Project to reduce anti-social behaviour in Holmes Chapel backed by police commissioner
David Keane, Cheshire’s police and crime commissioner, is lending his support to a community boxing club in Holmes Chapel which is reducing anti-social behaviour in the area.
Holmes Chapel Boxing Club launched in the east Cheshire town earlier this year to promote community cohesion and to give young people a safe place to practice their boxing skills.
It was set up following concerns raised by the Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School about the dangers faced by year 7 and 8 students who were organising unsupervised boxing matches in local parks after school with no protective headgear.
The club is led by experienced boxing coach and Holmes Chapel resident, Kevin Brownlow, who wants to tackle anti-social behaviour and help young people achieve their goals.
It is based in Goostrey and is aimed at 10 to 16 year-olds but it also runs non-contact sessions for six to nine year-olds.
Since its launch in January, the club is already proving popular with young people in the area and thanks to funding from the police and crime commissioner, it now hopes to grow its membership.
The grant awarded to the club by David Keane from his Safer Communities Fund will be used to purchase new equipment including punch bags and a boxing ring.
David said: “We’ve seen the success community boxing projects in other areas of Cheshire have had on reducing anti-social behaviour and making our communities safer.
“Boxing clubs give young people somewhere to socialise with their friends and provide structure and discipline to stop them getting caught up in trouble on our streets.
“I am pleased that my Safer Communities Fund can support Holmes Chapel Boxing Club and I hope that the funding leads to more local residents embracing the project.”
Kevin Brownlow, head coach at Holmes Chapel Boxing Club, added: “After the initial launch, it became clear how much interest and demand there was for a local community boxing club.
“The support of the commissioner and his Safer Communities for Fund has been amazing and will be very helpful in expanding the support we can offer.
“As a group of volunteers, it is great that the PCC recognises our club and supports what we are trying to do in the community.”
Holmes Chapel Boxing Club is one of nine projects across Cheshire which has recently received Safer Communities Funding to support crime prevention or meet the objectives within the commissioner’s police and crime plan.
To find out more about the Safer Communities Fund, please visit https://www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-im-doing/safer-communities-fund/
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