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An amateur boxing club which saw Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price MBE come through its ranks has been given a new lease of life after a refurbishment.

The refurb, which comes thanks to £9,000 Sport Wales funding and a further £2,000 from the National Postcode Lottery, has helped the club boost its numbers, with around 150 members now part of the club.

The £9,000 went towards a new ring and equipment, with the £2,000 being used to get new jigsaw mats to improve safety.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer, club secretary Brian Martin said: “The appearance of the gym has improved a lot, we put the pictures out there via social media and instantly got a lot more attention.

“I decided to run a couple of taster sessions on two weekends to get some numbers in and everyone loved it. We had 60 show up and we are now at a point where we have around 150 members from all abilities and ages.”

The club is in a completely different position to where it was two years ago. Brian said: “At one point the pandemic forced us down to 14 members. I was seriously worried about the future of Welsh amateur boxing. If boxers can’t compete, they lose interest.

“Even when training resumed there were no crowds or competitions, meaning no ticket sales, so financially it was difficult too.”

The gym has been running out of the current building since 1991. More recently, the building suffered roof damage which is currently being repaired.

“We as a club are focussed on being inclusive so it’s important that the facilities allow all abilities access,” Brian continued.

“It started with the ring which we had lowered so that the elderly and disabled could use it more easily. The showers and changing rooms too are being built with access in mind so it can be a space for everyone.”

Brian said the club is also looking to set up women-only classes, such as boxercise.

“We already train members from the age of eight to 70 but we can always do more.”

As part of efforts to boost its presence in the community, the club held a competition to design its new logo, which was won by 17-year-old Olivia Underwood.

Two years ago, the club had considered relocating, but Brian, who returned to the club at the time after a spell away, felt a refurb made more financial sense.

“Things are going well at the moment and we are still looking to grow. But at some point we won’t be able to grow any further.

“The long-term plan is to move to a new building within the next ten to 15 years, but for now we would love to get some more volunteers and trainers to help with the project.”