February fundraise challenge for cancer treatment centre set by Flintshire gym owner

A Flintshire Fitness Facility and Martial Arts Academy is planning to fundraise in February after a member’s brother was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic melanoma.

AF Fitness Flintshire, based in Flint, offers ‘world-class’ equipment at their facility as well as coaches providing their experience in elite sport and training methodology.

The gym’s owner, Ricky Nicholson, has been at the forefront of operations and is actively involved in the community, setting challenges and keeping in contact with members during the pandemic whilst they cannot visit the site due to lockdown restrictions.

During the ‘firebreak’ lockdown last November, Ricky organised a ‘5KADAY Challenge’ where he set members a goal of covering 500km via walking, running or cycling collectively.

After hitting 940km, Ricky and his team donated £100 to Dementia UK and they are now looking to set a similar challenge during the current lockdown throughout February.

Ricky said: “One of our member’s brothers has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic melanoma. So, we’re going to raise some money and try to keep everyone fit at the same time.

“During February, we’re going to be doing ‘Walk 1000 miles for cancer’ which is going to be open to all members of the gym and public. We’ve set up a JustGiving page and every time somebody goes out for a walk or a run and they do 10 miles they can make a donation.

“People who are supportive of the event, if they don’t want to do anything but they might want to make a donation, they could do a donation.

“The person with the most miles covered during February will receive a prize from the gym. It’s yet to be announced but they will receive a prize for the most individual miles covered.

“I’m not setting a cash target to what we want to raise. Whether people want to donate £1 or £20, it’s okay as long as people want to get on board or engage with it for a good cause.”

The money raised will go towards the North Wales Cancer Appeal, a charity fundraising for the North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre in Glan Clwyd, as picked by the gym member’s brother.

The community surrounding the gym are participating in the event and helping out where needed both to support the member’s brother but also to stay in contact with one another.

There is a WhatsApp group between members so they can converse about workout plans, keep track of fitness and check in with each others’ mental wellbeing on a regular basis.

The current situation however is “not the same” as it is when the gym is open, so the team is doing their part “to get back to normality” and “see if anyone’s struggling”, says Ricky.

With lockdown restrictions hindering the gym from reopening until further notice, Ricky and the team have been preparing the facility for when they are allowed to reopen once again.

He said: “Not one person has entered our facility with a high temperature. If they did, they wouldn’t be let into the building so that was the first port of call.

“As soon as someone is let through our door, they’re greeted by a member of staff and their temperature is taken. If their temperature is high then a siren goes off showing they have a high temperature and they have to leave the building immediately.

“Every single person that comes in, they wear a mask and hand sanitise. After every session, everything gets washed and wiped down, and there is a 15 minute gap between every class.”

Every week, even during lockdown, the gym is cleaned and ventilated as part of their continued sanitation regime so the facility is ready for when members can return.

Ricky added: “We will be ready for when we reopen – we are 100 per cent ready for the day we can reopen and welcome all our members back.

“Anyone that wants to join a world-class facility, we’re waiting and everything will be perfect and we will be 100 per cent ready to re-engage and welcome everyone back for when we do open.”

To donate to the fundraiser, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ricky-nicholson-1?utm_term=W9xPK5NMK&fbclid=IwAR1lpE_2lOCa-hsUnQ6p0mDdSPLG8YN0JFWbsDpc5N_-C1Uqr3BXNHFmoaM.

For more info on anything else, contact Ricky on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/affitnessflintshire.

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By Jordan Adams

[Photograph taken before social distancing measures were introduced]