A local amateur boxing gym is currently undergoing a series of fundraising events as they look to raise £15,000 to modernise their gym and purchase some new equipment.
Boxing coach Neil McLeod spoke passionately about Eastburn Amateur Boxing Club, and also about the need to raise funds to invest in facilities and equipment.
McLeod said: “Eastburn Amateur Boxing Club was established over 25 years ago and was founded by Naz Jalil.
“We are grassroots, voluntarily-run, not-for-profit amateur boxing club, dedicated to building resilience and community among diverse backgrounds and ages.
“We use boxing to nurture discipline, self-confidence, and determination.
“Eastburn ABC is affiliated to England Boxing and over the years we have been successful in developing a long line of regional and national champion boxers, several of whom have gone on to enter the professional ranks.
“By optimising the limited resources at our disposal, our methods have proven to be effective and successful.
“Our vision is to make boxing accessible to all members of our community, regardless of age, race, gender or ability.”
Like many other amateur sports clubs, up until 2020, things were running smoothly. Since then, the club have had to contend with the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.
McLeod added: “The pandemic knocked us down and the cost-of-living crisis is now the ‘10 count’ we are trying to beat.
“It has driven regular increases to our costs and expenses; and this has severely restricted our ability to invest in new equipment and improve our facilities, while also putting the club's future at risk.
“Our club has never been about making profits and we therefore intentionally keep prices at a minimum to encourage and offer the opportunity for everybody to learn boxing.
“This philosophy however, coupled with the challenges listed above, mean that there are extremely limited opportunities for us to invest in essentials such as gloves, headguards and skipping ropes.
“These are all vital to helping people who are unable to afford these items get started in boxing.
“We've never requested funding before and whenever cash has been needed to invest in the club, it has been provided by our main coaches Naz Jalil and Mark Robinson.
“In today's economic climate, as a not-for-profit community club, this is no longer sustainable.
“We're all working people, with full-time jobs and families to take care of, but our passion for giving opportunities to everyone to learn boxing is too strong to give up.
“This is why we are asking for outside help for the first time in our long and proud history.
“Any donation will not only enable us to continue with our current schedule of three one-and-a-half hour sessions per week but would also give us the opportunity to deliver open days to local schools and facilities/organisations, where the sport of boxing and its associated benefits would have a positive impact on the participants.
“This could include sessions at our premises or on-site visits, delivering non-contact boxing workshops to introduce and engage even more of our community.
“Our senior coaches have previous experience of teaching in these environments and helping those with learning and physical disabilities, so understand first-hand the benefits that boxing has both physically and mentally.
“Our gym is a community hub where a diverse range of local people can learn essential boxing skills while developing life skills that translate far beyond the ring.
“It is a place where everyone is welcome to take part regardless of background, gender, beliefs or disability. Everyone comes together as one, under one roof to train and learn together.
“Our gym is an inclusive space for all, where everyone is seen as equal and as one.
“We feel that with improved facilities and equipment our retention of members will be much higher, and this will lead to encouraging new people to attend and join in, therefore increasing our number of members.
“The physical and mental benefits of boxing are many and by improving and expanding upon the equipment and facilities we provide, a higher number of local people will have the opportunity to experience these benefits.
“We also currently have Simon Rutland and Isla Robinson helping out at the gym and studying for their coaching badges and they have both been extremely hands on with this fundraiser.”
The gym are also looking to link up with fellow local amateur clubs and recently they put Crossflatts Village Football Club’s Under-17s through their paces.
The training session was a big hit with the players and joint-manager Craig Durn said: “It was a good session and something a bit different for the lads.
“It was good for fitness and good for team bonding and while one or two lads struggled at first, they soon got into it.
“It was great to do something different and all the players will benefit from the experience, so this is definitely something we will look to do again.”
A week or so later, Liam Salt from local meal preparation company ‘Clean Eats Kitchen’ did a presentation on the importance of nutrition for athletes and for general health, with over 25 guests attending.
The main focal point of the fundraiser was the “Big Sixty” which consisted of 60 two-minute rounds of continuous skipping, shadow boxing, punchbag, circuit training and pad work in the ring.
Nine boxers took part in total, with that event happening on Sunday, September 22.
The fundraising period is due to end on Friday, October 18 and McLeod was keen to thank everyone who had donated so far, sponsored the gym or took part in the “Big Sixty”.
He said: “The fundraiser is going well and I would like to thank our sponsors.
“Kiplings Restaurant Bradford for their continued support, and Mountain Tech UK for the t-shirts and tracksuits.
“Thank you too to everyone else who had donated on our crowdfunding page so far.”
If you would like to sponsor this project or discuss possible potential collaboration with the gym, please call Simon Rutland on 07917 800270 or visit the embedded link here.
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