Scarborough Gymnastics Academy - A small community gymnastics club with an international reputation is calling for urgent support to overcome a major barrier to its continued success: the limitations of its current building.

Scarborough Gymnastics Academy, a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2002, has grown from humble beginnings in a small school hall into one of Great Britain’s leading TeamGym clubs. Since moving into its current converted warehouse facility in 2008, the club has developed a strong pathway from recreational gymnastics through to elite performance, producing athletes who compete at regional, national, and international levels.

Among its standout success stories is Joseph Fishburn, who began training at the Academy at just five years old. He went on to achieve silver and bronze medals at the European Championships before gaining national recognition as the winner of ITV’s Gladiators 2025. A powerful example of the club’s ability to nurture talent from grassroots to elite levels.

The Academy’s impact extends beyond its athletes, with coaches Aimee Walker and Nikii Walker selected to represent Great Britain. Nikii Walker has been chosen as a GB coach in 2016, 2018 and 2024, underlining the club’s consistent presence at the highest level. This recognition highlights the strength of coaching at Scarborough Gymnastics Academy and its role in developing not just elite gymnasts but leading figures within the sport.

Today, the club supports around 400 members, with a waiting list of over 200 aspiring gymnasts. Its athletes have represented Great Britain, earned European titles, and secured places in national squads. The Academy is also home to a fully inclusive disability programme competing at the British level and a Coach Academy that nurtures young aspiring coaches through the British Gymnastics Leadership Academy pathway.

Despite its success, the club now faces a critical challenge.

“We’re a small community gymnastics club producing international-level athletes, but we’re now being held back by our building,” said Nikii of Scarborough Gymnastics Academy.

The current facility’s limited ceiling height restricts the safe coaching of advanced, high-level skills, particularly those required for top-level TeamGym competition. This constraint is increasingly impacting athlete development and the club’s ability to meet growing demand.

Gymnasts travel from across the UK, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Halifax and beyond to train at the Academy, highlighting its national reputation and the unique opportunities it provides.

To secure its future, the club is launching the “Raise the Roof” project, a plan to adapt and enhance its existing facility, including increasing the facility's training height and improving the space to better support both grassroots and elite gymnastics.

The project aims to:
Expand capacity and reduce waiting lists

Strengthen both grassroots and elite development pathways

Enable safe progression of high-performance gymnasts

Enhance accessibility and provision for inclusive gymnastics

Create more opportunities for young coaches and volunteers

Rather than relocating, the Academy is committed to investing in and improving its current home, ensuring it continues to serve as a vital hub for the local community while meeting the demands of modern, high-performance sport.

The Academy is now seeking financial support, partnerships, and grant funding to bring the project to life and ensure that talented gymnasts are not limited by infrastructure.

“We have the athletes, the coaching expertise, and the demand. What we need now is a facility that matches our ambition,” Nikii added.

Scarborough Gymnastics Academy is calling on local businesses, national organisations, funding bodies, and the wider community to support the “Raise the Roof” project and help secure the future of a club that continues to put Yorkshire on the international gymnastics map.