An empty warehouse on Ecclesall Road is set to be transformed into a community wellness centre to help people with chronic health conditions.
Promoting Health UK, a Sheffield-based charity, has started a fundraiser to build a multifaceted space which will cater specifically to people with chronic health conditions, to help aid them with recovery and offer physical activity.
David Birds, 55, director of Promoting Health UK, told ShefNews: “We wanted our next challenge to be creating Sheffield’s first wellness centre and this will be quite unique in the country.
“We’re only scratching the surface with the kind of services we can offer. Social isolation is massive in the South West and we want to create a space which offers a place for people to meet and we want to continue a theme of physical activity.”
The charity works alongside Community Wellness Services, who already host a huge programme of activities with at least 16 specialty instructors, who will be one of the deliverers in the transformed warehouse.
The proposed wellness centre is hoped to be a “one-stop shop for people’s health”, bringing in specialists such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, companions and more.
They want to help people of all ages who suffer with chronic health conditions, aiming to improve quality of life and bring people together while promoting accessible exercise.
The approximate cost of the refurbishment is between £150,000 and £250,000 – which is why the charity have started a GoFundMe to help try and raise the funding needed.
They hope to start work within the next 6 months but are unsure if that will be possible without the necessary funding.
Mr Birds said: “It’s a huge challenge, especially through the cost-of-living crisis and we’re not buying the property which makes it a riskier project.
“I started this when I was 25, it was a personal challenge and I wanted to make a difference. What drives us is inclusivity and there should be no barrier for people to experience physical activity.
“It’s hard to truly understand unless you’re someone who’s lived with these conditions, but we need help to make a difference to as many people as we can.”
For any further information please contact info@promotinghealth.co.uk
