An Aycliffe gymnastics academy is set to shine on screen after scooping a £5,000 national award.
Athena Sports Academy is to refurbish its viewing room with the latest technology, after being awarded the money by financial services company OneFamily as part of its Community Awards.
The Academy, applied for the funding after its membership doubled, meaning it no longer had enough space to accommodate the number of parents who want to come along and show their support.
The Academy meets regularly for training at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, and parents are currently able to watch sessions on screens in an adjacent viewing room, attached to a system of video cameras in the main gym.
But the camera system needs upgrading to give parents a better view of the action, and additional seating needs installing so more parents can watch their children.
The awards are part of the OneFamily Foundation and were created to give OneFamily customers the opportunity to support projects in their area that matter to them and their families. This year’s awards saw customers nominating projects to win up to £5,000, £10,000 or £25,000 across four categories.
David Castling, who has a Child Trust Fund for his daughter Grace with OneFamily, put Athena Sports Academy forward because she is a keen member. The group is one of 32 organisations to have won an award in this latest round.
Academy manager Shaun Carruthers said: “The club is really thriving at the moment and our membership has doubled in the last year.
“Lots of our parents want to come along and see their children’s progress and this funding will give them more seating and a better viewing experience.
“This is a club for the whole community and we want to encourage as many people as we can to get involved, whether that’s learning gymnastics, competing or supporting.”
Guy French, corporate and customer strategy director at OneFamily said: “The rapid growth of Athena Sports Academy just goes to prove its popularity and I hope these new facilities will encourage even more families to get involved.
“The projects that the awards support are all very special to our customers and make a positive difference in their local communities.
“We are a customer-owned business and for us it’s not just about offering financial products and services. The OneFamily Foundation is a way that we give something back to our customers, and each year we give hundreds of thousands of pounds to causes that matter to them most.
“Last year, we touched the lives of more than 100,000 people through our awards and grants, and this year we hope to make the Community Awards even bigger and better.” For more information please visit: www.onefamily.com/your-foundation/
