Brixton amateur club Afewee campaigns for permanent home

Afewee

AFEWEE amateur boxing club has taken a crucial step towards securing a permanent home.

After the London riots in 2011, Afewee founder Steadman Scott decided to set up a community boxing club in the heart of Brixton. They have had a hall to use in the Brixton Recreation Centre but have been campaigning for their own gym. Lambeth Council and GLL have agreed in principle to give them a permanent room in the Brixton Rec. But the club will need to raise ยฃ30,000 itself towards the ยฃ60,000 in total to turn the space into a functioning boxing club.

โ€œThatโ€™s going to secure our legacy so itโ€™s permanent here for at least seven years, theyโ€™ve agreed, seven to 10 years weโ€™ll be homed and that will allow us to build as well. Thatโ€™s what these kids need, a permanent place where they can come and develop,โ€ young head coach Bobby Miltiadous said.

Afeweeโ€™s Peter Armstrong added, โ€œI think spaces are important. Itโ€™s that aspect of a boxing club which is like a youth centre, a youth club. They take ownership, they decorate it, itโ€™s got its history documented on the walls.

โ€œIf you are exposed to an environment where you learn discipline, passion and commitment, in whatever area, itโ€™s transferable.โ€

The original inspiration for the boxing club came from seeing the success of London 2012, so itโ€™s fitting their campaign to secure a gym of their own takes place in an Olympic year. โ€œCentral Brixton hasnโ€™t got an amateur club that focuses on getting kids off the streets,โ€ said Miltiadous.

They have a Just Giving page for donations towards the gym here: https://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/afewee-trainingcentre/permanent-community-boxing-gym.

Afewee has recently had its first five boxers carded. Miltiadous recalls the first time he saw a boxer compete in an Afewee vest: โ€œIt was probably the most Iโ€™d ever wanted to win because it was number one and we got off to a winning start so that was important.โ€ In total now the clubโ€™s boxers have had three bouts, with a winning 2-1 record.

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