Hurlingham and Chelsea School pleased as punch with Mayor’s sporting grant
Thursday December 22, 2011
A local secondary school, with a solid history of promoting boxing, is set to expand their sporting facilities following a cash injection from the Mayor’s Sports Legacy programme.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, recently announced £1m of funding to boost a host of sporting facilities at clubs, playing fields and recreation grounds across London, of which £90,000 has been allocated to Hurlingham and Chelsea School.
The money has been earmarked for 20 different projects and is the latest to be awarded from the Mayor’s £15.5m Sports Legacy Fund, which with match funding and private sector investment now stands at over £30m.
After working hard to build strong links to boxing within the school and local community, Hurlingham and Chelsea’s business manager Ian Illett, said the welcome funding boost will enable the school to further enhance their planned refurbishments.
Ian said: “One big purchase we will be making is a mobile boxing ring with the remainder of the money being invested on infrastructure and the gym refurbishment. The mobile boxing ring can be demounted during the school day allowing the PE department to have full use of the gym during the day. The boxing club will then set up the ring as and when it is needed.”
The school, in partnership with Sands End Police Community Boxing Club, offers boxing sessions twice a week. These are held immediately after school for students and then there is an open session for the public later in the evening. There is also a public session held every Saturday.
Ian said: “While no plans are finalised just yet, the aim is that the school will be offering various types of physical activity sessions which will be open to the public.”
Ian said: “The school is endeavouring to become a hub within the community and these building plans are just one element of achieving this. The school has moved on from a bleak future six years ago and is now achieving its highest results with an outstanding judgement from Ofsted. Op top of this, we are also securing our links with our local community.”
Work on the upgrade started on December 19 and includes plans to redevelop the sports areas which have become run down. Ian said: “The sports redevelopment includes a fitness suite, activity room for yoga and Pilates as well as improved facilities in changing areas as well as upgrading the sports hall ceiling.”
Cllr Helen Binmore, H&F Council cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This is excellent news for Hurlingham and Chelsea School who together with the Sands End Police Community Boxing Club, have an impressive track record of encouraging boxing amongst their students and within the local community. This funding boost from the Mayor will hopefully put the spotlight on the school’s hard work promoting the sport to young people.”
