New club packs a punch

Wednesday June 30, 2010

Lead with your left! Police officers from Sands End safer neighbourhood team have launched a boxing club to improve teenagers' self-confidence.

The project at Hurlingham and Chelsea School, Peterborough Road, Fulham, started on Wednesday last week following requests from young people.

Officers from Hammersmith and Fulham Police are aiming the community boxing project at 11 to 17-year-olds who live, or go to school, in the area.

It is especially targeted at teenagers in Sands End and Fulham Court. As well as boxing, the sessions will cover junior citizenship, gun and knife crime, and gang culture.

Sgt Mark Trower from the Sands End safer neighbourhood team said: "I am proud to be part of this. The Sands End Police Community Boxing Club is a positive diversionary project in partnership with Hurlingham and Chelsea Secondary School. The club will also aim to help young people into a disciplined sport where they can gain confidence and feel better about themselves."

Initial reaction has been positive. Dimitri McIntosh, 18, said: "This is a brilliant initiative. It means that young people like me from different backgrounds can learn and have fun."

Chief Inspector Wynne Jones, in charge of the H&F safer neighbourhoods team, said: "I am grateful for the hard work of all partners in getting this initiative started.

"It is providing young people with an activity they themselves have chosen and will give them some positive personal skills as well as providing a diversion away from crime and antisocial behaviour."

Other subjects covered include bullying, truancy, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, robbery, graffiti, antisocial behaviour and road safety.

The boxing part of the training session will focus on warm-up and stretching, skipping, boxing techniques, shadow boxing, pad work and bag work, and fun circuit training.

The course is being run by police officers, police community support officers and cadets, helped by teachers, youth workers and firefighters.

At the launch were Ted Bami, ex-European light welterweight champ and British light welterweight title challenger, and Hannah Beharry, Britain's number one female boxer in the 48kg category and twice a European Union bronze medallist.

Adding support was London Amateur Boxing Association president Terry Gilliam.