WATCH: ‘Heartbroken’ young Inverness gymnasts race against time to keep beloved training facility
The desperate plea to save Fyrish Gymnastics Club, which caters for 700 young people in and around Ross-shire, continues as the gym is set to close its doors if they’re unable to raise sufficient funds.
The club originally hoped to purchase the former call centre building which it currently leases from BT for around £150,000 but the asking price has since skyrocketed to £400,000.
Fyrish Gymnastics Club in Alness has become a second home to hundreds of aspiring gymnasts with some training up to 12 hours per-week. The club also employs around 10 people and is benefiting from many more volunteers.
An Inverness mum of two young gymnasts, Kirsty Mc Taggart, has been fundraising for the cause.
She said: “We travel to Alness and we’re here five days a week for my girls training.
“These girls have nowhere else to go if this place closes. Inverness is full and there isn’t anywhere else. This is all we have, so it’s a lifeline for my girls.
“They absolutely love being here.”
Many parents have also chipped into the fundraising since this shock revelation and the Highland community have worked tirelessly to help it secure its premises.
However, some parents who travel from as far as Inverness and beyond are concerned that their children will miss out if the building isn’t saved.
Many Inverness-shire based gymnastic clubs obtain a waiting list of up to 24 months, resulting in both parents and children fighting to keep this facility.
Manager of the club, Val Houston is increasingly worried about the potential loss they could face during this uncertain time. She said: “It took us so long to find a building, so now that we have got it set up, we just don’t want to lose it.
“We are doing a lot of fundraising, but it’s a drop in the ocean to what we need.
“It’s been really stressful. It’s stressful for the staff and the parents, but hopefully we can make it work and someone can help us out along the way.”
One of the club's budding gymnast’s, Harper (9), from Inverness said: “If I didn’t get to come here anymore I would feel sad and I would be heartbroken because I wouldn’t find anywhere else to go that’s like this place.”
The club are now in an uneasy state of limbo as a buyer could swoop in and purchase the facility at any moment.
