Boost for Sunderland gymnasts
Lynn Hope of Biddick Gymnastics Club (red shirt) with Maureen Wallwork (green shirt) of Asda Washington who presented the Gym Club with a cheque for �15,000 on behalf of the Adsa Foundation to buy a new spring floor at their HQ in The Northern Hope Centre, Station lane, Birtley, on Saturday
GYMNASTS are springing back into action.
Biddick Gymnastics Club has been given £15,000 from the Asda Foundation to pay for a new sprung floor.
The club, which started in 1992, has been given the grant after moving home for the third time.
“One of the parents applied to the Asda Foundation on our behalf,” said head coach Lynn Hope.
“We are very grateful to them for the money. We have been very lucky to secure it.”
Maureen Wallwork, community life champion at Asda, in The Galleries, Washington, said: “When the application was sent to store, I sent it straight away and it was passed by The Asda Foundation.
“It is a great programme to get behind.
“There is not a great deal for children in Washington to do at the moment, and it is teaching them about health.
“It is giving the children something to focus on, which is great.”
Biddick Gymnastics Club has opened in a disused factory unit in Birtley.
It has refurbished the unit, creating a parents’ room, having the sprung floor fitted and investing in equipment.
Lynn said: “We haven’t been there that long and are still having building work done.
“What we are planning to do is have a range of lessons for people of all ages and abilities. We will be open every day, with beginners’ lessons for children, parents and children lessons, sessions for adults and lessons for people with disabilities.
“We were just a group for schoolchildren but we want to have something for everyone.”
After moving from Biddick School, Lynn is hoping that the club, which is a registered charity under the name The Northern Hope Centre, will become bigger than ever.
“We have some very loyal members, about 35 of them, and have just had a huge boost with 90 people signing up at an open weekend.
“We have done well to keep going as we have had our ups and downs.”
Twitter: @Monica_Turnbull
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Weather for Sunderland
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 17 C
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Wind direction: North
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