Pilot Climbing Gym

Get Ready, Stroud! You told us loud and clear (over 600 of you!) that you wanted an amazing, local climbing wall. You backed that vision, helping us raise an incredible £40,455 from 200 passionate supporters in Stroud. 

The next giant leap is transforming the space at Brimscombe Mill into Stroud's go-to hub for accessible climbing! We're building a low-cost facility designed for everyone – smashing barriers like travel time and cost, and opening doors to active fun, community connection, and shared adventures across all ages and backgrounds. Let's make it happen together. 

 Support Us - Make Climbing Accessible to All

Why it's a great idea:

Climbing is a uniquely collaborative and inclusive sport—people of all ages and backgrounds connect by encouraging each other, problem-solving together, and building trust.

Unlike many sports, climbing naturally fosters conversation and mutual support. It offers a social, phone-free alternative to traditional gyms for young people. Our project provides a welcoming, affordable space for families and individuals on lower incomes, many of whom are currently priced out. It brings people together who wouldn’t otherwise meet, creating strong, cross-community relationships.

We will run targeted, subsidised sessions for young people and families, offering early, positive opportunities for physical activity, confidence-building, and connection.

By keeping costs low and working with local partners, we’re directly supporting those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis—making sure that access to sport, connection, and community is available to everyone, not just those who can afford it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs related to this pilot project

How do I participate or ask questions?

You can follow the links above to pledge. Please get in touch by email to hello (at) climbingcommons.org if you have any questions. We are all volunteers with fulltime jobs and we may take up to 5 working days to respond.

What are other needs?

If you have time, skills or experience that you'd like to contribute to the cause, please join the WhatsApp Community. Link in the Team page which you can navigate from the top menu.

What's the build quality like?

The walls and facilities will be built by experienced builders in our community, following guidelines and standards set by the Association of British Climbing Walls and insured against public liability. The ply and mats will be industry standard and new. The holds will be sourced new and second-hand from a variety of sources and we are negotiating sponsored walls with several companies.

How long will this facility be open for?

The facility will run for a minimum period of 12 months. We have a slightly larger building at Brimscombe Mill that we plan to move to once the renovation of that building is completed in a year or two.

Where is it and what facility can we expect?

The location is at Brimscombe Mill, with the Long Table providing food and coffee, Kids Stuff and Bike Drop around the corner. A sauna and swimming lake coming soon!

What is the vision?

The Stroud Climbing Commons mission is to make climbing accessible to all. We've created a model that can bring the price of climbing down by about half. We want to make this facility as inclusive and open as possible to the whole community.

Accessible Climbing for All

We want to make climbing affordable and accessible to more people