Dream fulfilled for coach as gym passes 1,000 members

MELKSHAM woman Sue Clark has spoken of the success of her ‘dream come true’ gymnastic and fitness facility and is looking forward to the future.

Sue Clark and her family started West Wilts Gymnastics in Trowbridge, a not-for-profit organisation,  three and a half years ago with the help of her family and since then has grown from 350 members to over 1,000.

Sue said, “It had always been my dream to own and run a full time, self-funded gymnastics and fitness facility. We have received no lottery funding and we are entirely not-for-profit so we built it on hard work and dedication alone.

“My family have been instrumental in creating the centre; my parents support me by volunteering. My dad is our caretaker and my mum is our receptionist.

“West Wilts Gymnastics now offers new activities such as parkour, rhythmic, soft play, a fitness room, PAYG pre-school activities, home education programmes as well as venue and meeting room hire.

“We also have a coaching academy, where we encourage and train our older teenage gymnasts to become coaches, and we mentor and support them through their initial qualifications and learning period.  One third of our 25-strong coaching team is now made up of under 18s, and we are now offering formal work experience to schools.

“Myself and my colleague, Leilah Antram, have recently achieved professional success as coaches.  Leilah has been accepted on to the British Gymnastics ‘Aspire to Shine’ programme – a residential training programme at Lilleshall National Sports Centre aiming to develop future club leaders and I have been accepted by British Gymnastics to be trained as a Level 1 and 2 Tutor in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics.

“We have just returned from a week in Malta where 15 year-old Catherine Hall took part in the Gymstars International Invitational competition and won two medal; a Silver on Bars and Bronze on Beam. Our squad gymnasts have also achieved medals recently at West Country League and Wiltshire Levels.”