THE LION STRENGTH AND FITNESS ACADEMY 

The Lion Gym was originally set up as my work with West Yorkshire Police brought me into contact with some of the most deprived communities in the City. I saw first-hand the struggles which many ....more

The Lion Gym was originally set up as my work with West Yorkshire Police brought me into contact with some of the most deprived communities in the City. I saw first-hand the struggles which many residents of all ages were facing. Children were hanging around on the street corners and getting into trouble, they were not engaging in anything and were easily preyed up on by drug dealers and criminals. I commissioned a report into the deprivation in local areas and although the areas were all different, the reasons for hopelessness were the same. I also worked with the local rehab centres to find out why so many people in the area were getting hooked on drugs and the reasons were the same whatever the person’s background. I started working with local schools, colleges, and community centres to deliver a programme of empowerment and to teach youths about the consequences of crime. I soon came to find it would be better to have a base where all this work could be done. This is how The Lion Gym was born. The aim of The Lion Gym is to engage young people and adults into physical fitness, but we also develop members life skills and employability skills through vocational training opportunities and mentoring support. We offer work placements to people whether they want to work as a personal trainer or just want general admin experience to add to their CVs and to increase their chances of employment. The Club works with local schools to provide health and nutrition training and we teach children about healthy eating. The Club also has a satellite boxing club at the charity Centrepoint, where we promote health and wellbeing to 16 to 25-year-old homeless individuals, who also benefit from our boxing sessions. The Lion Gym uses the power of the sport to reduce anti-social behaviour and to build stronger communities through teaching young people about drugs, alcohol awareness and the dangers of weapons. We work closely with West Yorkshire Police and police chiefs come to the club to talk to the young people about crime prevention and anti-social behaviour. We do this to enable the youths to see themselves as full participants in their communities. The club also offers Yoga, Pilates and female-only boxing so that there is something on offer for everybody in the local community. Families often all attend the club together, some will join the boxing sessions, whilst others will attend the Pilates classes or use the gym equipment. The Lion Gym is not only about keeping youngsters off the streets. Some of the children are showing true talent and winning tournaments. We want young people and adults to not necessarily be champions in boxing but to be champions in life. We give them the tools they need to get the most they can out of life and know that they can achieve and make something of themselves. If we can help one person, then this gym will have fulfilled its purpose

The project will offer sporting activities and volunteering opportunities to young people who are involved in anti-social behaviour and disengaged from education. The project aims to increase ....more

The project will offer sporting activities and volunteering opportunities to young people who are involved in anti-social behaviour and disengaged from education. The project aims to increase self-discipline, self-control, confidence, team building and leadership skills.

Funding under Sport England's NGB Funding 2013-17 funding programme for a Revenue project titled Box On Project - Round 2. This project lists its main activity as Boxing