‘A disability should never define you or your limits’

Gym owner Javeno McLean's dream of a health centre welcoming the elderly and disabled has inspired millions and earned A-list fans including Davina McCall and Michelle Pfeiffer

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Like all the best ideas, Javeno McLean's started at his mum's kitchen table. Back in 2015 he put pen to paper on a long-held dream of setting up a gym, where people with disabilities, mental health issues or terminal illnesses could come and train without prejudice.

It would mean quitting his job at Manchester City Council and scrimping and saving to make it a reality. Yet just two years later Javeno's vision came to life when the J7 community health centre opened in Manchester - “J” after his name and “7” as it's a special number for him.

“I wanted a place where energy and love was contagious,” says Javeno, 40.

“I hated gyms and the way they made people feel, especially women. I wanted a place where my grandmother, my mum, my aunties, an athlete, a disabled person, everybody could be in a room together to have a shared experience.”

All abilities come to his gym and Javeno trains disabled and disadvantaged people for free. Thanks to social media, his celebrity fans include Michelle Pfeiffer, Carol Vorderman, Davina McCall and Ben Shephard, who has written an introduction in Javeno’s new book You Are Not Your Limits.

It’s an inspiring and uplifting read about Javeno life's lessons and some of the people he has helped, like Keira, who had a brain tumour and had to learn to walk again. A video of her on Tik Tok has had over 23 million views and more than 55,000 messages.

SUFFERED

Or there's Josh with cerebral palsy, who Javeno got out of his wheelchair and on to a trampoline. And Aimee, who also has cerebral palsy and suffered from PTSD and depression after being at the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in May 2017, when a terrorist bomb attack killed 22 people.

But when Javeno trains he doesn't wrap them in cotton wool. He is firm yet fair and cracks jokes.