Finnish outdoor fitness equipment specialist, Omnigym, has partnered with charity, Emmaüs Solidarité, to launch an outdoor gym installation at a homeless shelter in Paris.

The gym at the Emmaüs Solidarité shelter, on Boulevard Pereire in Paris, includes four pieces of outdoor equipment, available for use by the 209 people living at the shelter. 

Omnigym is keen to break down the barriers to activity for people who are often excluded from it.  “Access to physical activity should not depend on income or personal circumstances. We want to democratise physical training and make it accessible to everyone. This initiative addresses a need that is often overlooked,” says Kirsti Laasio, CEO of Omnigym. 

According to the most recent WHO report on physical activity in the EU, 45 per cent of people say they never exercise or play sports, and globally every third person has insufficient levels of physical activity. WHO states that low levels of physical activity are particularly prevalent among disadvantaged groups in society, making homeless communities an important place to start.

Lotfi Ouanezar, director general at Emmaüs Solidarité, says that physical activity can have a positive impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of people in vulnerable situations. 

The project launches in Paris against a backdrop of intensifying municipal discussions surrounding homelessness, public health, and inclusive urban infrastructure.