Boxing champ Gary Sykes officially opened a new youth ‘cabin’ in Mirfield.
Dewsbury-based Gary, the reigning British Super Featherweight Champion, cut the ribbon at the new building at Shepley Bridge Marina, off Huddersfield Road.
The marina is the base of the Kirklees Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.
The new cabin will provide much needed indoor space for young people working towards their Duke of Edinburgh awards and to provide additional activities for young people with disabilities.
Kirklees Duke of Edinburgh‘s Award Trust in partnership with Kirklees Integrated Youth Support Services and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd have worked together to improve facilities at the Shepley Bridge site.
Kirklees Council’s Mirfield Area Committee provided much of the funding to buy the wooden cabin and a host of other funders including Balfour Beattie, HSBC, O2 and landowners Dr Reddy Laboratories Ltd have helped with materials, cash and volunteer time to get the cabin up and running.
The cabin is located in Little Deer Wood, an area of woodland that is used for a range of outdoor activities including climbing, gardening and food growing, archery, canoeing, orienteering and bush-craft.
The cabin is needed to provide a space for activities with young people especially in the winter months.
The site is also used for team building activities and work with young people with disabilities.
One of those projects is the Wacky Programme that takes place for three weeks each August to provide exciting and challenging activities for Kirklees young people with physical and learning disabilities.
The event was also used to showcase new adapted cycles purchased with a grant from Sport England’s Get Equipped funding programme, which will enable more young people with disabilities and additional needs to take part in cycling.
Denise Bedford MBE, from Kirklees Integrated Youth Support Services, said: “This is a brilliant example of the public and private sector working together to help young people, whatever their background or abilities, to achieve brilliant things.
“Our centres depend on the support of a small army of committed volunteers too and I think our site shows what can be achieved when everyone pulls together to make something great.”
