London Sport funded to deliver boxing for female and ethnically diverse residents in Lewisham

London Sport are delighted to have obtained funding from Lewisham Council to use boxing to improve the health and wellbeing of female and ethnically diverse residents in the borough.

The £15,000 of funding, which has been extended until 31 March 2022, is in recognition of the work our Boxing Development Officer, Bevis Allen, has conducted throughout the covid-19 pandemic.

Last year’s funding enabled London Sport to leverage Fulcrum Group support to deliver “Jab, Don’t Stab” workshops in schools and discuss the creation of a community hub at Bellingham Leisure Centre.

And with further face-to-face activity suspended during the trio of national lockdowns over the past 12 months, London Sport ran online mental health and anti-racism workshops to boxing coaches.

The new funding will enable London Sport to support anti-knife crime projects in three Lewisham schools and set up new female boxing provision in the south of the borough.

London Sport will continue to support local boxing clubs with advice, funding, governance and sustainability and deliver boxing sessions in higher and further education settings.

Delivery of mental health workshops for young people will continue beyond the end of lockdown with London Sport also supporting Lewisham Council with Community Engagement Days.

Boxing Development Officer, Bevis Allen, said:

“Boxing is an incredibly powerful tool, not only for improving the physical health and wellbeing of participants but also delivering significant mental health benefits.

“The covid-19 pandemic has hit young people hard, particularly those from ethnically diverse backgrounds, so we’re extremely grateful for this funding to allow us to continue delivering boxing for these groups.

“I look forward to working alongside Lewisham Council to further demonstrate the amazing positive impact that boxing can have on the lives of young Londoners.”

Councillor Jonathan Slater, Cabinet Member for the Community Sector, said:

“I’m really proud of the fantastic work these organisations are doing in the community and it’s commendable how they have adapted their services to respond to covid-19.

“I’m pleased that the Main Grants have been extended for another year and that the organisations can now work towards fulfilling the plans they originally put forward in their proposals, but were disrupted as a result of the pandemic.”

London Sport was one of eight organisations to receive funding from Lewisham Council under their Main Grants programme, for more information on this funding click here.