Staff and trainees of a much-valued Derbyshire boxing club that was sadly levelled by an arsonist's fire last year have said they are once again feeling a sense of hope as plans for a brand new gym have been submitted.
Those who attended and taught at Aldercar and Langley Mill Boxing Club, which trained promising young and older boxers from the area after being established in 1993, say they are still feeling a sense of grief after its loss due to a huge blaze started deliberately in the early hours of Saturday 18th September, 2021 that also affected nearby industrial units.
It was a much valued local asset, providing young people with a chance to better themselves and stay off the streets. This has been shown by a fundraising campaign conducted by the club which raised £2,301.
Prior to the fire, the club had over 40 mixed gender members of different ages ranging from seven to 70 who competed in boxing tournaments throughout the country at various levels. The club has over the years produced champions and representatives at Derbyshire, East Midlands, and national level.
Of late, they have had to train at a venue, Ripley School of Boxing, which has meant some have been unable to attend because they are not able to travel there.
But now all are eager to return to a place of their own at a new venue at 22 Queen Street, Langley Mill which would be constructed by Lacey & Owen Architectural Services Limited, based in Ilkeston, subject to plans being approved by Amber Valley Borough Council's planning procedures.
Craig Vasey, 46, originally from Codnor, has been Head Coach at the club for six years. He has boxed representing England against Wales in an international tournament after taking up the sport when he was 10-years-old. He lost on points to future world champion, Gary Lockett.
Reflecting on the loss of the club, Craig said: "It was totally destroyed, and nothing we were able to salvage. We’d not long had a new extension built a few years previous before Covid. It cost £90,000 and we had support from Derbyshire County Council, Asda, and Sport England. It was one of biggest grants ever given to a single body in boxing.
"But we never got to do grand opening. Just before we were due to reopen in September, it was set alight. Seeing all those years of heard up in flames, it was absolutely devastating. Heartbreaking.
"We had a lot of members and did sports as well as fitness for over 50s. We also ran holiday clubs so during school holidays kids could come to us to keep themselves busy. These were free of charge - a massive thing for parents, and they were open to everyone.
"Now we are having to start from scratch, which will be tricky after being hit with cost of pandemic. Also construction material costs have skyrocketed, and what we were insured for wasn’t enough, hence the fundraising. We are having to plan on smaller scale as a result. With the cost of everything these days, we took a massive hit."
One of the young boxers training at the club, Joel Bellamy, 16, from Heanor has just completed his GCSEs. He says he misses the old venue. He said: "It was good to just be somewhere local. When it got burnt down no one knew what to do. We've got good training in Ripley which is a relief but we miss the old club.
"A lot of people haven't been able to come to the new club. But the new build is something to look forward to. Boxing de-stresses you and gives you something to aim for and look forward to to make you strive to do better."
Joel's dad, Roger Bellamy, 57, a print finisher said: "It has given Joel something to focus on, an achievement. A new club to replace the old one would be a lot better for him, being 16 he doesn’t drive or anything and I’m working nights.
"His mum has to drive him this week because having to walk from Heanor to Ripley is not great. With the old club he could walk on his own to Langley Mill in only 15 minutes."
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Alison Brereton, 52, a dog groomer and mother of the captain of the club, 16-year-old Jack, said: "Jack tried many local boxing clubs but the club had to be right for him because he has so much passion for boxing and much more advanced for his age because years of kickboxing.
"Jack isn’t the easiest child to deal with, he’s fiery and hates being defeated at anything and more so being corrected if he things he’s right .
"He’s stormed out of the club in a rage numerous times but Craig Vasey has also stuck by jack, had the patience to stick by Jack when other club managers didn’t. This dedication from Craig has made Jack grow into the boxer he is now and into a more confident person
"The ALM club is not just about boxing, it’s a family. The boys encourage each other to grow. They train hard together as a team should do. When the club was burnt down, Jack could have joined any other club but he was so devastated, as was the other boys, that their club had been destroyed because it wasn’t just a club, it their family."
"My husband, Ray Brereton is a 51-year-old Irishman. He is where Jack's passion for martial arts and boxing comes from. My husband used to coach kickboxing."
Phil Connolly, 54, President of the club, boxed between the ages of 26 and 30 as he became the first senior amateur boxer form Langley Mill. He retired from the sport two years ago.
He said: "The fire was horrible to see the club burned down. I’ve seen it being built up, Big Hallam bought it from the founders: Jim Allen, Peter Morgan, and Alan Spencer. There was nothing like it in Langley Mill before those guys sat in pub and raised a bit of money.
"It's been around since 1993, and we all felt grief when it went. I’m a bit better now, but it’s all cleared away and I couldn’t go down to see it afterwards. The lads up there training at Ripley have shown real commitment as they could have just packed up. All our trophies perished as well.
"They really do deserve a boxing club. Three weeks ago we had our first presentation from the new venue and we packed out Codnor social club. There's definitely a need."
Club chairman, Colin Keetley, 65, who is also a window fitter and glazer, has been associated with the organisation for 26 years. He said: "It was more or less a shell in 1994, and then the club was up and running but obviously got burned down. It’s really imperative,that its rebuilt becuase it helps the community and keeps kids off the the street.
"On the day of the fire, I got a call at 1am in morning. I thought, ‘Should I come down or not?’ I'm glad that now it’s been demolished, we're now just waiting for another to be built up. Up and coming boxers who need their own gym."
The decision as to whether or not the new club will be built will not be made by a full committee of the local authority's planning board, but has been delegated to planning officer Anne Arkle. An approval or rejection from her is due, the council's website states, on September 27.
CCTV cameras and a 2.5m high green mesh have already been installed around the proposed site in an effort to mitigate against any further damage and anti-social behaviour.
A spokesperson for Lacey & Owen Architectural Services said: "The client’s aim is to provide a place where people can come together in a safe place and develop discipline, respect, a self-worth and a level of fitness that benefits the individual, and to help improve under privileged and vulnerable peoples access to sports and fitness at an affordable cost."
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