SPINNING AROUND: Gymnasts cartwheeled down the streets of Huntingdon on Saturday (November 24) as they raised money to help extend the town’s Olympic Gym club.

The Mayfield Road club is raising more than �100,000 for the extension and its members handed out more than 500 flyers in the town centre asking shoppers to make a donation.

Twelve gymnasts, aged from eight to 13, wore Louis Smith masks as they explained to the public why more space was needed at the gym.

Polly O’Driscoll, mother of gymnast Harry who has just finished three months out of 12 sleeping in a tent to raise money for the gym, said: “The gymnasts were keen to get involved in the fundraising at grassroots level and received an over-whelmingly warm welcome from the people of Huntingdon who were interested in finding out more about the gym’s plight.

“Staff from O2, Claire’s Accessories and the Brampton Pie Company even came out to greet us, while managers of national companies on the High Street offered to help the Louis-masked children and recommended ways of approaching their head offices for funding.”

Campaign manager and adult gymnast Rob Yates added: “We were delighted with the interest shown by shoppers and businesses in Huntingdon on Saturday and hope that more people will visit the website this week as, for a short period of time, every �10 online donation will be topped up with �10 from the LocalGiving.com match fund.”

INFORMATION: If you would like to donate, visit www.localgiving.com/charity/huntingdongymclub. Alternatively, cash, cheque and telephone donations can be made direct to the club and meetings can be arranged to discuss sponsorship opportunities. Call 01480 52343.