In a world where fitness and body positivity are increasingly important, yet body shaming remains prevalent, two local organizations are joining forces to make a difference.

CLICK Arts Foundation (Registered Charity 1203549) have announced a collaboration with RAUR Gymwear aimed at promoting fitness for all, body positivity, and combating the pervasive issues of fat shaming and ‘gym-timidation’ they hope to encourage ‘safe (accepting/inclusive) spaces’ where it’s OK to just be yourself without fear of others’ opinions and comments.

Research has consistently shown that regular physical activity can have significant positive effects on mental health. However, the journey to fitness is often fraught with obstacles, particularly for those who feel self-conscious about their bodies.

2 in 5 women have made the decision to avoid the gym altogether because men have made them feel uncomfortable there. The Gym-timidation Report: Exploring sexual harassment in the gym and

Arun Shergill from RAUR showing off the burlesque squads branded t-shirts.

placeholder image — Arun Shergill from RAUR showing off the burlesque squads branded t-shirts.

1 in 5 plus size gym goers have been body shamed. https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/weight-stigma-study/ .

Dr. Thomas Olesko, a physical therapist at CityPT, emphasizes this point: "Body-shaming has a profoundly negative impact on an individual's workout experience and can even increase their risk of injury. It's crucial to create a supportive, inclusive gym environment to promote safe and effective workouts."

CLICK Arts Foundation are a charity that provide grants of up to £2000 to grassroot arts projects. They also promote the arts for wellbeing and as a preventative method when it comes to poor mental health. As part of this, their Burlesque squad comes together to strut their stuff in a safe and empowering space and promote appreciation of the body for what it can do rather than for what it looks like.

Dr Audrey Tang Founder of CLICK and the Burlesque squad instructor recently led the finale of the 2024 TEDxNHS event “Forward” – with a performance and talk on “appreciating your body through dance”.

“Our aim is to get people appreciating their bodies for what they do not for what they look like. We welcome all ages, all bodies and all levels of expertise and we focus on getting people moving, building self-confidence and steering clear of those negative impressions.”

Audrey also commented: “Mobility should be encouraged especially as we get older, and Burlesque is not just about the physical benefits of low impact exercise. It is a space where you are accepted for who you are, and the nature of the dance style reminds us that touch, intimacy and sensuality are part of holistic health.”

The collaboration between CLICK Arts Foundation and RAUR Gymwear represents a shift towards a more inclusive fitness culture. RAUR have branded their leggings, bra tops and T-shirts with the Burlesque squad logo for the dancer’s uniforms that will be worn in class and to showcase at their events. Using the squad performances, social media and other outlets the main hope is that by challenging the status quo and creating supportive environments, the collaboration can start to break the cycle of body shaming and open the doors to a healthier, more inclusive future for all.

RAUR Gymwear was founded during lockdown by David and Arun Shergill, who met CLICK at an MKEBC event in Summer 2023.

Arun stated: “Like many people the gym is a regular source of both physical development, social interaction and mental wellbeing, we saw people from all walks of life wearing a whole range of varying gym and leisure clothing. However, we didn’t feel the clothing really represented our (Punjabi Sikh) heritage…and this was a gap we wanted to plug.”

Just like the Burlesque squad, RAUR also promote the idea that fitness is for everyone and want to see more diversity and inclusion in sport. They have provided sponsorship deals for a number of Punjabi Sikh athletes including Boxer Sangeeta Birdi, who has a World title fight coming up this month, Sandeep Tak Mascarenhas -Luton Town Ladies FC player, Harmanpreet Sanhu- Captain of the Indian national hockey team and they were also proud to be one of the sponsors for the Sikh games 2024.

They are also the sportswear sponsor for Dr Audrey Tang who will represent Buckinghamshire in the 2025 UK’s National Miss/Ms Pageant- Classic division.

Speaking about the collaboration Audrey said: “Both RAUR and CLICK promote diversity, inclusivity and consider the importance of making people feel safe and comfortable in their own bodies. We love the fact that RAUR have designed their clothes to do just that. Having a comfortable, safe outfit adds to the feeling of body positivity and the designs, particularly of the bra top have considered how to stop objectification of women.”

When talking about the designs Arun stated: “When designing the bra top we decided to put the logo on the back, when people are looking at the logo we don’t want them to be staring at the front, we want women to feel safe anywhere they are wearing it.” “We designed the T-shirts to be looser around the midriff – it’s important to feel comfortable and confident and be the best version of yourself.”

Jemma Gambrill one of the burlesque dancers stated: “I’m so proud to dance with such an incredible group of women that are so supportive of each other. I love the new RAUR outfits; the materials are such good quality and feel good to move in which adds to our confidence and the design -in particular the logo on the back and the pockets to keep my belongings safe are excellent features.”

The Burlesque squad, as well as promoting body positivity, use dancing to demonstrate the key values they are looking for in their charity grant applications (Confidence; Learning; Inclusivity; Community; Kindness).

As such they have made appearances at wellbeing events such as the Age of Love Café’s in collaboration with The University of Sheffield’s Professor Sharon Hinchliff, and an event to raise awareness of World Suicide Prevention Day.

The squad have future performances where you can see them in action, including - the Sue Ryder ‘Remember a life’ event this December and their own ‘MK LeMan’ Fundraiser at Formula Fast in Bletchley in March 2024 where they will be performing their signature cheer wearing their RAUR Gymwear and promoting body positivity for all.

For more about CLICK Arts Foundation: www.clickartsfoundation.org.uk