Lions ABC join the Sportivate initative

Lions ABC in Dudley have become the latest Black Country institute to throw their weight behind Sport England's 'Sportivate' initiative.

Head trainer Bob Dillon, the Team GB high performance coach, has been welcoming young people into his gym to learn the basics of boxing.

And Lions - based on Bull Street, Brierley Hill - are not the only ones doing their bit to encourage sporting activity in the area.

The University of Wolverhampton put on a six-week judo programme, while the Westminster School in Sandwell have also got involved.

They have a 16-strong squad with moderate learning disabilities in their wheelchair basketball session, which doubles up as an after-school club.

'Sportivate' is National Lottery-funded and run by the Black Country Be Active Partnership, whose director Simon Hall singled out Lions for credit.

He said: "Lions Boxing Club who are making a real difference in young people's lives, using boxing skills.

"It helps young people to gain fitness, personal development, qualifications in coaching and decreases anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhood.

"It's brilliant to see so much enthusiasm for the programme and so many young people getting involved with the club."

More than 1,150 young people in the Black Country have been inspired to do sport in their own time in the first six months of the initiative.

Responding to the legacy pledge made by Seb Coe in Singapore in 2005, it's aimed at 14 to 25-year-olds who don't play sport in their own time.

The young people are then helped to find a club or venue where they can keep take part in whichever sport they enjoy.

More than 80 sports projects are part of the programme including football, netball, basketball, cricket, dance, boccia and handball.

All those who complete a course, missing no more than one session, then continue to play for at least three months will have the chance to enter a ballot for free London 2012 tickets.

Sport England has hundreds of Olympic and Paralympic tickets available for participants, via the London 2012 Ticketshare initiative.