Knockout success

Newcastle West delivery line manager Phil Reid appeared on BBC Look North to talk about the invaluable work his boxing club does for the young people in his local community.

Formed in 1928, Grainger Park Boxing Club in the west end of Newcastle is one of the longest running amateur boxing clubs in the country. Over the past 12 months however, as well as producing talented fighters, club chairman and former boxer, Phil and his team are helping in the battle to address local youth mental health problems.

After struggling with his own mental health for a decade and having long been an advocate for an open-door policy for teenagers with nowhere to go, Phil decided to set up ‘Boxing and banter,’ a mental health workshop at the club, which has already helped scores of men and women turn their lives around.

‘The first time we met, there were six of us,’ said Phil. ‘Bear in mind, that we were absolute strangers to each other and three of us were crying our eyes out after hearing each other’s stories. Sharing our stories has given us strength and helped us realise that what each of us has gone through isn’t unique and that there are plenty of other people who have had to endure similar experiences.

‘Mental health issues can affect anyone, male or female. Men often have this bravado, where we’re supposed to be macho, so that everyone thinks we’re tough. But we’re not, we’re really not.’

Phil said it was important to get the message out about how important it is to monitor our own and other people’s mental health. ‘Hopefully we can get more people to open up and get support,’ he said.

‘Please keep an eye on your family and friends and if they’re not themselves, then reach out and ask if they’re ok.’

Last year Grainger Park Boxing Club teamed-up with London-based organisation, Knives Down, Gloves Up to launch the Off the Streets campaign, which uses boxing as a way to save young people from lives of crime.

Knives Down, Glvoes Up is a social enterprise committed to supporting young people living in communities affected by knife crime, providing access to boxing training to help them lead fulfilling and healthy lives away from crime.

‘For two hours a week every Saturday we open the doors to our gym for free,’ said Phil. ‘We want people to come down and see what goes on in a boxing gym. Whether you have low or no confidence, you feel shy, you struggle at making friends or you just feel daft.

‘Maybe you’ve found yourself mixed up with the wrong crowd or involved in trouble, we want you to come and see us. Let's help make our streets safer and educate kids from a young age and help them stay away from the use of weapons and crime.’

Phil believes boxing and other sporting clubs can reach young people in a way that parents and teachers sometimes can't.

‘The first step is to get people through the doors,’ he said. ‘It’s an environment where people can come and feel safe. We get parents bringing their kids down saying, “I can’t get through to them at home, but they listen to you.”