A ‘ninja warrior’ gym run by Commonwealth Games Taekwondo bronze medallist Henry Cookey secures cash injection from River Capital to move to a larger Merseyside site. Tony McDonough reports

A popular ‘ninja warrior’ gym has relocated to a bigger home following a £50,000 cash injection.

Commonwealth Games Taekwondo bronze medallist and Ninja Warrior UK finalist Henry Cookey founded HC:Fit close to the Sandhills Merseyrail station in 2016. It offered a purpose-designed obstacle course with over 40 challenges.

These included warped walls, a climbing rig, salmon ladder and cargo net, alongside personal training, calisthenics and children’s fitness classes.

Now Henry has secured £50,000 from NPIF II – River Capital & GC Business Finance Smaller Loans, which is managed by the consortium as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

This has supported Henry to relocate his fitness business, HC:Fit, to a larger site in Bootle, in a move that has more than doubled his opening hours and allowed him to employ an apprentice to assist with digital marketing and social media.

Two additional part-time personal trainers are also planned as the business continues to grow. The new premises comprise 5,000 sq ft in Glendower Street.

This latest investment builds on a near-decade-long relationship between Henry and River Capital, which began with a Start Up Loan to help him launch the gym in 2016, followed by further support in 2023 to expand his marketing and digital presence.

A five-time British Taekwondo Champion, 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and 2023 ITF World Champion, Henry has built a loyal following over more than 16 years in the fitness industry.

“This move has been a long time coming,” said Henry, “I’ve put everything into building HC:Fit from the ground up, and the old unit was starting to hold us back. The stairs, the parking, the space. 

“The new site means I can finally open the doors for longer, take on more members and give people the facilities they deserve. River Capital has backed me from day one and having that support again for this next step means a lot.”

READ MORE: Queen’s trust backs £2m country park investment

This NPIF II funding, alongside Henry’s own investment, is being used to fund a new ninja rig, upgraded facilities, rebranding and a launch marketing campaign, with a target of growing membership by up to 50%. 

Sue Chambers senior investment manager at River Capital, added: “Henry has honoured every agreement across nearly ten years working with us, and it’s been great to watch HC:Fit grow.”