Boxing clever to get youths off the street
HOUSING bosses are turning to boxing to try to keep groups of youths off the streets in a former Doncaster pit village.
St Leger Homes and Doncaster Council are setting up a boxing club for youngsters which they hope to launch in April to get kids off the streets and to keep them fit and active.
Staff at St Leger - the organisation that manages around 21,000 homes for Doncaster Council - and Doncaster Council's neighbourhood team are working together to plan the venture.
Ideas are still in the pipeline, but it is hoped the boxing club will be launched around Easter in the function room at The Poacher pub on Radburn Road, for young people aged between 11 and 19.
Pat Conlan, an estates officer for St Leger Homes, who is leading efforts to set up the boxing club, said: "Parents have said there isn't much for the young people to do in the area and so we are introducing these clubs to keep the young people busy.
"Research shows young people who learn to box also learn respect and self discipline as well as keeping fit and healthy. At the moment I'm liaising with Highfields Amateur Boxing Club who are willing to support the venture for six months.
"We picked the function room of the local pub because we want to take the club to the young people, rather than them having to travel.
"If this venture is a success we will work to introduce a permanent club in Rossington."
St Leger Homes is expecting a 1,930 grant to support the project from South Yorkshire Sport Unlimited.
Both the housing firm and the council are part of the Safer Doncaster Partnership - a statutory body also including the police, fire service, and health authority - set up to reduce crime and disorder in the borough.
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