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08/04/2008
Bristol clubs unite to work with community
Two of the Bristol's oldest amateur boxing clubs, The National Smelting Company and Empire ABC have been providing boxing coaching to the students of a local community college and the inmates of a nearby prison.
National Smelting went to Patchway college whilst Empire took the less glamorous option of working with the inmates of HMP Erlestoke.
Empire's prison visit was the a result of an invite from some of the prison's PE wardens. They wanted to offer the prisoners an activity that allowed them to let off steam, expend energy and turn their attentions to a sport that demands huge amounts of discipline and hard work. The hope is that a number of these prisoners will take up different activities when leaving prison and not fall back into their previous way of living.
National Smelting's links with Patchway school are through South Gloucestershire's School Sports Co-ordinator Rachel Nightingale, Boxing Development officer Roger Eady and Head Coach Garry Cave. Rachel, along with several PE teachers, recently attended and passed the ABAE Boxing Tutor Course and was so impressed with what amateur boxing had to offer, asked Cave and NSC to lead a non-contact amateur boxing program for the school. Empire are leading a similar program for Bradley Stoke School with assistance from their School Sports Co-ordinator Dena Robertson.
Both the sessions at Patchway and Erlestoke were run on a participation basis, with Patchway having approximately 300 boys and girls from years 7 and 9 over four sessions throughout the day, whilst the Empire session was attended by 65 prisoners. All attendees got an opportunity to participate in the training that boxers undertake including skipping, circuit training and punching away at the pads.
PE teacher Andy Forward said: "The day was a huge success and over 300 pupils took part in an activity that most had never done before yet all of them enjoyed it".
Rachel Nightingale said "I have been excited about this day for a long time - a real team effort has been made by all parties - our school, the PE dept - led by Danielle Bushell and NSC boxing club working together. Garry is totally professional in everything he does and we feel so lucky to be working with him and having Jake here as our coach. There is great enthusiasm on all sides and I can only hope this partnership goes from strength to strength. For us, we can see the potential increases in our students self esteem, fitness and discipline levels, through the art of Boxing. Our only problem now is teaching Mr Forward to skip!"
Empire's sessions also included a question and answer session and a sparring demonstration from the boxers.
These sessions were not, however, one-offs and an incredible number of 100 students from Patchway signed up for the after-school boxing club that NSC assistant coach Jake Whiteside and PE teacher Andy Forward will be running at lunchtimes and one evening a week.
Empire will also continue their work with the prison service to try and help prisoners over the next few months. This help will take the form of running additional sessions and helping to place prisoners into their local clubs upon their release.
The club's head coaches Martin Bisp and Garry Cave explained: "We have an advantage over many activities as we are already seen as offering street credibility. This credibility however is only gained after enormous amount of discipline, hard work and sacrifice. Boxers are not able to going drinking like their friends and have to train up to 25 hours a week. This sort of discipline offers them an alternative way of life, one that increases self confidence, self esteem and can help to break the bonds with their past"
These sessions are part of both clubs ongoing voluntary community work where, by working together, they are attempting to tackle anti-social behaviour and offer young people the chance to experience a different activity across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
