Watford Gymnastics Club continues to plea for new permanent venue

Near the beginning of the year, the gymnastics club located at YMCA’s Charter House was instructed to shut and look for a new location with immediate effect, to create 34 new rooms for rough sleepers alongside additional activity space.

However, since then YMCA allowed the club to use the hall until the end of July and CEO Guy Foxell said he “deeply regrets” having to inform the club about the move only after securing a £2.2million investment from the government for the new rooms.

The extension meant that the gymnastics club had “much needed time” to continue running classes while searching for a permanent venue.

However, months after, there has been no luck in securing a new venue.

But a South Oxhey satellite club has launched, teaming up with Chorleywood Gymnastics and the School of Ballet.

While it is not a permanent venue for Watford Gymnastics Club to provide its full service, new classes will start running from the centre on June 9 – running on a Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Meanwhile managing director Nickie O'Sullivan says the club received support from Mayor Peter Taylor, Watford Council, Hertfordshire Sports Partnership and British Gymnastics.

She said: “We feel that we have all the support and the people involved that we need to but unfortunately no venue secured.

“Ideally, we are looking for a space upwards of 4000sqft with a height upwards of 6m. It doesn't need to be any specific kind of building.”

And now the gymnastics club is continuing its plea in hopes that a member of the public can help them find a suitable location.

The managing director continued: “We have worked so hard to get the club to where it is today, this last year has been so difficult with Covid and now when we should be looking forward to getting back to ‘normality’, everyone involved with the club still has this cloud of uncertainty hanging over them.

“We have had an overwhelming amount of support from our members and for that, we are so grateful. They have been so understanding and patient with all the changes we had to make to be Covid compliant and now again remaining patient about our future.”

Read more:

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• Gymnastics club hunting for new home after losing space to house homeless
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Parents Arron Woodcock and Kellie Smith believe that the services provided by the gymnastics club has been vital for their son Ollie who was diagnosed with autism before the age of three.

Before joining the club, Ollie was described as non-verbal, socially inept and had no interest in communicating with his peers.

He joined the gymnastics club at the age of five, and despite several tantrums and meltdowns, the managing director and head coach continued to calm him down and develop a strong bond.

Mr Woodcock said: “It was the first time we had seen Ollie develop a connection with anyone other than ourselves and we started to see changes in Ollie’s behaviour and his development.

“Their bond continued to grow to the point where both Ollie and ourselves had full trust in Nickie and the team and their ability to provide a safe and fun environment for Ollie to be in. “

The plans set for One YMCA's refurb

He added that this took a “huge pressure” off the parents as they felt comfortable to leave Ollie at the gym without their presence.

In the past four years, Ollie has showed significant progress physically and mentally – ranging form his life skills, confidence, self-esteem and his schooling.

The parent added: “The uncertain future of the gym is a massive concern for us! During the lockdown period it became very clear to us the importance of what the club provided to Ollie’s life and we saw physical and emotional changes in Ollie having not been able to attend his sessions.

“We fear that if the gym closed, there may be long term effects and worried Ollie may show signs of regression which would have a devastating effect on the entire family and more importantly Ollie’s life and future.”

Anyone with suggestions or with the ability to help in the relocation of the club is asked to either email office@watfordgymnastics.co.uk or call 01923 605019.