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Veteran's boxing club aims to inspire youths

BBC Jamie Parker wearing a white t-shirt with a logo on the right. He has tattoos on both arms and a beard. There is a gym ring in the background with white ropes and red and white boxing gloves. He is stood next to a large black punching bag.BBC
Owner and founder of Bang Bang Boxing in Crediton, Jamie Parker, said he thinks every town should have a boxing gym

The owner and founder of a boxing club in Devon said he hopes to inspire more young people to take up the sport.

Owner and founder of Bang Bang Boxing Jamie Parker said he opened the boxing gym in Crediton after noticing there was not one locally.

Mr Parker opened the gym in April with a start-up loan and with the support of the local community.

The veteran said he learned how to box whilst in the Army and believes every town should have a boxing gym.

Three white and red boxing gloves hung up on the white ropes surrounding a boxing ring. The gloves are lined up and at the centre of the image. There is a white wall behind and the floor is grey.
Jamie Parker said he joined the Army aged 17 and started boxing when he was 18-years-old

Mr Parker said: "Whilst in the Army I learned how to box when I was 18.

"I think if I had somewhere local like this in the town then I would have continued it.

"Boxing is a great sport for people to get involved in. I think every town should have a boxing gym in it.

"It is nice to just give back to people who needed that space. There isn't that space for children, let alone adults locally where we come together.

"To be able to provide it was a great honour."

'Making a difference'

He said he liked to think the boxing gym was "making a difference" to people's lives.

He said: "There are kids that would have been in the park drinking or smoking who are now taking up a sport that is going to provide them with lots of different positive aspects of their lives.

"Hopefully one day they will remember where they learnt it from and come back to be a coach themselves."

Mr Parker said since the gym opened, they have had about "500 people through the door" and it had nearly 100 members.

Student Lily Read said: "I feel like boxing brings out the best in me and I feel a lot better about myself.

"There is a lot of supportive people around and I feel like I don't have to judge myself because everyone is different here."

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