SwansAid boost for Carmarthen School of Gymnastics

Carmarthen School of Gymnastics are doing cartwheels after receiving a £10,000 grant from SwansAid.

The community group, which runs gym classes for boys and girls from the age of three upwards, was selected as the outstanding project to receive the special grant from Swansea City.

SwansAid was set up in August last year by Swansea City's Community Trust to help fund special projects within the community in a bid to help address the issues, needs and aspirations of communities within West Wales.

Carmarthen School of Gymnastics are the latest group to benefit from SwansAid after the trust fund helped provide support for the likes of Surfability UK, Meads Squash Club, Ysgol Heol Goffa special needs school, Wales Air Ambulance and Carmarthen Domestic Abuse Services earlier this year.

After the substantial cheque was presented to the gymnastics club at the Liberty Stadium, Head Coach Sharon Evans believes the special grant will help the gymnastics school become one of the best clubs in Wales.

"It's fantastic to receive this grant from SwansAid, and we are extremely grateful," declared Evans.

"The money will go towards furnishing our new gymnastics centre in preparation for a future opening day, as well as improving our club to make it one of the best gymnastics clubs in Wales.

"The grant will help us purchase a five-set running with two twisting and three normal belts, which will make us the only gymnastics club in Wales able to offer this additional piece of equipment to help aid gymnasts of all ages and abilities.

"Also, we will be able to buy new leotards for the gymnastics squad, as well as a new beam for the young gymnasts in the women's artistic discipline, whose previous beam was ruined due to rain damage from a leak in the roof.

"In the future, we really hope that some of the officials of SwansAid and Swans players will be able to visit and see our new equipment in all its glory."

Meanwhile, Swansea Harriers Athletics Club and Gendros Judo Club were selected as two of six community groups to receive £2,000 donations from SwansAid, following applications to the Community Trust fund in January

Swansea Harriers Athletics Club will be using the special grant to fund new equipment and training for coaches in a bid to increase the capacity of the group, while Gendros Judo Club will use the support of SwansAid to replace mats and to allow expansion of the club, in particular at beginner's level.

Swans supporters can show their support for SwansAid by purchasing tickets for this summer's SwansAid charity match, where celebrities go head-to-head at the Liberty on Sunday, June 1.

Big name stars such as actor Danny Dyer and X Factor winner Shayne Ward will feature alongside Swans legend Lee Trundle and Swans Chairman Huw Jenkins in the event hosted by Sellebrity Soccer.

For your chance to come and watch, while also helping to raise funds for SwansAid, click HERE for further details.