Therapists start their journey at delivering non-contact boxing

IMG 6552 (1)

Over two days in February of this year, Empire Fighting Chance welcomed 13 practitioners from across the United Kingdom to its Centre of Excellence in Bristol for an intensive two-day Box Therapy training programme.

This event marked a significant step in the charity’s mission to expand the reach of its innovative Box Therapy initiative, which combines non-contact boxing with therapeutic support to empower young people facing mental health challenges.

The Box Therapy programme has been carefully developed to provide a unique and effective approach to mental health support, building on the success of Empire’s earlier Box Champions initiative. Following the positive impact of sharing that programme, Empire Fighting Chance is now focused on equipping practitioners with the skills and knowledge to deliver Box Therapy within their own communities.

  • IMG 6550 (1)
    Practical sessions for therapists at the Centre of Excellence gym at Empire in Bristol

Participants for the training were carefully selected based on their values, professional experience, and the young people they support. Representing a diverse range of organisations, attendees included practitioners from Shropshire County Council, 42nd Street, The Sid Youth, Punching with Purpose, SPARKS, and Be Inspired. The training encompassed a comprehensive series of workshops, covering key topics such as the history and journey of the charity, the therapeutic foundations of the programme, boxing delivery techniques, data and impact evaluation, and the practicalities of delivering Box Therapy. Practitioners also collaborated on creating bespoke action plans tailored to their local contexts.

The programme was designed to educate and upskill attendees, ensuring they are fully equipped to implement Box Therapy effectively within their own regions. Empire Fighting Chance firmly believes that trusted local organisations are best positioned to deliver meaningful support to the young people in their communities, and this training reflects that commitment.

  • IMG 6556 (1)
    A monitoring and evaluation workshop for therapists at the Empire Centre of Excellence in Bristol

Feedback from participants underscored the value of the event.

Matt from Punching with Purpose commented, “It was a real privilege and honour to attend the Empire training. Really am in awe of their work and am looking forward to working with them going forward.”

42nd Street said : “Honestly the training was amazing. Well paced, a good mix of physical/practical elements and talking and presentations. I particularly enjoyed the practical elements, and physically delivering sessions using different equipment. I feel I have come away with real tangible things to deliver.”

Be Inspired said : “I have gained lots of knowledge to add to my arsenal of session ideas, plans ands programs. There was not much that can be improved on, it was great and look forward to putting to practice.”

And one individual therapist added: “Learning how to deliver therapy in this way was great, as I had no idea how it would look. But I would love to keep in touch, explore how as a therapist we can update on how it’s all going in practice, the learning and personal development so we feel part of the Empire team.”

  • IMG 6555 (1)
    Therapists on the bags at the Centre of Excellence gym at Empire in Bristol.

Elaine Miller, the Head of Box Therapy at Empire Fighting Chance, was pleased how the training went. She stated, “Sharing our unique Box Therapy programme and culture was a great experience. Inspiring other mental health professionals to use boxing to enhance their practice and create greater accessibility to therapy feels amazing. I am very excited to grow the number of Box Therapists around the country and support more young people.”

This Bristol event is the first of several Box Therapy training days planned for 2025. The next session, scheduled for March, will be delivered in collaboration with partners Be Inspired in Croydon. Empire Fighting Chance looks forward to continuing its work with new partners to bring this transformative programme to even more communities.

For those interested in participating in future Box Therapy training sessions, please contact Aaron at [email protected] for further details.

Empire Fighting Chance remains dedicated to harnessing the power of sport and therapy to create lasting change for young people across the UK. This training event represents a promising milestone in that ongoing journey.