'Safe haven' Wellingborough boxing club at risk of closure if new premises can't be found
The future is uncertain for Wellingborough Amateur Boxing Club, as the gym and community hub is at risk of being sold.
It would leave the club homeless unless a solution is found.
Wellingborough Amateur Boxing Club’s home in Talbot Road is at risk of closure as the club says its landlord is seeking planning permission, with the possibility of the space being sold for development.
This would mean the club would be forced to relocate, which could prove difficult as the club has established such strong roots in the community.
Charlie Gerrard, director and volunteer at Wellingborough Amateur Boxing Club has issued a plea for help. He said: "Despite our best efforts, we are struggling to secure a new home due to financial constraints.
"We operate as a community club, charging minimal fees to ensure accessibility, which leaves us with limited resources. We are exploring alternative properties but are unable to afford market rent without compromising the services we provide potentially decrementing those who need the help and our support the most.
“We’re passionate about our community and committed to making a positive impact, but we can’t do it alone we are a team of volunteers who are actively helping tackle knife crime, gang violence, young offending and drug use. Our gym is a safe haven where people from all walks of life come together to train, build confidence, and find support.
"We need a place to call home. Wherever we go, all our members will come with us.”
The club moved to Talbot Road in 2021 after head coach Ray Revell spent more than 50 years operating the club out of different locations such as Kingsway Youth Centre and Weavers School. The gym has grown over the last three years with walls decorated with memories down the years, and specialist equipment giving each boxer a fighting chance. Wellingborough Amateur Boxing Club now has 150 active members, and is continuing to grow.
‘We cannot afford to do nothing’
The club has explored other options, and has been offered other premises which have unfortunately been unfit for purpose. The club has expressed an interest in moving to the Finedon Road Industrial Estate, though negotiations fell through due to financial constraints as Charlie believes they need to adopt a ‘sensible’ approach to relocation.
Cllr Ken Harrington spent a portion of his youth boxing, and saw first-hand the benefits it can bring.
He said: “The main thing about clubs like this, is that a lot of people don't always realise just how much good they can do to a community. They provide an alternative to what are in fact inadequate ways of communicating, socialising, which very often lead to frustrations which ultimately lead to violence in the home and on the streets.
“I know because that was me many years ago, I spent a childhood afraid to speak out, I was bullied at school, very miserable at home, but eventually I found boxing and it was as if I was meant to be. I got rid of my pent up frustrations, I exercised until I became super fit, and so no one bullied me any more.”
The gym is in constant use with sessions happening every weekday, and leaders at the club have harnessed a deep sense of community in the building, freely giving their time to help develop boxers of all ages and abilities to hone their craft, and channel their energy into something positive. The club is looking to apply for a grant in the new year for a minibus, which would be used to safely ferry members from home to the club, eliminating a key barrier of participation.
Cllr Harrington added: “Clubs like this do so much good, I believe they teach kids who find it difficult to develop learning skills, socialising skills, and many more. When we hear of so much knife crime, clubs like this can show a different path to follow.
"If the owners want to sell to developers, then maybe the council should take over and find a suitable venue, because we cannot afford to do nothing.”