Scrappers Boxing Gym & Community Fitness Centre received a visit from local MP Justin Tomlinson to help raise awareness of the fantastic new project set up to provide access to fitness and boxing skills for local people with disabilities.
The Swindon Children’s Scrapstore recently secured a grant of £8,069 funding from the Big Lottery Fund to provide free boxing skills and fitness sessions for people with disabilities offering more choice and opportunities to enjoy the benefits of accessible physical activity and increasing participation among disabled people. The funding has also paid for new equipment that is suitable for use by disabled people. The funding was secured for this project following a trial pilot project held last year which was very successful this led us to apply to the Big lottery for funding.
The project provides regular weekly boxing skills sessions at Scrappers Boxing Gym & Community Fitness Centre for a period of 40 weeks for people with disabilities, sessions take place every Monday and Friday from 10am – 11am.
Scrappers Boxing Gym & Community Fitness Centre is a project set up and managed by the registered charity ‘Swindon Children’s Scrapstore’. The gym was set up in 2001 to provide a low-cost alternative to expensive commercial fitness centres to enable access to fitness equipment for all allowing more people especially young people and those on low incomes to increase their health and fitness.
Justin Tomlinson MP said: “I was absolutely delighted to see the wonderfully inspiring activities that are going on at Scrappers Gym. As the former Minister for Disabled People, I have done a huge amount of work to promote disability sport as it so important to break down barriers and allow everybody to enjoy the power of sport. The disability boxing was an enjoyable yet thorough work out for people of all ages, all with different disabilities. Everybody had a beaming smile on their face and this is a facility that Swindon can be truly proud of.”
Paul Rogers, Scrappers Gym Head Boxing Coach said: “The gym is open to everyone but it is those from disadvantaged backgrounds and young people with disabilities or learning difficulties, who have benefitted the most. It has tackled isolation and improved their health. People seem to think it is just about punching bags, but when you start putting combinations of punches together you realise that it requires mental thought as well as the co-ordination of the body.”
Olivia McCann, Scrapstore Project Manager said: “We are very grateful for the support of MP Justin Tomlinson to help raise awareness of the project and hopefully it will encourage more people with disabilities to come along and take part to help them increase their fitness, mobility, confidence and self-esteem. This community project is the only one in Swindon which provides access to boxing for disabled people and proves that disability poses no limits to success. We aim to provide an affordable, safe, supportive and welcoming environment at Scrappers Gym helping to reduce isolation and increase participation."
Scrappers Boxing Gym & Community Fitness Centre is located on the same site as the 24HR Gym, we are located on the Ground Floor of Sensor House, Langley Road, Hillmead, Swindon, SN5 5WB.
