LONDON, UK. October 8th, 2026 – A family-led fitness initiative in Deptford is setting its sights on wider growth after combining community fitness, martial arts, dance and youth development under one roof. Founded by siblings Jonathan Moore and Hannah Ruth-Moore, MGM Gym is building on the foundations established since 2023, with plans to increase membership and extend its services both online and through its existing school partnerships.
The organisation takes its name from the siblings’ father, Milton George Moore. Since opening in Deptford, MGM Gym has attracted approximately 80 members, and its founders are working towards more than doubling that number over the next year.
Muay Thai is a central part of the gym’s programme, with Jonathan leading sessions that combine technical martial arts instruction and physical conditioning. Alongside improving fitness, participants are encouraged to develop self-belief, mental wellbeing and personal discipline.
Members can also access functional fitness training designed to support everyday movement and physical health. Dance is another key element of the offering, led by Hannah Ruth-Moore through Sayaw Studios, the organisation’s dedicated dance space.
Hannah is a professional dancer with more than three decades of experience. Her programme welcomes children, young people and adults, using dance to develop movement skills, strength and fitness while complementing the gym’s wider activities.
The siblings bring more than 50 years of combined professional experience to MGM Gym. Their commitment to supporting young people, however, was established long before the Deptford facility opened its doors.
Since 2012, they have worked with schools throughout London, providing tailored dance and Muay Thai programmes. Their work now extends to approximately 20 schools, reaching around 3,000 pupils every week.
Aimed at students aged 11 to 18, the programmes use physical activity as a way to encourage wider personal development. Young people can take part in dance, Muay Thai or a combination of both, with an emphasis on building skills that extend beyond the classroom.
“We have been supporting schools and providing dance and Muay Thai programmes since 2012, operating within 20 schools in London and working with around 3,000 pupils a week,” Jonathan said. “For us, it is about life-skill development. Hard work, discipline, honesty and fun are the messages we like to put across.”
The school programmes remain a cornerstone of MGM’s work, providing continuity between its community gym, youth mentoring and relationships with educational settings.
Digital delivery is also part of the siblings’ experience. During the Covid-19 pandemic, they successfully took their programmes online, and they are now considering how to re-establish and grow that provision. A new version of the MGM Gym website is scheduled to launch later this year.
The relaunch is expected to support this development by giving the organisation a stronger platform to showcase its services and connect with people outside its immediate geographical area.
MGM Gym has continued to build its presence in Deptford through its membership and community initiatives, including the creation of a dedicated running club.
As the organisation enters its next phase, Jonathan and Hannah plan to build on this progress through gradual growth, using the knowledge gained from years of working with schools, families and gym members to guide future decisions.
Jonathan’s ambitions extend beyond the organisation’s current base. “I see MGM Gyms in every city and town in the country, I really do think that could happen,” he said. “We have come so far since opening in Deptford.”
For now, the priorities are to grow membership, strengthen the digital offering after the website relaunch and continue delivering the school and mentoring programmes that have supported thousands of pupils over the years.
By developing these services together, the siblings hope to establish MGM Gym as a broader UK organisation while preserving the local relationships and community purpose that have shaped its journey.
