HORSESHOE Amateur Boxing Club are celebrating after being awarded an £8,500 grant.

The club, which is situated at Crowood House off Gipsy Lane, has seen its membership grow from six to 46 over the past two years and head coach Brian Roberts is delighted that they have managed to secure this extra funding.

“It’s great that we have managed to get this lottery grant,” Roberts said. “It is quite a substanial amount of money and it will help us develop more coaches and team leaders.

“The idea is to run courses to help keep youngsters interested in sport - because that is the hardest thing we face.

“What this money will help us do is help develop our coaches and team leaders.”

Horseshoe are looking to run their first course in October, where teenagers will begin working towards their ABAE level one coaching badge.

And Roberts is also hoping that the club can help develop coaches to gain their full badges.

“At the moment, including myself we have four coaches at Horseshoe,” Roberts said. “In October we should have another two.

“When we started the Horseshoe club we had six members, now after a couple of years we have got 46.

“We are progressing well and this money can help us grow even more.”

With the season currently closed, Horseshoe boxers will return to action next month.