Hillsborough Judo Club have started 2012 with a cash boost after receiving £8,000 from Sport England’s Small Grants Programme.

Club Official Cameron McDowall said: “We are all absolutely delighted that our efforts have been rewarded with this important milestone of our long term game plan.

“With a new judo mat on the funding list this means Hillsborough Judo Club can now introduce two extra days of judo into the week complimenting our usual Friday night training schedule.

“We all wanted to get the Sunday morning training back which a lot of senior judo players enjoyed some time ago and we now can do this alongside a new Kano class to be run for 5-8 year olds.

“The strength and numbers of different levels of coaches will be second to none, the funding has helped to achieve this important factor of our game plan. The award will also increase our equipment with extra safety mats, and grappling dummies which the juniors cannot wait to get their hands on.

“This year we have our sights on another project which could result in more funding of an equivalent value, we do not want to miss any opportunity especially when the Olympics are upon us.”

Hilsborough Judo Club train at Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield, S6 2AN. Boys and girls train on a Wednesday and Friday at 18:00 – 19:30.