Sheffield Lifehouse Residents Find Boxing Classes Uppercut Above Rest
By Community Correspondent
Residents at a Salvation Army Lifehouse in Sheffield, which supports people experiencing homelessness, are finding boxing classes an ‘uppercut’ above the rest as they help people improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
Set up by Charter Row Chaplain Paul ‘Huggy’ Huggins, residents have the opportunity to train at Sheffield City Boxing Gym with professional coach Brendan Warburton – and they are reaping the rewards.
The sessions are part of the wraparound support offered by The Salvation Army, which not only provides a roof over people’s heads but support to help them move on from homelessness.
One resident who has found the sessions a knockout is Corey, who eventually wants to set up his own boxing gym.
Corey, 26, who spent a year sleeping rough after a relationship breakdown before he moved into Charter Row, which supports men experiencing homelessness, said:
“It’s helped me massively, it’s my happy place.
“It’s helped me change my attitude. Now if I have problems I go to the gym for an hour, think about how I can resolve issues, and I feel better. A problem that feels massive at the beginning of a session seems less of a problem by the end after I’ve had time to calm down and release my anger in a positive way. It’s a way of dealing with things rather than drinking and taking drugs. I know if I’ve been to the gym that day I’ve achieved something.
“I’m looking to the future now and hoping to do a gym instructors course. My plan is to start small but use my experience to help others. I eventually want to set up a boxing gym for teens that are hanging about on the estates, who might have found themselves involved in something and don’t see a way out, because as a child I felt like that, so I want to help someone else and give them what I didn’t have.
“When I was homeless, I thought ‘I’m never going to bounce back from this, I’m washed up’, but along the way I met decent people that have helped and done a lot to guide me. The Salvation Army has done more than just open doors for me, they’ve helped change my mindset, they’ve encouraged me. Huggy has been telling me ‘Corey you can do this if you put your mind to it’. I had no real positiveness in my life before that.”
The hourly sessions are held once a week with participants, including Huggy, put through their paces with a range of circuit training, boxing with the bags and in the ring.
Huggy said: “Boxing is a great way of improving physical fitness, the sessions Brendan puts on are tough and really put us through our paces!
“It’s not just about providing a physical workout for residents though, it’s also about mindset and improving their mental health. I know that for Corey and the others, the sessions help them manage some of the emotions they may be feeling. It’s about trying to deal with anger in a more positive way.
“I’m really proud of Corey, he’s come a long way since he came to Charter Row, and it’s all down to him. He’s recently moved into his own flat, he’s been exploring his faith and helping out in the garden at the local Salvation Army. We’ve talked a lot about the future and the potential for him running some fitness and wellbeing classes at the church. We are looking forward to supporting him with that and whatever else the future may hold for him.”
Charter Row Lifehouse provides beds for more than 50 men who are homeless as well as support for substance misuse, poor mental health, emotional wellbeing and employability.
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