2016 has been a brilliant year for us, as we continue to try to change people’s lives through gymnastics. From the birth of our Age & Dementia Friendly Gymnastics Programme to our best year of fundraising to date, here’s our year in review:

Hardship Grants Programme
Since January 2016, we have supported 47 British Gymnastics members with much needed financial support. Over £17,000 has been awarded to help these members stay in the sport which they love when they have needed it most. From volunteers to coaches and gymnasts, those receiving grants have been extremely grateful for the life-line which these grants sometimes bring; helping to stop them dropping out of gymnastics in times of crisis.

The Age & Dementia Friendly Gymnastics Programme
Since January 2016 our programme has benefitted the lives of over 150 people living with dementia. The programme has been delivered regularly in two care homes, one day centre and one community group in Cambridgeshire and has been supported with research from Age UK. The research has shown that the programme has had a positive benefit not only on the lives of the people on the programme, but on their family, friends and supporters. Age UK’s research has cited that the programme has been ‘life-changing’ for some of the participants. We are looking forward to expanding the programme in 2017, so that more people living with dementia can benefit from our work.

Special School Work
We have delivered our GymChallenge support programme and festival in two special schools in Liverpool this year; engaging over 170 children in fun gymnastics activity. Beth Tweddle MBE joined our team of gymnastics coaches on both days to teach and inspire the children; helping them to enjoy their gymnastics as much as possible. Both schools are very keen to extend the work we have done with them into 2017.

Our Fundraising
In 2016, with your support, just over £29,000 was raised to help us continue the work we do with people who are most in need. We have already planned lots more work in 2017 and are looking forward to delivering programmes which transform the lives of more people across the UK. We have just appointed a new Fundraising Officer, Beccy Davies who will be working hard to raise even more funds to continue our good work; so please look out in the new year for lots of fundraising challenges and new fun ways which you can get involved in helping to support our charity.

British Gymnastics Foundation Manager, Patrick Bonner, is delighted with the year we’ve had: “I am extremely proud of the positive impact which our programmes have had on people who are most in need of our help. From supporting people with much needed funds in times of crisis through our hardship grants programme, to seeing the complete joy on the faces of the children involved in our special school’s programme, this year has had a tremendous impact on so many lives.

“Reflecting back on a very successful year, my favourite moment of 2016 was when Jean, a participant in our Age & Dementia Friendly Gymnastics Programme, told me that our programme had given her the confidence and independence to move out of the care home and get back home; this is something very special and something that everyone will understand the value of at Christmas time, when being with family is so important to us.

“Onwards and upwards for 2017, where I know we will transform even more lives with the delivery of our programmes!”