A former beer cellar and a pool room in Cricklewood, both disused since 2006 and 1982 respectively, have become the new home of Cricklewood Amateur Boxing Club after local businesses and Brent Council came to the rescue.
The Powerday Foundation, Brent Council, local building supplies firms, MP Moran, Travis Perkins, and others stepped in to convert and fit out the disused rooms under Cricklewood’s Railway Club.
The fit-out ended five years of moving from pillar to post for Antrim man Rob Buick’s amateur boxing club, which he originally founded in Camden in 2016.
Among those present for the unveiling were the leader of Brent Council Cllr Muhammed Butt, Cllr Parvez Ahmed who represents that ward and Mayor of Brent Cllr Ernest Ezeajuhi.
Funding for the £80,000 fit-out, including modern changing rooms, was provided by local firm Powerday’s Powerday Foundation, Brent Council and Sport England.
As part of the funding arrangement the club’s facilities will be open to the wider community with the aim of providing health and mental well-being opportunities for local young people, schools and other groups.
The Club itself has, as one of its aims, positive interventions for local young people to negate anti-social behaviour through controlled and disciplined sporting experience and social engagement.
