Dismay as vital summer summer trampolining sessions are cancelled in Northampton

A disappointed father says children who went to a trampolining summer school in Northampton will go without a vital holiday activity after it was suddenly cancelled.
Lings Forum Leisure Centre (Picture: Google)Lings Forum Leisure Centre (Picture: Google)
Lings Forum Leisure Centre (Picture: Google)

Tim Howell, who lives in Derby but drives down every Saturday to take his son and daughter to the trampoline class, was disappointed not only to find out the sessions were no longer running, but also that the coach was not notified the lessons were cancelled.

Parents had been told via email that it was the last week of trampoline classes but the father-of-two hadn't read the message before arriving at Trilogy in Lings Forum on Saturday morning.

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"We got there for the last session and they said they didn't have a coach," said Mr Howell.

Tim HowellTim Howell
Tim Howell

"I asked her what we could do to change her mind, thinking she had quit."

He added: "The coach was visibly upset. She planned to be there for three months and was planning for her wedding."

Mr Howellpraised the coach's professionalism because she took the session despite being "distraught".

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She was also forced to change the lesson plan as the children would no longer be training for their badges.

Above all, Mr Howell is disappointed that a class his 13-year-old daughter enjoyed so much was now cancelled.

"Everyone felt accepted there - my daughter made friends and it was a safe place for the children to do sport," he said.

"She was working through her badges.

"I could see my daughter getting fitter, stronger and better every week."

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Ian Redfern, the senior managing director Northampton Leisure Trust, who run the Trilogy gyms, admitted they had "dropped the ball" by not informing the coaches, but confirmed they had been offered other jobs.

"We did make a mistake," said Mr Redfern.

"One part of the team told the parents but not the coaches."

One coach will take up the role of swimming coach and the other will teach gymnastics after being offered the posts on Monday this week.

In the meantime trampoline classes are cancelled until the trust can find qualified coaches who can commit to Saturday morning classes.

Mr Redfern said the previous teacher was unable take Saturday lessons consistently, which led to the decision to stop the lessons.