A BOXING club is celebrating after becoming the first project in County Durham to benefit from a new scheme aimed at boosting opportunities for disadvantaged young people.

The County Durham Community Foundation and the UKs largest sport for development charity, Sported, have teamed up to increase support to grassroots projects in the area, which use sport to transform lives.

Thanks to the programme Bishop Auckland Boxing Club has secured a £2,000 grant to purchase new equipment to help more young people into positive sports activities.

Based in the Woodhouse Close Estate in the town, the club aims to provide positive diversionary activities for young people in the community.

Through sport the club teaches young people important life skills, such as focus, discipline and respect, and improves their health and well-being through physical exercise and information about diet and nutrition.

Session costs are deliberately kept low to make it accessible to all; for young adults this provides a cheaper alternative to private gyms and leisure centres.

The club also engages coaches and volunteers from the community in order to provide local role models and to encourage more young people into coaching or volunteering in the future.

John Jimminson, coach at Bishop Auckland Boxing Club, said: “The fact that money is being invested into the club sends a really positive message to all our young boxers and we take great pride in knowing that other organisations value our work and are willing to invest money to safeguard the club’s future.”

Bishop Auckland Boxing Club welcomes new members to their Wednesday and Friday sessions and has a Facebook page with more information on their activities.

Sandra Hillyard, North-East regional manager at Sported, said: “Sharing our respective expertise, knowledge and resources, we can make a real difference and can create many new opportunities for young people to learn new skills and fulfil their potential.

“Run by passionate and dedicated coaches and volunteers, the club is doing some amazing work in the local community and using the power of sport to divert young people away from potentially harmful influences, such as crime and anti-social behaviour.”

Barbara Gubbins, chief executive at County Durham Community Foundation, said: “Our partnership with Sported enables us to increase positive opportunities for young people in our region through sport and physical activity by increasing the support available for these vital community projects.”

The programme enables County Durham and Darlington community sport groups with a turnover under £50,000 per annum to benefit from grants up to £2,000 and, in exceptional circumstances, grants up to £4,000.

For more details visit sported.org.uk or e-mail Mrs Hillyard at s.hillyard@sported.org.uk