A team of gymnasts from Mouscron, Belgium, has been sampling some Welsh culture this month as part of an exchange with Barry YMCA gymnastics club.
The exchange saw fourteen gymnasts and three coaches from the Gym Passion Herseaux team arrive at the YMCA on Sunday evening, having travelled from Mouscron, the Belgian town that is twinned with Barry.
The programme, which is arranged by Vale of Glamorgan Council, is designed to encourage local gymnasts to experience their sport in another country and get to know a bit more about life in Mouscron.
Gymnasts aged from eight to sixteen visited and trained with the Barry YMCA gymnastics team from Monday to Friday before heading off again the following weekend.
While on their trip, the team enjoyed a few sightseeing opportunities and got to know the local area, including visits to Cardiff Bay and Barry Island.
This is not the first time Barry has hosted gymnasts from Belgium, as one of the visiting coaches revealed that she had been on an exchange trip to Barry thirty years ago.
Continuing the tradition, the team at Barry YMCA are scheduled to travel out to Mouscron next summer to take part in their half of the exchange and get to know a bit more about gymnastics in their twinned town.
Sophie Erickson, Gymnastics Manager at Barry YMCA said: “Everyone who took part in the exchange really enjoyed it – it was fantastic to get to know the Gym Passion Herseaux team and show them all that Welsh Gymnastics has to offer. We’re really looking forward to heading out to Mouscron next year!”