SOUTH Dorset sports coach Don Whistance grew up in London as a graduate and noticed the authorities believed in providing play and sport to the children of the capital.

This was used as an outlet for the youngsters’ energetic personalities during the long summer holidays in the old Victorian buildings known as London schools.

As a trainee teacher, it was at these play centres that Whistance’s intuition and enthusiasm for working with children grew and the ability to work with a variety of interesting characters developed.

This invaluable experience has helped the popular Saturday Recreational Gymnastics Club at Wey Valley to be so successful since it began back in September 1996.

The club has a friendly family atmosphere and it is a place where the children can express themselves and feel protected, supported and appreciated on a weekly basis for what they achieve in the form of their own unique gymnastic expressions.

Youngsters aged between five and 13 are invited to join up for a 14-week term at the Wey Valley School Sports Hall.

Organised by Whistance, sessions take place every Saturday between 10.30am and 1pm.

Whistance said: “Any parents who are interested in their children developing recreational gymnastic skills, fitness, body awareness, self and group discipline alongside a sense of achievement, social well-being and fun are urged to enrol straight away as the course, now in its 17th year, has become the most popular recreational gymnastics club in Weymouth.”

For more details, contact the club on 813237, or by email at donjwhistance@tiscali.co.uk