News / Children with Disabilities
‘UK-first’ inclusive play centre nears completion with £1m funding boost
The “UK-first” inclusive play centre has received a major funding boost as it slowly edges towards completion.
The Bristol-based disability charity Gympanzees has secured £1m from the National Lottery Community Fund, bringing the total raised to £7.6m.
This is the second time the National Lottery has backed the charity with a significant grant.
In 2025, it awarded £500,000 to support the charity’s lending library, enabling families, schools and organisations to borrow specialist sensory, play and exercise equipment.
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In 2025 alone, the library loaned around 960 pieces of equipment for a cumulative total of 3,602 days – equivalent to almost ten years of play.
Gympanzees, led by Stephanie Wheen, purchased the former Aust services site near the Severn Bridge for £3.1m, with plans to transform it into the country’s first fully inclusive leisure facility.
Construction began just over a year ago on the site, which will cater to children and young people with disabilities.
Gympanzees, led by Stephanie Wheen, purchased the former Aust services site near the Severn Bridge for £3.1m, with plans to transform it into the country’s first fully inclusive leisure facility
The centre will feature ten inclusive rooms, a horizontal climbing wall, a self-transfer trampoline and a two-storey soft playhouse designed for independent use or shared play with parents.
The state-of-the-art facility will also include hoists throughout for children and parents with mobility needs, as well as 30 pieces of outdoor play equipment.
It is estimated that 1.5 million disabled children and young people in the UK often miss out on play and everyday social experiences.
The new centre, expected to open in the latter half of 2026, aims to provide a space to connect with peers, be active, explore and have fun.
Stephanie Wheen, chief executive and founder of Gympanzees, said: “This is such a generous donation from The National Lottery Community Fund. We’re grateful to National Lottery players who made it possible.
“This grant is truly life-changing and brings us a giant step closer to making our centre a reality for the families who need it most.
“At previous sensory play and exercise sessions that we’ve held, we’ve witnessed a three-year-old laugh for the very first time and a teenager pull herself up to stand independently.”
Other notable donations include £264,000 from the Seneca Trust, £150,000 from the The Clothworkers’ Foundation and £250,000 from Lifelites.
Wheen, a former physiotherapist in Bristol, founded Gympanzees back in 2016 following her own experience of the lack of accessible exercise and play facilities for children with disabilities.
“This grant is truly life-changing and brings us a giant step closer to making our centre a reality for the families who need it most,” said Stephanie Wheen, founder and chief executive at Gympanzees
Families already using Gympanzees are looking forward to the opening of the brick-and-mortar centre.
Emma Wilson, who is from Bristol, has attended the charity’s sessions with her daughter Isabella, a full-time wheelchair user with complex needs.
Emma said: “As a parent of a disabled child, I can’t put into words how much this support from The National Lottery means.
“Because of this funding, my daughter, Isabella, will have a place where she can laugh, learn and play without barriers—somewhere she feels truly included.
“For families like ours, it’s more than just a centre; it’s a lifeline. What once felt like a distant hope is becoming a reality, and the difference it will make to our lives is beyond measure.”
Bristol-based construction firm Oakland Construction is delivering the project. Other notable projects of the firm include Isambard-AI supercomputer in Emersons Green, for which it won a top regional industry award.
The “UK-first” inclusive play centre is edging towards its completion
The charity now expects to launch a £1m “fundraising sprint” for the final phase of the project.
Wheen added: “With this centre, we can create hundreds more moments like these. But we cannot complete this journey without maintaining our fundraising momentum.
“This last stretch is the difference between a dream and the doors opening.”
To support to Gympanzees play centre, visit www.gympanzees.org/appeal
All photos: Gympanzees
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