Bermondsey footballer Gilly Flaherty is appealing for help in finding a winter home for her free community fitness club.
The Chelsea Ladies star is desperately hunting for a new space now that the nights are drawing in and Southwark Park becomes unusable due to a lack of light. The group, which Gilly trains for free every Tuesday evening, believe in ‘taking back’ fitness training and making it accessible for everyone.
The 24-year-old defender told the News: “Gyms are expensive and sometimes intimidating so my fitness group is free and sociable. People come down and make new friends, they laugh around. It doesn’t matter what shape you’re in or how you look – there is no pressure.
“I come from the area and because I’ve done well in football I want to do something for Southwark, so this is my way to give back to the community.” Gilly’s group usually number around 30 or 35 people. She supplies all equipment and is only looking for an indoor space until the evenings brighten up again next spring.
She said: “Ideally someone will read this and want to help out a community group by giving us a space for free, but a discounted space would also be fantastic. We just need a decent-sized hall that we can use for just one evening a week.”
Gilly, who has previously played for Millwall Lionesses and Arsenal Ladies, won her sixth Women’s FA Cup this summer and last week earned her first call-up for the English national team’s matchday squad. The team will face off against Estonia on September 21. Can you offer Gilly and her fitness club a new home? email joey@www.newsatden.co.uk