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BOSTON WEIGHT TRAINING CLUB
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Round-up for September 12, 2007 Boston Weight Training Club is celebrating its 50th
anniversary on Saturday (September 22) with an event at Boston Assembly
Rooms. BWTC was founded in 1957 by Pete and Alan Allenby who used the front
room of their mum’s house. After a weight went through the front room floor
the club was forced to move, taking up residence in various spare rooms in
pubs and lofts around the town. Having started before fitness clubs were introduced, it
was focused on strength training and bodybuilding with some of the early
members winning many championships in these fields. Eventually the club was
given permission by Boston Borough Council to use a disused fishermen’s shed
on the quayside opposite Boston Grammar School. This was the start of a
successful partnership with Boston Borough Council who, over the years, have
provided support, including the use if its buildings. The club was forced to move again when Haven Bridge was
being built and, after several temporary homes, it finally bought its current
premises in Threadneedle Street thanks to loans from the Boston Borough
Council and the then East Midlands Sports Council. These premises were
purchased from local furnishers, Cammacks, who were extremely helpful and
encouraging to the club. They never pursued the sale of the premises
elsewhere until the Weight Training Club was able to confirm it was in a
position to purchase and waited nine months for this to happen. As the club grew and became more successful it began to
receive support from local firms, in particular Craven and Nicholas who made
equipment and charged very little. Over the years the club has arranged and
hosted many Bodybuilding competitions drawing crowds of over 1000 to venues
in Skegness in the 1980s and 1990s. Although these events are not as popular
today, the club still holds an event at the Conference Centre at Pilgrim
Hospital that still attracts several hundred spectators. Like all clubs it has it highs and lows with its biggest
low being the death of founder Pete Allenby in 2002. This had a huge impact
on the club. However Gill, Peter’s wife, together with Brian Smith, Neil
Greswell and other committee members, have continued to work tirelessly to
ensure Boston Weight Training Club is one of the most successful clubs in the
area. They have, in particular, given a warm welcome to
immigrant workers in the area, particularly from the Eastern European
countries, and this is another dimension that has helped the club to continue
to flourish. With more than 400 members, they are hoping for another 50
successful years. * For further information, contact John Harness on 0799
052347 or Brian Smith on 07776 257926. |
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