A BOXING club's first birthday is being celebrated in trademark style.

A gruelling training session has been planned to help prepare the Holmes Chapel Boxing Club's pugilists for the club's first home show on Saturday, February 8.

The club, affiliated to England Boxing, were established in January 2019 to provide opportunities for young people and a facility for the wider community.

Club boxers have so far competed 10 times and will have 16 boxers, age 10 to 16, on show on February 8.

With over 20 registered boxers, further shows are planned for April and inter-club competitions including a London trip to watch the Olympic qualifiers.

An overseas tournament is planned for later this season.

To encourage female participation the club also runs girls-only classes on Thursday nights and hope to include a female bout in a forthcoming competition.

Knutsford Guardian:

"We have had an a amazing year – a lot of work but we have raised funds, built a gym, trained a squad and competed across the region," said head coach Kevin Brownlow.

"We are now at the next stage of the club development. We are striving for the championships and need a more robust organisational structure to support the volunteers and a minibus to transport the squad as a team.

"Over the next 12 months we are aiming for our first champion, either in the schools, development championships or at a Boxcup competition.

"We will also build on the community involvement and achieve our aim of charitable status.

"The gym is open for adult boxing fitness training every Saturday morning.

"This provides an excellent opportunity for residents to use the facilities but also help fund the club and help us as we save for a minibus to transport the boxers to competitions."

Club chiefs say success in the first 12 months has been possible due to the help and support from the community.

The club are seeking further support in the following ways:

* By buying tickets to the 16-bout show on February 8, from the gym or register your interest at boxingchapel.co.uk

* The club are working towards charitable status and would welcome enquiries from qualified people interested in becoming a trustee. Contact hcboxingclub@gmail.com

* By helping raise funds for a club minibus. The February show will be a big part of this but they also have a donation page justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hcboxingclub