Inspirational women's boxing scheme wins Olympic honour

The scheme at Bradford College has been granted the "Inspire mark" – the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme that recognises innovative and exceptional projects directly inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Paul Porter, Bradford boxing development officer, has been instrumental in helping the Bradford Police and College Boxing Academy, based at Bradford College, go from strength to strength.

He said: "We've been awarded the accolade specifically for the work we'll be doing with female students and because the programme has been inspired by the decision to include women's boxing at the 2012 Olympics for the first time. Allowing women to box in the Olympics has been the 'final piece in the jigsaw' and will boost female participation.

"The Inspire mark is difficult to get. You have to prove you have a good quality programme, which we have.

"Any female boxer that joins our academy can fulfil their true potential, with the opportunity through Bradford College to become an international class boxer."

The Academy has recently been selected as one of only five colleges in the country to become a designated high performance centre for aspiring boxers aged from 16 to 19 years old.

There are now more than 800 registered and competing female boxers in England and many more women training in boxing gyms throughout the UK.

Former Bradford College student Nicola Adams trained at the Bradford Police and College Boxing Academy when it opened in 2008, and Savannah Marshall took part in the 2009 Amateur Boxing Association of England female box camp. They both won silver medals at the world championships in Barbados this year.

Sebastian Coe, chair of the London organising committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, said: "The Women's boxing programme is encouraging young women to fulfil their potential.

"I am proud that with the help of partners such as Bradford College we are delivering on our vision to use the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to boost participation in sport."