Portsmouth groups are boxing clever after being given £59,000 Children in Need boost

TWO Portsmouth groups have received thousands of pounds in funding from BBC Children in Need.
Q ShillingfordQ Shillingford
Q Shillingford

In the latest round of the initiative’s small grants programme, the 1851 Trust and the Heart of Portsmouth Boxing Academy have secured a combined cash injection of £59,000.

The investment brings the total Children in Need has put into Portsmouth up to £731,000.

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With its three-year grant of £30,000, the 1851 Trust will fund its educational sailing sessions to disadvantaged children across the Solent area.

Pudsey Bear. Picture: BBCPudsey Bear. Picture: BBC
Pudsey Bear. Picture: BBC

Dubbed the ‘Go Sail! project, the initiative is aimed at increasing youngsters’ confidence and resilience, while raising their physical and emotional well-being for thr future.

Kate Mardel-Ferreira, projects and events manager at the 1851 Trust, said: ‘Go Sail! is designed to provide young people living in the Solent area with the opportunity to try sailing and learn about the science behind it.

‘There are many children living around the southern coast of England who would never dream of getting involved in sailing, yet it offers amazing personal development and career opportunities to young people from all backgrounds.

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‘As a result of this funding, there is the opportunity for young people to further their development with an RYA qualification which is fantastic.’

Also benefitting from the scheme is the Heart of Portsmouth Boxing Academy, which will use its three-year grant of £29,580 to provide non-contact boxing sessions for young people living in areas of deprivation.

It is hoped participants will enjoy an improved healthy lifestyle as a result, while boosting their confidence and self-esteem.

Q Shillingford, club secretary at the academy, said: ‘A huge thank you to BBC Children in Need for their support, which really will make a difference to young lives.

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‘Young people involved will be supported to complete the GB National Boxing Awards programme, receiving student work booklets, certificates and medals which will go towards their educational requirements in school.

‘Through our programme we aim to positively empower the young people we support to ensure they go on to reach their full potential, building their confidence and self-belief for a positive and fulfilled future.’

Since BBC Children in Need began, the public has raised more than £950m for the cause.

And in Portsmouth, a number of initiatives have benefitted – thanks to the organisation’s seven donation periods throughout the year.

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Its main grants programme gives projects more than £10,000 each year, for up to three years, while the small grants scheme provides backing of up to £10,000 for the same time frame.

BBC Children in Need’s chief executive, Simon Antrobus, said: ‘We’re delighted to be able to award these grants, thanks to the generosity of the British public.

‘This funding will help to support disadvantaged children and young people right across the UK, giving them the chance to overcome the challenges in their lives and to reach their full potential.’

To find out more about any of BBC Children in Need’s grant programmes or for information on how to apply for funding visit bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants