A world-class sports gym has been opened at a boxing club’s new home to open up the benefits of sport.
Cricklewood Boxing Club has landed a £100,000 windfall for its new centre at Dollis Hill with grants from Brent Council and the Powerday waste management company in Willesden.
The money pays for new gym equipment at its premises in the Edgware Road, as well as more coaching sessions and male and female changing areas for the first time.
“We can now give more voluntary provision in our own premises without restrictions of time and limited access,” the club’s head of coaching Robin Buick explained.
“We have provided voluntary sport and social projects for more than a decade to thousands of young people, with the benefits that boxing can have on physical and mental wellbeing.”
The club first opened 10 years ago aimed at involving youngsters at risk of getting involved in crime.
But it was operating in a cramped railway property by Dollis Hill bus station with limited access and restricted use.
Now it has its own premises with activities to attract more youngsters across Brent and neighbouring Barnet.
Its mission is to have “a positive impact on the lifestyle of communities in Cricklewood without distinction of race, gender, political or religious belief”.
The club's health and fitness services are being made “accessible and affordable to all”.
The expansion means the club can accept more youngsters, run more activities and work with schools and colleges through an extra-curricular “intervention programme” to keep youngsters out of crime.
Brent’s deputy mayor Tariq Dar said: “We need to offer young people all the options to have the best opportunities in life. It is essential that we provide them with safe spaces like this boxing club to help them learn skills to develop character and stop negative influences.”
The club got the attention of Powerday’s charity foundation through the need to extend its voluntary work but having to operate in restricted premises.
The new funding means the club's team of voluntary coaches can run a first-class gym as a space for young people to achieve in sport.
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