A FORMER world champion boxer has joined the fight to save an award-wining motivational scheme in Derbyshire.
Johnny Nelson has joined Derby fighter Chantelle Reid in urging Derbyshire police to keep OzBox open. The Sky Sports pundit was the undefeated WBO welterweight champion for seven years between 1999 and 2006 and successfully defended his title 13 times.
He said: "Keeping OzBox open in Derbyshire is a very important task. The gym staying open for 2015 and beyond will help thousands of young people in Derbyshire and carry on serving those who have benefited from it so far."
Nelson, from Sheffield, has also taken to Twitter to spread the word. On his page, which has almost 80,000 followers, he tweeted: "Help me to keep OzBox open in Derbyshire. OzBox helps thousands to succeed and support boxing."
More than 900 people have signed a petition to save OzBox.
A separate Facebook page urging Derbyshire police not to stop the scheme has more than 1,350 likes.
Among those who have signed the petition are Derby-based boxer Chantelle Reid, who now represents Great Britain and learned the sport at the OzBox gym in Allenton.
She said: "Since training with OzBox, I have become a European and multi-nations boxing champion. However, how will I reach my goal of becoming a representative for GB at any future Olympics if I have nowhere to train? My friends, family and dreams are at this gym. Please, please don't take it away from us."
Derbyshire police last month announced that OzBox, which has been running across the county for 11 years, will close its doors for the last time on January 31 due to a cut in funding. The scheme offers free boxing sessions to young people and was set up to get them fit and keep them off the streets.
OzBox founder Sgt Steve Osbaldeston was awarded the MBE in June 2011 for starting the scheme. It currently runs nine permanent and five mobile gyms.
Derbyshire police say the scheme is being axed because Big Lottery Fund money which is used to run it comes to an end on March 31 and the constabulary and the county council are being hit by Government austerity measures.
Another person to sign the petition to save the scheme is Tim Vallis, of Belper. He said: "OzBox gives kids something to do, encourages and inspires them, helps with their confidence, motivates them, and improves their social skills and interaction allowing them to build bonds and friendship they wouldn't have done otherwise."
John Spencer, of Ilkeston, has also lent his support to the petition. He said: "My daughter loves OzBox and goes to it every single week. Help!"
Georgia Moore, 15, of Woodville Road, Overseal, has been attending OzBox sessions at Woodville Community Centre for four years. The William Allitt School pupil has started a Facebook page called Save OzBox which so far has 1,491 likes.
She said: "I am overwhelmed by the response I have been getting and hopefully they have had a change of heart because now they know what OzBox means to people."
