Fire-hit gym that trained Olympians seeks new home

A gymnastics centre that has been used by Olympic medal-winning athletes is in urgent need of a new home after its building was destroyed in a fire nearly three months ago.

Lynx Gymnastics Centre, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was devastated when the blaze took hold on 7 May, and the site on Rabans Close is due to be demolished.

Trustees for the charity said it needed to find a temporary home as the rebuilding could take up to two years, but it had "exhausted" all available options.

Twins Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova, who won bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, were trained at the centre.

Jenny Hodges, chairwoman of the trustees, said: "We have some equipment that has been kindly donated from gyms up and down the country, and we're so grateful.

"The insurance will cover the building but we need somewhere so we can keep our name going and we don't get forgotten.

"We need to get the kids back into the sport they love and get an income so we can keep the staff going."

She said the charity was trying to set up some satellite sessions in smaller venues, but it needed a space it could use for up to two years which was not too expensive and was between 6,000 and 8,000 sq feet and about 16ft (5m) high.

"We also need plenty of parking as we train up to 1,000 children of all ages a week," she said.

Hodges said a lot of the gym's elite athletes had already moved elsewhere, including the Gadirova twins who are now training in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

"As a charity we don't have a big pot of money to keep us going as all the money is reinvested into the charity for the good of the children," she said.

She said a fundraising campaign had raised about £45,000.

Laura Kyrke-Smith, the MP for Aylesbury, said: "I know how hard the trustees, coaches and volunteers have worked to keep the club going despite the uncertainty and I have seen first-hand both the devastation the fire has caused and the determination of everyone involved to protect this important community asset.

"If you know of anywhere that might be suitable as a temporary base for the club, I urge you to get in touch."

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said that at the height of the blaze in May, nine crews were at the scene.

The blaze started accidentally and no-one was injured.

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