Cotswolds-based personal trainer lands UnLtd social entrepreneurship grant

Online exercise space Jim’s Gym, founded by personal trainer James Hilton, has secured support and funding from social entrepreneurship foundation UnLtd.

Based in Stroud in the Cotswolds, James is a specialist in injury recovery and biomechanics and aims to help as many people as possible incorporate functional exercise into their lives. Jim’s Gym is the portal through which James offers bespoke training, a library of exercise videos, advice, support and much more to people over the age of 55.

A chance meeting at a networking event prompted James to apply for funding from UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs that has been supporting transformative businesses since 2002.

“We only had a week to meet the application deadline, which really stretched us to get it in on time!” said James.

James secured the Starting Up grant from UnLtd, which also gives Jim’s Gym a year’s support as part of the Movement for Change programme. In partnership with Sport England and the Millennium Awards Trust, the programme aims to support social entrepreneurs who are helping to unlock the advantages of sport and physical activity for the most marginalised communities.

James added: “This grant really eases the pressure as I balance the different aspects of the business – providing as much free support as I can through our Facebook community, delivering 121 sessions and developing Jim’s Gym as a wide-ranging, accessible and welcoming online space.”

With plans to utilise the grant across the whole business, including audio and visual equipment, PR and marketing, improving the website and subsidising studio space, James aims to create a catalogue of high-quality exercise and workout videos for subscribers.

Jim’s Gym forms the next step for people who have discovered the benefits of James’ approach to personal training and exercise through his Facebook community.

Explained James: “We will always provide a base of free exercise advice, workouts and expertise through the free-to-join Facebook community. Jim’s Gym is there for those who want to take their understanding and practice of functional, useful exercise further.”

James aims to reach 1,000 online subscribers over the next three years, something that the UnLtd grant will help to exponentially speed up.

“My long term goal is to help as many people as possible find and build a sustainable relationship with exercise – without getting bored! The idea is to keep people healthy and independent for as long as possible. We know the challenges facing our ageing population, and the solution lies in offering the kind of route into exercise that lasts for life,” added James.

For more information on Jim’s Gym, visit the Facebook group here https://www.facebook.com/groups/jimsgymcommunity