Projects

Stratford Boxing Club

Completed: 2024
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
Region: West Midlands
Other local partners: Dulux, Sport England, Stratford-upon-Avon District Council, UK Shared Prosperity Fund

About the project

When we first spoke to Stratford Sports Club, the town had just faced their worst floods in a decade. Our call couldn’t have come at a better time, as we stepped in with our second project with Stratford-on-Avon District Council to help kick the boxing club back into action.

The project:

The boxing club was badly damaged in the basement of the building, with water rising up to the punchbags – pictured here on the right. Some of their equipment was badly damaged.

We helped the club dry out the space, before repairing walls with protective cladding and redecorating throughout the space damaged by the flood, and popping some equipment back into the club for them

The young people: 19 local young people from partners including Welcombe Hills School (all with special educational needs), Warwickshire Youth Justice Service and Warwickshire College Group, as well four local volunteers with refugee or asylum seeker status, who joined the project to build their skills and to be part of the local community.

The impact:

  • A club ready to fit new flooring to get their doors back open and young people training in the club
  • Entry Level City & Guilds accreditations gained in Painting & Decorating – and learners progressing onto our next local project at Kineton Sports & Social Club
  • Hear from Lorenzo below, to see the impact on his life – who has now gone on to volunteer on another VIY project on our programme in Bromsgrove
  • A brilliant collaborative effort, working alongside local partners including welcomed us to the town, including Stratford Police, Stratford JobCentre, Warwickshire County Council, CAVA in Stratford, building on the success of our project in 2023 at Temple Grafton Village Hall

📸 Action shots here by Alexia Doughty Photography and friend of the club.

Project part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, match-funded by Sport England. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus

“The club hasn’t flooded like this for 15 years. Big shout out to the staff who spent days mopping out the club, knee deep in flood water. VIY’s call couldn’t have come at a better time to help us out, what an amazing opportunity for the club to get involved with to get boxing back in business and help local young people too!” Bess Evans, Director of Operations, Stratford Sports Club
“My experience with VIY has already been a really positive influence on my life. I am new to the area to start a better life, and construction has always been something I'm interested in, so VIY has landed at just the right time. Now I have a positive, practical way to gain experience and a positive future - I can't wait to join the next project and gain more skills in carpentry.” Lorenzo, 16, a young learner with VIY who has fallen out of mainstream education