'It's good for the kids and it’s good for me'

SHE’S coached hundreds, perhaps thousands, of children in gymnastics - and 85-year-old Anita Waters has no plans to stop.

- By DAVE ROBSON

Anita Waters and Zoe Ingledew

Acklam Gymnastics Club, based in Greta Street, North Ormesby, celebrates its 50th birthday this year, with head coach Anita involved for most of that time.

Nowadays, she’s even helped by one of the girls she used to coach as a youngster - 23-year-old Zoe Ingledew. And Anita says she still loves taking coaching sessions, whatever the weather!

She told The Gazette: “I'll be honest, in the winter when it’s pouring down and blowing a gale, you sometimes don’t want to go. But within 10 minutes of being in the gym, you're so glad you made the effort.

“The children are a delight and I get on with them all. I remember one coming up to me and saying ‘Anita, you're looking very demure today’ I said, ‘thank you, so are you — but what does it mean?’ She said, ‘I don’t know’

“But they come in and get on with it. They all want to achieve and do well - and they're nice kids, which is the important thing”