Lifestyle

FITFCK & Fitness First Announce Partnership, Bringing Fitness Dating Classes to London Gyms

Published

3 years ago

June 26, 2023

FITFCK, a dating brand for gym-enthusiasts, has announced a partnership with leading international gym firm, Fitness First. The partnership will bring in-real-life fitness dating classes to Fitness First’s extensive network of London gyms. Attendees can look forward to expert-led fitness classes and exhilarating workouts, designed to lead to dates.

This exciting collaboration builds upon the success of FITFCK’s previous in-person dating events and will further enhance the offerings available to Fitness First’s members. With many Fitness First gyms already involved, the two fitness brands are preparing to take IRL fitness dating experiences to the next level.

FITFCK, described as “The fitness brand to watch out for in 2023″ by Bodybuilding.com, has previously connected gym-goers through a series of extremely successful IRL fitness dating events across London – and more recently, Manchester. The first event, which took place in March at CrossFit Gym, Putney sold-out to hundreds within 12 minutes – showcasing a strong demand for combining fitness and dating in a social setting.

Pioneering the fitness dating scene, Jamie Wykes-Hobday, founder of the BBC featured company, is building an omni-channel brand for not just dating and relationships, but also backed by a seemingly very engaged fitness community.

As well as a strong track record for hosting in-person fitness dating events, FITFCK more recently diversified its product suite by releasing an IOS and android compatible FITFCK dating app. The app garnered significant attention and positive reviews from the media – as well as the app users themselves. The app currently boasts impressive user metrics – considerably higher than the reported rates from other growing, and established, dating industry players.

FITFCK’s in-person events and online dating app are already being promoted to the brand’s fast growing following of over 51,000 engaged Instagram users. And now, with support from Fitness First, the brand is set to reach an additional 70,000 London based gym goers through Fitness First’s gym floor advertising, as well as direct online promotion to their online database.

Despite the app being a huge success, it’s FITFCK’s approach to IRL fitness dating events that sets them apart from traditional dating platforms. Apps have certainly shaped a lot of dating experiences for people in the 2020’s – and that’s not just millennials and GenZers. But, the dating landscape is seeing a new trend emerge as people are becoming more and more interested in meeting new people and dating in real life, for example through meetups, speed dating and singles parties. The entire process seems to be becoming much more ‘intentional’. And after the Covid-19 pandemic, can you blame anyone?

As a result of these new trends, many dating apps are making efforts to incorporate real life events into their business models – think Bumble for example. The difficulty for mainstream giants is that their users encompass such a wide range of interests so it can be hard to connect a group of people who have anything in common. FITFCK’s partnership with Fitness First will absolutely break the mould for IRL dating success. Despite often being seen as a small ‘niche’, almost 15% of the UK population hold gym memberships. If just a quarter of these are single, that’s almost 3 million people the fitness brands can help.

Entrepreneur and FITFCK Founder, Jamie Wykes-Hobday, commented: “I am absolutely ecstatic to say that FITFCK will be collaborating with the incredible Fitness First to bring fitness dating classes to a number of gyms in London – and that’s just the starting point! Since the early conversations, we knew that FF would be a good collab for us. What stood out was their mission to connect people through fitness and workouts, combined with their appreciation for the strong fitness community… we just prefer to throw a few dates and number swaps into the mix ;)”.

“Getting gym goers together under one roof, with a workout and a DJ, is a fulfilling prospect for both of our brands. We’ve run hugely successful events throughout 2022-23 so we know exactly how powerful they can be – and how much our community loves them. Now, working with Fitness First, we’re able to massively increase the frequency of our events and connect a lot more people – we’re upping the weights and the reps, if you like.”

When asked about the ‘event attendance to subsequently organising a date’ success rate, Jamie answered: “We’ll have to find a better metric name to report on that! But in all seriousness, that’s the true beauty of what we’re trying to achieve here. Our goal is to bring together fitness lovers and gym enthusiasts who share a passion for their training and the industry. What’s the worst that can happen? If they don’t find a date at the event, they’ll walk away 100% satisfied after a first class workout and come along to the next event to try again – the only workouts we regret are the ones we don’t do, right?”

To further support the partnership and spread the word about the upcoming Fitness First dating classes, the FITFCK team will be attending The Tru Athlete Expo, in London on 11-13th August 2023. The expo is a must-attend fitness festival which will undoubtedly increase footfall through Fitness First’s London gyms when the events take place in the very near future.

FITFCK and Fitness First, although just rolling out this partnership across the fitness centre’s London gym venues at present, are confident this is just the beginning. The collaboration is set to extend nationally in the coming months with the opportunity for international partnership also. That certainly would be a PB for the brand, which continues to take huge growth steps.

FITFCK will also be creating their first LGBTQ events next month, in partnership with Pride Month. We’re excited to see what’s next for Jamie, his team and their FIT as FCK community.

To learn more about FITFCK and Fitness First Gym’s upcoming fitness dating events visit www.instagram.com/fitfck

– ENDS –

About FITFCK

FITFCK is a fitness dating brand designed to connect like minded gym lovers through IRL fitness dating events and our soon to be released fitness dating app. Born out of heartbreak, after founder Jamie Wykes-Hobday was dumped weeks before competing in a bodybuilding show, FITFCK (Pron: “fit-eff-see-kay”) has quickly becoming the place for UK based fitness lovers who are looking to share their lifestyle choices with someone whether it be dating, relationships or casual.

Lifestyle

Donnette Russell-Love on How Policy Changes Are Reshaping the Immigrant Experience in America

Published

11 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Michelle Langton

What happens when the rules for chasing the American dream keep changing? For millions of immigrants, the answer is anxiety, confusion, and a constant fight to stay one step ahead of shifting policies that can decide their future overnight.

This is the reality that Donnette Russell-Love, attorney and CEO of Immigration Care Service, faces every day. With a career built on both courtroom experience and compassionate advocacy, she has become a steady guide for individuals and families navigating one of the most unpredictable legal systems in the world.

A Changing Landscape

Over the years, U.S. immigration policy has shifted from being opportunity-driven to increasingly restrictive. Donnette Russell-Love has seen how these changes have reshaped not only the process but also how immigrants are perceived. She believes that leadership plays a major role in setting the tone; each administration influences whether the focus lies on inclusion, enforcement, or deterrence.

Under the current administration, the path to the American dream has become much narrower. There has been a stronger push to limit humanitarian provisions for people fleeing unstable conditions, less tolerance for long-term immigrants with even minor offenses from years ago, and growing efforts to challenge birthright citizenship.

These policies reflect a clear shift in how the United States approaches immigration. For many of her clients, the rules that once offered hope now feel like walls. Yet, her mission remains the same: to help them find a way through, one informed decision at a time.

Guiding Clients Through Constant Change

In an environment where laws and regulations can change faster than people can adapt, Donnette’s approach is built on preparation. She doesn’t just focus on forms and paperwork; she focuses on context. Her process starts with understanding each client’s story, background, and long-term goals. From there, she helps them see not just what’s required legally, but what’s likely to be asked, reviewed, or challenged along the way.

For her, education is the most powerful defense. She believes that informed clients are stronger, calmer, and more confident when facing interviews or hearings. She spends time explaining how new rules apply to their situations and how small details, like old records, travel history, or documentation, can make all the difference.

Her deep understanding of immigration stems not only from her legal training but also from her background in compliance and risk management. These skills have shaped her proactive style, allowing her to anticipate potential issues before they arise. Instead of reacting to policy shifts, she prepares her clients to adapt to them.

Leadership That Balances Law and Humanity

Running a law firm in such a turbulent field requires discipline, empathy, and vision, qualities that Donnette has cultivated over years of leadership. As the head of Immigration Care Service, she manages the balance between legal precision and genuine human care. Her team works closely with clients from diverse backgrounds, ensuring they receive not only sound legal guidance but also emotional support during uncertain times.

She also emphasizes the importance of staying grounded. Her philosophy is that immigration law is not just about policies or procedures, it’s about people. Every case represents a life story, a dream, or a second chance. And while the system may grow more rigid, her role is to help clients see that persistence and preparation can still lead to opportunity.

Moving Forward with Purpose

For Donnette Russell-Love, the work doesn’t end with one case or one victory. It’s about helping her clients understand the bigger picture, that success in immigration is not only about following rules, but about knowing how to navigate them with clarity and confidence.

She recognizes that the path to legal residency or citizenship is harder now than ever before. But her message is one of resilience: knowledge and preparation still open doors.

In a time when immigration policies seem to shift with every election cycle, Donnette’s approach stands out for its steadiness and humanity. She reminds her clients and the broader community that while laws may change, the pursuit of hope, belonging, and a better life remains constant. And with the right guidance, that pursuit is still worth every effort.