Skip to main content

Search form

Type your search then hit enter
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • About usBack
    • About us
    • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Board
    • Our Partners
    • Current Contracts
    • Current VacanciesBack
      • Current Vacancies
      • Head of Business Development
    • Partner with Us
    • Contact Us
    • Governance
  • What We DoBack
    • What We Do
    • Core ServicesBack
      • Core Services
      • Equity
      • Facilities
      • Funding & Support
      • InsightBack
        • Insight
        • Devon receives national investment to help older people get active in nature
      • Marketing & Communications
      • Safeguarding
      • Strategic Networking
      • Volunteer Development
    • ProgrammesBack
      • Programmes
      • Local Programmes
      • Primary Premium
      • Satellite Clubs
      • School Games
      • Workplace Movement
    • SectorsBack
      • Sectors
      • Commercial
      • Community Groups
      • Education – HE & FE
      • Education – Schools
      • Health
      • Local Authorities
      • NGB
  • Latest
  • Active Partnerships
  • Impact
  • Search
  • Login

Search form

  • Contact Us

You are here

  • Home
  • Latest
  • Herts Big Hit celebration is a smash!

Herts Big Hit celebration is a smash!

Posted on 4th July 2018
Young participants with their celebration trophies
  • Local News

The Big Lottery funded programme began in summer 2016 after initial pilot sessions delivered by the Box Cleva charity highlighted a need for an intervention to help tackle local anti-social behaviour.

The project funds 11 programmes at boxing clubs across Hertfordshire and often, the young people who take part in the weekly ‘Big Hit’ sessions are those at risk of engaging in low level crime, and of getting in with the wrong crowd. The young participants not only train hard and learn about the sweet science, but also benefit from an interwoven educational and awareness programme around resilience, substance misuse, bullying and healthy eating.

Bob Williams, founder of Box Cleva and Boxing Development Officer for the Big Hit project said:

“Events like this just don’t happen for many of these youngsters – many of whom come from some of the county’s more disadvantaged communities. Box Cleva and the trainers are proud of how hard these kids work towards their awards. Our celebrity guests have shown them that with dedication comes reward, and that if they set their minds to it, they can achieve anything. I hope that the young boxers from the all of the Box Cleva projects had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves here today. To see them proudly collecting their awards after putting in so much effort over recent weeks, brought a tear to my eye."

The event opened with an interactive group skills session where the young participants skipped and showed off their pad work to onlooking parents and carers, and were encouraged by Ted Cheeseman who moved amongst them with his WBA International Super Welterweight belt.
The exhausting practical session was followed by lunch - provided courtesy of Herts Catering Ltd - and the Big Hit awards ceremony at the university’s Weston Auditorium, where Hertfordshire dignitaries handed out awards to the local boxers.

Mayors and Chairman were joined by former WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Conteh, Bermondsey born Cheeseman, and Sean Murphy - Anthony Joshua’s trainer when he was coming up through the amateur ranks, and a champion in his own right, having won gold at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. All three delivered motivational speeches to those assembled – urging the young participants to have self-belief and to work hard in pursuit of their personal goals.

John O’Callaghan, Director of the Herts Sports Partnership, the Big Hit project co-ordinators and event organisers said:

“I have seen first-hand how sport can be used as a powerful vehicle to raise the aspirations and improve the life chances of our young people - and, this programme is a living example of that. I am particularly proud of our leadership on this project and indebted to our friends at Box Cleva, and our various funding partners for their unstinting support. Make no bones about it, this project is changing lives for the better and it was no co-incidence that we held the celebration event here at the University of Hertfordshire. Exposure to its state of the art facilities, coupled with the presence of fantastic role models in John, Ted and Sean, will hopefully have sown the seeds within some of those young people and their families, that a university education – and all that comes with it in terms of personal development and future opportunities – is well within reach, if they work hard and apply themselves. 

I look forward to learning about the continued development of these young people and hopefully to welcoming some of them back to the university as students, in the years to come.”

Hertfordshire’s Big Hit has one more year of funding remaining, during which time Box Cleva will continue to seek further investment to ensure ongoing opportunities for young people.

For more information on the project, or to discuss getting involved, please contact Will Slemmings w.slemmings@herts.ac.uk or call 01707 283249.

Related stories

Group of girls with Montell Douglas standing behind a School, Games banner in a sports hall
Local News
First ever This Girl Can in Herts Schools Festival a resounding success

On Wednesday 23rd March 2022, the Herts Sports Partnership, Hertfordshire School Games Organisers, and the Youth Sport Trust collaborated to create the first ever This Girl Can in Herts Schools

Read more...
Fit, Fed and Read advert
Local News
Fit, Fed and Read

Herts Sport adapt initiative to meet increased demand for free food and activities during summer holidays

Read more...
Go Back

Filter posts by region

Popular Tags

grants
covid 19
young people forward
Active Practice Charter
South Yorkshire
Online
impact awards 2015
daily mile
Ambassadors
strategy

Most Popular Posts

Supporting volunteers and coaches across the CSP Network
Five Ways to Add Walking To Your Daily Routine
Connecting with communities during COVID-19 and beyond: Banbury Mosque

Archives

  • November 2015 (5)
  • December 2015 (4)
  • February 2016 (5)
  • March 2016 (3)
  • April 2016 (4)
  • May 2016 (8)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • July 2016 (10)
  • August 2016 (3)
  • September 2016 (13)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • December 2016 (1)
  • January 2017 (8)
  • February 2017 (4)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • April 2017 (8)
  • May 2017 (8)
  • June 2017 (14)
  • July 2017 (9)
  • September 2017 (11)
  • October 2017 (11)
  • November 2017 (5)
  • December 2017 (5)
  • January 2018 (5)
  • February 2018 (4)
  • March 2018 (3)
  • April 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (9)
  • June 2018 (6)
  • July 2018 (11)
  • August 2018 (1)
  • September 2018 (9)
  • October 2018 (11)
  • November 2018 (5)
  • December 2018 (6)
  • January 2019 (6)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • March 2019 (6)
  • April 2019 (8)
  • May 2019 (7)
  • June 2019 (7)
  • July 2019 (6)
  • August 2019 (2)
  • September 2019 (8)
  • October 2019 (6)
  • November 2019 (7)
  • December 2019 (2)
  • January 2020 (5)
  • February 2020 (7)
  • March 2020 (7)
  • April 2020 (14)
  • May 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (9)
  • July 2020 (8)
  • August 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (11)
  • November 2020 (8)
  • January 2021 (4)
  • February 2021 (7)
  • March 2021 (7)
  • May 2021 (9)
  • June 2021 (6)
  • July 2021 (8)
  • August 2021 (2)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • October 2021 (4)
  • November 2021 (10)
  • December 2021 (1)
  • January 2022 (5)
  • February 2022 (3)
  • March 2022 (6)
  • April 2022 (10)
  • May 2022 (2)
  • June 2022 (7)
  • July 2022 (4)
  • August 2022 (1)

@ActivePartners_
Follow us

  • RT @pault1984: @WeAreCoachCore couldn’t do what it does without amazing partners like @ActiveEssex 👊🙌🏻👏🏼💪🏼💚 https://t.co/R62JE3sIJT
    POSTED ON 15 August
  • RT @ActiveEssex: It's been a year since #EssexPedalPower launched in Clacton & Jaywick! At the celebration event, we caught up with… https://t.co/VBsQX0E5uU
    POSTED ON 9 August
  • RT @whysportsmedia: How active is your workplace? @ActiveLancs are leading research, working with wider stakeholders - Integrated Car… https://t.co/OjNNHJ9The
    POSTED ON 6 August

Follow us

Newsletter Sign-up

Be the first to hear news and opportunities from the Active Partnerships

You may have noticed we have a new brand, and the CSP Network is now known as Active Partnerships

Contact us

Telephone
07788 296161

Email
info@ActivePartnerships.org

Copyright © 2022 Active Partnerships All rights reserved.
  • Site Map
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookies
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
Site design by EHD