THOUSANDS of young people across Derbyshire could benefit from a unique project designed to turn their lives around.

In the first partnership of its kind in the country, Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Police are set to team up to extend the successful Ozbox project which offers boxing-based fitness sessions designed to boost confidence and self-esteem.

Young people aged between 11 to 19 have benefited from the sessions which offer them an alternative interest, and last month, members of the county council’s Cabinet gave £462,000 to the project to target even more young people considered at risk of spiralling towards crime.

Under the scheme six new community gyms will be opened in parts of the county with high levels of deprivation and anti-social behaviour. They will offer 12 one-hour Ozbox sessions each week of the year for up to 50 young people at a time.

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