National Lottery grant allows Olympia to take sessions online

Kent not-for-profit organisation Olympia Boxing has received a National Lottery grant from Kent Sport which has allowed it to continue its boxing fitness programmes for children during lockdown.

With coaches drawn from St Mary’s ABC and other England Boxing-affiliated clubs in Kent, the Community Interest Company has adapted its usual sessions (pictured below) to deliver them online during the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The sessions will be delivered virtually in the Tonbridge and Malling areas of the county where young people with learning and sensory disabilities will be able to continue to work on their fitness, strength and co-ordination.

Alongside the boxing, they will also work on social communication, language and sensory processing with speech and language therapists, which aids both their family and school lives.

“The funding has been invaluable in helping our organisation keep moving forward,” Olympia director Wayne Smith told the Times of Tonbridge.

“Instead of delivering satellite classes in a classroom, our coaching is now delivered virtually to the vulnerable and key workers children, who are still at school.

“Because our boxing exercises do not involve contact, our clients are remaining happy and staying fit. However, as soon as lockdown is lifted, we will be back working on a face-to-face basis.”

Kent Sport, set up by Kent County Council in conjunction with Sport England, has posted regular funding updates on its website to help Olympia and others with their application processes.

It also offers advice on how clubs and athletes can remain physically active including the campaign #StayInWorkOut, which has creative ideas on how to work out at home.

To see the England Boxing Financial Assistance page, click here.