Boxing club climbs off the canvas after finding new home

Monday, 10 August 2020 10:53

After 18 months of hurt, Ashton Albion Amateur Boxing club are once again fighting fit after finding new premises.

The club, now known as Mossley Amateur Boxing Club, have found a permanent home in Squire Mill on Micklehurst Road in Mossley.

The gym had been living a nomadic existence since leaving their Albion Mill home almost two years ago, practicing at a number of gyms including iTrain in Dukinfield.

They thought there was light at the end of the tunnel when they secured a premises in the heart of Ashton town centre, but blow after blow meant they were forced to restart their search.

Now, they’re celebrating after securing a fantastic facility in Mossley which has absolutely everything the club needs.

They took their first sessions last week, and owner and coach Wayne Heywood says the numbers are already looking positive.

“It’s started off steady to be honest. I had ten in on the first night and 12 on in the second. Four or five of the lads have followed me up.” He said.

“Some of them are from Manchester, some have done White Collar Boxing but want to do it properly. I’ve been looking at them and correcting everything.”

The club are set to offer classes for a wide range of experience levels, from beginners to experienced fighters. While their numbers are still currently limited by the coronavirus pandemic, Wayne is hopeful of welcoming more and more people as restrictions loosen.

Wayne says that the entire ordeal has put a huge stress on him and his family: “I was offered this place when I lost the gym, but I originally wanted to stay in Ashton.

“I’ve been a bit stressed for the past 15 months with the other place.

“I put £8,000 into the other place which had been donated. How can I explain that to people? Eight thousand down the drain and I’ve had to walk away. I wasn’t getting any help whatsoever.”

Mossley hasn’t had a boxing club since 1986 and Wayne says the new premises is everything he’s ever dreamed of.

“It’s taken a massive weight off my shoulders. I’ve always wanted a single floor gym - this one is all one level and has everything I need.

“It’s given me my mojo back.”

During the darkest times searching for a new home, Wayne says he considered walking away from boxing coaching entirely: “Covid has given me time to re-evaluate my life and I’d decided if this didn’t work I was going to walk away. I thought I’d concentrate of refereeing and judging.

“I’m buzzing against at the moment. Because I was down, I was struggling, my wife and kids could all tell. It’s my passion.”

It’s not the end of the fight for the club however. Wayne says he’d like to improve the changing rooms and repair the lift in the building, allowing them to welcome disabled people for the first time.

The new gym has been a culmination of hard work, with Wayne wanting to say a big thanks to Steve and Molly McCarthy, who have offered him the new space. Special thanks must also go to councillor John Taylor, who has been supporting the boxing club for many years.

Despite being a Dukinfield councillor, John has long been an admirer of Wayne’s work, supporting him in various ways over the past few years. He was delighted to see the club finally secure a new, permanent home and said: “It’s absolutely fabulous for Mossley. They’ve now got a valuable resource, I’ve been up and it’s brilliant.

“We need more for these kids. It’s a good resource.

“I’ve been disappointed in the past about the help he didn’t get.
“Now he needs to start reapplying for those grants and we need to start giving him support.”

Councillor Taylor was full of praise for the work Wayne does with young boys: “We need more Waynes - We need an army of Waynes!

“He takes kids off the street, teaches them discipline and gives them a purpose. Everything is good about him. I’ll be working with him and giving him as much support as I can.”