Young person Leah has been part of our Holborn Gymnastics Club since she was six years old and has been volunteering at our gymnastics club for almost two years.  

“I first came to gymnastics when I was about six years old at Bedford House, coming every week on a Friday for 5 years, doing a few of my gymnastic badges.  I left for a bit and tried dancing then came back.

I decided to come back to volunteer at HCA as I get to interact with the children and I believe I make a good role model. I like how gymnastics teaches you to express yourself and be creative. My favourite equipment in class is the vault – oh as well as floor wise walkovers, handstand, cartwheels and balances!

A recent success story for me was seeing a child who started our Saturday Squad and was not at the same level as the rest of the group.  We noticed her every week working really hard and she dramatically improved in such a short period of time. In one term she went from not being able to do a handstand to doing a handstand forward roll.  

The dynamics of a class always change, like when a new group is getting used to each other.  It is really nice watching each week how the children go from being a bit wary, to becoming really good friends.  

I have recently done my level 1 in general gymnastics training, so I am now an official level 1 qualified coach.  Hopefully, when I turn 18 I will be going onto my Level 2 coaching course and can teach a class by myself. To teach at HCA and grow professionally from a volunteer to employee has been a really positive experience.  I fit in my part-time role in-between my studies. I am really passionate about gymnastics as a sport for all levels.

Up next for Gymnastics is our final end of school year performance at Queen Square Fair in July, and we will continue to run term time classes in our new temporary home on the 4th floor of Holborn Library.”  

To find out more about our gymnastic classes click here.  Interested in volunteering at HCA? Follow this link.