Fitness without
Barriers
our community, Real Impact.
Smallmatter’s Fitness Focus wasn’t born out of a desire to run a gym; it was born out of a deep-rooted passion for the people of Tyne and Wear and a refusal to accept that health is a privilege only some can afford. My journey began with a simple observation of the gaps in our society—watching friends, neighbours, and members of our BME and refugee communities struggle to find a place where they felt they truly belonged. I saw how mainstream fitness spaces could feel like a world away for someone seeking asylum or for a woman whose cultural needs weren't being met. I knew that "fitness" needed to mean more than just a workout; it needed to mean safety, dignity, and a sense of home. That is why we are a CIC. We don't exist to make a profit; we exist to make a difference, ensuring that every penny we earn goes straight back into the health and happiness of our community.
In the present, our work is a vibrant, moving tapestry of local life. From our HQ at Windmill Hills Centre in Gateshead to various community halls across the region, we are on the ground every day. We see the transformation that happens when a woman joins our women-only sessions and finds her confidence, or when a refugee—who may have felt isolated and "stuck indoors"—finds connection and strength through our bootcamps. We are more than just an exercise class; we are a lifeline that prevents ill health from becoming a crisis and reduces the heavy burden on our local NHS. We meet people where they are, in the spaces they trust, providing the culturally sensitive support that allows them to thrive.
But as much as we love the community spaces that host us, our eyes are fixed on a bigger horizon. Our future is about stability and growth. We are currently working towards a bold new chapter: establishing our own dedicated hub. While we will always be a mobile service that goes where the need is, having a permanent space of our own will allow us to offer even more consistent support, deeper resources, and a true sanctuary for those we serve. This new hub will be a beacon for health equity in Tyne and Wear—a place where we don’t have to worry about hourly rentals, but can instead focus entirely on the good work of healing, moving, and connecting. We aren’t just building a fitness centre; we are building a legacy of wellness for everyone, regardless of where they come from or what they have.
At Smallmatter’s Fitness Focus C.I.C., we believe that fitness is the heartbeat of a happy, healthy community. From our energetic dance-fit sessions to our family-focused well-being programmes, our mission is simple: to make staying active accessible, fun, and inclusive for everyone in our local area.
To keep our vital community projects running and expanding, we are thrilled to invite you to join our Official One Lottery.
How It Works
By participating, you’re not just entering a draw; you’re investing in the health and happiness of local families. For just a small weekly contribution, you’ll be in with a chance to win exciting cash prizes every week, including a massive £25,000 jackpot!
Why Your Support Matters
Every ticket purchased helps us:
Fund Dance & Fitness Sessions: Keeping children and families active and engaged.
Promote Well-being: Providing a supportive space for mental and physical health.
Strengthen Our Community: Ensuring that nobody is left on the sidelines when it comes to fitness.
Ready to Play?
It only takes a minute to sign up. Simply visit our lottery page at here to get started.
Thank you for being part of the Smallmatter’s family. Together, we can keep our community moving, one step (or dance move!) at a time.
Best of luck,
The Smallmatter’s Fitness Focus Team
Community Calendar, Upcoming Events
We have been lucky enough to win some grants:
We are absolutely thrilled to share the incredible journey of our latest project, "Move Together Gateshead." What started as a vision to create a safe, culturally resonant fitness space for BME, refugee, and asylum-seeking women became something far more powerful: a community of strength, laughter, and sisterhood. Over the past few months, Bensham Community Centre was transformed every week into a vibrant hub where women from all walks of life came together to reclaim their health and joy.
The success of the project went way beyond just hitting our fitness goals. By blending traditional yoga and aerobics with the rhythm of African dance and drumming, we created a space where exercise felt like home. We saw women who initially felt isolated by language barriers or cultural stigma grow in confidence, swapping phone numbers and forming support networks that will last long after the final session. Whether it was the high energy of the Afrobeats dance or the quiet reflection of our storytelling circles, every moment was a reminder that when barriers like cost and modesty concerns are removed, our community is ready and eager to move.
As this chapter of the project closes, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part and to Sport England for believing in our mission. While the funded sessions have finished, the legacy of "Move Together Gateshead" continues. We’ve seen a new wave of "Wellness Champions" emerge—women who are now empowered to lead their own movements and stay active together. This isn't just the end of a project; it’s the beginning of a healthier, more connected future for the women of Gateshead.
Celebrating Success: Let’s Get Moving Tyne and Wear
We are incredibly proud to share the success of our recent project, "Let’s Get Moving Tyne and Wear," which was made possible thanks to a generous grant from The National Lottery Community Fund: Awards for All. Over the past two years, Smallmatter’s Fitness Focus CIC has worked across Gateshead, Newcastle, and Sunderland to break down the barriers that often keep people away from mainstream exercise. From financial hurdles to cultural and confidence-based challenges, we set out to ensure that movement is accessible to everyone in our community.
Our mission was simple: to create a non-judgemental space where ability and body type are never a barrier. We delivered a diverse programme of exercise sessions in popular community venues, specifically designed for those who might feel intimidated by a standard gym environment. A core focus was our women-only sessions, which provided a safe and culturally respectful space for women—particularly from BME communities—to build fitness, gain confidence, and forge lasting friendships outside of their immediate family circles.
The impact has been heart-warming. Through taster sessions, advanced classes, and bespoke 1-to-1 outreach for those needing a little extra encouragement to leave the house, we’ve seen people rediscover the joy of movement. By listening to our participants and adapting to their feedback, we didn't just run exercise classes; we built a supportive network across Tyne and Wear. We’ve proven that when you remove the fear of judgement and the barriers to entry, our community is ready and eager to get moving.