‘Changing lives’ Boxing club set up by teenagers finally secures permanent base
ABOXING club organised and led by teenagers in one of Bristol’s most challenging areas for youth work has finally secured a permanent base, after it was set up less than two years ago.
The Hartcliffe Boxing Club, run by three older teenagers aged just 17 and 18, had gathered younger children to meet and train in the park, on football pitches and even in a supermarket car park, before now attracting funding grants and securing use of a local primary school hall.
The club has been supported by leading figures in the city from Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam to Mayor Marvin Rees, and those behind it say it’s already changing lives – and will continue to do so, now they have secured a permanent home in the hall at Merchants Primary School.
The club is the brainchild of Reegan Humphries, now 18, who suggested to local youth work leaders that a way to engage with young people in Hartcliffe and Withywood could be through a boxing gym.
That was in 2019, and he and friends Josh Dudbridge, Mitchell Cormack, 18, and later, Ella Taylor, 17, began setting up a boxing club, despite initially having no equipment or a place to hold sessions.
In early 2020, they began holding sessions on a sports court, and in a variety of different school halls in the area.
The team immediately realised there was an appetite for doing boxing training among the local youngsters.
Like many areas of Bristol, Hartcliffe has issues with antisocial behaviour among some young people, and it has especially centred around the Symes Avenue and Morrisons car park area of the South Bristol suburb.
“Reegan and Josh wanted to do something to help in the community – Reegan is interested in boxing, and from that point on we supported them to see what was involved, to visit other clubs like Empire Fighting Chance and Skemer’s in Knowle West, and get a few ideas together,” explained Grassroot Communities leader Ben Carpenter, the founder and leader of Grassroot Communities, which is supporting the club.
“They’ve been holding sessions around the area, and then Covid hit, but they didn’t give up, they moved it online and adapted. Now, it’s great that these young people have got a location now,” he added.
When lockdown hit last March, the young people filmed boxing training sessions and put them online, and got some star Bristol names to help with the videos, which featured Pat Lam, Bristol City player Tommy Rowe and Mayor Marvin Rees leading some of the warm-ups, warm-downs and sessions. It was like circuit training but something people could do at home,” explained Mitchell. “We’d each record little snippets to make the circuit in real time that they could follow. We had quite a few people who watched it, and it was a good way of staying in touch,” he added.
And when, last summer, things began to open up again, the teenagers were back out – holding boxing club sessions in the car park of Morrison’s.
“It was fun to do. Morrison’s not only agreed but they laid on refreshments for everyone too, which were really good. A couple of weeks later we returned and did a session for Morrison’s staff in the car park as a thank you,” he added.
“We had families bring their kids down and we also had people who were just coming past and joined in.”
Ella said the outdoor sessions were a success. “We had so many people we had to split it up into two bubbles of 15 each, each time,” she said.
As winter came again, the club needed somewhere indoors to go, and began to establish itself.
“It was just starting to make a difference, the children we worked with were opening up and showing interest in the club and us as young people,” said Ella.
“Personally the club has helped me understand that the children need encouragement, motivation
❝ I am glad we can help people out, the way we can. I see a big future in front of us
Reegan Humphries
and someone to listen to them.
“People in the area were noticing us and more and more people were interested every week, the club was growing and growing everyday and I can’t wait to see where it will be in the future,” she added.
Ben said the key to the success of the club so far has been that it’s young people leading it, rather than youth workers who are older adults.
Local youth workers Steff and Ben helped the teenagers get started, but they are the ones leading it.
“When I first started this boxing club it took a long time to build up my confidence and ability with a helping hand from Steff and Ben,” said Reegan.
“If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. They support us every step and we proceed to grow. It’s amazing to see the change in us already by helping the young kids around our area to be able to get some anger out and to release their stress.
“I am glad we can help people out, the way we can. I see a big future in front of us,” he added.
For Mitchell, who is just a few years older than the youngsters taking part, the connections are the most important thing.
“I think this could be the start of getting the younger lads off the streets and into doing something they enjoy instead of being nuisances to police and bystanders,” he said.
“If they are getting something where they can show up as they planned, it happens and it’s fun, they’ve got something to look forward to,” he said.
“Whereas otherwise, they’ll just be hanging out, being bored. Half of these kids haven’t got anyone who’s knocking things into them, things like self-discipline and respect. Boxing club provides that a bit,” he added.
“We’re not much older than they are, so there’s not that divide and they are more likely to connect with us than they are someone who’s an adult,” said Ella.
As the club developed during 2020 and into 2021, the authorities and funding organisations began to sit up and take notice, trying to help with equipment and support.
PC Liam Brown, from the Hartcliffe and Withywood Neighbourhood Policing Team, has got involved, and sees it as a huge positive.
“I joined the team here about 12 months ago, and boxing was something I was interested in since I was a kid,” said the 27-year-old.
“We’re trying to foster some positive relationships with young people in Hartcliffe. We spend a lot of time dealing with negative issues, so for them to see us in more a part of the community in a positive way is a good thing,” he added.
The club was successful in bidding for a grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s fund, and with the Merchants Primary School hall now a settled base, the hope is that the club can continue to grow.