Boxing club’s knockout plan

Eric Noi... “This will be a real Oldham project for Oldham people”

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A BOXING club is hoping to be a town centre big hitter after unveiling plans to move into a new venue.

Oldham Boxing and Personal Development Centre, currently based in Derker, has submitted an application to Oldham Council to move into the disused Victoria House, Greaves Street.

As well as boxing lessons and keep-fit classes, the centre runs projects which use sport to help people tackle alcohol and drug misuse.

The application has been welcomed and approved by Oldham Town Centre Partnership board, which was asked to comment on the plans.

Insp Melita Worswick, from the Oldham Town Centre Neighbourhood Police Team, said the move would be “excellent” for the town centre.

She said: “It’s not just boxing but a development centre, they work with people with drug and alcohol problems.

“It will become a much more central venue for children and adults who come to it.”

The centre’s director, Eric Noi, said the club had first looked into moving to Victoria House — which used to be known as Firth House and was the base for Oldham Council housing department — in November, 2009.

The centre has since brought a range of stakeholders on board the project including GMP, the Amateur Boxing Association of England and construction company Willmott Dixon.

Mr Noi said the move would breathe life into a disused town centre building, but they would still keep a presence in Derker.

He said: “Around 60 people come to us every day and can access the substance misuse programme we run at night.

“Moving to Victoria House would make us more accessible to more people.

“Getting such a positive response from Oldham Town Centre Partnership means a lot to me.

“This will be a real Oldham project for Oldham people and we are looking for any businesses interested in coming on board to get in contact with us.”

Anyone interested should call 0161-628 6869.

Nigel Newton, managing director of Clarke Telecom, based in Chadderton, and chairman of the centre’s stakeholder group, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to improve facilities for young people of all ages and backgrounds in Oldham.

“Its not just about boxing but using boxing as a tool to give people extra confidence.

“We’re very hopefully that we will get planning approval to create a new facility and use a building that would probably continue to deteriorate unless someone rescued it.”