Better Business / Better Bristol
“A better Bristol is one where businesses, charities, and individuals unite to drive positive change”
Stepahine Wheen is the founder and chief executive of Gympanzees. Gympanzees is an award-winning charity based in Bristol that provides inclusive leisure facilities for disabled children and young people.
Stephanie is a disabled children’s physio by trade and ran a successful children’s physiotherapy practice in Bristol in 2012. She founded Gympanzees in 2016 after learning of the lack of accessible options for exercise and play for her clients.
Gympanzees has grown from an idea to the recent purchase of a 43,000 sqft building and the launch of a multi-million-pound capital appeal. Gympanzees has won a host of awards, including a Queen’s Award for Innovation, and Stephanie has recently won a prime minister’s Points of Light Award, one of only two awarded in Bristol.
What’s the one thing that inspires you to get up in the morning?
“I’m the CEO and founder of a charity, Gympanzees, and I can’t tell you how this has transformed my life and how much joy it gives me daily. I’m a physio by trade, and I’ve always worked with children and young people with disabilities, so I’m very lucky that I’ve always been able to go a little further than my job entails and try to help others as much
as possible.
Gympanzees purchased the old Aust Services, near the M48 Severn Bridge, in 2023 for £3.1m to turn into the UK’s first fully inclusive leisure facility. We need to raise £8m to complete the necessary renovations to open this one-of-a-kind centre. The team and I work from the site, so if there was ever a reminder of the task at hand!
If that wasn’t enough to motivate anyone, my gorgeous dog, Saffy, also does an excellent job waking me up every morning.”
If you could pick one thing to change about Bristol, what would it be?
“Despite lots of amazing charities doing great things, there is still a lack of leisure facilities
for disabled children and young people in Bristol and across society in general.
“There are some specific SEN sessions, but these are often run at inconvenient times, they usually cater to one disability, and sessions are typically only for the disabled child. Siblings tend to be left out, which means families are left isolated as they struggle to find activities they can all do together. We know 72 per cent of parents with a disabled child suffer mental health issues because of isolation.”
What does a Better Bristol mean to you?
“A better Bristol is one where businesses, charities and individuals unite to drive positive change for our health and environment. Bristol has paved the way in so many areas and is such a progressive place. I don’t know if this is just a Bristol or the South West thing, but I feel Bristol has the kindest people in the world.”
“Despite lots of amazing charities doing great things, there is still a lack of leisure facilities for disabled children and young people in Bristol and across society in general,” said Gympanzees founder Stephanie Wheen photo: Jon Craig
What action could you as an individual take? What action could your company take?
“Whenever I speak to people about Gympanzees, they are shocked when I tell them there are 90,000 disabled children and young people living within an hour of Bristol and that 77 per cent can’t access regular leisure facilities.
“Once open, we will host 200,000 visits from disabled children, young people, and their families every year. The Gympanzees centre will be open 364 days a year, seven days a week,
and will provide endless opportunities for health, happiness, and support.
“The building plans were developed in close collaboration with the families using Gympanzees. The design of the centre includes multiple activity rooms, a three-story soft play area, and a fully inclusive gym equipped with world-class disability equipment. The team is making significant progress towards our goal! As of August 2024, we have already secured £2.5m of our £8m target.
“Our aim is to open our doors in June 2026. We’ve got some incredible Bristol businesses and individuals supporting us through room sponsorship, selecting us as their Charity of the Year or participating in fundraising events.”
Gympanzees is an award-winning charity based in Bristol that provides inclusive leisure facilities for disabled children and young people – photo: Jon Craig
What do you want to see from the Bristol business community in the next five years?
“I’d love to see a more accessible Bristol with more leisure opportunities for families with
disabled children. I’d love for families to have a choice of activities to do together, as there
is for families with non-disabled children.
I also hope the Gympanzees centre will help put Bristol on the map for accessibility and
innovation!”
Main photo: Gympanzees
Read next:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
