Supported by Warwickshire County Council
This project is supported through local councillor grants awarded by Cllr Michael Bannister (Nuneaton Abbey), Cllr Keith Kondakor (Weddington), Cllr Luke Francis Shingler (Galley Common), with additional support from Cllr Nigel Golby.

Hello locals 👋

I wanted to share a little update with you.

Over the past year, I’ve been quietly working behind the scenes to evolve Fly Girls Fitness into a Community Interest Company (CIC).
Our new official name is Elevate to Fly CIC.

We now have several divisions that keep each project clearly defined and well supported.

• Our adult women’s classes remain separate from our children and young people’s divisions.

• In some programmes, neurodivergent and neurotypical participants share the same classroom, while those who benefit from smaller groups and more individual freedom attend Aerial Autism, which allows for reduced class sizes and up to 80% self-led exploration at their own pace.

• There are also additional divisions not listed here yet, which are equally important — as we grow, we’ll be able to share more about these.

At the moment, you won’t see signage changes just yet — this is a brand-new venture and we’re building it step by step — but our evening women’s classes under Fly Girls Fitness will continue exactly as they always have. This side of the organisation helps cover studio overheads and keeps the space open and thriving.

With the rising cost of living affecting everyone, we decided to take a new approach to protect this beautiful space and expand what we can offer to the wider community. Becoming a CIC allows us to apply for grants, and I’m really proud to say we’ve been awarded our first small grant (under £1,000).

That funding allows us to restart the Aerial Autism class & help fund young people who cannot afford classes.

We’ve been running Aerial Autism for seven years, previously free of charge. Due to the intensive nature of the work, I can only safely support three to four participants at a time. I paused the programme while completing the necessary paperwork and funding applications, and this grant helps cover some of the running costs so we can begin again — with the long-term goal of running multiple classes, and eventually extending the programme to adults as well as children, helping to reduce loneliness and isolation.

Our studio focuses on women, children, and people with additional or neurodivergent needs. With no disrespect to men — this is simply my wheelhouse and where my experience and skills are strongest.

We now also have directors on board, which allows us to expand further. This includes working with Ascend (under-17s) to offer young people a safe space for movement, fitness, confidence, and mental wellbeing.

Our children’s programme currently runs three afternoons a week after school, using aerial hoop and pole fitness. As we secure more funding, we’d love to offer funded placements for families who otherwise couldn’t afford classes, ensuring access for more children in our community.

Looking ahead, we’re also exploring:

• Youth-group style sessions

• After-school and weekend programmes

• Community activities such as drum circles, music sessions, and creative gatherings

We already host sound baths in the studio, and we’re very open to the space being used for other community-led ideas. As a CIC, we aim to offer lower-cost room hire where possible, or fundraise to make these activities accessible.

At the moment, everything inside the studio — the equipment, furnishings, and resources — are my personal belongings, which I’m lending to the CIC while we work towards funding equipment, signage, and printed materials. This really is the very beginning of something we hope will grow into a lasting community resource.

If you:

• Know someone who might benefit

• Would like to volunteer

• Have an idea or want to collaborate

• Or simply need a warm, creative space

Supported by Warwickshire County Council
This project is supported through local councillor grants awarded by Cllr Michael Bannister (Nuneaton Abbey), Cllr Keith Kondakor (Weddington), Cllr Luke Francis Shingler (Galley Common), with additional support from Cllr Nigel Golby.

Please feel free to reach out.

Crystal
📧 elevatetoflycic@gmail.com
🌐 https://youngflyers.co.uk
🌐 www.elevatetofly.co.uk