Hello. I'm Felicity, also known as Fliss! I'm 14 years old and live in north Devon. I'm an elite national gymnast and part of the England Women's Artistic Gymnastics Squad and have been in the Great Britain Development Squad and Great Britain Performance Pathway Squad during my gymnastics career so far.

Recently someone asked me if I had a donation page for my gymnastics, which I didn't, so now I've set one up! Here it is for anyone who would kindly like to financially help me on my elite gymnastics journey.

Currently I don't get any external funding, so all my gymnastics costs (many thousands of pounds each year) have to be funded by my family (who are amazing ❤ and support and encourage me in all that I do). These costs include regular training fees, competition entry fees (the British is £80!), travel to competitions as well as travel to national, regional and county squad training sessions, accommodation for national competitions and national squads, equipment like handguards for bars, leotards (which can cost up to £150!), physio sessions, sports psychology sessions, sports massage, and general kit/clothing etc.

For example, competing and being at the British Championships in Liverpool (24-27 March 2022) is going to cost us around £1,000, and the English Championships in London (11-13 March 2022) £500.

It would be so helpful to my family if we had assistance with some of these large costs.

I LOVE gymnastics and train five days a week at Falcons Gymnastics Academy in Barnstaple, clocking up 26 hours of training every week. It can be very tough and demanding. I don't like to boast at all, that's definitely not me, but I think I am a talented, determined, committed and highly focused athlete. Outside of school, gymnastics is my life. I don't have time for anything else - my friends seem to understand! I compete at the English Championships (London) and British Championships (Liverpool), as well as other national competitions. If I have any national squads then they are usually held at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, near Telford, or in the past they have been at Loughborough University, I also travel all around the South West for SW Squad, and Devon for county squad.

My focus now is on the English Championships and the British Championships in March 2022. The British is held in the M&S Bank Arena which seats 13,000 people and is a big four day event and a huge spectacle with piro technics and the names of the gymnasts announced and projected and routines live streamed! I am working really hard in the gym on my skills and routines and building up my confidence, especially for these events.

For the last five years I've had an online Blog WordPress site where I document my gymnastics journey (which has been quite a story so far, especially with my major head trauma accident 😢 a few years ago, but I got better 😊). All the blogs are written by me and include photos and videos. Please take a look if you'd like to https://mygymnastics.blog/

I've been on TV a few times and in magazines and newspapers:

● On 21 February 2020 I was featured on BBC Spotlight TV in a specific report. You can watch it here https://videos.files.wordpress.com/PP4zxYiV/wp-1595798538179_dvd.mp4 (It was filmed after a very long training session!) At that time, I was focusing on the British Championships, English Championships and all the potential medals up for grabs.

● I was approached by the Editor of DevonLife magazine and subsequently featured in the July 2020 edition, highlighting my intensive workouts that I was carrying out during lockdown. https://mygymnasticsblog.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/wp-1592947047499.jpg?w=1024

● Here’s a link to an article that the North Devon Gazette wrote about me in February 2019. ‘Barnstaple gymnast, 11, sets her sights on Olympic glory’ https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/felicity-ayres-barnstaple-gymnast-1-5848328

● On 1st December 2016 (when I was nine), ITV Westcountry ran a feature on me too! You can watch it by following this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5inBqYirg5w

I don't like asking for help, but if you feel you can help to financially support me in any way, I would be so grateful.

Thank you so much.

Fliss x

The photo is of me doing a free walkover on the high beam at the British Championships 2019.