Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club to celebrate 50th anniversary with Open Day

THE FOREST of Dean Gymnastics Club will celebrate its 50 year anniversary this year, with an event marking the occasion set for next month.

Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club was created on November 4, 1976 by Lynn Hammersley M.B.E, who went on to dedicate decades of her life to developing gymnastics in the Forest of Dean.

To celebrate the club’s impressive milestone, it has organised a 50th Anniversary Open Day at Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club on Sunday, September 13, from 11am to 2pm.

The day will be a relaxed celebration of the club’s history and community. The club plans to include gymnastics displays, old photographs and memories from across the years, free family open gym taster sessions, refreshments, a raffle, cakes and sweet treats.

It hopes to welcome back past gymnasts, coaches, volunteers, trustees, staff and families who have been part of the club over the last 50 years.

A Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club & Fitness Centre Spokesperson said: “We would also love former gymnasts and families to have a rummage through old boxes and cupboards to see if they still have any old leotards, photographs, programmes, medals or memories from their time at the club. It would be lovely to see and share them as part of the celebration.”

Originally, the club began at Berry Hill Primary School, where equipment had to be set up and packed away for sessions, before eventually moving into its purpose-built Gymnastics and Fitness Centre at Five Acres in 1996.

The Fitness Centre alone is a huge part of the club’s story, which would likely not exist without the vision of Lynn Hammersley, whose determination and years of work to secure funding helped turn the dream of a dedicated gymnastics centre into reality.

It was helped along the way by the Forest of Dean community, supported by gymnasts, parents, volunteers and local families. From collecting 20p coins in tubes to crushing thousands of cans, everyone played a part in helping to make the centre happen.

Mandie Adams, Forest of Dean Gymnastics & Fitness Centre Manager said: “It is a privilege to be part of the club at such an important milestone.

“I became Centre Manager in 2024, following the retirement of the club’s founder and long-standing Director of Coaching, Lynn Hammersley M.B.E. Taking on the role after someone who gave so much of her life to the club was a big responsibility, but also a huge honour.

“Looking through the old photographs and hearing people’s memories has been quite emotional. You realise very quickly that this club has never just been a building or a set of classes. It has been part of people’s childhoods, friendships, achievements and family memories.

“The club would not be here today without Lynn’s vision and determination, and also without the families, volunteers, trustees, coaches, staff and supporters who helped build and sustain it over the last 50 years.”

Lynn Hammersley M.B.E has written a book about the history of the club and the many events, gymnasts, coaches, volunteers and families who have been part of its history. The book is expected to be released in November, however details are still being finalised. The club hopes to have more information about it to provide at the Open Day.

When clubs or businesses reach such a milestone in the Forest of Dean, we recognise their importance. The Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club is no different, and its importance is shown through what it can provide, and has provided over the years.

It gives children and young people somewhere safe, positive and active to go, where they can build confidence, friendships, resilience and self-belief.

The club has families who come to it for preschool gymnastics, recreational classes, competitive squads, additional needs sessions, fitness and community activities. It also hosts events such as the annual primary school gymnastics championships, which brings local schools and children together through sport.

A Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club & Fitness Centre Spokesperson said: “For many children, gymnastics is where they first learn to be brave, to try again after falling, to listen, to focus and to support their friends. The club has been part of the Forest of Dean for five decades, and generations of local families have passed through its doors.

“We regularly hear from parents who were gymnasts here themselves and are now bringing their own children. That history and community connection is very special.”

While past and present users of the club will remember more about the club when they go through old photographs at the Open Day, everyone will have their own highlights and favourite memories over half a century.

For the club itself, there have been many competition successes and individual achievements over the years, but it believes the biggest highlight is the creation of the purpose-built gymnastics centre at Five Acres in 1996.

From its humble beginnings within a local school hall, it soon grew so much that the gymnasts needed their own dedicated space to train. Parents and volunteers still fondly recall the early days, dragging the heavy mats out at the beginning of sessions, and then lugging them away at the end.

The community showed how much it cared for what the club was and what it stands for through fundraising efforts in its infancy, and helping to forge the club’s legacy today. Their efforts, alongside grant support and National Lottery funding, helped create the centre we all know now.

A Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club and Fitness Centre Spokesperson said: “That is a very special legacy. The centre has supported thousands of children and families over the years and continues to be a place where people learn, train, volunteer, work, socialise and grow in confidence.”

As with any milestone, it’s a chance to reflect and look back at highlights - but also to focus our attention to the future.

It is a not-for-profit charity, with a focus on reinvesting back into the centre, the club and the people who use it.

The club said it wants to continue protecting and improving the facility so it remains here for future generations of gymnasts, families and the wider community. The club said maintaining a large specialist building is a constant challenge, but it is committed to making sensible improvements that keep the centre safe, sustainable and fit for purpose.

It continues to invest in its staff, coaches and young leaders. In fact, the club’s support for young people, which ventures into volunteering and coaching, is important. The club believes this approach gives young people confidence, skills and opportunities.

Mandie Adams, Forest of Dean Gymnastics & Fitness Centre Manager added: “I am incredibly proud of my team and everything we have achieved together over the past two years. It has not always been easy, but the staff, coaches, volunteers and trustees have worked so hard to keep improving the centre and moving the club forward.

“I feel very proud that the club is still here, still teaching children, still supporting families and still playing an important role in the Forest of Dean. My hope is that we can honour the history of the club while making sure it remains strong for the next generation.”

The Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club said it was built by the community, for the community, and would love people to continue being part of its story.

You can find out more about the club by visiting its website or social media channels.