Gymnastics sessions are set to return to Holsworthy in January.

Okehampton Community Recreation Association (OCRA), Okehampton Flyers Gym, Trampoline and DMT Club (Okehampton Flyers) and the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust have worked in partnership over the last year to look at the feasibility of bringing gymnastics back to Holsworthy. From January they will be offering two sessions a week to budding gymnasts each Monday and Friday at Holsworthy Leisure Centre.

The restart of gymnastics in Holsworthy has been a priority for Derrick Brett, Executive Director of Civic Leadership for the Dartmoor MAT, since it was identified that the equipment was being underutilised and the previous popularity in the community of the sessions. Mr Brett brought in OCRA and Okehampton Flyers to look at the feasibility as both have worked together to establish successful delivery in the Okehampton area.

OCRA General Manager Ian Blythe has been facilitating the project by working with the Holsworthy Community College PE Department, the new leisure provider of the leisure centre Active Torridge, as well as the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust on access to the space and Okehampton Flyers on the delivery. “The previous Gymnastic delivery in Holsworthy was a vibrant and well supported endeavour and has been greatly missed by the community in its absence. I am ecstatic to finally be able to launch the sessions and am so thankful to Vicki Pritchard of Okehampton Flyers for her help in being able to provide more opportunities in Holsworthy for the community. We have sourced coaches to lead the satellite sessions and thanks to the DMAT and Waitrose we have been able to train them to the required levels.”

Okehampton Flyers will run the group as satellite sessions under their banner and the waiting list is open now at okehamptonflyers.org.uk to add any interested children to their list and further details will be released in December.

Vicki Pritchard, Okehampton Flyers Head Coach “Whilst it has taken a while to get to this point the idea of offering gymnastics to another community was really exciting. The Holsworthy sessions will focus on the fundamentals whilst it re-establishes itself but who knows we may uncover more incredible talent for the club! Our club principles mean we’ll do our best to develop all who attend and we’d love to see as many of the children from Holsworthy and beyond as possible.”