It's as easy as ABC for our communities team!
On Thursday 10th September our communities team attended the opening ceremony of the new premises of West Herts ABC (Amateur Boxing Club) that we helped fund through our Community Development initiative.
Saud Hafiz, founder of West Herts ABC, approached us earlier this year with an in depth application for our Community Development Fund - dedicated to providing funding to local organisations that can help enrich and support our local communities.
As a level 2 qualified England Boxing Coach, Saud and West Herts ABC are fully affiliated and the team have extensive experience in raising aspirations of young people and championing our local community, so with this, the funding panel happily approved full funding. our support has provided a rubber crumb flooring throughout the club building, and this 15ml thick rubber floor will now provide a safe environment for users to train in. Funding has also gone towards essential fixtures and fittings which include the boxing ring frame, beam work fittings for 13 punch bags and finally, for Covid safety, there are four hand sanitiser fixings and plumbing for three hand wash units now installed too.
Using boxing as a healthier outlet from the trouble he could have found himself in as a young man, Saud found a great mentor who guided him, helping him go on to fight at county level. Now, he is now bringing his experience full circle, ensuring Watford ABC allows other kids to have the opportunity to channel their energy in a healthy way, where they can learn discipline and respect for others and help them stay away from crime and spend their time productively instead. The boxing club welcomes people of any age and ability, and aims to champion our community by bringing together individuals from different backgrounds and beliefs.
It’s clear that Saud and the club are incredibly passionate about helping others, and with this passion, they will ensure that the club can be a real asset to the community by working with the Community Support Safety team at Watford Borough Council, the Police and recently partnering with the Watford Youth Strategy Group on behalf of YC Hertfordshire. Attendees to the opening ceremony also included members of Watford Borough Council and other targeted youth support services such as Herts MIND Network, First Rung and the Princes Trust, who the Boxing Club will also work with going forward.
It is always fantastic to see the difference our funding can make to our communities and we can’t wait to work more with Saud and his colleagues at Watford ABC in the future!
If you are part of an organisation that could use our support, please complete the application form here and return it to community@wcht.org.uk
