Boxing for Better Futures

●     We are requesting £40000 as core funding to support our many outreach activities and community gym costs.

●   London Community Boxing (LCB) is a charity founded on the conviction that sport can play huge role in bringing people together, strengthening and broadening communities, and offering individuals a way to improve their lives. We are committed to helping people in Southwark and the surrounding areas by providing access to healthy and engaging activities at affordable prices.

●   We want to bring together people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in a common pursuit; engage the most vulnerable and marginalised members of the community; and contribute to improving health and fitness; building confidence, discipline and life skills; and enhancing prospects beyond sport.

●   LCB incorporates a community membership gym, outreach activities, and an England Boxing affiliated amateur boxing club. It also offers opportunities via volunteering, training, and employment.

●   The membership gym is a community space, where people from all walks of life can congregate take part in activities together, which we believe can contribute to bringing the community together across social, economic, cultural and other barriers, while providing diverse, positive role models for young people. The gym offers a range of concessions so that no one is excluded on the basis of affordability. All our kids’ classes (17 and under) cost just £1. People who are unemployed, on benefits or otherwise constrained financially pay just £2 to use the gym or attend a class. We also have free community classes.

●   Our special outreach sessions have engaged thousands of people from all backgrounds, with special emphasis placed on targeting those who are inactive and at-risk. We work with partners in running special programmes focusing on people with mental health issues, young offenders, people with disabilities, women with small children, people recovering from addiction, people struggling with bereavement, older people (65+), and others. These are all free for the participants. We also work with schools and other community organisations to provide specially tailored sessions for them.

●   At various times during the year (in particular holidays), we to run sessions with partners, such as Burgess Sports, Southwark Council and Dream, Believe, Achieve, InSpire. These sessions are free for the participants. We also run special sessions for schools in the area.

●   We try as much as possible to offer volunteering, training and employment opportunities to the young people who participate in our special programmes. We currently have former programme participants working on reception, coaching, and boxing as amateurs. We also offer programme graduates the opportunity to use the gym, attend classes or join the amateurs for free for a period of time if needed so they can stay in touch and continue their progress.

●   In an incredibly difficult funding environment, this funding will help ensure we can continue this work and reach even more people. Feedback, monitoring and evaluation results, and continued popularity and high attendance show how successful and impactful these sessions have been.