Pencoed Gymnastics Club Springs To The Top

A gymnastics club formed during the memorable Olympic year of 2012 with the help of Community Chest funding is celebrating its best success yet. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pencoed Gymnastics and Tumbling Club has been able to invest in new training equipment thanks to the scheme, and young gymnasts are head over heels after recently competing in the British Tumbling Finals as a result of the equipment helping with improvements. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The club was the most successful within the Welsh squad when four members took part in the finals, held in Telford. Brandon James,12, Charlotte Coss ,9, and Evan Jones ,14, came third in their categories while Dan Thomas ,10, took fifth place in his. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

One of Pencoed GTC’s successful bids through the Community Chest scheme was to support new coaches at the club to gain coaching qualifications, and head coach Jamie Evans, 24, has now almost completed his UKCC level 3 Tumbling coach award, a senior level coach award which is held by only a handful of coaches throughout the country. Jamie has also played a major part in the Welsh Tumbling Coaching Team this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Managed by Bridgend County Borough Council and agreed by a panel of volunteers with support from Sport Wales and National Lottery funding, the Community Chest scheme provides up to £1,500 in grant funding to help grass roots sports clubs and organisations to get more local people taking part in sport and physical activity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Phil White, Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health and Wellbeing, said: “I’m delighted that Community Chest funding has contributed to Pencoed Gymnastic Tumbling Club’s outstanding levels of success. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“With the Rio Games set to start soon, it’s great to hear how much progress the club has made since they were first established during the last Olympic year in 2012. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The funding has supported the club to help develop the coaches, and the high quality mentoring they are providing to youngsters within the club is obviously paying off as they are competing nationally at an elite level. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The scheme can be used to fund and support various projects, including purchasing new or additional sports equipment, establishing new teams and marketing costs.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The next round of funding for the Community Chest scheme in Bridgend County Borough will be awarded in September. For more information about the scheme, or to apply for funding, visit the ‘Funding & Support’ pages at www.sportwales.org.uk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​