Communities Fund has provided £30 of match funding
The Chapel Gym - Cool Summers, Warm Winters
St Albans, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
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Aim
Help keep the Chapel Gym cool in summer and warm in the winter, so everyone can stay active, comfortable and connected.
Together we built the Chapel Gym. Together we’ll make it fit for the future.
This recent heatwave has reinforced how important it is to resolve the cooling and heating in the Chapel Gym. The full project will cost around £15,000, but we are not asking our community to find all of that.
Our aim is to raise £7,500 from gym members, local residents and supporters. If we can show strong community backing, we can then work with Sport England and Aviva Communities Fund to seek match funding for the remaining amount — meaning every donation could help unlock even more support.
We’ve already had great feedback about the air conditioning in the Chapel Halls. Now we want the Chapel Gym to benefit in the same way, so our much-loved community gym can stay cool in summer and warm in winter.
This is not a nice-to-have. The Chapel Gym needs to remain comfortable, welcoming, safe and sustainable for everyone who uses it now and for future generations. Good heating is particularly important in winter, when exercising in a cold space can increase the risk of injury.
A current survey of Chapel Gym members says resoundingly that members No. 1 priority for improvement is temperature control. Let's make this happen!
Together, we only need to raise half the total cost to give ourselves the best chance of making this happen. We hope we can show match funders (like Sport England and Aviva Communities Fund) just how important this project is to our community, and then they will contribute by matching our contributions.
Why We Are Crowdfunding
Although the Chapel Gym is loved by its members, the building is difficult (and ridiculously expensive) to heat in winter and can become uncomfortably hot in summer. This affects the experience of members, staff and volunteers.
We have obtained a quote for air source heat pumps, which would provide both heating and cooling. This would make the gym more comfortable, more energy-efficient and more usable throughout the year.
The cost is around £15,000.
For a small charity, this is a significant amount of money. But the impact would be felt every day by the people who use the gym.
The Difference This Will Make
Installing air source heat pumps would help us to:
- Improve comfort for members, staff and volunteers.
- Support people who may be put off exercising by extreme temperatures.
- Make the building more sustainable and efficient.
- Keep the gym warmer in winter.
- Reduce heating costs.
- Keep the gym cooler in summer.
- Protect the future of a valued community facility.
This project is not just about temperature. It is about making sure our community gym remains welcoming, inclusive and fit for the future.
A Community Effort
The Chapel Gym exists because local people believed in it, supported it and continue to use it. We are asking the community to help us take the next step.
Every donation, large or small, will bring us closer to creating a better environment for everyone who walks through our doors.
By supporting this Crowdfunder, you will be helping to keep the Chapel Gym strong, welcoming and sustainable for years to come.
Thank you for helping us make this happen.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a donation. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
How we’ll spend the money raised
We will install air source heat pumps to provide cooling and heating in the Chapel Gym.
Community impact
Our gym is regularly used by 400 plus members - people from 12 years old to those in their late 80s. Having cooling and heating will enable everyone (and in particular the most vulnerable people) to be able to access the gym all year round.
The Chapel Gym
The Chapel Gym is a friendly, affordable, community-run gym based in a beautiful former chapel. Since opening in 2022, it has become much more than a place to exercise. It is a place where people build confidence, improve their health, strength, mobility and wellbeing.
We welcome people at all stages of life and fitness: young people, older adults and people returning to exercise after illness or injury. Some members are experienced gym users, but many are people who have never felt comfortable in a gym before. We are especially proud that our gym feels safe, supportive and unintimidating.
We also support those who may struggle to afford commercial gym membership through our Social Fund.
What our members say:
“Having a comfortable temperature all year round would make a huge difference, especially in the winter.”
“The gym makes such a difference to my physical and mental wellbeing.”
“Chapel Gym is such a friendly place. It has helped me feel more confident about exercising.”
“I never thought a gym was for me, but this one feels different. It feels like part of the community.”
More Than a Gym
Our charity also runs The Chapel Halls, a welcoming venue for community activities, classes, meetings, family events and local groups. We have invested in improving the building so that it can serve the village well for years to come.
Our Community Kitchen brings people together over a shared meal, helping to reduce loneliness and create friendship across generations. It is run with the support of a wonderful team of volunteers and is open to everyone, with donations invited so that cost is not a barrier.
Across all our activities, our focus is on inclusion, wellbeing and community spirit.
What We Have Achieved
We are proud of what has been achieved with the support of local people, volunteers, members, funders and partner organisations.
Since becoming a registered charity, Wheathampstead Chapel Community Hub has:
- Opened and developed the Chapel Gym as an affordable community fitness facility.
- Grown to support more than 400 local gym members.
- Created opportunities for young people to exercise in a safe and positive environment.
- Supported older residents through exercise, strength and balance activities, and social connection.
- Run a Social Fund to help people access the gym where cost would otherwise be a barrier.
- Delivered regular Community Kitchen meals to bring people together.
- Improved the Chapel Halls so they can be used by more groups and residents. Including our wonderful air source heat pumps to provide cooling and heating.
- Secured grant funding for important improvements, including solar panels for the gym roof and energy-efficiency insulation for the halls.
- Worked with local partners including health, wellbeing, youth and community organisations.
Everything we achieve is rooted in the same belief: that a strong community looks after one another.
Thank you for helping us succeed - yet again
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 13th September 2026 at 5:00pm