Community Group of the Year nominee – Ten Count Boxing Gym CIO

Community Group of the Year nominee – Ten Count Boxing Gym CIO

A boxing gym based in a former church in Bentilee creates community cohesion, builds self-esteem and helps people overcome depression.

Ten Count Boxing Gym CIO moved to Bentilee two years ago after being set up a decade ago by co-founders and former professional boxers Lee Jones and Max Maxwell.

Now a registered charity, it runs fitness sessions for people of all ages and abilities alongside working with amateur boxers.

Ten Count has been nominated as a Community Group of the Year in the Your Heroes Awards by new-mum Laura Bailey. Both Laura and her teenage daughter attend Ten Count sessions.

She said: “I feel they deserve recognition for what they have created and cannot wait to see their further support of the community. One lady spoke to me and said they helped her personally out of serious depression, calling her to check in when she didn’t attend classes and she spoke about feeling like a different person since she joined.

“I joined a few months ago, after I’ve had a baby and started with the ladies classes as I lacked confidence to train in mixed but I soon felt my fitness and well-being had improved and now do multiple and different sessions according to what is convenient.

“The gym has also supported my gay daughter when she was experiencing severe bullying and encouraged her to attend to support her emotional wellbeing.

“It really is a brilliant place that deserves recognition. I see different ethnicities coming together at Ten Count. It’s building community cohesion.”

Ten Count aims to use exercise and boxing to improve the self-esteem, confidence and health for children and adults.

It organises free or subsidised family day trips and offers nutritional and wellbeing advice alongside fun fitness classes.

Max, 43, said: “This is overwhelming. I don’t look for praise or approval. I just do what I do because I enjoy it and that’s me. It’s nice to know that you’re doing something that people enjoy and that is of benefit to them.”