Double celebration for Dover Gym Club

Dover Gymnastics Club has just celebrated another milestone in its 33 year history, with the official opening of its new premises.

The club has moved from its former home in Holmestone Road, Dover to a larger unit at Poulton Close in Dover.

A special opening ceremony took place on Saturday 28 March when the Right Honourable Gwyn Prosser, Member of Parliament for Dover and Deal cut the ceremonial ribbon in front of friends and supporters of Dover Gymnastics Club.

The event was a double celebration as the club recently achieved GymMark status and Dover Town Mayor, Cllr Mrs Diane Smallwood presented a commemorative plaque to mark the achievement.

GymMark status means Dover Gymnastics Club is recognised by the national governing body, British Gymnastics, Sport England and the Home County Sports Councils as being a safe, effective and child-friendly environment, committed to providing a quality experience for its members.

The ceremony concluded with a display by gymnasts from the Women's Artistic squad who performed a special dance for the event.

Dover Gymnastics Club has come along way from its humble beginnings in 1976 when two coaches started the club working out of Dover Sports Centre.

It now has more than 230 young members, almost 20 coaches and an army of volunteers. Many of the coaches were once gymnasts at Dover Gym Club themselves.

Among the guests was Sarah Philpott, Dover District Sports Development Officer, who said: "Dover Gymnastics Club is one of a few sports clubs in the district that has achieved the 'Club Mark' status and is recognised as providing a quality and safe environment to its members. It also means that the club is in a stronger position to apply for funding and I am supporting them in that process at the moment."

Dover Town Mayor, Cllr Mrs Diane Smallwood said: "Facilities for young people like this are an important part of the community in Dover, and to be recognised for providing a safe and child-friendly environment is also very important."

The Mayor also stated that she used to do gymnastics at a club in Dover when she was a youngster and recalled several of the moves she used to perform.

Frank Critcher, Club Chairman said: "This is an exciting time for the club and the move to bigger premises will allow us to grow and develop to meet the needs of existing and future members."

"None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our wonderful volunteers who spend hours and hours of their own time to run the club so that our young members have a nice facility to use.

"I would like to thank them, and also the organisations who have supported us over the past few years." He added.

For more information about Dover Gym Club visit their website www.dovergymclub.com or phone them 01304 226088.

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Page created: 29 March 2009