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Children in Need Visit Empire Fighting Chance
We were delighted to welcome Liz Rabone and her colleagues Louise and Daniella from BBC Children in Need to Empire Fighting Chance this week for an in-depth visit to see our work in action. Their visit gave them the opportunity to meet our team, hear directly from young people, and see the difference our programmes make every day.
A Tour of the Gym and Our Mission
The afternoon began with an introduction and gym tour led by Martin, Michael, and Emily, who shared the story of Empire Fighting Chance, our mission, and the impact of our programmes. This gave our visitors a clear understanding of why we exist and how we support young people across Bristol.
Hearing from a Young Person
One of the highlights of the visit was a session with Harry, supported by Coach Keenan, where he shared his experience of being part of our programmes. During this session, Liz even put the gloves on and learned the boxing basics from Coach Keenan, including stance and positioning, before trying pads with Mariella, our Youth Voice & Leadership Coordinator. This gave her a first-hand experience of how we use non-contact boxing as a tool to build trust and connection, helping young people feel comfortable to open up.
Learning About Our Programmes and Youth Leadership
Programmes Lead Megan provided an overview of our work, explaining how our interventions support young people across Bristol. Mariella and Titus then shared insights into our Youth Leadership programmes, highlighting how young people’s voices are amplified and involved in shaping our work, along with plans for 2025/26.
Insights from Our Delivery Team
The Children in Need team also spent time with our frontline delivery team to learn more about day-to-day programme delivery. Webby and Sam spoke about Box Champions, Megan explained Box Therapy, Titus shared Box Careers and Leadership, and Courtney highlighted Community Outreach. They also discussed future plans and growth for each area of our work.
Seeing the Gym in Action
The visit concluded with Michael, Emily, and Jamie showing the gym at its busiest, giving a real sense of the energy, relationships, and progress that define our programmes every day.
A Huge Thank You
We’re incredibly grateful to the Children in Need team for taking the time to visit and connect with our staff and young people. Their support makes such a huge difference to everything we do at Empire Fighting Chance, and we wouldn’t be able to do this work without them. We feel incredibly lucky to have such generous and committed partners and look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come.