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Empire return to Canada to train, support and inspire local organisations
Empire Fighting Chance recently embarked on an inspiring journey to Edmonton, Canada, a trip that was the culmination of two years of conversations, formal meetings, and visits.
This wasn’t just a trip—it was a powerful step in sharing our unique non-contact boxing programme with a new city, on a new continent, and building lasting partnerships along the way. The experience left an indelible mark on everyone involved, from the team we sent to the communities we worked with in Edmonton.
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Delivering non-contact boxing to organisations in Edmonton, Canada.
Building Bridges Through Relationships
The success of this trip hinged on the strong relationships we’ve nurtured over time. As CEO Martin Bisp reflected:
“The trip reinforced how important relationships are. I know a number in Edmonton were sceptical about ‘non-contact’ boxing, but they trusted and had built relationships with two or three of us - and that was enough.”
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Empire delivering training at a boxing gym in Edmonton, Canada.
This trust was key. It allowed us to introduce our innovative non-contact boxing programme to a city initially unfamiliar with the concept. Over four days, we trained 24 individuals from eight influential organisations across Edmonton, including Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, Encompass, Edmonton YMCA, and The Africa Centre. These organisations, identified by our partners at REACH, were eager to embrace our approach and integrate it into their work with young people.
A Packed Four Days of Training and Connection
The first two days of training followed our established model, focusing on equipping participants with the skills and understanding to deliver non-contact boxing. The following two days were even more special, as young people from the participating organisations joined in, bringing energy and enthusiasm to the sessions. The commitment was remarkable—nearly everyone attended all four days, including one participant who was seven months pregnant and determined not to miss out.
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At a boxing gym in the city of Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada.
Alongside the training, our team split their efforts to hold meetings with key stakeholders across Edmonton, including city officials, the city police, the Alberta Boxing Association, the Edmonton Community Foundation, and the CEOs of the participating organisations.
Martin captured the impact of these efforts:
“We have built something very special. Everyone loved the training. Everyone who spoke to us who saw the training wanted to get involved.'
COMMUNITY RESPONSE FROM EDMUNTON
“REACH Edmonton was proud to welcome a delegation of 7 from Empire Fighting Chance in June. This visit was the result of a full year of planning to bring this amazing program to Edmonton. The team trained 24 individuals from 8 different agencies and were able to showcase the program to numerous partners. There was incredible enthusiasm generated and partners plan to begin delivering the program in the coming months with the generous support and mentorship of the Bristol team.”
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The full Empire staff team that went to Edmonton, Canada.
Participants described the training as “life-changing” and unlike anything they’d experienced before. As Martin noted:
“We have created a real buzz across the city. What we have built works anywhere.”
Lessons and Future Opportunities
This trip wasn’t just about delivering training—it was about learning and growing. Martin highlighted the importance of choosing the right partners, noting our cultural alignment with REACH:
“Who we chose to work with is important. With REACH we have a genuine partnership where there is cultural alignment.”
He also emphasised the need to better articulate the “why” behind non-contact boxing, a concept we pioneered that’s still new to many. Moving forward, Martin envisions deeper collaboration with REACH and others in areas like research, monitoring and evaluation, careers, culture, and communications to continuously improve our work.
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Empire have plans to extend further into other parts of Canada.
Pride and Joy in Making a Difference
The team we sent to Edmonton represented Empire Fighting Chance with professionalism and passion, leaving a lasting impression. Seeing a new community embrace our work with such joy filled us with pride. As Martin put it:
“Seeing a group of people, in another city on another continent embrace our work with joy gave us all a sense of pride.”
Jan echoed this sentiment, highlighting the programme’s potential for Edmonton’s youth:
“We in Edmonton are delighted to have such an amazing program available for our youth.”
Looking Ahead
This trip has opened doors for future collaborations and shown that our non-contact boxing programme resonates far beyond Bristol. With continued support and plans to expand our REACH, we’re excited about the possibilities ahead. The success in Edmonton is a testament to the power of our work, the strength of our partnerships, and the dedication of our team.
For more about our partners at REACH Edmonton click here.
