Roy Short

Chairman of Trustees, South Essex Gymnastics Club

I was introduced to the club through my role as Head of Leisure Services for Basildon Council where my final task was as the Project Manager for the development of the Basildon Sporting Village. This brought me into close contact with the officers and Trustees of SEGC whilst negotiating and working with them to relocate to the new facility, and I had total respect for the professionalism, commitment and drive of everyone at the Club. 

Once the project was completed in 2011 I join the Board of Trustees and in 2012, when the Chairman retired, I was elected to take on the onerous task of Chairman, where I was able to use my local authority knowledge and leisure and project management experience to assist the Club as it rapidly started to develop and grow as an organisation following Team GB’s gymnastics success at the London Olympic Games in 2012, which in no small part, was due to the involvement of SEGC gymnast Max Whitlock. 

Now the fantastic facilities within the Sporting Village have become so well used that the Club expanded to open an additional facility at Eversley Leisure Centre. Whilst the Club continues to boast some super Olympic, World, European, Commonwealth and National level gymnasts, most importantly to me, it has introduced thousands and thousands of young people, from babies to over 18 years, to try, learn and enjoy the fantastic sport of gymnastics.

The other Trustees and I are extremely proud of our staff and the high level of our facilities, and are totally committed to ensuring this continues for many years to come.

"I stand on the shoulders of giants"