WYRE Forest Gymnastics School has landed a new training venue in Kidderminster.

The club, which previously held classes at Baxter College has moved to a facility in Lisle Avenue.

The news was announced at the annual awards ceremony in September and work got underway to prepare the new building.

The final class at Baxter College was on Thursday, October 21 and afterwards parents and gymnasts dismantled equipment and transported it in three lorry loads over to Lisle Avenue.

The next day at 5pm, the first class was held in the new gym.

Coach Marie Carrigan said: “It was amazing to have such a lot of help from parents and gymnasts. The move would not have happened without them.”

She added: “The new facility is much more suitable for all the gymnasts. The club is now able to offer a foam pit, meaning that gymnasts can try skills which they find difficult with more confidence as the risk of hurting themselves is reduced greatly.

“It also means that the competitive gymnasts can learn much more difficult skills which they wouldn’t have been able to learn previously, and they will also get to practise their floor routines on an almost full sized competition floor, something they have never been able to do before.”

The club is also celebrating winning several medals at the county championships. Gold medals were won by Hannah Wilson, 15 of Kidderminster and Sophie Garbett, 9, of Stourbridge.

Kirsty Cartwright, 15 of Stourbridge was awarded a bronze medal in her first year of competing.

Gracie Tapsell-Smith, 13, of Kidderminster took home a silver and went on to be part of the inter-county team that won the John Reeves competition, which was a first for the club.

Wyre Forest Gymnastics School is not only for competitive gymnasts. The majority of the club’s gymnasts attend just once a week for fun. Gymnasts in the recreational groups work towards their British gymnastics proficiency awards.

Now that the club has a larger venue, more spaces are available to those wishing to take up the sport. Classes are for boys and girls aged three upwards. Gymnasts are grouped according to age and ability.

A new term begins on Sunday, January 2 and anybody who would more information should call head coach Louise Hodges on 07734805128.