The Eastern Region is one of the largest regions in England.  Eastern Counties Gymnastics Association was formed with the counties of  Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The Association originally titled Eastern Counties Amateur Gymnastics Association was formed in 1972.  Founder members included Angela and Stanley Wilcox and David Eagling.  Mrs Wendy Eagling still presents to the winners of the annual Inter-county Team Competitions, the David Eagling Trophy for Women's Artistic.  The Association dropped the 'Amateur' from its title in 2005.

The region is autonomous and administered by an Executive Committee of Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer who are elected each year, at the Annual General Meeting.  Together with a representative from each discipline and from each county, the committee works to promote the protection and welfare of gymnasts, providing coach and judge education, oversee the setting up of squads and arranging the annual competition calendar.

The aims of the Association are:

To develop and improve standards of gymnasts in the region

To develop and improve coaching standards in the region

To develop and improve the standards of judging in the region

To provide a wide variety of level of competition so that as many gymnasts as possible can participate

Dissemination of information to all member clubs

There are at present over 80 affiliated clubs in the region providing a full range of activities for over 12,000 members.  Affiliation is open to any club where the main training venue is based in one of the six counties of the region.  Clubs are required to provide evidence that coaches are qualified with the Head Coach holding the minimum of Club Coach Award (Level 3) or UKCC Level 2 with club management course attendance, in the appropriate discipline. 

The regional affiliation fee of £2.50 is paid by each club member who attains his/her 6th birthday in the year of affiliation.  Counties and trampoline clubs will receive a regional refund based on the number of affiliated gymnasts, the remainder is used to provide course subsidies, reduced squad fees, funding for the region's teams and individuals in national competitions, support for regional competition and any other grants the committee may support.

In 2004 we were fortunate to have a full time Regional Development Officer and already we have seen the benefits: a completed and published Regional Development Plan and strong links being established between a number of clubs and schools working together under the PESSCL scheme.