A RHYTHMIC gymnastics club in Barry is celebrating a new lease of life, after departing their former premises to allow them to provide greater focus on community engagement, fun and relationships.

Rhythmic at the Academy coaches rhythmic gymnastics – a sport combining elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance and apparatus – to children aged 3-17 at Holm View and Colcot Leisure Centres in Barry, after forming a breakaway movement at the beginning of last month.

The company, owned and run by Claire Croft and her partner Clive Wilkins, has been around for several years, but as Ms Croft explains, they had been looking at ways to take the club in a different direction.

"There was an opportunity to break away and start a new club, which was one we felt we had to take as we wanted it to become more of a community," she said.

"The children have to be happy, it has to fun.

"There are girls here from all walks of life. This is not a cheap sport in some ways, but we want everybody to have that opportunity, even if the family can only afford a limited number of hours. We all try and help each other."

There are currently over 80 gymnasts registered with the club, including four national champions, as well as a number of others involved in national squads.

Alex Powell's daughter, Seren, is a current Welsh champion, but she too recognised that the focus of the club should be about enjoyment and building friendships, as well as winning medals.

"We’re more relaxed in this club," she said.

"Not in the sense that we don’t want them to train, but we don’t want that to be all they’re here for. If we’ve got kids who don’t want to compete, they’re don't have to compete.

"Some kids don’t want to be pushed to do competitions. They just want to learn to perform.

"They’re a lot more relaxed, they’re a lot more happy. It's more than just a case of turning up, training and going home."

Ms Croft says that both children and parents have bought into their new ideas, and in light of that, the club are now setting about looking at giving something back to the community.

"Part of our community plan for this year is to get the children mixing with the older generation," she said.

"People sat in old people’s homes might not get to see young children.

"These kids like to perform, they love it. If we could bring those two ends of the community together, by putting young children into an old people’s home who love to show off, the pensioners enjoy watching them.

"We’re teaching the children about values and giving back."

The club are currently offering free taster sessions to potential new members, with no obligation, to allow budding young gymnasts and their parents the chance to experience the sport first hand. To book a session, or to find out more about Rhythmic at the Academy, visit them on Facebook at: facebook.com/Rhythmic-at-The-Academy, or E-mail: rhythmic@theacademywales.co.uk.