Boxing club fighting back crime in Heanor
A PCSO in Heanor has worked with local boxing club to offer spaces at a boxing class on a Friday evening to young people at risk becoming involved in crime or problem behaviour.
PCSO James Colledge, from Heanor and Langley Mill Safer Neighbourhood Team, approached co-owner of The Lions Den gym, Sam Goodrum earlier this summer after seeing the impact that anti-social behaviour was having in the town.
PCSO Colledge said: “One of the biggest things youths say to me is that ‘we’ve got nothing to do, I cause trouble because I’ve got nothing to do. Where else can I go?’
“I wanted to offer something that can help these youths see themselves in a positive light and reduce the crimes and problems that were being caused by some of these young people in the area.”
Now, three months on, more than twenty young people have been referred to the sessions by local police, and train alongside young boxers at the gym. Early figures are encouraging, showing that since the sessions began in August, incidents of antisocial behaviour have dropped to half the number reported in July.
Sam Goodrum said: “It’s just giving them something to do, something to focus on. And when they’re around the other boxers, when they’re mixing in a group that I set up previously that are progressing further and moving onto the amateurs, they’re seeing those kids and thinking ‘actually, this is better than messing around on the street.’
“Boxing teaches you everything, from teamwork to discipline. Just having somewhere for these kids to have a bit of fun is one of the main points of this – to cut a very long story short, as a previous naughty kid taken off the streets by the police to a boxing club, to now doing it myself, I know it works.”
Further funding for the sessions has been given by Amber Valley Borough Council – which has allowed the club to also purchase new equipment to use with the young people as well as explore the possibility of expanding the sessions offered.
PCSO Colledge said: “We’re already in talks with different groups and companies about how we can expand this, offer more sports to more people. It’s been brilliant to watch the young people get involved so far, having a laugh and a joke and building a community with them, and for them.”
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