The UK’s first female-run boxing club has been given permission to move into a building where it will run classes for disabled, trans, non-binary and young people.
Northern Powerhouse Boxing Club has been granted planning consent to relocate to the ground floor of Hebden Bridge’s Trades Club and is now looking for funding to renovate the space.
The ground floor of the hall has been empty since it was damaged in the Boxing Day floods in 2015, but was previously used by small community groups.
General manager Josie McNamara said traditional training gyms could be intimidating for boxers from under-represented groups.
She added: “Our timetable includes 20-25 classes for kids, adult boxing and adult fitness, women-only classes, and trans and non-binary classes, the latter of which are free of charge.
“We’ve been told it’s difficult to find safe spaces for group exercise if you’re trans. It started when we reopened after the pandemic and it’s something we will always continue to do and we’ll find money from somewhere.”
The Trades Club is a well-known music venue that is run as an independent, socialist members’ co-operative. The club was built in 1924.
Northern Powerhouse was previously based in Todmorden.
The club also offers community services such as self-defence classes for teenage girls, menopause workshops and sessions in schools.
Ms McNamara said she was hoping the move to the Trades Club would allow the boxing club to expand its community offering.
“There are almost no youth services around here. There’s one youth club one afternoon a week. Teenagers have nothing to do. The premises is right next to the park where young people go, so we will have an open door policy,” she said.
She added she was hoping to offer alternative PE classes for children who aren’t in mainstream schools, and classes for wheelchair users and people with disabilities.
“The new building opens up many other opportunities. Boxing is good for wheelchair users because it’s mostly upper body. And we want to offer boxing for people with Parkinson’s disease.”
The Trades Club, which marks its 100th anniversary in 2024, was founded by local trade unions for mill workers.
It was later taken over by the Labour Party. The members’ club and music venue will remain on the second floor.
Northern Powerhouse Boxing has applied to the National Lottery Fund for a grant to start the renovation, and has also received money from West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Rural England Fund.
Ms McNamara said if the group was successful, work would begin in January and be completed in the first part of 2025.
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