28/09/2025
FUNDRAISING APPEAL
THE PEEL PROJECT COMMUNITY GYM & HUB - Partnership-powered renovation bringing fitness, wellbeing and hope to Central Ward.
In 2024, senior leaders from Places for People visited our community hubs in Peel Park. After seeing the impact of our grassroots sports programmes, their Chief Executive asked a simple question: ‘Would you like some gym equipment?’ That conversation sparked a community-led gym project enabled by corporate investment.
Following the donation of gym equipment from Places for Leisure, in January 2025 a run-down community gym was due to shut down. This facility wasn’t just a gym – it was also home to the area’s only community-run sensory centre for local special needs children. The Peel Project took over the building, which was in bad shape but right in the heart of a deprived residential area with no other facilities and began a major transformation and renovation project.
Partnerships & Donations:
Places for People and their sister company, Places Leisure, went beyond equipment – they’ve supported us with planning, logistics, and linking us with suppliers. Thanks to their introduction, as of August 2025 we’ve had an incredible response:
- Keepmoat Homes donated building materials,
- Ideal Heating donated and installed a boiler,
- Stelrad gave 13 radiators,
- Villeroy & Boch provided sinks and toilets,
- Solarnovik gave us new windows,
- Fit Out Flooring donated flooring,
- Lifestyle Fitness have designed the layout
- Arco have donated PPE and made a cash donation
- City Health Care Partnership donated money
- Hull City Council Ward Budget funded new modern toilet and shower facilities
- and Places Leisure have provided over 26 pieces of professional gym equipment, worth tens of thousands of pounds and will deliver and install this.
Community Impact:
This gym will be more than just fitness equipment. It will be an affordable, community-led facility at just £15 a month, with:
- Free boxing and gym sessions for young people,
- Dedicated women’s sessions with childcare provided,
- A chill-out area for young people to keep them safe and engaged,
- A multi-use space for workshops, engagement activities and a crèche during women’s sessions.
Why It Matters:
In Central Ward, one of Hull’s most disadvantaged areas, too many children face poor health, mental wellbeing challenges and risks of crime. This gym is about giving them safe spaces, positive pathways and opportunities that shouldn’t be out of reach because of cost. The programmes are also based on listening from young people and will enable The Peel Project to achieve its goals of engaging and building relationships with its target group of teenagers who are at risk and from underserved and racialised communities.
*The Challenge:*
Right now, we’re at the final hurdle. Building works are well under way as the building was taken back to brick walls, with new electrics, plumbing and a new ceiling being installed. The challenges are now around installing a new fire safety system, a secondary security door and covering some joinery costs to install fire doors. We’re £10,000 short of opening the doors.
Call to Action:
We’ve come so far thanks to the generosity of national and local partners. Now we’re asking the community to help us cross the finish line. We’ve launched a fundraising appeal to raise the final £10,000, we need donations, a day from joiners, decorators and handymen – and every donation, big or small, will help us open this life-changing facility for Hull.
This is about creating a healthier, safer and more hopeful future for local people. With your support, we can open the doors.
https://app.investorsincommunity.org/charity/1431/preview
