Repping for Recovery in Elisha House

Elisha House, a Colne charity supporting individuals with a history of substance abuse, is launching a new gym.

The Elisha House Recovery Project, situated on Burnley Road, provides supported accommodation. It embraces the ‘five ways to wellbeing,’ recognising the importance of connection, an active lifestyle, learning new skills, community, and mindfulness in fostering good mental health.

The charity has taken various initiatives to promote well-being, such as opening a cracking community café, sorting out regular walking and cycling trips, and even setting up an exercise program for residents. However, they are not stopping there.

“They have so much to offer, and we want to give them the opportunities they need…”

The team saw a need for a dedicated space where residents could exercise out of the constant Lancashire drizzle. The idea evolved into a full-fledged gym, planning to open it up to the entire Colne community.

“At the moment, our lads are doing cross-training in our yard, which is currently full of ice, so it’s not ideal,” Emma Ibbetson, a team leader at Elisha House, shares. “When I first joined, we had ten residents, and we now have a full house at 31. We just don’t have enough space, so we had to think of how to expand, and then it just snowballed into a proper gym for everybody.”

Emma wants the gym accessible to everyone, so memberships will be offered on a sliding scale based on need. “We want a community feel,” she smiles. It can also act as a place where people with an addiction and the wider community can come together and work on their mental and physical health.

The low-cost gym in the Lanlee building close to Elisha House will also provide a safe and private way for people to access the charity’s services. “If you are struggling with addiction and you need someone to talk to but aren’t ready to do anything official, people can come into the gym and have a chat.”

The goal is to challenge the negative perception associated with addiction and to demonstrate that individuals who struggle with addiction still have much to contribute. “These lads have so much to offer,” Emma smiles, “and we want to give them the opportunities they need.”

The charity hopes the gym will provide a space for people to have a natter, create connections and help people develop their skills. “We help marginalised people who are often on the edge of society and aren’t provided the opportunities others might have. The lads can volunteer in the gym and get references from us. This will hopefully help when they attempt to find paid work.”

Elisha House resident Charlie Smith hopes to gain a personal training qualification once the gym opens to the public. The Colner found a helping hand at Elisha House after his release from prison three years ago.

Charlie initially worked through the 12-step programme offered by Elisha House, but he admits, “I rushed through the programme the first time.” He ended up relapsing and spent five weeks in hospital. Fortunately, he found his way back to Elisha House, where he’s been receiving support for over a year.

“The gym will provide a space for people to have a natter, create connections and help people develop their skills…”

As part of the programme, residents are encouraged to keep an active lifestyle by exercising daily. “We currently do CrossFit each morning, and after lunch, everyone piles into the weight room, but it’s not ideal as a training room; it’s cold and small for so many of us,” Charlie explains. “The gym will be greatly beneficial. It’s not just about physical health; keeping active does so much for mental health, too.”

With funding already in place, the project has garnered support from several organisations, including Pendle Leisure, Lancashire Great Places, Sport England, and the National Lottery. A crowdfunding campaign is underway to ensure the gym reaches its full potential and opens its doors to the community by the end of May.

If you want to support those in recovery from addiction and help get the gym up and running, you can donate at the crowdfunding website JustGiving.

Read our interview with Carl Molyneux, the manager at Elisha House, here.

ColneLife March/April 24