Laura Bailey, from 10 Count Boxing Gym located at the historic Winchester Halls building in Bentilee, told The Stoke-onTrent Lead about the evolution of the premises and the work they currently do there.
“Winchester Halls was originally a church built in 1962, funded by the congregation. Over the years as the congregation numbers dwindled it sadly became unused and derelict where it stood vacant for many years.
“It was then bought by the charity Al Maryam and around ten years ago two local former professional boxers Max Maxwell and Lee Jones started a gym there – 10 Count Boxing. Over the next few years they amalgamated their passion for fitness and community by offering boxing training and classes, facilities for food banks, support groups and youth initiatives.
“10 Count have now been awarded almost a million pounds in funding from the Youth Investment Fund to continue their excellent work and services to the community and undertake some renovations to modernise the building as to fit the ever-expanding base of community users.
“This includes free sessions for SEN children and a men’s mental health group called Own Tomorrow.
“This is run by Anthony Boland who himself lost nine stone in a year training with 10 Count. There is so much more such as ladies-only training and support groups, amateur boxing and charity matches. Groups such as this are invaluable to the local community.”
From speaking to the people of Bentilee, it puts a totally different perspective on the preconceptions people can hold of large housing estates.
There has been a real evolution from a post war almost parish like town led by local churches to a diverse, self-empowered hub of activities aspiring to a modern age of unity and collaborative innovation.
Austerity, however, will always most seriously and negatively impact those most in need of community and support.
So, when services and funds are cut where does it leave already deprived communities?
Local organisations such as ST2Gether and 10 Count Boxing have shown the most admirable grit and determination in advocating and empowering communities where there has been failure. It is people using their already held skill sets, people with a determination to better not just themselves but others and their local area - and it is a testament to how strong communities are built and evolve in the face of ever-changing political leadership and cuts.
Bentilee may very well always be spoken of in terms of being one of Europe’s largest housing estates, and as such face prejudicial stigma, but behind the doors of these red brick houses lies more.
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Sarah is founder and co-director of Staffordshire Association For Black Lives Equality CIC (SABLE). Sarah works on many collaborative projects and initiatives, specialising in inter-hierarchical models of engagement to ensure equitable pathways and practices. Sarah is from Stoke-on-Trent and directs the city’s largest free event - the Six Towns Carnival.