'More than a boxing club' Barton Hill fights on after securing a new home

ONE of Bristol's most famous boxing clubs has been given a lifeline after being made homeless in the past year.

- Tristan CORK

Pictured left to right, Ben Tucker, principal of City Academy, Carlton Miles, lead coach at Barton Hill, Donna Stark, facilities manager at City Academy, Hassan Saddiq, coach, Raj Singh, coach, Lee Allen, coach

Barton Hill Amateur Boxing Club has been given a temporary home at the nearby City Academy school, after a year of disruption and uncertainty.But that turbulent year outside the ring, after the community organisation Wellspring Settlement controversially decided to sell the club's home for almost 20 years, has galvanised the boxers and trainers inside the ring - and the club has enjoyed unprecedented success made all the more remarkable given the club has no home to call its own.

Leaders at Barton Hill ABC said the club nearly went under when it was told to leave the club it had called home since 2007. That building was once the famous Dug Out youth club where Bristol's most famous generation of street artists learned their trade in the 1980s and 90s.

It was put up for sale by the cashstrapped Wellspring Settlement, and Barton Hill ABC had nowhere permanent to go.

"Needless to say the club nearly went under," the club leaders said. They made do, found temporary sites to train, and concentrated on keeping going for the young fighters who they are keeping off the streets.