Here in Market Drayton and the surrounding areas we support a number of local young people who fall into a trap of anti-social behaviour. The few can have a disproportionate effect on the many and victims of this behaviour can be left traumatised and it eats away at social cohesion and brings danger to the perpetrators and member of the communities in which they live. In too many cases it can lead to growing involvement in criminal activities and can set someone on a path that brings enormous harm to themselves and those around them.
Now we are ready to try and start something to help and have introduced Project Heart; our boxing club has a fully equipped boxing gym within the larger club (Market Drayton Community Amateur Sports Club) and is run by the Head Coach Chris Blase. Chris is an England Boxing qualified level 2 coach and is assisted by three other England Boxing qualified coaches.
The plan is to hold regular weekly sessions and begin with introductions and a request for guided voluntary work, forexample, litter picking and footpath reinstatement to introduce the idea of reparation and to show it is not bad or difficult to do something positive to help a community while teaching the young people good community values.
This is also about teaching basic practical skills and using boxing as a reward that will provide the structure to help young people build confidence and introduce teamwork, discipline, fitness and respect that will enable them to make the best of opportunities as they come along.
Most people we help are teenagers and we work closely with the Grove School in Market Drayton to identify young people who are likely to get the most benefit from the scheme. Our ambition is that providing the support will help to divert them away from antisocial or criminal activity by raising their awareness so that they have the confidence to say no!
Courses will be held at Market Drayton Boxing Club which is easily accessible and it is led by Chris who has decades of experience in the sport; he has experience in the type of project and remains the driving force behind this one.
The current proposal is to make the courses free at the point of use for those selected with a continuation objective to establish the courses as part of a practical action to tackle the antisocial behavioural problems with positive intervention. The objective is to build momentum with people who show good outcomes to talk with newcomers and to spread a message that positive outcomes are possible.
Exit strategies will include the Market Drayton Boxing Club offering mentoring including space for those who wish to continue with training and try to represent the club and the town in competitions.
