What a difference a club makes...

A number of homeless individuals have benefited from their Fighting Homelessness Project, launched in 2018 after the club were approached to use the boxing gym as a space to work with the homeless 

The project was to use the boxing club for homeless people, and those in hostels, as a base to help rebuild their confidence as well as improve their physical and mental wellbeing. 

Llanrumney Phoenix ABC welcomed a group of ten who were offered the gym to themselves as well as cooked them a meal after every training session. There was also food to take away, as well as support.  

The success of the project was evident when the lead explained that a decrease in numbers attending was down to the confidence and self-esteem instilled into the participants by the gym.  

The homeless people who attended the course had started engaging with other services they’d never have even thought of looking into previously, really hitting home the importance and power of what the club was doing – rather than going wrong, it became clear they were doing things incredibly right! 

From the original group of ten homeless men, two went on to secure accommodation, two found jobs and one went into voluntary work. Meanwhile, the others were taking advantage of specialised supportive services dealing with addiction and helping them turn their lives around. 

After exceeding expectations, the Fighting Homelessness Project was highlighted as one of Cardiff Council’s best projects in 2018 and is now a lottery-funded organisation and a registered Community Interest Company, helping Cardiff’s most vulnerable individuals. 

Boxing really helped turn those lives around and gave them a sense of belonging with a newfound freedom to help shape their futures for the better.