I’m helping South Shields mums stay healthy thanks to my gym having a children’s play area
A South Shields gym owner is helping mums and women keep themselves fit and healthy.
Lauren Bagley, the owner of South Shields-based Evolve Fitness, is helping mums stay fit and healthy by eliminating the worry of childcare while they exercise.
The female-only gym, on Mitre Place, has created a children’s play area so mums can bring their kids along while they train.
Lauren has explained to the Shields Gazette that she came up with the idea after reflecting on her own experiences of trying to find the time to exercise while still being a mum to her son.
She said: “I created Evolve Fitness so that women would be able to come to the gym to train and keep fit but also to be able to bring their children with them.
“Lots of the ladies have told me that if it wasn’t for them being able to bring their children, then they wouldn’t be able to exercise at all so having the children’s area here has made it possible for them to keep fit and healthy.
“It means a lot to me as a mum to offer this space because I know how hard it can be to find time for yourself, especially for things like exercise.
“I also started this business so I could spend more time with my son and I’ve been able to do that by bringing him here with me.
“It’s been very popular - during the school holidays all the classes get fully booked up and the children’s area is always full.”
It was also Lauren’s experience of her son undergoing major surgery for a congenital heart condition at just three-months-old that inspired another venture in the form of a community interest company (CIC).
Lauren has launched Strong at Heart CIC to provide fully funded/low cost exercise classes for mums of children who are suffering from heart conditions.
Through Strong at Heart CIC, Lauren has also been working with the Freeman Hospital and the Children’s Heart Unit Fund to provide free fitness sessions for parents staying at Scott House to help with their mental and physical wellbeing.
Lauren added: “After my son had heart surgery at three-months-old, I suffered from PTSD and it took me around two years to get back into work because I didn’t want to be away from him.
“That led me to creating the Strong at Heart CIC to provide exercise classes for mums whose children have had heart surgery.
“I use my own experience of how exercise helped me to rebuilt my mental and physical health and it is really important for me to give back to the Freeman Hospital, as well as the Children’s Heart Unit Fund.
“That time in my life was the scariest I’ve ever been through so if I can do anything to help parents make that time a tiny bit easier for them, then that is what I want to do.
“It took me a long time to rebuild myself after that experience and I know how lonely it can feel to move on from the trauma of having a child that was poorly.”
You can find out more about Evolve Fitness by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/p/Evolve-Fitness-South-Shields-61555991027658/, https://www.instagram.com/evolve_fitness_south_shields and https://www.evolvefitnesssouthshields.com/.
For more details about Strong at Heart CIC, visit: https://www.instagram.com/strong_at_heart_cic/.