Ogmore Valley Dragons Boxing Club has been thrown a lifeline after a final donation of more than £6,000 has allowed the Club to reach its £45,000 fundraising target, allowing the purchase of the building it operates from.
The Club, which has been operating from its home in Bethania Row for over ten years – paying just a small ‘peppercorn’ rent to the owner throughout, was dealt the worrying news that the owner of the building wanted to sell up for personal reasons. After years of support from the owner, Club members were determined to do all they could to reach their fundraising goal and ensure that members of the Club were not left homeless.
Ogmore Valley Dragons Boxing Club Head Coach, Dean Morgan, explains: “We have worked so hard to build up the Club and have seen first-hand the difference it has made to people, especially youngsters, in the Ogmore Valley community. We have been so grateful to the owner for his support over the years but when we learnt that the building was to be sold, we knew we needed to do all we could to buy it ourselves.”
Dean and other club members set to work fundraising, applying for grants and personally putting money into the pot. Needing to raise £45,000 by March 2021, they were delighted when Pennant Walters provided the final £6,000 to ensure they hit their target, allowing them to buy the building.
Dean continued: “We have worked our socks off to ensure that the building wasn’t bought from under us and were absolutely over the moon when we learnt that we’d been successful in our application for money from Pennant Walters. The Club is much more than just a venue – it’s a facility that brings together people from across the Ogmore Vale community. We see women, men and groups train here, as well youngsters who are often suffering from confidence issues.
“Coming together to train makes such a difference to the lives of people who set foot through our doors and, I speak on behalf of everyone involved with the Club, I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated and for Pennant Walters for ensuring that we hit our target!”
The money has been donated after Ogmore Valley Dragons Boxing Club applied for money from Pennant Walters community funding. The fund is linked to the construction of the new, but standalone, Pant y Wal Wind Extension Farm, adjacent to Ogwr Valley.
Pennant Walters, Managing Director, Dale Hart said: “We are thrilled that this funding has meant that Ogmore Valley Dragons Boxing Club can continue to operate from the home that everyone has worked so hard to build over the years.
“Our wind energy projects come with community funds that we use to invest in projects such as this and our aim is to bring very real benefits to the communities in the vicinity of our projects, providing financial assistance and expertise where we can.”
Ogmore Valley Dragons Boxing Club has a good standing in Welsh championships, having gained championship honours every year since 2010. Some Club boxers have also gone on to represent Wales in international contests.
Pictured : Pennant Walters Operations Manager, Harry Llewellyn with Ogmore Valley Dragons boxers Maddy Smith (18) and Ollie Gregory (10)