Trustee Annual Report
Trustee Annual Report Charity Name: Corpus Christi Amateur Boxing Club NI
Charity Commission Number: NIC103298 Charity Purpose: Amateur Boxing Club Charity Trustees:
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Tony Leonard – Treasurer
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Eileen Shaw – Secretary
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Andrew Leonard – Chairperson
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Alex O’Neill – President
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David Walsh – Vice President
Financial Year: 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024
Corpus Christi Amateur Boxing Club, established in 1989, is an affiliated member of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association. We provide quality boxing facilities and coaching to individuals of all backgrounds and skill levels, helping them reach their full potential. Our primary goal is to create a safe, friendly, and inclusive environment where participants can improve both their physical and mental health. We are based in one of the most socially deprived areas of the UK, the highest suicide rate in the UK. Our focus is on promoting wellbeing and supporting the local community.
Achievements and Targets
Our boxers have competed at various levels, including the Antrim Championships, Ulster Championships, and Irish Elite Competitions, with many achieving success, both nationally and internationally, including in the USA. Moving forward, our goal is to develop more champions at all levels as the club continues to grow stronger.
We have delivered several successful projects in collaboration with Belfast City Council and Sports NI, including the County Antrim and Ulster Championships (novice and senior levels), Try It, Girls Together, Sporting Halloween, Everybody Active, and Active Communities Network. Additionally, we continue our work with The Upper Springfield Development to promote mental health awareness, running programs such as "Boxing for Mental Health" and suicide awareness initiatives to address rising suicide rates in our community. We also participated in a cross-community and cross-border campaign, “ATS US NAI KIDS,” in collaboration with other organizations. This year, we incorporated the Probation Board into our projects, further broadening our reach and impact.
Our club remains committed to professional development, attending courses such as Autism in Sport, Safeguarding Children in Sport, Anti-Bullying Workshops, Sports Injury First Aid, Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training, and Mental Health Awareness courses, among others. We also offer coaching for 5-12-year-olds.
We continue to build partnerships with local primary and secondary schools to promote participation and provide skill-building opportunities. Additionally, we work with other boxing clubs to expand coaching and competitive opportunities for both participants and coaches. This collaboration also facilitates cross-community and cross-border engagement, offering skill development sessions, sparring, and club shows. By participating in these projects, we help young people develop self-confidence, peer support, and physical and mental wellbeing, essential components for their personal growth and for reducing antisocial behaviour in our community. Our efforts aim to foster a better and safer community, particularly for those facing unemployment.
Community Service
Several of our boxers volunteer in the "Help the Elderly" scheme, organized by the West Belfast Partnership Board. This initiative supports elderly residents, particularly during the winter months. We have also invited the community to engage in our mental health programs. Through our partnership with various local organizations, we have identified young people and hotspots in the community that are at higher risk of anti-social behaviour, outdoor drinking, and drug use. We collaborate with outreach workers and residents’ groups to create programs that engage young people in healthy activities and provide one-on-one development within the boxing club and the wider community.
Our Finances
Our primary source of income is through the Belfast City Council’s “Boxing Strategy” funding, ring hire, and hall rentals for boxing competitions. As we are located in a socially disadvantaged area our fee’s are low £5 per week.
Each Trustee has consistently considered the Commission’s Public Benefit Requirement when carrying out their duties, ensuring the club’s activities fulfil it’s charitable purpose and provide benefits to the community. We remain committed to offering services that are inclusive and accessible while managing any potential incidental private benefits that may arise.
Secretary
Eileen Shaw