THE Jersey Special Gymnastics Club is celebrating after finding a new base to coach from.

The offer of space in the hall at the Greenfields centre puts an end to the club’s desperate 18-month search for a new facility. They had been looking since early 2007 after finding out that their regular home at Mont à l’Abbé School was to undergo refurbishment.

‘It feels like Christmas has come early,’ said head coach John Grady, who had previously said that the club was in danger of closing if a new home could not be found.  ‘The situation was becoming increasingly frustrating and demoralising and the biggest worry was that standards would go backwards. For the JSGC the offer from Greenfields is a great relief.’

The club, which is the only gym club in the Island for disabled people, had been making use of facilities in St John with the Jersey Gymnastics Club and at Fort Regent with Regent Gymnastics Club, while Mont à l’Abbé was being updated.

• Picture: Head coach John Grady with Joe Kennedy, Greenfields’ manager of care, at the gym. Picture by Matthew Hotton (00599172)