Success for police sports club project

Police battling anti-social behaviour in an East Yorkshire market town have boxed clever by setting up a sports club which now has more than 100 young people on the books.

Since 2009 officers have worked closely with young people and parents in Driffield to host a variety of night time classes to keep young people entertained, improve their life skills and maintain their fitness through sports such as boxing.

The idea of setting up a fitness club for young people in the town and surrounding villages came from Pc Simon Stabler.

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He teamed up with the local neighbourhood officers, who were also facing bored children with little to do, causing mischief for local residents.

Several members of the local community came forward and local residents, businesses and other organisations donated sums ranging from 30-1,000.

A venue was found and the Driffield Boxing and Fitness Club was launched, initially open one night a week for young people aged from eight to 19 years old.

Thanks to local people and businesses, Police Community Support Officers Claire Watson and Chris Webster say they were able to buy equipment.

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Meanwhile, a fund-raising campaign was launched for better premises.

In August, the club secured a new unit in the centre of Driffield.

It now has more than 100 members, and 10 adult volunteers who have completed several courses to qualify them as tutors.

PCSO Watson said: "The club initially was founded after officers in Driffield saw a direct link between boredom and mischief.

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"Parents of young children were also complaining that after school clubs were too expensive if they had more than one child and just couldn't afford the sessions,

"So we rallied together, gained lots of support from the local community and with enough funding we now have a very successful club."

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