On Friday afternoon (12th May), Joel James MS met with Morgan Harries – the owner of IronworX Gym in Hirwaun, to understand its impact on the local community.
IronworX Gym is the first ever fully operational gym facility in Hirwaun and was established in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent government lockdowns. Despite these challenges, the gym is growing in membership numbers and Morgan is always looking at ways to encourage people to start their fitness journey.
Joel also met with Berry Jordan – Business and Community Advisor for Vattenfall Wind Power Limited. In his conversations with Berry and Morgan, Joel was informed how IronworX Gym came to fruition through Pen Y Cymoedd’s community funding programme. Morgan also expressed how The Wind Farm fund enabled him to make his lifelong dream of owning and running a gym a reality.
Morgan and Berry gave Joel a tour of the facility – showing him the different spaces that are used to provide a range of fitness options. During the tour, Joel was interested to hear how Morgan and IronworX are working within the community to promote a healthier lifestyle for all ages.
Once the talking was over, Joel had the opportunity to test out the gym equipment for himself as Morgan put him to work on one of the exercise bikes. After a quick pedal and working up a sweat, Joel experienced how fitness can help not just your physical health, but also your mental.
Once he caught his breath, Joel said:
“I had a wonderful time today meeting Morgan and learning more about how Pen Y Cymoedd helped make his dream a reality.
After learning about the community fund at Pen Y Cymoedd, I wanted to see the type of projects it supports and the difference it makes to people and communities. It is clear to me that the wind farm is not only helping our environment, but it is helping our local communities and economies too.
Morgan is a truly inspirational man who is determined to help everyone around him succeed. Not only did this gym change his life, but it changed the entire community of Hirwaun. His hard work and determination are paying off and I wish him the best of luck in the future.”
