Staffordshire school tackles racism with boxing project

Wednesday 25 Sep 2013
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A police led boxing programme, set up to increase racial tolerance and community cohesion in Staffordshire over the summer holidays, has been a success.

The programme was organised by PC Andy Whitehall, an Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) Level 2 coach at Right Stuff Boxing Club in Staffordshire.

Young people from the club, along with students and teachers from Thistley Hough High School in Stoke-on-Trent, attended an ABAE-endorsed Boxing Tutor Course, which enabled them to deliver a four week programme of non-contact boxing during the school holidays.

The programme earned the backing of Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Community Cohesion team and saw 80 young people from a range of ethnic backgrounds attend.

PC Whitehall said: “The programme has been fantastic in bringing young people from different backgrounds together, achieving through boxing.

“Many of my delivery team who box aren’t much older than the students, but they have gained massive confidence by becoming tutors.”

Thanks to the programme’s popularity, head teacher Holly Hartley has purchased a boxing ring and 50 pairs of gloves and hopes to set up a permanent boxing club within the school.

You can see the students in action in the short film here.

From Amateur Boxing Association of England

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