Four years since the launch of a campaign to restore Hull’s historic St Paul’s boxing gym to its former glory, its team are revelling in the £1million refurbishment that finally reflects its status as a foundry for champions.
Money to make the revamp happen has come pouring in from sources including Hull City Council, Sport England, local businesses and fundraisings by club well-wishers – all very aware just how special it really is.
Founded in 1948, St Paul’s Boxing Academy, based in a gym on Church Side, next to Hull Minster in the city centre, has churned out champions of the sport including Olympic Gold Medallist Luke Campbell and Commonwealth lightweight title holder Tommy Coyle.
However, perhaps even more importantly, it has produced hundreds of ‘champions in life’, setting young people, whatever their background, on the path to success.
Now, its loyal supporters are looking forward to opening its facilities to the wider community, including people living with mental or physical challenges, and forging fresh links with like-minded organisations with similar goals.
Despite its success in shaping both careers and lives over the years, thanks to lead coach Mike Bromby and his team of volunteers, the building St Paul’s inhabits had fallen into serious disrepair. The fundraising campaign to make it safer and more functional began in 2017, with the vision of making it accessible to all. The campaign was led by a voluntary development committee including John Rutherford, Deputy Chairman of the John Good & Sons shipping company; Dave Garness of Garness Jones Chartered Surveyors; Alan Wood and Partners structural engineers; funding expert Darren Peacock of Peacock Finance, and Property development entrepreneurs Tony and Andrew Horncastle.
Hull City Council, which owns the building, has provided support worth £450,000 towards changes including the roof repair and installation of a disabled access lift, and granted a long-term lease of the site.
Also offering a variety of support, including donating vital sports kit, are over 30 local firms including The Business Culture Hull, James Legal Solicitors; MMS Ship Repair, who constructed a new boxing ring and punch bag frames; VRHQ which donated a 3D interactive tour of the new premises to help market the newly-refurbished gym, showing off the fantastic transformation and allowing people to look around the whole premises, and even experience standing in the ring. Andrew Jackson Solicitors; Try Lunn & Co; Burstall’s Solicitors and scaffolding firm Bambu were also part of the committed team that enabled the transformation.
And they received donations from a number of local charities and businesses including The Tribune Trust, Hull & East Riding Charitable Trust, the Matthew Good Foundation and Howden Rotary Club.
John Rutherford said: “It's been unbelievable. More than £300,000 was raised locally, from charities and our supporters running fundraising events.
“Although the place was clearly in disrepair, there was always a sense of just how special it was – both in terms of the activities taking place here, the absolute dedication of people like Mike and the building itself, which is stunning.
“The amount of people that have come through the gym and been given a chance is incredible, and the boxing is just one part of it.”
St Paul’s currently has 275 members, and is growing rapidly, with plans to attract 1,000 regular users and further build participation among girls in particular.
The club now has 20 adult volunteer coaches, who run regular sessions throughout each week, and they are offering as many classes as possible again, while observing COVID-secure guidelines, gradually easing restrictions in line with England Boxing rules.
Reaching out
St Paul’s is busy building new partnerships, too, including with the Cat-Zero initiative that uses sail-training to give struggling young people a sense of purpose and teamwork; Hull College; Hull’s Aspire Academy and local NHS mental health services. John explained that these kinds of relationships, as well as encouraging more and more people to get involved, will form a major part of the club’s evolution from this point.
“We want to help an increasing number of people from a broader range of society,” he explained.
John continued: “The challenges our young people face, vary. Many have disrupted family lives. Some are being bullied, others are struggling to fit in at school. We find that giving them some responsibility as assistant trainers, and, above all, some positive adult attention, structure and something to work towards, really can transform their lives.
“Because we have 20 coaches, even when they’re working in large groups, doing pad work or something else, while each child is practicing their skills, they have the complete, one-to-one attention of a trainer who is committed to doing their very best for them. This is often something they don’t get in other areas of their lives.
“That’s how St Paul’s creates this sort of positive, caring environment. The boxing is really just the way in.”
Impressive new look
The refurbishment includes new showers and changing rooms, a new kitchen, the restoration of the interior roof space to reveal the stunning vaulted ceiling which was boarded over, new heating and the creation of a glass-fronted viewing area for boxing officials and families.
The St Paul’s team have also invested in new IT facilities to enable them to, among other things, video and play back sparring sessions so that competitors can learn how to perfect their technique.
While the capital refurbishment costs have now been met, the team now need to cover running costs, and are urging sponsors and well-wishers to keep coming forward to help.
“While we’re hugely grateful for what all that our donors have done thus far, we’d just urge them not to forget that this isn’t the end of the road and it’s now about keeping the club going on a weekly and monthly basis,” said John.
Anyone interested in getting involved, as a participant, partner or supporter, can contact the team via the club’s website.
