NEW COMMUNITY STREET GYM FUNDED BY GYMBOX, TO CHANGE YOUNG LIVES

25th July

Alongside Haringey Council, we at Gymbox have funded the development of a new community street gym. Developed by not-for-profit organization Raza Sana, the gym has opened in one of London's most disadvantaged areas, in a bid to combat crime and improve community health.

The new community project will see a 120m² bar park for the local community to socialise and exercise, providing a space for all ages to practise everything from low-impact exercise through to popular fitness practice, calisthenics, with equipment such as monkey bars, dip bars and pull up bars available.

Founded by Juan Lopez in 2024, Raza Sana delivers community health and well-being projects. After a childhood spent in a deprived area where crime felt his only option, Lopez joined the army where he found a sense of rehabilitation through growing his mental strength and physical agility. After working with young people of similar backgrounds through the Army Foundation College Harrogate, he decided to create the 1st Rep programme. The initiative was formed to support young people by assessing their fitness levels and giving them a large but attainable goal, breaking it down into achievable steps and in turn teaching them discipline and resilience in the process.

The street gym project will launch with a summer activation programme where free accessible and inclusive exercise classes, as taught by Gymbox's very own instructors, will take place three times a week. Targeted at all ages, the street gym looks to encourage all residents to live a healthier, confident and more fulfilling lifestyle, alongside providing both physical and mental health benefits through movement.

Through the new bar park, Raza Sana will work with the local community to provide them access to 1st Rep’; a programme dedicated to helping disadvantaged young people develop a personal strategy to change their life with fitness and calisthenics as part of that journey. Those in the local community will be shown how by breaking down large goals into smaller steps, they can achieve anything they set their mind to. This will be demonstrated through physical activity, slowly increasing their goals as they progress.

In conjunction with 1st Rep, Gymbox has launched a 'Gymbox Academy', allowing those on the 1st Rep programme interested in pursuing a career in fitness to train with Gymbox to gain the relevant experience and qualifications to enter the workforce. Gymbox Academy will provide free training to all those involved in the programme, with courses ranging from how to build a business and upscaling, to in-depth biomechanics and relevant training in order to help people from all walks of life enter the fitness industry.

In addition to Gymbox Academy, we will also provide career development tools, from free CV advice and developing social skills to providing mock interviews to help with their first step of their chosen career ladder.

The launch of the Northumberland Park street gym is the beginning of a long-term plan from Raza Sana to build further infrastructure across London and the UK with the aim of helping disadvantaged young people and communities build new skills and fully realise their potential. Its goal is to build a programme that can be adapted by anyone across the country to help young people build a life outside of potential criminal activity.

Juan Lopez, Founder & Director of Raza Sana, said: “The launch of the Northumberland Park Street Gym is a significant milestone in our mission to transform lives through fitness and community engagement. This project is particularly close to my heart, as I once stood where many of these young people are now; I understand the challenges they face and the potential they hold.

Our 1st Rep programme, coupled with this new facility, will provide a real path for personal growth and positive change. We're immensely grateful to Haringey Council and Gymbox for their support in bringing this vision to life and can’t wait to bring this to the local community.

My hope is that over the coming months and years we can expand this model across the UK, helping us to reach more communities and to change more lives.”

Marc Diaper of Gymbox, said: “Fitness can and should be an accessible space for all, helping everyone to unlock their full potential. We’re confident that through our partnership with Raza Sana, the street gym at Northumberland Park will truly help to transform lives.

We met Juan through our partnership with Steel Warriors, a charity that takes knives from London streets to recycle the steel to make outdoor calisthenics gyms, and had been reaching out to many local councils as to further our investment in local park gyms and improve facilities. We are thrilled that Haringey Council responded and to be working together with Juan again. We hope that this is the first of many.

Juan's work with Raza Sana has been truly inspiring, and we’re honoured to bring the Gymbox Academy to life, making tools accessible to many who will make good use of them. In turn, our hope is that we make a positive change in the world, as well as seeing the fitness industry grow with passionate individuals from all backgrounds.”

Hannah Curtis Nunn, Group Fitness Director of Gymbox, said “As somebody who has worked her way up through the fitness industry, it’s incredibly exciting to be part of something that widens the net of opportunities - especially those who may not have the easiest path to access.

It’s been truly inspiring to work alongside Juan and Raza Sana on this project - seeing it come to life has been absolutely fantastic. We are very proud of what Gymbox Academy can offer people, and hope that the programme as a whole has a profoundly positive effect and does change lives."

The Northumberland Park Street Gym is now open, with classes running every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. For more information on class schedules and how to get involved, local residents are encouraged to contact Raza Sana at www.razasana.com/contact.