Boxing4Life was one of the organisations mentioned in a powerful speech by Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy recently and we are pleased to send this short clip of her words to our supporters. Reflecting on the speech and on yet another appalling killing – of 14 year old Jaden Moodie in Leyton – we are planning to step up our work to support young people in our area.
We are now campaigning for the NHS to release a building it has neglected and left unused for decades. We want it to become a community hub for groups like ours working for young people and their families.
Peter Sandy from Boxing4Life said:
We help young people to believe in themselves. Boxing gives them confidence, and we back that up with guidance and mentoring. We keep them away from trouble and focused on positive pathways.
We know our early intervention saves social costs down the line and must be helping the NHS through reducing the need for expensive interventions when young people hit a mental health crisis – so why not support us to do more of that?
The charity’s 1-year campaign to get the Chapel into use has just opened with a very short questionnaire, which so far has 150 responses. Heartfelt concerns are expressed from local residents that young people are at risk of being drawn towards gangs, have no regular activities/spaces for them and need guidance of the kind Boxing4Life provides.
Answers about the effects of this on young people were revealing. Responses to the questions asked by Boxing4Life showed a common concern in the local community. A lack of shared, community resources and opportunities for young people to engage in a positive way with the community and with each other was resulting in their exclusion, boredom, antisocial behaviour, crime and gangs.
Boxing4Life has a unique approach to these problems, and we have a 10-year relationship with our community with proven results.