Fully Accessible and Inclusive Gym

We are delighted that we reached our initial crowdfunding goal of $2,500 within 3 days and have been approved to increase our target to $15,000 for a stretch goal. We would love your support to help us accelerate our dream of creating ‘As One’ – our fully accessible and inclusive gym for all

Hello our names are Stacey Hynes and Felipe Freitas.

We are exercise physiologists who specialise in disability rehabilitation and exercise and have a combined experience in the area of over 25 years. In this time we have had the opportunity to work with the disabled population world wide including places like USA, Brazil, UAE, Europe and of course Australia.

Our passion lies in helping those who need it the most – in this instance, the disabled community.

Upon arriving back to Australia in 2020, right when we went into lockdown, we realised that the community we loved working with so much, had become even more forgotten than they had been before. Many were left completely isolated with little to no assistance, care or exercise when the world went into lockdown. The community we loved needed help – so together, Felipe and I opened our own Mobile service to offer Exercise Physiology to those who need it.

Throughout our years of experience, we have noted that there no matter who we speak to, or where they’re from, they all report similar challenges – these include community and building access, community education and access to appropriate healthcare.

According to the Australian Institute of welfare: ‘1 in 5 who need help with healthcare activities have their needs partly met or not met at all.’ They also state that ‘72% of people with a disability DO NOT do enough physical activity for their age’.

This is where the idea to open a fully accessible and inclusive gym came from. We developed the idea for AsOne so that we can ensure there is a facility in Melbourne to support the needs of EVERY person, no matter their ability.

We want to educate others on the standard of care that this population deserves and the accessibility requirements to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in the exercise or care of their choosing.

Why you should donate:

Right now, we are at the beginning of our journey to open AsOne, and have set up this campaign to gain support of our dream and really raise awareness – we’re looking to find people like you to help with the funds needed to really get us up and running.

So please, help us get this dream off the ground – help us to ensure every person, no matter their ability, has access to a high quality, safe, fully accessible space to exercise, receive care and become a part of a community!

Thank you! 

Stacey and Felipe