A fundraising campaign has launched to help save the Watford Gymnastics Club as it continues to find a new permanent venue, after being forced to relocate earlier this year.
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 continue using 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.
Now a fundraiser page has been set up to help with the cost of moving to a new venue, as the club has been left with no reserves.
A statement on the GoFundMe page reads: “Due to Covid, we are left with no reserves to help fund the move.
“This is a huge cost that we were not expecting to have to undertake, let alone in these very uncertain times.
“But we have no choice so we are asking for your help. We are asking members, non-members, local businesses, anyone that can spare any money to help us with this move.
“We understand that this is a very difficult time for everyone, but ask that if you can please please donate. every penny will help us.”
Read more:
• £4m investment will double temporary accommodation for rough sleepers
• Gymnastics club hunting for new home after losing space to house homeless
• Gymnastics club continues plea for new venue
Managing director Nickie O’Sullivan called their reopening on April 12 “bittersweet” as she knows that the July deadline to move out is looming.
She said: “Seeing all the children enjoying themselves, learning new tricks, more enthusiastic then ever before has been amazing and so enjoyable, but in the back of our minds sits the fact that at the end of July our club could be gone.
“Everything we have built, everything that we have worked so, so hard to create gone, through no fault of our own, it’s just devastating.”
The space required for a new venue would need to be upwards of 4,000sqft with a height of 6m, according to the managing director.
While the club has visited potential units, it is still open to suggestions of possible locations.
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.
To donate to the fundraiser and help save Watford Gymnastics Club, visit: https://gofund.me/ca108136
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