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Pro-Life Fitness Centre: supporting the people of Renfrewshire

on 3 January 2025 0

Pro-Life Fitness Centre are ingraining themselves into the community, uplifting both their members and hundreds of other across the region

If you’ve lived in Renfrewshire for any length of time, you’ve likely heard the term Pro-Life bandied around. There are a litany of potential contexts where you might’ve heard it, whether it’s someone who’s an attendee of the gym, is freshly back from a game of five-a-side or was even there for a football team award ceremony or 21st birthday party. 

Rising from humble beginnings at an industrial unit in Espedair Street, the brainchild of Scottish bodybuilding champion Alex Whelan and Brian McCorkindale has since far outgrown their initial vision for the place.

Back then, they merely wanted somewhere to train on the finest equipment that it was generally hard to get hold of. It was not long until they outgrew that space, decamping to their custom-built facility at New Sneddon Street that they call home to this day. 



But since those embryonic days, it has grown in leaps and bounds to the point that it’s now a pillar of our local ecosystem. However, many of its good deeds go dismayingly underpublicised. 

Since 2014, Pro-Life Fitness Centre has been functioning as a charity that’s complete with a board of trustees. Consequently, all money that flows into its coffers is either invested back into the gym or distributed to vital charities such as Accord Hospice and St Vincent’s Hospice among other local initiatives. 

After an immensely busy period where they’ve done extensive work to the gym, Head of Operations Robert McEwan has had time to reflect on all they’ve accomplished. However, they are certainly not taking their foot off the gas any time soon.

Pro-Life Fitness Centre

Robert McEwan, photo by David Brett Warren

“In here, we’ve got nearly three and a half thousand members,” he said of Pro-Life’s daily operations. “This is smaller than some other gyms, but because it’s got more of a community feel, people have high expectations. We’ll sit down for a chat if there’s an issue and it’s much more of a personal touch.

“We’ve got so many aspects of training here. We’ve got boxers and MMA fighters, as well as bodybuilding. Then, you’ve got the health and wellbeing side, with people coming in to take classes such as spin in our state-of-the-art studio.

“We’ve got virtual classes for people who maybe don’t feel comfortable or can’t make the time, so that’s great. Then, we’ve got people who are just coming in for the spa. On top of the steam room and sauna, there’s a Japanese hot pool and it’s one of the few offerings of that anywhere in the west of Scotland. 

“There’s always a wide variety of the community coming in, so that’s why it’s so important to have things like the crèche as well. This means people can put their kids in at just £5 for two hours and you never get that anywhere.

“We want things to be accessible for what everyone needs, so we’ve got senior, family and couples memberships just to ensure everyone gets what they want out of it. I think our oldest member is 98 and we’ve got some who’ve been here for 30 plus years. 

Pro-Life Fitness Centre

The new spin studio, photo by Kat Sloan

“We’re ultimately a charity,” Robert continued, “so any money coming in is either going towards equipment or back out into the local area. Obviously, we do a lot of work for the hospices, as well as the Trussell Trust.

“But, we also use that money to sponsor local athletes such as Paisley boy Sean Clancy who’s now competing in [leading UK MMA organisation] Cage Warriors. There’s also local football and hockey teams in the area, so the list feels endless in terms of who we support.”

Embodying that ethos of being ‘pro-life’, Robert and the team are always doing their utmost to do their best for others and this is at the core of the operation. 

“We’re never trying to expand with the likes of Pure Gym or David Lloyd, so it makes sense that we focus on the local community. That’s when the switch happened and it has just grown from there.

The new leg room, photo by David Brett Warren

“Over the last two years, we’ve given over £100,000 to them through memberships and fundraising, which is just astonishing for a small company. Myself and the staff will always take part in events from the likes of Accord or St Vincent’s which gives us a chance to get sponsorships and raise extra money.

“I just don’t think I can do a skydive though (laughs). But, the bulk comes from the end of year books where the profit is split between the hospices and Trussell Trust. 

“When I’ve worked for bigger companies in the past, any charity work you do just feels like a drop in the ocean,” Robert contended. “Here, you witness it going into the community and actually get to see the lives it’s changing.

“We go down there to present these things, it’s not like we’re just sitting in the office. Seeing everything first hand rather than just being behind the scenes has been unreal for me. I’m a people person anyway, so things like this are really incredible to me.” 

Accomplishing incredible things with a hard-working team and fervently supportive membership base, Pro-Life continues to flourish. On top of their contributions to the local causes, they also retain that drive to have the very best fitness equipment which has led to acquiring machines from leading Italian sports brand Panatta.

In keeping with that outlook, they have big plans for the coming year and beyond. However, even when investing into the premises, the focus is still always on what they can do for those around then. 

When I first came in, we sorted some smaller projects. At the moment, we’re looking at a lot of bigger projects and refurbishment. The bigger picture for me” Robert explained, “is that if this place does well, then the charities we act as beneficiaries of do well too.” 

For more information about Pro-Life Fitness Centre, the team and their charity work, please visit their website. 98 New Sneddon Street, Paisley, PA3 2BD, 0141 889 5027.

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