About Empire Fighting Chance
Empire Fighting Chance was launched in October 2013 based at the Empire Boxing Gym in the Easton & St Pauls districts, which are amongst the most disadvantaged areas of Bristol, and working with local schools and the police, EFC helps children who are failing at school and in danger of drifting into a life of unemployment or even crime, and helps them turn their lives around. We run programmes covering fitness and health, remedial work on numeracy and literacy, and preparation for employment, as well as providing mentoring and counselling for young people who often have very troubled backgrounds. Working with us does not encourage violence, instead it diverts physical energy into a suitable, controlled context, governed by rules and responsible behaviour. Skill, self-confidence and achievement begin to replace fear and aggression in their daily life.
At any one time we work with around 200 children aged 9 to 18, 47.3% are from the BME community. Our programmes aim to instill discipline, self-control, and respect, whilst building self-confidence, life skills, and health and fitness. We get them back into education, or work ready, and steer them away from crime and alcohol or drug abuse. The “street credibility” the gym enjoys means that it can reach the toughest of young people, but it is not really about boxing, the physical work is non-contact, using punch bags, skipping, technique and movement to promote physical and mental well being.
www.empirefightingchance.org
info@empirefightingchance.org_x
Empire Fighting Chance Registered charity number 1156690
