One year on from last summer’s riots and a few weeks after Team GB struck gold in the boxing ring, a cross-party group of MPs and Peers has published the results of an ongoing investigation into the role that boxing clubs play in disadvantaged communities.
The survey, conducted by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Boxing, shows that while many clubs are performing an important role in their communities, they face significant challenges when it comes to accessing funding.
The group contacted clubs in parts of London and Bristol hit by last summer’s riots, and the responses they received revealed the following:
- Of the 1200 boxers reported to be regularly attending clubs in riot-hit areas (of which 223 were identified as young offenders), only three were identified as having participated in the rioting.
- On average, clubs gave a score of 4 out of 10 when asked to rate how easy it was to secure funding, with 1 being 'absolutely impossible' and 10 being 'really easy'.
- The most common financial challenge identified by clubs was a lack of available funding streams.
Charlotte Leslie MP, chair of the APPG for Boxing said: “This is a timely reminder that sport, and boxing in particular, can make a huge difference in the lives of young people who might otherwise take the wrong path.
"Someone who was rioting in 2011 may, had things gone differently, have ended up competing for Olympic glory in 2012.”
The survey is the start of a more detailed examination of the role played by boxing clubs and sport more generally in areas affected by crime and anti-social behaviour, taking place in September.
To hear more about the survey findings, visit the APPG for Boxing blog.
