to benefit from Sport England grant

Gymnastics within Amber Valley has been given a massive boost thanks to a successful application to Sport England for capital funding under the Community Investment Fund. A sum of £77,000 has been awarded to Amber Valley Borough Council (AVBC) and DC Leisure under a partnership agreement, which will enable a dedicated gymnastics facility to be established at Alfreton Leisure Centre.

The project, which will cost in the region of £300,000, will see three existing multi-purpose rooms at the centre being opened up to create one large open space (approximately 460m2). This will accommodate a tumble track, landing pit and extensive range of accredited gymnastics equipment.

James Buller, from Sport England East Midlands, said: “The new facility and equipment provides a huge boost for gymnastics and sport in Amber Valley, helping more people get involved in the sport and reach their potential. It is a great example of how National Lottery funding is helping to revitalise community facilities and supporting our ambition to get two million people participating more in sport by 2012."

Due to open in spring 2008, the facility forms part of the wider Amber Valley Leisure Centre PFI project, which is set to transform leisure provision in the Borough.

The project, which has been funded by Amber Valley Borough Council and Barclays in partnership with DC Leisure, includes the building of three new, state-of-the-art leisure centres, at Heanor, Ripley and Alfreton.

Councillor John Nelson, Cabinet Member for Leisure Development at Amber Valley Borough Council, said “This is brilliant news for the local community and for Amber Valley Gymnastics Club, who for a number of years have produced consistently high calibre gymnasts. Helping people to lead healthier, more active lifestyles is one of the Council’s top priorities, and we are committed to providing first class sporting facilities for everyone living in the Borough. This grant from Sport England is a huge boost for sport within Amber Valley, enabling us to develop a fantastic gymnastics facility that will hopefully encourage even more people to take part in the sport.”

Peter Sharkey, DC Leisure’s General Manager at Alfreton Leisure Centre is understandably delighted with the grant and states: “Amber Valley and Alfreton Leisure Centre have a long association with gymnastics and this will provide a much needed boost, given that over the years the level of provision has declined.

“This project’s success is testimony to the partnership working that has taken place over the past 12 months within the Amber Valley Gymnastics Development Group, which is formed with representatives from English Gymnastics, Derbyshire Sport, Amber Valley School Sport Partnership, Amber Valley Gymnastics Club and Amber Valley Borough Council’s Sports Development Unit. The opportunities that this has opened up are almost beyond belief and this project, and the direction in which it will take gymnastics, is incredibly exciting”