Energetic youngsters will have the chance to try out new sports and activities after Portishead Youth Centre secured funding from Sportivate.

The money, which is provided by Sport England, will be used to put on eight-week courses to encourage young people to be more active and try something new.

Between now and Christmas, the Harbour Road facility will run sessions in parkour; fitness boxing; golf extreme - which includes indoor and outdoor golfing activities; and boogie bounce - an aerobics class on a mini trampoline, with those aged 11 or above able to take part for eight weeks for the usual youth club fee of £1.

At the end of the time, the funding will also be used to provide incentives to encourage the youngsters to continue the sport. For example, providing a voucher to redeem at Portishead’s Academy of Gymnastics which runs regular sessions in parkour, an activity that sees participants running, jumping and climbing between and over obstacles.

Youth worker Kim Dodd said: “Sport is always something we encourage here.

“We want young people to take part in activities which are fun and also things when they don’t always realise they are doing fitness.

“We ran parkour sessions last summer and they proved really popular so thought it would be great to do that again.

“A taster session of fitness boxing was also really well received.

“Nina East runs commercial boogie bounce sessions already and every Wednesday a lot of the young people end up with their faces pressed up against the window watching it so we thought it would be good to put a course on for them.”

For more information or to register an interest email kim@portisheadyouthcentre.co.uk