Fresh Fitness raises funds to build wells in Uganda
Fresh Fitness is a fast-growing chain of low-cost gyms in Denmark. With low-cost all about providing just the core experience and nothing more, and members paying only for what they use and value, CEO Rasmus Ingerslev and his team introduced a small charge of 3 Danish Kroner for any members choosing to take a one-minute shower – that’s around US$0.50. This achieves two things: water consumption is reduced and money is raised. However, this was never about the money, so what should they do with it?
Let others be liberated by water The insight Fresh Fitness had was that, while their members were enjoying a lovely post-workout shower, there were other people in the world with no access to clean, safe water. The idea was therefore to bring the two sides of this story together. Now, when a member takes a shower, the money they spend goes directly to the Danish Red Cross to finance new fresh water wells in Uganda.
Long-term commitment Fresh Fitness believes in making long-term commitments, so it has agreed a three-year partnership with the Danish Red Cross with a pledge to donate a minimum of 100,000 Danish Kroner (US$18,000) a year. This is very different from much of the ‘charitising’ that takes place. What is charitising? It’s advertising the business dressed up as a short-term act of charity.
Results As at January 2014, Fresh Fitness had already donated 200,000 Danish Kroner (US$36,000). This has enabled the Danish Red Cross to build two new fresh water wells in the Karamoja area of north-east Uganda, providing safe and clean water for 500 people for the next seven years. Villagers are also taught how to maintain the wells, giving them complete control over this critical resource.
Clean water changes everything Imagine, rather than waving your children off to school this morning with their school bag, instead giving them a 23-litre jerry can and sending them off for three hours to collect water from a stream contaminated with animal waste. The choice in places like Karamoja is simple: school or water. This is why locally available clean and safe water transforms lives. It’s the building block for good health and unlocks time: time to read, to write, to attend school and to do what should be the right of every child – to play.
So what can you do? Identify a social cause that your customers, staff and other stakeholders care about. Water matters, but perhaps your organisation wants to use its influence in some other way.
The important thing is to start something that matters. Why? That’s easy – because you can.
- Project by: Fresh Fitness (Denmark) – www.freshfitness.dk - Project location: Uganda, east Africa - Project start date: June 2012 - Project status: Ongoing (three-year project) - Impact: National - Financial commitment: Minimum donation of US$18,000 a year for three years - Gymtopia keywords: Environment, Health & - Wellbeing, Helping Children - Charities supported: Danish Red Cross
Gymtopia – a place where clubs do social good
Chief Engagement Officer Ray Algar
Gymtopia was conceived by founder and chief engagement officer Ray Algar, who believes the global health and fitness industry has enormous influence and potential to do good in the world, beyond its immediate customers. The idea of Gymtopia is simple: to curate and spread remarkable stories in which the fitness industry uses its influence to reach out and support an external community in need. It was created with the generous support of various UK and overseas individuals and organisations.
Read more stories and submit your own: www.Gymtopia.org
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Blu Spas, Inc.
Blu is a full-service firm offering project feasibility, planning and design as well as operational [more...]
Knesko Skin
Known for their unique approach to wellness and beauty, Knesko’s products combine ancient healing tr [more...]
Fresh Fitness raises funds to build wells in Uganda
Fresh Fitness is a fast-growing chain of low-cost gyms in Denmark. With low-cost all about providing just the core experience and nothing more, and members paying only for what they use and value, CEO Rasmus Ingerslev and his team introduced a small charge of 3 Danish Kroner for any members choosing to take a one-minute shower – that’s around US$0.50. This achieves two things: water consumption is reduced and money is raised. However, this was never about the money, so what should they do with it?
Let others be liberated by water The insight Fresh Fitness had was that, while their members were enjoying a lovely post-workout shower, there were other people in the world with no access to clean, safe water. The idea was therefore to bring the two sides of this story together. Now, when a member takes a shower, the money they spend goes directly to the Danish Red Cross to finance new fresh water wells in Uganda.
Long-term commitment Fresh Fitness believes in making long-term commitments, so it has agreed a three-year partnership with the Danish Red Cross with a pledge to donate a minimum of 100,000 Danish Kroner (US$18,000) a year. This is very different from much of the ‘charitising’ that takes place. What is charitising? It’s advertising the business dressed up as a short-term act of charity.
Results As at January 2014, Fresh Fitness had already donated 200,000 Danish Kroner (US$36,000). This has enabled the Danish Red Cross to build two new fresh water wells in the Karamoja area of north-east Uganda, providing safe and clean water for 500 people for the next seven years. Villagers are also taught how to maintain the wells, giving them complete control over this critical resource.
Clean water changes everything Imagine, rather than waving your children off to school this morning with their school bag, instead giving them a 23-litre jerry can and sending them off for three hours to collect water from a stream contaminated with animal waste. The choice in places like Karamoja is simple: school or water. This is why locally available clean and safe water transforms lives. It’s the building block for good health and unlocks time: time to read, to write, to attend school and to do what should be the right of every child – to play.
So what can you do? Identify a social cause that your customers, staff and other stakeholders care about. Water matters, but perhaps your organisation wants to use its influence in some other way.
The important thing is to start something that matters. Why? That’s easy – because you can.
- Project by: Fresh Fitness (Denmark) – www.freshfitness.dk - Project location: Uganda, east Africa - Project start date: June 2012 - Project status: Ongoing (three-year project) - Impact: National - Financial commitment: Minimum donation of US$18,000 a year for three years - Gymtopia keywords: Environment, Health & - Wellbeing, Helping Children - Charities supported: Danish Red Cross
Gymtopia – a place where clubs do social good
Chief Engagement Officer Ray Algar
Gymtopia was conceived by founder and chief engagement officer Ray Algar, who believes the global health and fitness industry has enormous influence and potential to do good in the world, beyond its immediate customers. The idea of Gymtopia is simple: to curate and spread remarkable stories in which the fitness industry uses its influence to reach out and support an external community in need. It was created with the generous support of various UK and overseas individuals and organisations.
Read more stories and submit your own: www.Gymtopia.org
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Blu Spas, Inc. Blu is a full-service firm offering project feasibility, planning and design as well as operational [more...]
