In Wisbech a new community gym at Olive AP Academy and an Eco Hub building at a community farm, have both opened supported by grant funding from Cambridgeshire County Council.
The school and the farm have both recently celebrated the opening of their new facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies attended by invited guests and local dignitaries.
They are two of the 26 community projects across Cambridgeshire awarded funding by Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee, through the Cambridgeshire Priorities Capital Fund.
Both projects were awarded £40,000 after they demonstrated how their work supported the council’s ambitions – creating a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire.
Councillor Tom Sanderson, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee said: “It’s been fantastic to support these two very different projects, at Olive AP Academy and Wisbech Community Farm, that are both enriching the lives of people in Wisbech and the surrounding areas.
“I’m delighted we were able to provide funding, as these projects align closely with a number of our ambitions – notably that places and communities in our county prosper, that children and young people have opportunities to thrive, and health inequalities are reduced.”
At Olive AP Academy’s Nene Valley campus in Wisbech, staff aim for the new gym facilities to create transformational change for their students while also providing a welcoming and fully equipped gym to Wisbech residents, including underrepresented groups who may be intimidated by, or unable to afford, mainstream gyms.
With council funding, and professional advice from BoxCross UK, the academy has fitted out the rooms with a comprehensive range of high-quality gym equipment, ideal for regular use by both students and local people. The energy-efficient space can be accessed through a separate entrance to the academy.
The new gym features two treadmills, a cross-trainer, exercise bike, rowing machine and SkiErg, as well as free weights and boxing equipment. And, thanks to specialist flooring, the space can be used flexibly to include structured exercise classes such as martial arts.
The on-site gym has enabled the academy to extend its PE curriculum, introducing pupils to a wider range of sport and fitness experiences. The gym is also used for after-school extracurricular activities, offering these young people a positive and meaningful way to spend their time.
David Saunders, Head of Academy at Olive AP Academy – Nene Valley, said: “It has been wonderful to see this project come to fruition, knowing the positive impact the facility will have on the physical and mental wellbeing of pupils and local residents. And with so many of our pupils interested in working in the fitness industry, having an on-site gym is a fantastic opportunity to support their career aspirations.
“On behalf of everyone at the academy, I would like to thank Cambridgeshire County Council for the generous grant, which has made this all possible.”
At Wisbech Community Farm, just outside Wisbech, People and Animals UK offer opportunities that aim to empower excluded and vulnerable people through animal assisted learning, bushcraft, therapeutic horticulture, green woodworking and more.
Their new Eco Community Hub building, with a long-term leasehold agreement in place, safeguards the future of the Community Farm, enabling the continued provision and expansion of the farm’s services and support it offers the local community and rural Cambridgeshire residents.
Sustainability has been key to the design of the new building, which has a Green Roof and Photovoltaic solar panels incorporated. High energy efficiency ensures low carbon emissions but also keeps running costs down, enabling sessions to run for longer and more frequently, increasing resilience, inclusivity and accessibility.
The county council was one of a number of funders that contributed to the costs of the new building, with significant grants also received from Social Enterprise East of England and Clarion Futures, alongside in-kind match funding from Anglia Water @onealliance, Fenland Fire, Warrick Services and Solar Panel Solutions Norfolk.
Katie Bristow, Director of Operations at People and Animals UK CIC, said: “The opening of this new community hub will make such a difference, future proofing our services for generations to come. We’ll be able to reach more local people and provide support to overcome isolation, create pathways into employment and empower residents to achieve independence, reducing pressures on statutory services.
“We couldn’t have done it without our fantastic network of partners, providing both funding and in-kind support to turn our dream into reality, and for that I am eternally grateful.”
