Cheerleading Panthers claw in the cash thanks to Lottery funding

Pedmore Panthers has been awarded £9,800, which will allow it to set up gymnastics lessons to complement it's cheerleading classes.

It is a real pick-me-up for the group, which faced an uncertain future last year after it was forced to move out from it's former home in the Claughton Youth Centre in Dudley.

But since moving to its new base in Inspired Communities Centre in Canal Street, Brierley Hill the club has gone from strength to strength.

Head coach Julie Pugh, aged 42, said: "We had to move to new premises in October and at one point we didn't know what we were going to do.

"We only had around two or three months' notice and didn't really know where to go.

"Everywhere was just too expensive for us, until Paul Campbell – who runs a karate class here – told us about it.

"Since we moved here we wanted to have some more classes, not just cheerleading."

Mr Campbell encouraged the group to apply for funding so they were able to expand and host more classes.

They have spent the National Lottery windfall on a 'tumble track' which allows budding gymnasts and cheerleaders to train in a safe environment.

Inexperienced gymnasts can now start out their careers at the club with confidence.

Mrs Pugh said: "With the tumble track they can learn to do all sorts of flips and it gives them the confidence to take the first steps.

"It can be scary at first but this really helps."

Adding the new equipment could help the Panthers go from strength to strength, according to Mrs Pugh.

"That's what I'm hoping, that we continue to get bigger," she said.

"We were almost going to have to close the class until Paul offered but it's all gone well since we moved here."

Currently the Panthers has 40 members, from the age of four up to 22.