While current Coronavirus restrictions only allowed for a small outdoor ceremony, participants were able to be presented their certificates, one by one and with social distancing in place, acknowledging the hard work and effort they have dedicated to the course over the past 12 weeks.
The Boxing Through Barriers programme was made possible through funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund and was aimed at beneficiaries at Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions in Fulham. In addition to the Covenant funding, Stoll’s support of the programme provided use of a minibus to transport participants to and from training along with the purchase of pads and gloves for each participant.
Despite a delayed start due to the April lockdown, staff and trainers were committed to ensuring the programme went ahead. As lockdown lifted they put in place the necessary precautions to ensure continued delivery, amidst the ever changing and challenging circumstances. The training sessions moved outdoors in July and August whilst gyms were closed, and once back indoors the team worked in smaller groups to ensure continued safety.
The Fighting Chance is led by Founder and Director, Imran Khalil, who along with his passion for boxing, has worked in the employability sector for 20 years and has an in-depth understanding of the barriers faced by people when trying to find work.
Imran said:
All those who took part really enjoyed the boxing training and made huge progress. We’ve seen improvements in confidence, health, wellbeing and employability. There’s also been additional progress with employment outcomes and goals.
We want to thank our Patron John Conteh MBE, our excellent coaches George Burton, Shaheed Sambrano, Amy H. and special guest pro-boxer Ashley Sexton. We also want to say a big thank you to Stoll’s Wellbeing Manager George Bageya, CEO Richard Gammage and Beverly Russell & Claire Bendall.
The Fighting Chance Patron John Conteh MBE and Stoll CEO Richard Gammage. RFCA Crown Copyright 2020.
