Littleborough Boxing and Fitness Club aiming high for the future

Julie Durrant in Littleborough Boxing and Fitness Club

Littleborough Boxing Club and Fitness Centre is preparing for major development in the centre of Littleborough.

The club formed in 2012 in a small unit on Brown Street and is now fully set up in the Free Trade Hall Building on Church Street, now known as LABC Boxing and Fitness Club. The club has secured funding to help develop the centre and turn it into a health and fitness hub in the heart of Littleborough.

In addition to the funding, the club has also had funding from:

• The Big Lottery Awards for All to have a ramp and disabled toilet installed to make the building fully accessible - full planning permission and building regulations have now been approved so work on this will commence in the next few weeks.
• Sport England to purchase fitness equipment to ensure the building is fully equipped for the plans moving forward.
• Sport England Flood Relief Fund and Rochdale Council to repair electrics, boiler, equipment and plasterwork damaged by the boxing day floods.
• Forever Manchester to help develop daytime activities for older residents.
• Donation of a front door from PDS The UK Door and Window Company.

The club has also secured funding from NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group to employ a dedicated officer to help transform this building to a vibrant centre. Julie Durrant, who has 28 years’ experience of working in the sport and leisure industry and has worked for Rochdale Council, Link4Life and more recently with Bury Council on a National Sport England programme, will take up the new role.

Ms Durrant said: “I am very excited about the prospect of getting the building fully operational.

"Littleborough Boxing Club already do some fantastic work in the local community under the guidance of Mark Oldham who has been the head coach since its inauguration.

"Mark works tirelessly to develop and promote boxing in the village and also has a large following for his Boot Camps and Personal Training sessions.

"This current position will be a great starting point to move the club forward.

"The club have already undergone some major refurbishment and now have one of the best boxing facilities in the region. Work has now commenced on the ground floor refurbishment and already turned one downstairs room into an indoor cycling centre. The main room will hopefully be complete by the end of May.

“Hopefully once all the refurbishments have taken place we can start to put on day time classes alongside what is already on offer. We are open to suggestions and want it to be used for what the people of Littleborough are interested in.

"We have already have had requests for yoga, pilates and Tai Chi and gentle exercises for the older residents. I'm keen to hear any other suggestions so we can incorporate them into our plans. We are also working with LEAF to look at supporting the farmer's market every second Sunday with a car boot sale and indoor table top sale, the potential is endless."