Race on to save gymnastics club (From Penarth Times)

Race on to save gymnastics club

A PENARTH gymnastics club could be forced to close if they can't find new premises soon.

The group, who have made the ageing pavilion on Penarth Pier their home for the last five years, have been told to move on by the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

Local authority officials want the building cleared, because of it's poor state of repair.

There is also no central heating, which forces athletes to brave the cold.

Now, the club which trains up to 30 gymnasts, aged between three and 32 with conditions including autism, Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy, are desperately looking for a new home.

They have been offered a site but need a massive £85,000 to build premises.

Former Olympic gymnast and founder of the club, Gwynedd Lingard, told the Times: "We are looking for a place to take the gymnasts, and have been offered a piece of land by St Cyres School.

We have raised £26,500 to go towards the cost of building a new gym, but we need a further £170,000 before we can get match funding.

The fund-raising is ongoing, we recently collected £800 in Cardiff."

She added: "For 41 years this club has been running, and some of the original members' grandchildren come here now."

The club is the only one of its type in Wales which has gymnasts with disabilities.

As a centre of excellence for Wales disabled gymnasts the club has members from Abertillery and all over the Valleys.

Notable successes are 27-year-old Martin Vick, who holds three Special Olympic titles and coaches at the club.

Out of 16 in the GB autistic gymnasts team, Penarth have three representatives.

There are 180 mainstream members and 30 special needs members who are coached in separate or combined classes.

Mrs Lingard said: "The youngsters don't just learn gymnastics here. They also learn good life experience, such as self discipline.

"Also the other children learn to accept the disabled gymnasts. They find out how to care for each other."

l If you can help Penarth Gymnastic Club with their fund-raising efforts, please call Gwynedd Lingard on 02920 703701.