ITV presenter Alex Beresford and Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees have joined forces with a boxing charity to discuss their hopes for a better Bristol.
The TV star and city mayor are both ambassadors of Empire Fighting Chance, a boxing charity in Easton that runs non-contact boxing courses, mentoring and therapy for youngsters in and around Bristol. The pair have called for the local community as well as businesses to do more to help, inspire and give hope to young people in the city.
They joined CEO Martin Bisp at a panel discussion to talk about the charity's efforts and how it is integral in helping build Bristol as a city of hope. Empire Fighting Chance said Bristol will only be able to deliver on its ambition to be a city of opportunity for all its citizens if it focuses on the welfare of some of the most vulnerable young people, who are so often missed or excluded from conventional mental health service.
Also read: ITV's Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway coming to Bristol's legendary Jason Donervan food truck
Good Morning Britain’s Alex, who recently won £16,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire for the charity, said he was deeply worried about the levels of knife crime in the UK and said charities like Empire Fighting Chance create a safe haven away from gang culture.
He commented: “Empire Fighting Chance is a safe place for young people. It provides structure and the team goes above and beyond to help young people. The cost of living is increasing and what was already hard will now be that little bit harder. This will lead to an increase in demand for services like EFC. It’s important to guide children to follow a better path.”
Mr Rees recognised how Bristol has ignored the voices of those underrepresented in society for too long. "We want to build a different kind of Bristol that provides hope for everyone in which all can enjoy the city and share its bounty. We know that the drivers of inequality have been strengthened during the pandemic – with the poorest being hit the hardest.
Click here if you cannot load the survey
"As they help our city’s marginalised young people fulfil their potential, Empire Fighting Chance is playing a critical role in building Bristol as a city of hope."
Mr Rees and Mr Beresford both spoke movingly about their experiences growing up locally and how they believe Empire Fighting Chance helps to reach some of the most isolated and difficult-to-reach young people.
CEO of Empire Fighting Chance Martin Bisp praised Mr Rees for his core values understanding the challenges Bristol faces. “We need to celebrate those who help, like Marvin - he is a man of values and works hard for the city with an understanding of the challenges we face, having come from poverty himself. We also need companies to look at their recruitment policies. They need to speak to communities that face poverty and inequality and ask them what they can do to help them find work.”
More: 'Papa' has run same legendary fish and chip shop for 30 years
He highlighted that the charity's role is to champion young people; "to be on their side and have their corner". The charity currently has a waiting list with so many referrals coming through for young people who are in need of support, he said.
"Knife crime is a huge issue here and we must tackle this problem," Mr Bisp continued. "We need to educate and engage children and young people, but we need to work with community-focused organisations as a collective can make a real difference."
From the gym in Easton, Empire Fighting Chance reaches more than 5,000 young people from the city and further afield. The charity is able to support young people suffering from some of the most extreme mental health problems and those who have problems as a direct result of the poverty, deprivation and inequality in the city.
Want to be inspired? Our new Grace newsletter presents the news each week through a female lens and shares the most inspirational stories about women from across the UK. Sign up here
The charity is able to help young people across the South West of England and in North Wales through their partnership with England Boxing helping more young people to benefit from boxing therapy.
The panel, hosted by ITV’s Kylie Pentelow, was also joined by parent Arron Berry, who spoke candidly about how Empire Fighting Chance had helped support his daughter Charlotte when she was at risk of expulsion from school. EFC’s boxing therapy allowed her to work through her problems and she is now at school studying for her GSCEs.
For more information about Empire Fighting Chance, visit their website.
Read more: Dyson announces 900 new jobs
Also read: Bristol expert says record house price rise is 'frankly mind-boggling'
