MONKSTOWN BOXING CLUB TO KNOCK OUT OPPOSITION TO LAND TOP AWARDS TITLE

Monkstown Boxing Club is appealing for local votes as it strives to land a coveted National Lottery Awards title and be honoured on the BBC later this year

Their BoxClever project beat off stiff competition from more than 600 organisations to reach the public voting stage in this year’s National Lottery Awards – the annual search for the most popular Lottery-funded projects.

BoxClever is competing against six other contenders to be crowned the winner of the Health category.  Winners of the seven National Lottery Awards categories will get a £2,000 cash prize, an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy and attend a star-studded Awards ceremony, broadcast on BBC One in September.

The “BoxClever & Kid Gloves” project aims to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of young people from Newtownabbey and North Belfast through the use of sport to improve educational attainment and create employment pathways in underachieving 11 – 20 year olds in partnership with local schools. Among the club’s supporters are World Super Bantamweight champion Carl Frampton; former featherweight champion Barry McGuigan and Irish Olympic medallists Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlon.

Billy Snoddy, chairman of Monkstown Boxing Club said winning the prestigious National Lottery Award and having their work showcased on national television would be an honour:

“We are delighted to reach the finals of the National Lottery Awards. Funding from the National Lottery has enabled us to deliver the clubs innovative ‘Kid Gloves’ and  ‘BoxClever’ project which aims to improve young peoples educational achievement and create pathways to employment through personal development and learning through sport.  We really hope everyone can get behind this fantastic programme and vote for us, as it would be an amazing reward for young people involved to be recognised for their dedication and hard work.”

TV star and actor John Barrowman will be presenting the National Lottery Awards for the fifth time this year.  He said:

“The exceptionally selfless work carried out by National Lottery Awards finalists never fails to astound me.  Their work deserves to be celebrated nationally; the community spirit, social cohesion and compassion.”

“It is crucial that you show your support for your local project so it can get the national glory that it richly deserves. National Lottery players should swell with pride that £34 million of Lottery funding is raised every single week for projects like this across the UK.”

To vote for BoxClever please go to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards or telephone 0844 836 9684 and follow the campaign on twitter: hashtag #NLAwards.  Voting runs for five weeks from 9am on Wednesday 24 June until midnighton Wednesday 29 July.

There are seven projects competing for votes across seven categories, reflecting the main areas of National Lottery funding: arts, sport, heritage, health, environment, education and voluntary/charity.

For further information please contact The National Lottery Awards:

Ruairi O’Kane on 07788 612804 or email Ruairi.o’kane@lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

 

• Monkstown Boxing club’s BoxClever project received £337,690 of National Lottery funding through the Big Lottery Fund
• Telephone voting calls cost 5p max (a connection charge may be applied by some networks.  Please check with your provider.) 
• All voting will be independently adjudicated and verified by Electoral Reform Services