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
COMPANY PROFILES
Simworx Ltd
The company was initially established
in 1997. Terry Monkton and Andrew
Roberts are the key stakeh [more...]
Painting With Light
By combining lighting, video, scenic and architectural elements, sound and special effects we tell s [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
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
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.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
+ More news
COMPANY PROFILES
Simworx Ltd The company was initially established
in 1997. Terry Monkton and Andrew
Roberts are the key stakeh [more...]
Painting With Light By combining lighting, video, scenic and architectural elements, sound and special effects we tell s [more...]
