Meet the Active champions making a difference

A Newquay boxing gym and a mens' walking group in Falmouth are in the running for a BBC Radio Cornwall Make a Difference Award.

The founder of an ultra-marathon race on the Isles of Scilly and a martial arts gym in Bodmin are also nominated in the Active category.

The award is for an individual or group of people who have used physical activity or sport as a way of improving the lives of those in their community.

The winner will be revealed at a ceremony in Truro this week.

A 60km (37-mile) ultra-marathon race on the Isles of Scilly might seem an impossibility when the archipelago's largest island, St Mary's, measures just 4km (2.5 miles) at its widest point.

But the founder of the Scilly60, Wez Swain, refused to let geography interfere with his vision, saying: "Scilly60 was just a small idea that started back in 2023.

"It involves running the coastline of all five inhabited islands, all within a day, with quite a strict cut-off, so you can make the boat to the next island, because everything is all done on tides.

"After the first one, it's evolved and people have said: 'Could you do a slightly easier one? Could you do a longer one? Could you do a swim-run?'

"Now we organise 15 different events throughout the year, with over a 1,000 participants coming from all over the world."

The Isles of Scilly sit 30miles (48km) from Land's End and that isolation adds to the operational challenge, as well as the unpredictable weather and sea conditions.

"We do explain to all the participants that everything is all sorted, all safe, all brilliant - but you do have to be flexible when you come over here, there's always going to be a curveball," smiled Swain.

Community is at the heart of Newquay Boxing Academy rather than championship belts.

Club and community manager Richard Powers explained: "It's a strange one - boxing is an individual sport, when you box and compete, you're in the ring on your own.

"But you have your team, your colleagues and your community around you when you train together, you have that sense of community.

"Our ethos is to treat everyone equal, everyone has an opportunity to thrive in our sport."

The academy runs special training sessions for veterans and people living with Parkinson's disease, as well as programmes for young people at risk of exclusion from school.

"We're lucky enough to have 10 coaches who volunteer and they all have the same ethos of we're here to change people's lives," said Powers.

"It's not to have the next national champion - it's great to have, it's a bonus - it's just because boxing changed our lives, and the coaches we had many, many years ago have had an impact on us, so that we volunteer to do this."

Every Tuesday evening at Gyllyngvase Beach, members of the Men Walking and Talking Falmouth group and others gather for a hour-long stroll.

Paul Miller is walk leader for the cross-generational walking group that supports men's health and wellbeing.

"This group makes a massive difference to every man who walks with us," Miller smiled.

"Some of the guys are ex-military; we've got people who work from home, construction workers, gardeners, fishermen.

"Men don't really like talking about any mental health issues but this group gives the guys an opportunity to talk about those things if they want to, they don't have to."

Paul Miller explained how the beautiful scenery and the coastal routes he selected were crucial for the success of the group.

He said: "When we're walking along, all the guys are looking at the scenery, there's no eye contact whatsoever.

"They can basically just talk about whatever they want to and we're not looking at anyone... Eye contact can sometimes put people off.

"They all have a good laugh as well. It's not always about having a serious walk and talk, it's just about getting out and having a bit of fun."

"I believe we can make happiness infectious."

The founder of the Asgard Martial Arts Gym in Bodmin, Owen Gower, continued: "If I get 25 people in my boxing class and I can make them leave all feeling positive and happy about themselves and feeling great, they're going to go home and pass that on to their family, that feeling."

Asgard was founded to allow people of all ages and abilities to improve their fitness, build confidence and learn valuable life skills.

Mixed Martial Arts, boxing, wrestling and kickboxing are just some of the disciplines practised, but Owen Gower stressed the personal connections were as important as the competition.

"We will have classes in here where we will have a former criminal training with a police officer, so it's amazing we can bring those groups together and help change how they are and how they perceive each other," Gower said.

Fellow founder Gemma Postins added: "Growing up, I wasn't able to access so many opportunities just because of money.

"When I had children, unfortunately they faced the same barriers. It's really imporant to me that everyone can access it, it shouldn't be about who has more money, that's why I'm here."

The BBC Radio Cornwall Make a Difference Awards are in their fifth year.

The Active award winner and the winners of the seven other categories will be announced at a ceremony in Truro on Wednesday 9 September.

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