TTW’s West Auckland ‘helping to change lives’

Tyne, Tees and Wear’s West Auckland Boxing Club hopes to make a difference to the lives of young people in the local village where it is based after firmly establishing itself since opening three years ago.

The club was started up by Stephen Nicholson and Ernest Spowart and now has more than 20 carded boxers, who have entered a number of Championships and regularly travelled to participate in the Riviera Box Cup.

Among the guests of the club to help with training are the likes of Tyson Fury, Sam Eggerton, Paul Butler and Robin Reed.

They have welcomed Michael Watson and Savannah Marshall to their last home show and in early July 14 boxers will travel to train at the Rival Boxing Gym in Marbella.

The club was inaugurated after Nicholson purchased the village’s old youth club that was run down and had been left empty for seven years.

Since then the club has been gradually built up, with the squad of boxers being looked after by Nicholson, Spout and fellow coaches Russell Turnbull, John Jimminson and Kevin Dixon.

“Before the club started, a lot of the kids had nothing to do, so hopefully we are helping change lives in the local village,” said Nicholson.

“The parish council has helped with donations of some exercise machines and a defib machine and we now have a cracking little squad of boxers.

“We are looking in the future to hopefully develop a national champion or a future star in the boxing world, but ultimately to try and make a difference in our local village.”

For more information on the club, go to its Facebook page by clicking here.