A CHEERLEADING squad is pleading for sponsorship to keep its athletes on mats after National Lottery funding failed to materialise.

Swindon Lightning needs sponsorship if it is to provide its cheerleaders with the equipment they need to continue practising and competing.

Special soft-sprung mats, which make it safer for Lightning’s girls to perform their flips and tricks, are currently on loan from Power Nation, but if the club is to survive it needs money to buy its own.

The club currently practises across bases at Oasis Leisure Centre and Lydiard Park Academy, but there were no mats at the latter when it recently began practising there.

The academy offers good rates and flexibility for the Lightning, but it is the mats the girls, aged five to 11, need to continue their four to six hours of practice each week.

“Every year the girls do fundraising anyway, to help with equipment and competitions, but if that ends up going on the mats the girls and their parents are going to have to pay more to do competitions,” said Sara Goulbourne, 34, the club’s administrator.

“The girls in general were all upset when we had to tell them about the failed lottery bid because we had said if the money comes in, they would get new competition kits and things like that. “This has pulled the rug out from under their feet and They’ve all been left devastated.”

The club was founded in 2011 by Millie Little, a school teacher, but it does not fall under the umbrella of any recognised sports funding body, so it must rely on grants, funding applications and fees from parents.

Sara said it has proved difficult in the past to pull in the same kind of sponsorship other mainstream sports might attract.

“That’s the hard thing. If we were a five-a-side football team, then people understand what it is about and if we were a charity people would have more understanding,” said Sara.

There are 45 girls across all ages currently working with the club, which endorses a committed and dedicated approach from its athletes.

Sara would ask anyone interested in sponsoring to consider how unique the club is and how much interest has been shown by the girls on its roster.

“It’s a competitive team sport which all the girls enjoy, but it’s also unique, it’s something different,” Sara said.

“A lot of people are interested and it brings so much enjoyment to those young girls.

“It teaches them dedication and commitment too.”

Anyone interested in helping should visit www.gofundme.com/jw2sjvfw or contact Sara via e-mail at admin@swindonlightning.com