Gisborne Gymnastics Club fundraising for a foam pit

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

GISBORNE Gymnastics Club is seeking community help to raise funds to buy an inflatable, movable foam pit.

For many years gymnasts had asked if they could have a foam pit in the gymnasium, club head coach Nicola Ludwig said.

Pits filled with foam cubes are commonly used by gymnasts practising new or advanced techniques to provide extra cushioning for landings or in case of falls from equipment.

However, the available space in the gym and the close proximity to the Taruheru River — and the resulting cost to seal an in-ground foam pit — meant the in-ground option was out of the club’s financial reach, Ludwig said.

The coaches decided the answer was an above-ground inflatable piece of equipment that could be filled with foam cubes and easily moved around the gym.

It would mean young gymnasts could move the equipment wherever it was needed to provide a safe landing surface for new moves, for fun activities in the preschool and recreational classes, and for purposeful fitness and strength-training for people of all ages.

“Finally a dream of so many kids can come true,” Ludwig said.

“Somebody said, ‘Why you don’t apply for a grant to buy it?’ Well, because we like to show the community that we are showing initiative to improve our facility ourselves.

“We are seeking the help of our community, because the children of our community will benefit from it.”

She said the club would hold three movie nights at the Dome Cinema this month to raise money.

The movies are gymnastics classic Stick It, at 6pm on Monday; Oscar winner The English Patient, at 7pm on Tuesday, October 16; and the film adaptation of the Roald Dahl story The BFG, at 6pm on Monday, October 22 (Labour Day).

Tickets are $15 each and will be pre-sold at the Gisborne Gymnastics Club base at the Electrinet Sports Centre on the corner of Aberdeen and Stanley roads.