Sport England grant helps Coopers ABC transformation
May 9, 2012 | by Matt Halfpenny
The considerable transformation of Coopers ABC is continuing apace after the long-term future of the club has been secured thanks to a Community Asset Fund grant from Sport England in January.
Club fundraiser Vanessa Kerr has worked tirelessly so that they can convert their gym – an old barn on the site of an active farm in the heart of the New Forest, Hampshire – into a state-of-the-art facility.
Following the successful funding application process, with England Boxing assisting where necessary, the club is now undergoing a series of refurbishments, including a new, insulated roof, heating system and flooring.
These changes are accompanied by a new long-term lease which will see the club housed for many years to come, backed up by the necessary legal paperwork.
It is a dream come true for Head Coach Danny Cooper, who set-up the club many years ago, paying out of his own pocket to have the – at the time – open-air cattle barn bricked up and enclosed to keep out the elements and turn it into a venue for the whole community to enjoy.
An ex-professional boxer himself, Cooper knows the power of the sport and just loves giving back to benefit young people through boxing.
In fact, despite lockdown measures and coronavirus, the club continues to engage with their members through weekly training sessions via video link.
With 20 to 30 members tuning in each time, it shows the value of the club to each of the young people it engages and that they are ready to get back to the gym when possible.
“I’ve known Danny and the club for over six years now, and I am truly so excited to see the end result of this project,” said England Boxing’s Southern Counties Club Support Officer Avoen Perryman.
“The club really is an asset to their community and never stop pushing forward to develop into something very special.
“Credit must be given to Ruth and Vanessa from the club, who work, like Danny, tirelessly to ensure things are well organised, doing all of the sometimes thankless tasks in the background, which go unseen by most members, but are absolutely essential.”
To find out more about Cooper’s ABC, you can go to their Facebook page by clicking here.
