Thatcham gymnastics club needs your help

Owner in running to win £60k to convert empty building after Cold Ash school says it needs sports hall back

THE man behind a gymnastics club in Cold Ash is asking people to vote for him to win £60,000 from the Jubilee People's Millions project to help fund a new home for his members.

Tony Horne currently runs KD Gymnastics from Downe House school and is hoping to secure the Lottery grant so that the club can relocate to premises in Newbury.

The need to find a new home has become urgent because in two weeks' time the club, which is run by volunteers, will no longer be able to use the school hall owing to clashes in the timetable.

Planning permission to turn an empty building in Bone Lane into a gym has been granted by West Berkshire Council, but the club would need to spend thousands of pounds to convert it.

Mr Horne said that a purpose designed gym would give the club a permanent set up, rather than members having to pack away equipment after they use it, and that it would be one of a kind in West Berkshire.

He added that without the Lottery grant, the club would still be able to operate but that it would be on a much more basic scale.

Talking about the move to Newbury, he said: “It will happen with or without the lottery grant but it will just be harder.

“The building is in a really poor state at the moment, so the money would help us a great deal.

“We are trying to gather as much support as possible.”

The phone lines for voting will open for one day, on Monday, June 27, from 9am until midnight.

Mr Horne said that people could see more about his bid to win the money by logging on to www.peoplesmillions.org.uk and viewing his entry, which has been shortlisted for the award under the Meridian (West) category.