A popular boxing club hopes to secure its future by moving into a new premises in Kintore.
Each week more than 100 members travel to Inverurie Boxing Club (IBC) from Blackburn, Inverurie, Oldmeldrum, Alford and Turriff.
But the group, which launched two years ago, is now over capacity, and has a lengthy waiting list for all classes.
IBC currently operates out of Inverurie Academy’s gym hall, which will be demolished when Inverurie Community Campus is built.
The new development will not have the facilities needed for the group, meaning they are under pressure to find a new home before 2020.
The group – run by a committee and affiliated to Boxing Scotland – has spent a year looking for a new home and has now set its sights on Midmill Business Park in Kintore.
They have lodged a planning application with Aberdeenshire Council to lease the vacant building and use it as their new base.
Secretary Sarah Addison said: “This will allow us to have a boxing ring up at all times enabling our boxers to experience boxing in a ring, which will help prepare them for bouts and gear classes towards specific age groups and specialised classes for our registered boxers.
“This will also enable us to prepare boxers for the next level such as Scottish Championships and pushing forward onto European or Commonwealth Championships and beyond but also keeping our local roots of Inverurie Boxing Club.
“As we are a non-profit organisation, we aim to make boxing accessible for all.”
Kintore residents have been written to for feedback for the proposal and, so far, all responses have been supportive of the venture.
Morag Bennett, who lives on on Birch Wood, wrote: “It give structure to lives and goals to achieve and is great for socialising and for mental health.”
And Paul Higgson, who also lives at Castlefields Crescent, added: “My son attends IBC along with his friends and they really enjoy it but it would definitely be better in a dedicated facility.
“Boxing is a brilliant way for young and old to develop both physically and mentally and Kintore would definitely benefit from having IBC.”
