A NEW gym and sports hall is set to be built on the Marsh Playing Fields in Weymouth.

Sport England has agreed to give Weymouth Amateur Boxing Club (WABC) £75,000 to fund the project.

The new facility will also accommodate youth football team Weymouth Cougars and amateur athletics club St Paul's Harriers.

Plans for the project have been in the pipeline since July 2012. The building will be based between the west side of the Moonfleet 2000 bowls centre and the football pitches.

David Nelmes, president of WABC, expressed his delight work could now commence.

He said: "This is an excellent opportunity for us to build our own facility that will be exactly how a 21st Century training and event centre should be.

"We will continue to work with youngsters from our most deprived wards."

Mr Nelmes, who has been at the club for more than 60 years, said: "It has been hard work and I would hate to put a figure on the time we have spent on this but at last we are moving forward."

WABC, which first started 1933, works with a variety of people, including those who are experiencing issues such as poor mental health, drug or alcohol problems.

The club helps develop young peoples' social and emotional capabilities, including confidence resilience and problem solving.

WABC is currently situated up a small alley off Hardwick Street. The application for a new site has come about after due to the club's own popularity, outgrowing its current premises.

The project to build the new facility has received financial support from the Bernard Sunley Foundation, Synergy Housing, The Valentine Charitable Trust, Dorset Health and Wellbeing, Agincare, Melcombe Regis Rotary Club, Weymouth Lions, Weymouth Carnival Committee, Moonfleet Bowling Club and the backing of The Friends of the Marsh.

Meanwhile, the project has also been backed by Dorset County Council, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, South Dorset MP Richard Drax and borough councillor Mike Byatt.

Last year Cllr Byatt told the Echo the new facility would add something very special to the area.

The funding work for the project has been co-ordinated by Rachel Barton of Barton Consultancy.

Funds are still being raised for the project, however. Anyone who would like to sponsor or help the project should contact Dave on 01305 812748 or 07899 925316.

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