England Boxing awarded five-year support by Sport England

England Boxing is among the first group of over 40 organisations working in partnership with Sport England to receive funding from its new funding model.

The national governing body for amateur boxing in England has a foundational role in the sport and physical activity sector and is seen as well placed to help level up access to sport and physical activity across the country.

England Boxing will receive an investment of £6.8m of government and National Lottery funding from Sport England.

It has been awarded long-term funding because it has committed to co-deliver change at a national and local level by helping more people enjoy the benefits of playing sport and being active.

All partner organisations were selected by Sport England due to their ability to influence positive change and improvement throughout the sector, their own networks, and beyond.

This is the first step on a journey to revolutionise Sport England’s approach to long-term partnerships which will see it build new relationships with innovative organisations, as well with existing partners, local partners and delivery partners to further the Uniting the Movement strategy.

Sport England research shows that some groups are typically less active – like women, people with long-term health conditions, disabled people, people from ethnically diverse communities and lower socio-economic groups.

Right now, the opportunities to get involved in sport and activity – and reap the rewards of being active – can often depend on an individual’s background, gender, bank balance and postcode.

Boxing has the power to bring communities together; with its uniquely powerful ability to connect people from different backgrounds and engage them in the sport, it truly has the ability to inspire and transform lives.

It is also a sport that is centrally placed to tackle deep routed societal issues and inequalities within some of the most marginalised and often deprived communities in the country.

Boxing clubs are located in the heart of communities, provide services to people from the community and, importantly, are run by people who know and understand the issues and challenges being faced by their members every day.

England Boxing’s 2022-27 Strategic Plan has been devised so that every club, partner and stakeholder in the sport is clear on the full role that they play in the sport and the potential and ambition contained within this strategy.

Together, England Boxing has the opportunity over the next five years to help build a brighter future, which is underpinned by a thriving boxing community who are making the sport inclusive, diverse and accessible to anyone to maximise their involvement.

Over £193 million is being invested into this first group, with the 43 partners, including England Boxing, receiving funding for up to five years.

This new funding model from Sport England provides longer-term financial security as organisations recover and reinvent following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy aims to help everyone play sport and get active– no matter who they are, where they live, or what their background,” said Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive Officer of Sport England.

“But we know that certain groups are more likely to be inactive and need targeted support and investment. We can only innovate and tackle these inequalities effectively with collective action, recognising that this is about long-term change.

“England Boxing is one of a huge number of partners we are looking to work with on exactly this over the coming years. They play a foundational role within the sport and physical activity sector and are therefore well-placed to create the conditions for change.

“They will also act as a resource for other innovative organisations with the same goals as we seek to create a more equal society with everyone benefitting from sport and physical activity.”

Charlie Ford, Interim Chief Executive Officer of England Boxing, added: “We are extremely pleased to be recognised by Sport England as a system partner that can tackle inequalities and contribute significantly to achieving the aims detailed with the Uniting the Movement strategy.

“Securing long-term support provides the sport with an opportunity to make progressive steps forward in terms of inclusivity and accessibility ensuring the sport is accessible to all regardless of gender, ethnicity, capability, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

“Importantly, we recognise that we cannot achieve our strategic objectives alone and we will be taking a proactive approach in identifying key partners who share our ambitions and who together can help the sport achieve its potential.”