Love to Move deliverers celebrated for the difference they make to their community.

---

Love to Move deliverers Cherry and Anna attended a Royal Garden Party with Royals Kate, William and Anne, just days after the Coronation.

The best friends run Love to Move classes in West Sussex. Jackie, whose father attends Cherry and Anna’s class, felt moved to nominate them to attend a Garden party at Buckingham Palace for the difference that they make for her father and the others attending their classes.

Here is what Jackie had to say about the classes:

“There is movement, rhythm, music, quizzes, on a weekly basis – The exercises stimulate the brain and help it to function, to coordinate, and it really helps with confidence…and more importantly in my eyes is HOW Anna and Cherry go about this – with love, with humour, with skill. They are both such lovely women; sweet, humble, giving.”

Jackie’s Father has Alzheimer’s “He has really struggled with the condition, mourns the loss of his memory, gets quite low at times. The Love to Move session is a boost of positivity in his life – he leaves there in a refreshed and better frame of mind, ‘that was fun’ – is a wonderful thing to hear. He loves how they (Anna and Cherry) smile all the time – and they do smile all the time.”

Both Cherry and Anna have a personal connection and understanding of dementia from supporting relatives and running dementia cafes.  They heard about the Love to Move course through Cherry’s gymnastics background, “My children got me involved in gymnastics and I went on to coach preschool children. When the Love to Move course came up, I could see straight away that there was a real purpose for it.”

They completed their training just before Covid, and while that meant that some plans had to change, they did not let that stop them continuing classes online. It’s clear that Cherry and Anna go the extra mile for the people attending their classes, supporting them in finding other dementia friendly groups, “It’s a good way of being able to help people to find ways to cope with their situation. You get so involved with all the journeys – it’s a privilege. You know that you’re giving something really beneficial.”

Cherry told us how it feels to have been nominated “Very lovely – incredibly lovely to be to be thanked – quite humbling. The groups are just so proud! I’m looking forward to just doing something totally different – enjoying a nice cup of tea and doing a bit of people watching.” 

---

WIN a Signed Wasps Rugby Shirt

Enter the raffle today for your chance to win a signed Wasps Rugby Shirt. 

Tickets are £3 for one entry or £10 for four entries – for your chance to win this brand-new Wasps Home rugby shirt, signed by the Men’s first team, making this a unique fantastic prize for any rugby fan!

It is a size Large and is brand new with tags still on.

The raffle will close on Saturday 29th April 2023 at 7.30pm, to mark the end of the Women’s Six Nations.  The raffle will be drawn on Monday 1st May and the winner will be contacted by Friday 5th May 2023. 

All proceeds will go to our programmes. You’ll be helping the most disadvantaged people and communities in the UK; from people living with dementia, to people in hardship, struggling to find employment.  We use gymnastics to bring real improvements to the lives of people struggling with disability, hardship and crisis. 

So, please buy your ticket, share this with your friends and family, and good luck!

Warm wishes,

All the team at British Gymnastics Foundation 

---

Jackie’s Story

“I feel so much happier since starting this class. Everyone is so friendly, Claire works us hard, and most importantly, we have fun!”

Jackie attends Love to Move classes in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Here is what Jackie had to say about the class:

“I joined Love to Move after hearing about it from the Hub Ladies, and with them organising it I knew it would be a pleasant experience. Lots of people in the village were talking about it and it’s ran by a great group of ladies.

I look forward to attending the class every week. Although I am content at home on my own, I often have no reason to smile. This class brings out the best in me and really does give me a reason to smile. I have lived in the Village 11 years, yet I am still looking for more ‘solid’ friendships. I am hoping this class will help with this. I used to be the person helping others, but now I appreciate all the help others are giving me.

This class has brought a new level of happiness to me. Claire, the instructor, and all the other attendees are wonderful, and I am making some lovely friends. A big thank you to all the ladies who have enabled this class to happen, they really do care about all of us.”

---

Find your nearest Love to Move class by emailing [email protected] or find out more by clicking the Love to Move button below.

Following an incredibly successful World Championships, the local organising committee has very kindly donated official merchandise and volunteer kit from the iconic event, to raise funds for the Foundation.

The Foundation is selling Official Merchandise Hoodies and T-shirts, and the Official Volunteer Kit Zip-up Hoodies and Polo Shirts. There are many sizes available for each item and they are all unisex. We have also been donated some accessories, all decorated with the World Championship logo.

This is a unique opportunity to purchase a fantastic quality item at a great price. Perfect for a gymnastics or sport lover, remembering the Gymnastics World Championships. You will also be supporting the Foundation to make a difference to the lives of people living in hardship, or with a long-term illness or disability.

---

Jen, from the Local Organising Committee said “We are delighted to be able to support the British Gymnastics Foundation with a donation of event merchandise and volunteer kit. We learnt so much about the life changing work of the Foundation in the build up to and during the Championships, especially their Love to Move programme, which will continue to make a huge difference to the lives of people living with dementia through the work in care homes across the city and beyond”.

We would like to thank committee for thinking of the Foundation and giving us the opportunity to raise funds for our programmes.

We’ve reduced all the prices on our World Gymnastics Championship’s Clothes Sale and we’re also adding extra pressies in with every purchase!

A FREE drawstring bag with every t-shirt or polo shirt purchased.

A FREE drawstring bag & bottle with all hoodies purchased.

We will also throw in a wristband and lanyard with every purchase. The free gifts with purchases will be subject to availability so get your orders in!

We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to the generosity of Gymaid, we have a brand new 4x4mm trampoline bed complete with sewn in anchor bars to auction off.

Claire at Gymaid said “Every year we try to give as much back to the gymnastics community as possible. This year we’ve seen a huge increase in demand for Eurotramp 4x4mm trampoline beds, so we are about to do our biggest ever giveaway! We want the giveaway to do as much good as possible, so we’ve teamed up with the British Gymnastics Foundation. This way we can generate money for the Foundation and help support gymnasts, as well as giving a club the opportunity to upgrade their equipment.”

The Head of British Gymnastics Foundation, Patrick Bonner said “We’re so grateful to Gymaid for thinking of the Foundation and the gymnastics community – especially during this cost-of-living crisis where we are seeing more gymnasts in desperate need of our support. The money raised from this auction will make a huge difference!”

Auction Details

The most powerful trampoline jumping bed on the market today!  The Eurotramp 4x4mm trampoline bed is currently used on the national trampoline competition circuit with an Ultimate trampoline frame and is priced at £ 2,880.00.

AUCTION START DATE/TIME: Thursday 1st December 8pm.

The auction will last for 10 days.

AUCTION FINISH DATE/TIME: Sunday 11th December 8pm.

Finer Details

The 4×4 bed is 426 x 213cm and is made up from 4mm x 4mm wide woven nylon bands, complete with sewn in anchor bars for easy fitting.  It is recommended this bed is only to be used for high level competition and training, with either Eurotramp Ultimate or Premium trampolines frames. If you are replacing a trampoline bed on either of these frames and want the most up-to-date trampoline equipment, this is the perfect choice for you.  

Delivery

The trampoline bed can be collected in person, by arrangement, in Gillingham, Kent. Alternatively, delivery can be organised with Fedex, costing £12 to MAINLAND UK ONLY. 

We welcome Esther Ashman as our new Trustee

Head of the Foundation Patrick Bonner said:

“We are really looking forward to welcoming Esther to our Board. Her skills, knowledge and expertise will really help to enhance our Board’s leadership in the areas of governance and strategy, as we work to achieve a higher level of governance. Esther’s understanding of gymnastics from a parent’s perspective, is also such a welcome additive to bring to our Board. Esther is clearly passionate about helping people who are most in need, so supporters of our charity can be assured that we have yet another fantastic Trustee who will be committed to transforming lives through gymnastics!”

Love to Move: The Legacy Programme

There was a lot to celebrate last week at the Gymnastics World Championships held at the M&S arena in Liverpool. Hundreds of athletes from all corners of the world went head-to-head over nine action-packed days. And while Team GB did exceptionally well, the British Gymnastics Foundation was there, celebrating Love to Move as the Legacy programme for the event.

It was a fantastic opportunity to tell all the spectators that, through Love to Move, gymnastics is transforming the lives of people living with dementia all over the UK and beyond.

As part of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship 2022 legacy programme, British Gymnastics Foundation and Liverpool City Council have come together to train deliverers across Liverpool to ensure the community has access to the benefits Love to Move can bring.

We are looking for another 10 deliverers to train in Liverpool – if you would like to become a Love to Move deliverer, please email [email protected]

An exercise programme with a difference

We got lots of exposure for Love to Move throughout the week, as Kim Hall, our Lead Love to Move deliverer was interviewed in the arena just before each competition session, doing a fantastic job in promoting the life transforming programme. The Head of our charity Patrick Bonner was also there at the last weekend of the Championships. Beyond the competition arena, Patrick was invited to do an interview on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Love to Move is an exercise programme with a difference. It is based on fundamental gymnastics skills and supports the development of strength, balance, flexibility and co-ordination as well as improving memory, cognition and social engagement.

Thousands of older people across the UK are benefitting from the exercises which help to stimulate both sides of the brain independently resulting in participants and carers reporting improvements in memory, speech, mobility and re-gaining functions to support independent living and improved quality of life.

British Gymnastics Foundation have trained 650 people to deliver Love to Move. They deliver sessions mainly in the UK however, since moving courses online, people have trained from Malaysia, USA, New Zealand, and Brazil.

We’re pleased to announce that Alex Laybourne is joining as our new Chair, taking over from Jerry Tweddle who has been involved with the charity for eight and a half years.

Alex said: “I am delighted and honoured to be taking on the role of Chair for the BGF. Using the power of gymnastics, the Foundation is making real improvements to the lives of individuals and communities most in need. In the current climate the Foundation is needed more than ever, and they are doing some incredible work to ensure people continue to have access to, and benefit from, gymnastics in all forms.

“I look forward to working with my fellow Board Trustees and the Head of the Foundation, Patrick Bonner, and his team to build on the success of the Foundation to date. The opportunity to build on this work and to deliver the vision is a truly exciting one. I’d also like to take this opportunity to celebrate the wonderful job that my predecessor, Jerry Tweddle, has done during his time on the Board and as Chair.”

Goodbye to Jerry Tweddle

Jerry retires from the Board having spent an incredible eight and a half years working for the charity.

Speaking about his time with the Foundation, Jerry said: “I am grateful to have had the real privilege to act as a Trustee for the British Gymnastics Foundation for several years from its inception in 2014. Gymnastics has given myself and my family so much pleasure over the years, so I am delighted to see BGF grow so rapidly and support so many deserving people in the wider gymnastics community. I wish BGF every success in the future as it develops exciting new projects and expands the help it can bring to a diverse range of recipients, in its mission to transform lives through gymnastics”.

Having been on the Foundation’s Board as one of the original Trustees when the charity started in May 2014, Jerry’s contribution has been extraordinary. Since the beginning of his work with BGF, Jerry stepped up and volunteered to be on the Hardship Grants Committee, a sub-committee of the Board.

In the time since, Jerry helped to establish the process, criteria, policy and Terms of Reference that supports the Hardship Grants Programme. He has also sat on 34 Hardship Grants Panels and personally reviewed 816 Hardship Grant Applications, giving an incredible amount of time which has led to keeping many people in the sport of gymnastics during times of crisis.

Jerry became Chair in March 2020, giving stability to the organisation and to oversee the continuity of the Board as four trustees retired, and five new trustees were appointed in 2021/22.

Speaking about his contribution, Patrick Bonner, Head of the British Gymnastics Foundation, said: “Jerry’s perspectives and life experience as a parent raising a gymnast in the family, and understanding the gymnastics world across all the stages a family goes through when supporting someone all the way through to elite level (Beth Tweddle), has helped to inform decisions about Hardship Grant awards and criteria.

“Jerry has always been a constant source of support and unwavering wisdom for BGF throughout the 8.5 years he has been a Trustee. Particularly throughout the pandemic and beyond, Jerry has always been so freely giving of his time and has been super supportive to all the Staff Team at BGF; we will miss him hugely but know that he will always be a part of the gymnastics family.”

---

Our Trustees play a huge role in shaping the work of British Gymnastics Foundation. You can read about our board of trustees and the expertise that they bring to our charity here

“Apart from all the health benefits, gymnastics is also a great way of self-expression for Leo.”

Kristian Thomas is running the London Marathon to raise funds for the Hardship Grants.

Please support him as he makes it possible for more people like Leo to continue gymnastics and benefit from all that is gives him.

---

Thank you to Peter Harrison Foundation for their funding for Special Disability Hardship Grants.

---

Marty’s Story

“I need the gym in my life. It helps me stay regulated and helps with my social skills.”

Kristian Thomas is running the London Marathon to raise funds for the Hardship Grants.

Please support him as he makes it possible for more people like Marty to continue gymnastics and benefit from all that is gives him.

---

Thank you to Peter Harrison Foundation for their funding for Special Disability Hardship Grants.

---