Mums call for Colchester Leisure World gym classes to be saved (From Gazette)

Mums call for Colchester Leisure World gym classes to be saved

7:00pm Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Will Lodge

Determined – mums Nicola Smith, Orie Itai, Mandy Schofield, Diane Keeble and Emma Braddock with their children

TWO mums have begged council chiefs not to axe gymnastic classes at Colchester Leisure World.

Nicola Smith and Emma Braddock told councillors the move would leave their seven-year-old daughters without anywhere to go when the sessions end in December.

The council says the classes are not financially viable.

The mums told a Colchester Council cabinet meeting the decision went against the Olympic legacy. Nicola said: “The classes are very popular. “There is a clear demand and there has been a surge during the Olympics. There was a letter stating they are not profitable, but they were 74 per cent full at the time of research and my daughter’s class on Monday was completely full.

“Where are 96 children who will lose out go if the closures go ahead? Where is the Olympic legacy of which we can be proud?

Emma, 37, added: “My daughter wants to improve her gymnastics but how will she be able to? There is a wait of at least a year to get in anywhere else.”

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell has backed a petition by another mum, Kelly Birchmore, against the class closures.

Annie Feltham, councillor responsible for leisure services, said: “We have had to make some hard decisions. Council staff are continuing to look at ways in which we can carry on providing gymnastic classes, but that has not been possible in the building itself. “We do take your point seriously.”