The Wairarapa Gymnastics Club had its beginnings as the competitive branch of the Masterton YMCA, with Biddie Holmes qualifying as a junior and intermediate coach in 1983.
And it formed its own entity after Holmes and a group of other interested parents took out a $5000 loan, bought equipment and approached the Masterton A&P Association about using the Trades Hall at Solway Showgrounds as a venue.
"There were many broken windows and birds had been flying in and out at will. There were holes and splits in the floor and mud and bird droppings everywhere," she said.
"We had several working bees to clean things up. We hosed, scrubbed and rinsed the floor several times, blocked the broken windows, mended the holes in the floor and added floor plates."
Through fundraising - from felling firewood and compost to running food stalls and raffles - the loan was paid off in the first year and the club grew, accumulating more equipment to accommodate recreational and pre-school gymnastics.
"Our biggest achievement was the sprung floor. We had the springs made, John our then president made the metal brackets, and we bought the mat and plywood and put it altogether," Holmes said.
At its height, the Wairarapa Gymnastics Club ran up to four hours a night, five days a week with Holmes involved in most of them. "I would take part in warm-ups for every class.
"I can tell you, it kept me pretty fit."
Holmes also ran courses for teachers who wanted to do gymnastics in their schools.
At first nobody was paid. All expenses came out of her own pocket.
"I even had the privilege of paying term fees to coach my own daughter," she said.
Holmes went on to qualify as a senior national judge, taking on administration, coaching and judging roles regionally and nationally.
A former head of the Wellington technical committee, she was also competition secretary for the Wellington Gym Association, a member of the Wellington executive committee, assistant manager at New Zealand nationals and manager of gymnasts at New Zealand Gym School during her career.
Holmes was twice awarded a New Zealand coaching medal for producing male gymnasts with proficiency marks at senior nationals, she was made a life member of the Wellington Gym Association and was awarded the New Zealand and Wellington awards for services to gymnastics.
Preparing for her last class at the Wairarapa club, Holmes said she would miss working with children but she had plenty to keep her busy in retirement.
"I will have no problem filling in my time with grandchildren, gardening and some volunteer work," she said, adding she had been "overwhelmed and humbled" by the flood of e-mails she had received from gym clubs throughout the country.
"It's been an amazing career, I've made some wonderful friends."
Wairarapa REAP director Peter McNeur said he was "very sorry" to see the Wairarapa Gymnastics Club close. It had provided many Wairarapa children, particularly those in rural areas, with opportunities they would not otherwise have had.
"It's been a fantastic place," he said.
