GYMNASTICS is coming to a school near you in the Malvern Hills after a local club won a £1,000 community award.

Malvern Hills Gymnastic Club’s Laurie Bilby has a vision to get as many young people involved in gymnastics as possible – and her dream is becoming a reality after her club scooped an O2 It’s Your Community Award.

The £1,000 grant has enabled Laurie to buy a mobile gym kit which will allow the club to take gymnastics out into local schools.

“I call this plan the Engagement Project,”

Laurie said. “If we can engage young children in gymnastics from an early age, the club can show that it makes a significant improvement to their health and wellbeing.”

Angela Johnson O2’s regional manager dropped into one of Laurie’s regular Saturday gym sessions at the club to see for herself the difference the award has made.

“I am delighted It’s Your Community can help bring gymnastics to more young children,” she said. “The awards are designed to make a difference to communities all over the UK by providing the funds to get ideas off the ground.

“We want to build a network of projects across the country that collectively makes a difference.

Applying for an It’s Your Community Award is simple and fast – just log on to itsyourcommunity.co.uk, get inspired and see what you can do”.

Malvern Hills Gymnastic Club is run completely by volunteers, with any profit ploughed back into the purchase of equipment. At the moment it has 75 children taking part in gymnastics, but is looking to raise that number to 500.