"WE SAVED the centre for you – now come and use it."
That is the message from kickboxing campaigners after they rescued Immingham Resource Centre from closure – and have now launched a new club there.
As reported, angry residents and clubs associated with the centre launched a petition to save the centre after North East Lincolnshire Council announced their plans to close the centre in Margaret Street earlier this year.
The campaign worked and now members of the Immingham Freestyle Kickboxing Club – formerly called Extreme Kickboxing Club – are urging more people to join their club and learn the martial art.
Run by Jamie Charlton – former fourth Great Britain champion black belt – and his niece, Stevie-Lyn Hodson, they have relaunched the club under a new name following months of uncertainty during the talks of closure.
Stevie, who took up the sport ten years ago after being bullied at school, hopes now the centre is safe more people will sign up to the club.
She said: "I was obviously so thrilled when the Resource Centre was saved. It is a home to us as a team and means I can continue doing what I love. Now we want to turn the club around and get more people involved.
"The club is friendly and fun and it helps build people's fitness and confidence whilst learning a new skill."
The club teaches kickboxing, self-defence, freestyle and fitness at the twice-weekly sessions which are for both sexes from the age of 11 and above.
Among them are Greg Morrison, 25, of Immingham, who has been kickboxing on and off for three years.
He said: "I stopped due to injury and general laziness but have come back since they started back up. I get a lot of fitness out of it and I am learning a lot.
"It is great to have a club like this in Immingham and I was concerned when they were thinking about closing it."
Kieran Hiles, 22, a trainee sports teacher, said: "The sessions cater for everyone. It is friendly and the coaches really support the new members. More people need to come and give it a go. It is here for everyone."
Gemma Drinkhall, 29, has been kickboxing for a year and was a member when it was Extreme Kickboxing Club. She said: "It teaches you how to work as part of a team and gives you a higher level of fitness. I didn't want this place to close. It is part of the local community and people should come and give it a try."
Stevie added: "People have got to just give it a go. It has helped me to fight a lot of demons from being bullied. It built my confidence and made me who I am today and I would urge anyone looking to combat bullying or self-confidence problems to give it a go."
Sessions run on Wednesdays from 8.15pm to 9.15pm and Fridays from 7pm to 9pm. For more information, contact Stevie on 07580 113489.
