Friend of the Year: Kev Bower
KEV BOWER runs a gym in the Colne Valley … but he’s transformed it into a community hub.
For 37-year-old Kev goes above and beyond every day to make it something really special at the Northern Fitness Gym, in Linthwaite, but his friendliness and kind-hearted work spreads far beyond its walls.
He was nominated by member Sarah Jacobs, who said: “Kev owns a gym but he has created a little community. His motto is #morethanjustagym. It is a giant family. I absolutely love it and that’s down to Kev and his team who create a community environment.
“Everyone considers him a friend. He is an incredible human.
“His classes are packed full and he not only supports his members physically, but also mentally.”
During the coronavirus lockdown, Kevin let people take equipment home to train and also bought 80 activity trackers to monitor gym users during lockdown and create a fun competition between them which had a really positive impact on people’s mental health.
The gym has provided meals to elderly vulnerable people at Christmas and donated food to the Huddersfield street kitchen.
The gym runs a kids’ condition class, to encourage young people to exercise, and Kev is constantly organising days, trips and nights out for his members and their families from a weekend in Dublin to a family coach trip to Blackpool, Christmas party nights out and summer barbecues.
Kev set up #forronan charity, a new community interest company set up in memory of 17-year-old
Ronan Costello, who tragically died while playing for the Huddersfield Giants Academy Under19s side, in 2016.
It sets challenges for young people in Huddersfield to encourage and nurture the same attributes that Ronan displayed including teamwork, effort, respect, discipline and overcoming adversity.
The gym paid for a 57-seater coach to do the Three Peaks and everyone had to raise at least £100 in sponsorship and the event raised more than £10,000. The money was shared between local football, rugby and cricket teams, £800 to the charity Ruddi’s Retreat and £2,500 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Kev said: “I want to be a shining example as a small business to show all the others that some things are more important than profit.”