Appeal to fund new home for Leighton Buzzard cheerleading club as school shuts for repairs
A cheerleading academy in Leighton Buzzard is calling for community support after being given just four weeks’ notice to vacate its training venue.
Infinite Allstars, which trains girls aged four and above, has been told it must leave its current base at Gilbert Inglefield School from May 24, in order for necessary school repairs to be carried out.
It says the news has come as a major shock and means the loss of a facility to store equipment, as well as impacting class times.
And while the school will be available again in September, the club says it needs a more permanent solution.
The club has identified a new venue, but needs to raise funds to make it a reality.
Infinite Allstars co-founder, Kealey Gavillet, said: “With upcoming shows and competitions, the space will be a new home for the Allstars creating a familiar and reliable training space.
“Our initial target is £15,000 to secure the space and get it operational. However, we will need a further £35,000 to fully equip the facility with the specialist flooring and equipment required for safe cheerleading and tumbling training.
“This academy is so much more than a training space – it’s where friendships are formed, confidence grows, and every athlete feels welcomed and valued. We’ve worked hard to create an inclusive environment where everyone belongs, so the consistency of that space means everything to us. This sudden change has been incredibly challenging for our whole community.
"The good news is we’ve found a wonderful new venue that opens up so many opportunities for the Infinite Allstars Academy and we truly believe it could be an amazing space for our athletes to grow, learn and continue thriving.”
To help bridge the cash gap, the club has launched a crowdfunding campaign and is appealing to the community for support.
Co-founder Amy Hatcher added: “If you’re able to donate, no matter how big or small, we would be incredibly grateful. And if you can’t donate, sharing our campaign is just as powerful – every bit of support helps keep this club going for over 150 athletes who love this sport and get so much out of being part of our team."
The appeal has already received a great response from families and supporters.
"The love and support we’ve received has been overwhelming. It genuinely means more than we can put into words and is helping us stay positive as we navigate this transition,” said Amy.
A spokesperson for Gilbert Inglefield and Chiltern Learning Trust said: “We understand how important the school’s facilities are to the local community and appreciate the inconvenience this temporary disruption has caused. We want to reassure all users that access to facilities will resume in September.
“The school has received funding to fix and improve the electrical systems and all toilet facilities. The best time for the school to carry out this work is, of course, during the summer term and especially the summer holidays. Unfortunately, we cannot have lettings in the school during this period.
“All user groups – and of course, the pupils – will have full access to all facilities in September. Therefore, this is not a permanent issue. We are working with our local Trust schools and have offered alternative local school venues to user groups that have requested them.
“We are grateful for the community’s understanding while these important improvements are completed.”
The club stated: “The academy remains committed to minimising disruption for families and maintaining a positive environment for its athletes during this uncertain period.”