St Michael’s Amateur Boxing Club
Trustee Annual Report
For the year 1[st] February 2022 to 31[st] January 2023
Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] January 2023
The trustees of St Michael’s Amateur Boxing Club are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the year 1st February 2022 to 31st January 2023
Club Details
Address
Unit 18, Tully Business Park, Springbank Way, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT17 0QL
Charity Commission Number:
NIC102461
Trustees
Joe Pollock
Sean Ward
Gerard Murphy
Darren Pollock
(NB: Those named above are the charity trustees on the date of the report, and served as the charity trustees during the year)
Governing Document and Constitution
The club is a charity registered with the Northern Ireland Charity Commission, and is governed by a constitution adopted on the 12[th] August 2014.
The club is run entirely by volunteers, and currently has no paid members of staff.
Purpose of the Charity
On establishment, St Michael’s ABC was set up with a dual purpose:
-
To create opportunities for people to participate in boxing and to become champions in the boxing ring
-
To help local people tackle some of the complex personal and social issues they experience in their lives.
Achievements and Performance
2022 was another busy year for the club, with lots of members progressing to compete in local and national competitions. In May, we hosted our first club show in 3 years at Lamh Dhearg GFC which was a huge success.
We also continued to run our weekly programme of training sessions, as well as fitness / conditioning sessions for those with interests outside of competition. We also continued to host collaborative sparring sessions with other clubs, and would like to give thanks to Sacred Heart Boxing Club, Carnlough Boxing Club, Star Boxing Club, Gilford Boxing Club and any others who partnered with us during the year.
In September, we hosted a mental health programme in partnership with Lifeline and Action Mental Health, as well as a ‘Fight Talk’ workshop in partnership with TAHMI (Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues) the Ulster Boxing Council and Belfast City Council to engage our members in constructive conversation around championing positive mental health.
Across the year, we also scheduled various social events for our members away from the gym, and hosted some fundraising activity, including a 20-mile sponsored walk.
Work again continued to engage with our local political reps and to identify suitable funding opportunities to support our plans to build a new, purpose built gym facility, although opportunities remain extremely limited. We will continue to be resilient in our search.
Programmes
Boxing:
We recognise that boxing brings a range of health benefits, although we also recognise that the sport offers a broad appeal and various other important values such as discipline, respect, selfcontrol, identity and a sense of belonging. For those who want to, we support them to participate in boxing shows and events, and we already have a number of members who have won junior and senior championships, both on a County and all-Island basis. As well as teaching our members a range of boxing skills, we also see the sport as a tool for inclusion and development. We have continued to deliver small scale female programmes, but remain restricted in creating full time activity given our facility shortfalls. This will grow to something more permanent when we eventually move to a new building.
Fitness and Exercise Programmes:
We continued to run fitness and exercise programmes for adults which incorporate boxing elements but remain non-contact. These sessions provide a full body workout through various boxing movements which improve fitness, co-ordination, agility, speed, power, muscle definition etc. In some cases we have seen participants move into our contact sessions.
Financial Review
The income figure was £7,700, and expenditure total £8,535. This showed an operating loss of £835 for the period.
Objectives and Activities
Charitable Objects
The objectives of the club are to promote, educate and assist people of all ages through boxing and other recreational activities so as to develop their physical fitness, mental and emotional capacities so that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and citizens and that their conditions of life may be improved.
Public Benefit Statement
The trustees of St Michael’s Amateur Boxing Club confirm that they have complied with their duties with regard to the Charity Commission’s requirements on public benefit, and that our public benefit statement has informed the activities of the club in the year 1[st] February 2022 to 31[st] January 2023.
Our purpose is based around the provision of boxing and other recreational activities to enhance physical, mental and emotional capacities, regardless of age, ability, disability, religion and ethnic identity. We aim to empower our participants to improve their well-being and life conditions through physical activity. The benefits achievable for those individuals involved include healthier lifestyles, social inclusion and development of skills and physical literacy.
Report Approved on:
Date: 30/11/23
Signed: (Joe Pollock, Chairperson)