Ex-pro Sheffield bodybuilder Trevor Chrouch offers free training scheme for the unemployed in Burngreave

Trevor Chrouch, a former professional bodybuilder, opened Olympia Health & Fitness centre on Rutland Road in Burngreave 10 months ago and since then he has been constantly supporting the local community. After offering a 12-week training and mentoring programme to three groups of young men with a criminal past, Trevor has decided to start a new scheme. This time he hopes to give a second chance to unemployed Sheffielders.

Trevor said: “I've mentored young people who have been involved in gangs and other criminal activity. Some of them went back to what they were doing before but many have gone on to college, some got jobs and some are still coming to the gym now. It's really rewarding to see and reminds me and the volunteers why we are doing this. I have changed the scheme to give different people a chance. I already have a few women and girls interested in the gym. There's not as many girls in gangs and involved in drug dealing, but the new scheme opens the opportunity for them.

“Everybody's equal. There's not one race in front of another. And there's not one sex more important than other. I think everyone deserves a fair crack of the whip. We're trying to reach out to as many people in the community as we can.”

The scheme, which was launched on Monday, October 17, offers a training programme and mentoring at the gym and is now accepting unemployed applicants aged over 18. Amjed, 43, who joined the new scheme last week said: “I've been out of employment for about nearly 18 months after having Covid. I have been gaining a lot of weight, not feeling right about myself mentally and physically. But last week I went into the gym and it was very, very impactful. Trevor has a vast amount of knowledge and wants to help.”

Caroline, 42 who attended her first session said: “These sessions give me something to focus on. I've always wanted to sort my body out, but I went to the gym once and didn't enjoy it. First session here was different - a bit of hard work but it was worth it. Trevor is a great, funny guy who you can easily get along with.”

The new scheme is only one of many ways in which Olympia benefits people from Burngreave and surrounding areas. Trevor, who describes his centre as a ‘community hub’, said: “We are a small hub with 5,000 square feet, not a commercial gym with a lot of money, like the Pure Gym which closed nearby. We can't offer the facilities a multi-million pound chain can, but what we can offer is a personal touch - we've set up a little community centre for people from the area.

“We've got pensioners, unemployed people, working people. Everybody is under one roof working out and having a lot of fun. We know everybody's name and can help anyone achieve their goals. When you walk through the door you always get greeted at the reception, if you don’t understand how a piece of equipment works, there's always somebody on the gym floor to help. It’s a friendly atmosphere and it feels like a community hub.

“It means a lot for local people. The oldest member we’ve got is 72 years old. He was struggling with his mental health and was having suicidal thoughts. He always says the gym saved his life. After Pure Gym closed he said to me ‘please don’t close this one, because this is all I've got.”

Trevor tries to keep the centre accessible and affordable for as many people as possible, so he keeps the monthly membership at £25 and £20 for students and NHS members. He said: “I can’t go any lower than these prices. It’s a real strain financially and the bills have tripled in the last month alone. Nobody is helping us and we are going from month to month and hoping for the best. It is just me and a few volunteers who run the gym and some of them are travelling a long way, some are struggling financially. If I can help them a few pounds towards fuel or their dinner, it means a lot”

The gym, which is open Monday to Friday from 6am to 10pm, and from 10am to 5pm on the weekends, hosts special £3 sessions for children on Saturdays - it helps the youngest Burngreave residents to get involved in sports, learn self defence and attend mentoring.

Trevor said: “We've got a very timid young boy who was bullied and attacked at school because of his ethnicity and mixed heritage. He’s been learning traditional martial arts and self defence such as what to do if someone suddenly grabs your arms. We also offer a bit of mentoring for the children - we teach them the importance of nutrition, explain why they can't just eat McDonald. We also had a couple of young kids who were excluded from school and we were teaching them respect and trying to help them understand why it is important to control their emotions and behave at school.”

To support children from Sheffield even more, Trevor has paired up with a domestic violence charity to organise Christmas gift donations for kids from poor backgrounds. Trevor said: “ We will have a drop off point at the gym, where anybody can donate toys for young children. We are appealing for presents because we want to give Christmas to as many children all over Sheffield as possible. It’s important now because due to the cost of living crisis there are many kids in struggling families, hospitals and children's centres who can’t get presents this year.”