Local fitness project gets Lincolnshire moving

As part of a joint community initiative between myenergi and Grimsby Town Football Club, the mygrimsby fund was created to drive positive social change across Northeast Lincolnshire. Established in 2022, the fund celebrates and supports individuals, businesses and charities that have made a positive impact on the local community.

Open to projects that operate within five key areas: grassroots sport and extra curriculum activity groups; community, environment and cultural projects; innovation, technology and education workshops; eco-warriors and community heroes; and local charities and social enterprise, the fund will be used to expand reach, enhance facilities, improve infrastructure and maintain the provision of services for the community.

Since launching, the fund has donated more than £23,000 to 24 community groups including BeGreat Fitness, a community health and wellbeing company driven by making fitness and sports accessible to all.

Getting Lincolnshire moving…

Founded in 2020 during the height of the global pandemic, BeGreat Fitness was created with one objective in mind – to break down barriers to fitness. The vision of then 17-year-old Bailey Greetham-Clark, the project aimed to empower individuals of all abilities to benefit from a healthier and more active lifestyle. .

After experiencing a difficult period during his early teenage years, Bailey turned to boxing as a way to channel his emotions and improve his social life. It’s here that BeGreat Fitness was first inspired.

The team considers ‘accessibility’ to focus on four key categories: ability, cost, time and location. Through innovative fitness programmes in schools, care homes and community centres, the team work to create supportive and inclusive environments for everyone.

Fast forward to 2021, BeGreat Fitness was awarded joint first in the ‘Healthy Living’ category at the inaugural Northeast Lincolnshire Civic Awards. Celebrating individuals or groups that work to improve the health and wellbeing of local people, the team was commended for its inclusive nature during unprecedented times of isolation. Following another year of success, BeGreat Fitness earned the ‘Bridge McFarland New Business Award’ at the 2022 Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards.

Over the last three years, BeGreat Fitness has experienced impressive growth. Alongside the expansion of its coaching staff, with each team member having an individual specialism, the business has enabled more than 2,000 locals to access professional fitness classes. What’s more, the team are able to charge little to nothing for a session.

As a result, at just 20 years old, Bailey Greetham-Clark has already given a TEDx talk titled ’A joyful movement: Community through fitness’  and accepted invitations to give speeches at a number of higher education institutions.

Food for thought

Selected as a recipient for the mygrimsby Fund, BeGreat Fitness received a £1,250 donation to support its campaign, ‘Food for Thought’. An exploration between our diet and our physical and mental wellbeing, the project aims to create valuable conversations surrounding topics such as eating disorders, menopause and fad diets.

To ensure the accuracy of information and deliverability of the campaign, the team has welcomed Dr Majdi Osmon, chief medical officer of OpenBiome, as a project consultant and Gemma Whitelock, with her extensive experience in youth education, as project lead.

The funding will contribute towards the pilot run of the project, including the creation of three educational videos that will form part of an innovative educational resource pack for secondary schools and sixth forms.

Bailey Greetham-Clark, CEO at BeGreat Fitness, said: “We are so grateful to have been selected as a recipient of the mygrimsby fund. While we’re always proud of what we have achieved in such a short time, it’s incredibly rewarding to have influential businesses and figures in the community acknowledge the work you are doing.

“For me, BeGreat Fitness has always been about removing barriers between people and sport as I understand firsthand the positive impact it can have on your life. The donation will go a long way in supporting our next project as we look to further educate school-age residents on the importance of diet on your wellbeing.”

Jordan Brompton, co-founder and CMO at myenergi, added: “When we decided to launch the mygrimsby fund, we did so with the conviction of growing the community that we all know and love. We’re a town full of pride and as proud Grimbarians, it is an absolute privilege to spearhead the mygrimsby fund alongside our partners, Grimsby Town FC.

“As we were reading through the applications, we were astounded to hear about the incredible impact BeGreat Fitness had made across Lincolnshire already. Our donation will be used to fund a new project which will start vital conversations about the link between diet and overall wellbeing – a topic we’ve seen increase in the public domain significantly in recent years.

“We’re delighted to be able to support Bailey and the team as they continue to drive the project forward, connecting people from diverse backgrounds through fitness. We can’t wait to see what they do next!”