How boxing project is helping homeless get back on their feet
“IT’S helped me a lot – if I didn’t go boxing I would be sat smoking spice and thinking about things that have happened in the past.”
Those are the words of 23-year-old Louis Takata – who is one of around a dozen homeless people helped by a new boxing programme in Cardiff.
Louis spent a total of four years living on the streets in Cardiff and around South Wales.
He became homeless when his mum died and his dad “packed up and left”.
To deal with the worse aspects of sleeping rough he started using legal highs – such as black mamba and spice.
“It has been very tough,” he recalled. “Sometimes I didn’t have a choice but to phone an ambulance just to see if I was OK.
“When I was on the streets I was on legal highs and kept putting myself into hospital. It was to deal with what I was going through and getting a bed to sleep in.”
But through getting a bed at the Litchfield Court night shelter, Louis was able to begin turning his life around.
It was from there he got involved with Fighting Homelessness – a project created by Cardiff council support and accommodation officer Rob Green and Llanrumney Phoenix Boxing Club.
Over the last 10 weeks he has been joined by a group of hostel residents, many of whom have spent long periods on the streets, to be put through their paces for an hour at the gym before preparing a meal together.
It’s helped Louis give up the drugs, start volunteer work and is about to get a permanent flat of his own.
“It’s given me a lot of confidence,” said Louis, who is originally from Ely. “I’ve been going out and telling people about this on the streets.
“It makes me want to come out on as normal day and train. It’s getting rid of a lot of energy.
“With boxing I don’t even think about spice or anything that has happened.”
Liam Liddell, another Litchfields resident, is also using boxing to turn his life around.
He spent 12 years in and out of prison, from the age of 17, while also sofa surfing, addicted to drugs and alcohol and “hanging around with the wrong crowd”.
Liam, now 29, has spent the last four months out of prison and is hoping to get a flat lined up and get into work.
He said: “I have never slept rough. My attitude was I would rather go to prison than sleep rough. I would go out and commit a crime on purpose not to sleep rough.
“This programme has made a massive difference to my state of mind, my self belief, pride, self esteem, everything.
“Boxing has been massive for me. It’s got me out of trouble, it’s made me believe in myself.”
More than 4,000 people asked Cardiff council for help with homelessness in the last year – including hundreds of children.
Rough sleeping also remains a huge issue in Cardiff with as many as 84 people recorded on the streets in June.
Liam, from Llanrumney, said: “I think it’s a crisis. It needs to be sorted asap. We need schemes like this and the right help and support.”
He has this advice for people experiencing homelessness – “don’t give up, just do whatever you can, whenever you can. Ask for the help you need – there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Rob came up with the idea of the boxing programme when another homeless man he was working with took part in a boxing event which did wonders for his mental health.
Last Friday was the last day of the 10-week pilot and he is now hopeful it will return bigger and better with more organisations involved.
Rob said: “They feel part of the community. They are doing what every other boxer would do who comes to the gym. They are not seen as different to them.
“It has been amazing. I’m so proud of the project. I’m so proud of the guys.
“We have had guys go into work, get into permanent accommodation.
“We’ve seen some guys who would never leave the flats come out and engage with complete strangers.
“We are seeing their perseverance develop. It gives them a sense of achievement and it’s a powerful thing. Sport is a game changer. I feel this project has been a massive game changer.”
Tony Richards, manager of the boxing club, said he was proud to be part of the scheme.
“It gives them confidence and mental well-being. It gives them a better outlook on life for what they want to do. It’s rewarding.
“They’ve not got a lot, but they have given a lot.”
This programme has made a massive difference to my state of mind, my self belief, pride, self esteem, everything
They feel part of the community. They are doing what every other boxer would do who comes to the gym. They are not seen as different to them