Dudley boxing club saved by the bell after cost of living grant

Brooklands Amateur Boxing Club, which trains at Mount Tabor Methodist Church, was on the brink of disbanding before clinching a £995 grant from England Boxing.

The club, which was founded in 2010 and has helped hundreds of local children learn boxing, struggled during and after lockdown but is now punching above its weight again.

Club Secretary Claire McDermott told the Express & Star: "We were behind on the rent, behind on utility bills and really were close to giving it all up.

"We have helped so many kids over the years but we were putting our own money in and something had to give. We used to be able to buy equipment with our subs but they were going down because less people were coming out after lockdown and bills were going up."

Claire then saw on England Boxing website information about a cost of living grant for clubs in trouble.

She successfully applied and now the club is back on track.

She said: "We struggling during and after lockdown, we went down from 92 members who came every week to just 28.

"However, now we have got a spring in our step and are feeling really positive the numbers have gone back up to in the 60s."

The club has gone from being open three nights a week to five and its ladies boxercise club has become very popular.

Claire added: "Our landlord Dean Clews has been brilliant too, very understanding, and we have got a lot of support from local people.

"We all do this on a voluntary basis so we need to enjoy it, so when we see some old members getting on so well with their lives, its wonderful."

The club now has a second level two boxing coach after the committee stumped up the cash for Ash Sadlier to go on a training course.

Claire said: "It makes such a difference having two coaches, because my husband Darren has been the only one so it was a lot of work for him.

"But we all scraped together for the £300 needed for Ash and it has really given the club a boost."