The FlightPath Fund has awarded £780 to help a local minister become a contender with his new weekly boxing fitness classes.
Erskine Parish Church Minister David Nicolson recently took part in a course at the famed Hatton Boxing Academy to learn the skills needed to set up fitness classes for a group of S1 and S2 pupils from the town’s Park Mains High School.
The award made by the FlightPath Fund covered the full cost of purchasing 10 sets of boxing gloves and 10 sets of pads with the first session taking place last week.
Rev David, who has been Minister of the popular church since 2019, said: “We are profoundly grateful to the Flightpath Fund for giving us the seed investment required to get this project up and running. It’s an exciting new venture for both the church and the high school.
“The non-contact classes are centred around fun, fitness and focus and have been going well. Boxing training is an outstanding way to improve cardio-vascular fitness, improve co-ordination, balance, and has even been shown to offer mental health benefits. As well as this we aim to focus on respect, discipline, and even a little mindfulness - so it’s a complete workout.”
More than £130,000 is being made available by the FlightPath Fund this year to support community groups, charities and sustainability-themed projects local to Glasgow Airport. A total of £79,000 has been awarded so far this year to 42 diverse groups.
The Fund’s committee is continuing to urge neighbouring groups and organisations to submit applications and is keen to support sustainability-themed projects aimed at improving the environment in the communities local to the airport.
The FlightPath Fund was established in 2010 to provide financial support to community groups and charities committed to improving the opportunities, facilities and services available to local people. Funding awards will continue to focus on three key areas:
- Employment - We recognise the importance of making sure the future workplace is equipped with the skills that society and industry demands and, by supporting specific projects, we aim to help young people in the community reach their full potential. Awards will be given to exciting local projects that can break down barriers to employment through skills development.
- Environment - To underpin our commitment to making a positive contribution to the environment, the FlightPath Fund supports projects with a focus on protecting and enhancing our natural environment.
- The FlightPath Fund supports social and educational projects which are designed to bring positive benefits and to change the lives of people in the communities we serve.
The FlightPath Fund’s committee, which includes elected representatives from each of the four local authority areas, meets regularly throughout the year to consider all applications made and to allocate any agreed financial support.
To find out more about applying for funding support, visit: www.glasgowairport.com/community and download the application form and our funding guidelines. The next meeting of the FlightPath Fund will take place on Friday 1 September and applications should be submitted no later than three weeks prior to the meeting.
To find out more about Erskine Parish Church visit: Church | Erskine Parish Church | Scotland