GRASSROOTS coaching for sports including basketball, cricket, handball and boxing will be available this summer thanks to subsidy from the Mayor of London.

FreeSport grants from City Hall will allow providers to set up training sessions while extra cash was forthcoming for the refurbishment of the indoor facilities at Aspire National Training Centre in Wood Lane, Stanmore, and for the construction of new disabled changing rooms at Vale Farm Sports Centre in Watford Road, Harrow.

First time organiser Vinal Somani, head coach at Lohana Cricket Club, is hosting four day-long workshops from August 15 for youngsters at RCT Sports and Social Ground in Headstone Lane, Harrow.

He said: "We're offering an introduction to cricket for kids aged 8 to 15 and it's going to be run by eight qualified coaches.

"It's fundamental the children understand what the sport is about and we then teach fielding and catching, bowling, batting and then play a game.

"We have about 75 places for each day and we have reserved a number of places for disabled children, and a number for girls.

"We realised that if you're going to charge children, they're not going to come."

Up the road at Bessborough Cricket Club in Pinner View, Harrow, there will be a cricket development academy for children and young adults up to the age of 24 while a 10-week course in non-contact boxing for the under-16s is being hosted by the Sweet Science charity at Harrow High School in Gayton Road, Harrow.

Rosie Williams, centre manager at the Aspire National Training Centre that received a £14,000 capital grant, said: "We're very pleased to get that bit of funding through.

"We're going to introduce automatic pull-down basketball nets with Perspex backs and we're putting up hockey rebound boards and a dividing curtain so the hall can be split into different sections for multiple activities."

Grants to Brent will underwrite a 10-week beginner's handball course at Chalkhill Youth and Community Centre in Poplar Grove, a turn-up-and-play football game for over-16s of both sexes at South Kilburn Open Space in Peel Road, Kilburn, and basketball coaching for boys under 14 and girls of all ages from Brent Ballers Basketball Club at Preston Manor High School in Carlton Avenue East.

n For a full list of FreeSport activities, see www.london.gov.uk/playsport/freesport