We are an award-winning charity with a mission to enable every child and young person with a disability to access regular play, exercise and friendship, to improve their physical and mental health and well-being, and to take their families out of isolation. We cater for all forms of disability from mild to profound physical disability, learning difficulties together with sensory and behavioural disorders.
We support families through the provision of Pop Up activity facilities, consisting of a specialised gym, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, soft play, active and calm sensory rooms, music room, trampolines, therapy suites and a social cafĂ©. We also provide an online resource hub full of activities and exercises to try at home, a lending library where families can borrow, for free, specialist play equipment and free therapist-led online webinars.Â
We wanted to bring a bit of Gympanzees inclusive fun into your homes and help you and your family play and exercise.Â
From exercise videos, activities, ideas, Zoom sessions with a qualified therapist and even borrowing specialist play and exercise equipment – we’re here to help you with Our Home.Â
We’re excited to announce Our Lending Library is now live! Borrow our specialist play and exercise equipment specific for free and tailored to your child’s needs. Equipment will be delivered to your home.
Our permanent facility
Alongside our current work, we continue to develop our plans to build the UK’s first dedicated play, exercise and social inclusion destination for children and young people with disabilities and their families. A destination complex designed to suit the needs of our families and open 364 days a year and provide a vital resource.
The Gympanzees plans, generously made for us by Stride Treglown Architects.
84% of children with disabilities cannot access regular leisure facilities so can’t play, exercise or socialise in the same ways as their peers. This not only affects them, but leaves whole families in isolation, with 72% of parents suffering mental health problems as a result and siblings with different needs often feeling overlooked.
There are 58,000 young people with disabilities within an hour of Bristol, and over 1.1 million in the UK.
Pop Up facilities
Since 2017 we have successfully delivered 58 days of Pop Up activity facilities taking 4,000 bookings from children and young people with disabilities, plus their families. This includes regular bookings from numerous disability groups within Bristol. Â
Cancelled Pop Ups
Due to Coronavirus, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel our Easter Pop Up and Summer Pop events.
As many of you will know, our Pop Up events help 1,000s of children and young people with disabilities – and their families – exercise, play and build friendships.
We know many of our families will be extremely disappointed that the Pop Ups have been cancelled, as are we. We put so much effort into the Pop Ups to ensure our families have the best experience possible. But we simply can not take the risk and the health and safety of our families is our paramount concern.
If you have booked a session with us you will receive a full refund for the sessions you have booked on to.
If you have any further questions, please contact us on info@gympanzees.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
We look forward to welcoming you to one of our Pop Ups events soon.
Thanks again for your understanding.
Please Support Us
Our income has all but dried up due to Covid-19, but families need our support more than ever.Â
Please support us if you can. Your donation will will help Gympanzees deliver project Our Home which is providing support to 1000s of children and young people with disabilities and their families, helping them stay active at home. Through an online hub of information, therapist lead Zoom sessions and an equipment lending library- Gympanzees is taking inclusive fun into families homes to help them play and exercise with a therapeutic twist so that children receive health and well-being benefits – all while having a great time.
