Possibly the world's oldest active gymnastics instructor, 85-year-old Patricia Broad gives countless hours to the St Bernadettes Gymnastics Club every year.
A founding member 50 years ago, Mrs Broad continues to coach and judge gymnastics, attending the club gym five days a week to train gymnasts from the local community.
She was honoured for her devotion last week when she won a Kiwibank Local Heroes Award.
Mrs Broad was never a competitive gymnast. Growing up in Te Atatu near Auckland, she did not have the opportunity to get involved in the sport.
Mrs Broad was not introduced to gymnastics until later in life, when she was studying physical education in Dunedin. She became involved in the gymnastics incentive awards and, after seeing an Auckland gymnastics club put on a display here, she decided to set up a club in Dunedin, along with her friend Noeline Munro.
The club was first located in the St Bernadettes Parish Hall, hence its name, but it has shifted several times since. The club began with about 15 members and from these humble beginnings it continued to grow under Mrs Broad's guidance. Today it has about 100 members.
''It's very rewarding seeing the progress that the children make,'' she said.
She had made some great friends through her involvement in the club and through her later involvement in gymnastics judging, Mrs Broad said.
She was very proud of the achievements of some former club members.
