The Wiltshire School of Gymnastics Club Competition was held at the new gym on the 16th December. Here are some pictures taken at the event.

Sunday 19th October :
Sincere apologies for not updating recently but we've been through a couple of crises in the past couple of weeks which you may have read about in the local press.

On Friday 27th October the School received a notice to quit its existing premises with immediate effect. On Saturday 28th coaches arrived at the gym to find the lock to the front door had been changed.

We were able to gain access to the building through the rear fire doors and classes continued as normal. The son of our Landlord (Gerry Bartrum of Graborne Properties) told us that it was because our rent had not been paid. Checks at our bank revealed that the rent cheque for £3656.25 for the period 12th October to 12th November had been cashed on the 19th November. A letter was then sent from our solicitors to the Landlord's solicitors requesting the locks be changed back.

The reply came on Thursday 1st November when coaches arriving at the gym found the rear fire doors padlocked from the inside and the fire door to the front of the premises boarded up. However, due to some forward thinking we were able to gain immediate access to the building and removed all the locks and the boarding. It was then discovered that Graborne Properties had cut off the water so arrangements had to be made to use Boomerang Soft Play's toilets until four Portaloos arrived from Eagle Plant of Westbury (Many Thanks) who had agreed to help us out by donating two and charging a pittance for the other two. We were then reported to the local Police for breaking and entering but as far as they were concerned it was a civil matter.

Siege tactics were then employed changing the lock back to the front door and organising a sleep in for the Thursday night.

On the Friday the Trustees finally made contact with the Landlords solicitors who stated that unless monies that had been disputed with Graborne back in December of 1999 were not settled then the bailiffs would be called in on the Monday and further disruption would ensue. The trustees were of the understanding that these disputed sums would be settled when we had finished the tenancy and moved from the building.

Because the new premises were a couple of weeks away from completion (see Building News below) it was decided that to continue fighting the lockout would eventually affect classes and the training of our British Squad and Grades Gymnasts who have major competitions coming up in the next couple of weeks. The Trustees were therefore forced to concede the disputed sums and on Friday 3rd November a cheque was paid to Graborne Properties for £6,000.00. This was made up of £5,000.00 plus £1,000.00 which was added to the sum for "Locksmiths and Associated Costs". This then secured the building up to the 12th November when the rent was paid up to.

A further dispute then arose on the Monday the 13th. Our solicitor was of the understanding that we would be charged a day rate up to the date that we moved out and we duly offered two weeks rent. This was turned down and Graborne Properties demanded a full months rent with a refund of any unused portion. This now appears to have been settled with Grabornes Properties Solicitors accepting two weeks rent up to the 26th November and a further two weeks rent on a backdated cheque to be cashed if further time is required.

It would seem that after five years when the School has paid Graborne Properties over £200,000 in rent for the premises at Merlin Way, and would have indeed purchased the building for £500,000 in 1998 had the sale not been withdrawn, that this latest action was like using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Did Graborne feel that they would have lost the argument over the disputed sums of money if they had not resorted to such heavy handed tactics? We will probably never know. What it has done is soured what we had hoped was going to be an orderly and civilised hand over of the building after the traumas of the past five years and threatened the training of our Gymnasts.

Many parent were infuriated by the action of Graborne Properties and wrote to the press. Articles were published in the Western Daily Press, Wiltshire Times and the Melksham News and we thank those parents and all the others who helped us through this trying time for their support.

Let us hope that is now an end to the matter and we can get on with the move!!!!

For a full site shot see the "New Gym" section.

As a charity the School is continually fundraising therefore any assistance that can be offered in any way is greatly appreciated. If you are interested please visit our sponsorship & fundraising sections for details of schemes, events etc.

Hungarian Training Camp

Last summer 20 WSG gymnasts and coaches spent two weeks at an international training camp in the Hungarian Capital of Budapest. All aged between 8 and 16 years old (the gymnasts not the coaches), and Regional and National Squad members, they spent up to 6 hours a day at the K.S.I. National Training Centre receiving coaching from international coaches.

Head of Coaching Tracey Skirton said, "I was very impressed with all the gymnasts, they worked extremely hard throughout the two weeks.

Saturday 15th of July was a great day for our Senior Club Coach Siân Evans when she married Mr Peter Lythell and became Mrs Siân Lythell. The ceremony was at the United Church in Trowbridge and they were met at the door by a gymnastic guard of honour. (see picture).

There was an evening celebration at Bowood Country Club and a wonderful time was had by all. The couple are on honeymoon in Miami and we all wish them every happiness.

If you were shopping at SAINSBURYS in Melksham on the 1st of July you had a chance to win back the cost of your shopping. For just one pound shoppers could put their shopping bill into a draw and if theirs was the winner they got the cost of their shopping, up to £80.00, back.

The winning ticket was for £77.15 worth of shopping and the school raised approx £150.00.

Thanks to all the volunteers who manned the stall and accosted shoppers and thank you to Sainsburys for helping us out.. Apparently we are doing it again soon.

Digging for Victory - Chair of Trustees Rod Lewis with Mayor Adrienne Westbrook - Rod will have the foundations dug by 2005!

One of the last duties to be carried out by Melksham's outgoing Mayor, Adrienne Westbrook, was to officially launch the new gym project.

The ceremony took place at 12.45 on Monday 8th May on the site, down a hole actually (see picture). Also attending were coaches, trustees and supporters from the gym, Councillor Angie Barker, the leader of the District Council, Councillor Nick Westbrook, Councillor William Spiers and Gordon Evans from Wiltshire County Council Youth and Community Services.

Melksham News, The Western Daily Press and The Wiltshire Times all covered the event and earlier in the day BBC Wiltshire Sound broadcast live on the Breakfast Shows in Swindon and Salisbury. They also recorded interviews for transmission through the day. We also had an early morning slot on BBC TV.

Wiggins Gee, the builders, started on the site the previous Tuesday (2nd), erecting fencing and marking out the site and at 8.00am on the 8th the excavations of the foundations started.