A new basketball club will bounce into Elmbridge's borders in the new school year, with training sessions starting next week.

Goldhawks Basketball was set up in 2012 by Alex Sarama, 19, when he was 16, and now has a club in every Surrey borough.

Mr Sarama said: "We got some funding from England Basketball to run the club for the whole year, so it'll be completely free for every kid for a year."

The Elmbridge charter of Goldhawks will run training sessions at Heathside School, Weybridge, from Thursday, September 11.

Mr Sarama is keen to emphasise that the focus is to create a social enterprise, teaching participants about living a healthy lifestyle and having fun while exercising.

Teams from each club will play against other borough clubs, in their own league and with individual kit.

Goldhawks have had numerous few emails expressing interest in the new club, which will have about 30 members to each session.

Mr Sarama discussed the split in girls and boys within the clubs, commenting: "In terms of national league there's a lot more interest from the girls at first, but in the clubs it tends to be a 50/50 split."

Originally a junior member of Guildford Heat, a British Basketball League club, Mr Sarama is now studying history at Nottingham University while running Goldhawks.

The club is open to anyone from the ages of 11 to 16, with the first session planned for September 11 from 5pm to 6pm.

  • To find out more, call 07732 806120 or visit goldhawksbasketball.com/junior-sessions/elmbridge-goldhawks.