Wellingborough white-collar boxing show to raise money and awareness for children's cancer charity Niamh’s Next Step

They have been training all year and in April, 14 fundraisers will step into the ring to fight each other to fundraise for Wellingborough charity Niamh’s Next Step.

Children's charity Niamh’s Next Step was set up in memory of Niamh Curry, who died in 2012 from childhood cancer neuroblastoma at the age of five.

Since then, the charity has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds, funding research into finding a cure for the disease that took Niamh's life.

Niamh’s Next Step co-founder, Niamh’s dad Chris Curry is looking forward to the white-collar boxing show to raise money and awareness for the charity.

He said: “These guys have put their hearts, souls and faces into training at Fighting Fit Academy, week in and week out, since January.

“They are from all walks of life and they been training to get fighting fit twice a week or more, sparring together and building up an amazing camaraderie.

"It’s going to be a cracking night to raise money for such an important cause.”

The 14 fighters will take to the stage at the Castle Theatre in Wellingborough on Saturday, April 15 for three two-minute rounds. They will only learn their opponents at the weigh-in.

Chris said: “They are not complete strangers. Some know each other from football or the gym – Wellingborough is quite a small place.

"A lot of the guys just want a challenge. It takes a lot of bottle to get into the ring. We want them to box as safely as they can so they have been training at Fighting Fit Academy all year.

“Huge thanks go to our sponsors and supporters for the show – Highfields Property Services Limited, Play at The Palace, A-Teck Events, Bxsmrt and McDonald's.”

Tickets are on sale through the Castle box office https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/castle-theatre/whats-on/fighting-fit-for-niamhs-next-step priced at £25 (£20 for under-16s and over-60s). Doors open at 6.30pm with the first fight at 7pm.

Neuroblastoma is a rare childhood cancer. It develops from nerve cells called neuroblasts and affects around 100 children each year in the UK. It usually affects children under the age of five, and can occur before a child is born.