Last Friday evening proved very rewarding for Norton Radstock Amateur Boxing Club. For the second year running, the club were invited to attend the Radstock and Westfield Big Local ‘Dragon’s Den’ event at Victoria Hall, courtesy of Big Local organiser, Sarah Westell.
Running for a sixth year, the event helps local community projects pitch for a potential win of £500.
There to deliver their one-minute pitch in front of the public and three dragons were club coaches, Sean Jenkins, Jeff White, Katy Simmons and members of the club itself. Speaking about the effects that bullying has on a young person’s life and the rebuilding of confidence and self-respect a boxing club can provide, the voters decided to award the club with some much-needed funds.
Jeff said: “We are over the moon with the outcome. Once again, our efforts are being recognised and appreciated by the local community for the hard work we put into running a boxing club. It’s not always about finding the next Amir Khan or Nicola Adams; it’s about teaching kids respect, discipline and fitness, and giving them the confidence to achieve things in life.”
The club has also begun a women’s-only boxing and fitness class on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 p.m. Run by the club’s female coach, Katy, the first session is free.
Katy explains: “Since we began the sessions, the numbers attending have grown, week on week. Ladies of all ages and fitness levels attend and really enjoy the fact that it is a physical workout as well as learning some boxing techniques, without the contact element of the sport.”