to those with autism and ADHD who can be incredibly active and seek movement.
The Gympanzees centre is expected to welcome over 200,000 visitors per year and be a safe space for all children to play and experience the health benefits of exercising and socialising with others.
And the charity isn’t stopping there. Stephanie and her team also have plans to franchise this model and take it around the UK once a blueprint for the first Gympanzees is complete.
Since Gympanzees began, Stephanie and her team have seen some incredible results, such as a three-year-old who had their first laugh and a 5-year-old who slept through the night for the first time after her session.
Stephanie, CEO and Founder of Gympanzees, said;
“We know the therapeutic benefits of our centre for disabled children, but when we see moments like a child taking their first step at age 6 with the help of our equipment, it hits home why we are on this mission”.
Stephanie previously won the Shackleton Leadership Award and the Great British Entrepreneur Award for Good. The charity was also awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise – Innovation for its inclusive pop-up play and exercise facilities.
Gympanzees Trustee Mike Beesley, one of Bristol’s best-known entrepreneurs, wanted to get involved after a brief encounter with Stephanie.
“I met Stephanie at a networking event, and it was impossible not to be swept up by her enthusiasm and to join her mission to build the UK’s first inclusive facility for disabled children.”
Leila from Bristol, a parent of a child with complex disabilities, said
“What Stephanie plans to build is beyond our wildest dreams. Somewhere my son can unapologetically be himself, and I can relax. I don’t need to worry about toileting, hoisting or other parents judging us. We can’t wait”.
Gympanzees has eight permanent staff members across operations, marketing and fundraising and over 162 volunteers. They are funded by various grants and trusts, through corporate fundraising and community donations.
They are looking for capital investment for their future centre and hope to secure a lease on a site within the next six months so the building work can commence.
Emma, a parent from North Somerset whose daughter has Cerebral Palsy, said.
“To have a permanent Gympanzees centre would be life-changing for our family. It would give us a real sense of belonging, somewhere we could come as a family with other families like us.”
You can find out more and get in touch with Stephanie and the team at gympanzees.org
This guest blog is part of our 40 stories for 40 years’ series, celebrating our partnerships over the years. Click here to read more blogs in this series.
