NRG GYM has launched a new mental health campaign, What You Don’t See, to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week (11–17 May), reinforcing the role that fitness can play in supporting wellbeing.
The campaign centres around a short film featuring real NRG members, sharing the personal reasons behind their training, from building confidence and managing pressure, to creating routine and finding headspace.
Supported by a series of extended member stories, the campaign aims to highlight the often unseen impact that gyms can have beyond physical health.
The launch aligns with this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme, Action, encouraging individuals and communities to take proactive steps to support their mental wellbeing.
The What You Don’t See campaign also invites NRG members to share their own stories and experiences, helping to build a more open conversation around mental health and fitness – not just during Mental Health Awareness Week, but as an ongoing platform for the NRG community.
Shafiq Ahmed, Founder and CEO of NRG GYM, said: “What you see in the gym is often just the surface. Behind every workout, there’s a deeper reason, and this campaign is about giving those stories a platform and recognising the important role that movement, routine and community can play in supporting mental wellbeing.”
The campaign is supported by growing evidence linking physical activity to improved mental health outcomes. Research from the Mental Health Foundation shows that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing depression by up to 30%, while 72% of people with existing mental health conditions say being active helps them manage and stay well (Source: Mental Health in Motion, ukactive).
Ahmed added: “As an industry, we have an important role to play in supporting the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve. Campaigns like this are about recognising that responsibility, and taking action in a way that feels real, accessible and meaningful to our members.”
The campaign also reflects NRG’s wider commitment to supporting its members and communities beyond the gym floor. Alongside its core offering, NRG provides additional wellbeing support through its NRG PLUS HEALTH membership, which includes access to digital health services such as mental health support via its partnership with HealthHero.
NRG also continues to invest in community initiatives across the UK, including a long-standing partnership with the Kent County Football League and Pound 4 Pound Boxing in Walsall, plus local outreach programmes in Newcastle, including work with carers, care homes and youth groups.