Young boxers hope new club can help more teens

Young boxers hope a new youth and boxing club building will bring more young people into the sport after their current base was demolished.

The Lifstan Boys Club building in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, had stood since the 1960s but fell into disrepair.

A £1.5m government grant for a replacement was withdrawn but later reinstated, and has now increased to £2m.

Morgan, 14, said generations of his family had trained at the club, which he said had given him "a better life".

Morgan's grandfathers and a cousin had trained at the club before his mum encouraged him to join.

He said: "People think of Southend as a rough place and my mum wanted me to do it to get some self-defence in and when I joined I never wanted to leave."

He said there was not a lot to do for young people in the area but that training at the club offered him "the best place to get fitness and get confidence and have a better life".

However, he said he was excited for a new place to train and believed a new building would lead to more people joining.

Lilly, 13, started boxing 18 months ago after being introduced to the sport by a friend.

She said she was excited to start boxing in a new environment and believes it will encourage more people to join, including more young girls.

"I'd say to [girls] join, don't feel uncomfortable, just do what you want to do, even if there's only boys there. Do what you want to do."

James, 17, started boxing last year, and said he was "really excited" for the new club to be built.

He said having another centre would benefit young people and help the "community come together and work together".

Danny Neville, Head Coach at Southend Amateur Boxing Club, said: "It keeps kids out of trouble, keeps them off their screens... they can make new friends, build confidence. This is what we're looking to do, we're looking to bring the community together and get kids building their confidence."

Matt Dent, Labour and Cooperative councillor, said a new facility would be "fantastic for the whole area".

The replacement building - which will provide boxing facilities, dance classes and CV workshops - is expected to be open by September 2027.

The club has been running since the 1950s and moved into its Lifstan Way premises in the 1960s, with Southend Amateur Boxing Club joining them in the building a few years later.

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