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At the meeting last Friday, which was attended at short notice by about 80 people including many parents, existing coaches, long-time volunteers and former coaches and gymnasts, it was unanimously agreed to approach the council with a view to asking them to grant a lease to a newly formed company, limited, by guarantee. Membership of that company is to be open to any existing or former gymnast, coach, parent or volunteer helper of the School, and indeed anyone in the borough with an interest in the physical education of its young people.

The directors of the company will be unpaid volunteers. Two directors of the company have been appointed.

Tracy Hurwood is the Deputy Headteacher of Merebrook Infant School, Milton Keynes. She was a member of HSG from 1992-2004 as a gymnast, coach and judge. She is still heavily involved in gymnastics as a Rhythmic Gymnastics Brevet (International) Judge. She has attended many internationals both as a judge and Head of Delegation for Great Britain, she is a British Gymnastics Tutor for Rhythmic Gymnastics and currently a member of the British Gymnastics Rhythmic Technical Committee and the Rhythmic Gymnastics Judging Panel.

John Cox is a solicitor and has been a partner in Dewar Hogan, in Ludgate Hill, since 1993. He is a former parent at the School and a former director of Mile End Climbing Wall in the East End.

Another three directors have agreed to serve and are shortly to be formally appointed.

We are inviting all parents and other supporters to become members of the company and to write to the leader of the council asking him to work with the new company to find a solution which will enable the School to continue. His address is Councillor Raymond Puddifoot, Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1UW, or by email RPuddifoot@Hillingdon.Gov.UK

Parents are also invited to assist the new company by asking as many other people as possible to contact the council and express their support, or to join the new company. Here is a flyer which can be printed off and used to recruit support and explain to people what we are asking them to do, and here is the membership form and an explanation of where to send it and the significance of membership.