Starbound shine at Solihull meet

Gymnasts from Starbound Gymnastics Academy took part in the Solihull and Birmingham invitational team and individual floor and vault championships on April 23.

The club’s gymnasts had a fantastic day, with 14 bringing home 11 medals - six gold and five silver. Head coaches Gemma Buchanan and Marie Carrigan are extremely proud as the children work very hard and it’s lovely to see their efforts paying off.

Results: Seven and under beginners’ individual results: First Bea Tingle, joint second Hollie Mann and Sophia Odemwingie, eighth Zara Jordan. Team results: First Bea, Hollie, Sophia and Zara. Nine and under beginners’ individual results: First Imogen Lewis, second Nia Monfardini, fourth Elsie Henfield, 13th Isobel Kelly. Team results: First Imogen, Nia, Elsie and Isobel.

Eleven and under intermediates: Second Rose McDonagh. Eleven and under advanced: fifth Imogen Stabler. Thirteen and under intermediates: Joint first Isla Roberts and Mia Bendall. Fifteen and under advanced: Fourth Lily Jenkins. Sixteen and above intermediate ladies: Esmae Rowan.

The gymnasts train for between 90 minutes and 6 hours per week at the club’s facility at Basepoint Business Centre in Bromsgrove. However, Gemma and Marie are desperate to move to a larger facility where they can train on full-sized equipment.

With the success of British gymnasts at the world, European and Commonwealth championships, gymnastics is more popular than ever. Starbound Gymnastics Academy has now had to close its waiting list as many children were facing a two-year wait.

Due to the size of the facility, classes are limited to ten gymnasts. At the point of closure, there were more than 200 children on the waiting list. In a larger space, the club could have many more children in a class and easily clear the list.

Ideally, the club needs an industrial unit or similar as it requires a minimum of five metre eaves. Due to running pre-school classes during the day and after school classes five days a week plus all day Saturday, Starbound want a space they can call their own, rather than having to rent a hall.

Finding a new home has been a priority since the club opened in 2017 but the search has been hindered by planning permission. In November 2022, MP Sajid Javid and Aston Fields councillor Phil Thomas visited the current unit and both pledged their support to help finding the club a new home. Bromsgrove District Council leader Karen May has also been a great help from the early days.

If anyone has such a unit available, please contact Gemma and Marie via email at starboundgymnasticsacademy@outlook.com