Mansfield Building Society’s Community Support Scheme has donated £893.80 to Ashfield School of Boxing to enable the club to increase its female membership.

The boxing school, based on Outram Street, Sutton, has ambitious plans to encourage female participation.

With a combined membership of 60 juniors and adults, the club wants to quash any ‘boys’ club’ perception of boxing and its door are open to all who want to train to box as well as those who simply want to use boxing for fitness.

Mark Curtis, coach at Ashfield School of Boxing, said: “This donation allows us to equip for a broader membership at the club. We are now able to put our qualified fitness coach, Hannah, through a level 1 coaching course, alongside purchasing mouth guards and hand wraps that we give to each new member.

“Having Hannah as a coach will enable us to run female-only sessions to give everyone the chance to train in an environment they are comfortable with.”

Vickie Preston, of the building society, added: “The club put forward a very detailed plan of its intentions and how that would benefit the local community. The additional purchase of 20 pairs of boxing gloves is a fantastic boost to the club and, along with its other plans, should really open the doors to our wider community.”

For further details of female-only classes, call Ashfield School of Boxing on 07738 013741 or call in at 2a Outram Street, Sutton.

For more information on the Mansfield Building Society Community Support Scheme, visit mansfieldbs.co.uk/community-support-scheme