Objectives and Aims.

The Wingham Amateur Boxing Club (WABC) is located in the Manning Valley NSW and is planning to open mid-2025. WABC is a small volunteer, not for profit organisation currently manned by two ex-Australian Defence Force veterans, who between them have 25 years combined experience within the Australian Army. All coaching staff at WABC have NSW Working with Children Cards. Gary will be the primary instructor and holds a NSW Gov issued Head Coach licence issued by the Combat Sports Authority NSW (Lic no 201972M19870). Gary was a boxing coach for 6 years at the PCYC Taree NSW and trained local youth weekly and often took competitors to Dubbo, Cobar, Parkes and various locations interstate to participate in organised bouts or championships. Notable competitors include a Golden Glove semi-finalist and a NSW Lightweight champion. Upon stepping away from the PCYC, Gary was approached by Wingham locals enquiring if he would be interested in starting a Wingham Boxing club with the focus on local youth. Knowing that many disadvantaged youth could not afford hundreds of dollars in yearly fees Gary agreed to raise a club for Wingham on the conditions that it was free for participants. Gary has two sons, one in primary school and the other undertaking an apprenticeship.

Mick will be assisting Gary in the running of the space and in group activities. While Mick has no amateur or professional boxing training experience, Mick has various qualifications in fitness and combative training obtained while in the ADF and plans to gain his Coaching Licence in the future. Mick has three sons, ages 2, 14 and 16 years old. Community feedback and personal observations have identified a lack of afterschool and weekend activities for local youth.

WABC has a 6 person committee who are all parents and all care about the community and the future of our youth, area and country. The area of Wingham in the Mid North Coast of NSW is one of the most disadvantaged areas within NSW with extremely limited after school sporting or mentoring activities. WABC are seeking to start an alternative, relaxed organisation with two primary aims:

1. Provide free fitness and boxing training tailored to the varying individual skill, experience, dedication and confidence levels of the youth who attend, ranging from individual one on one training to group classes. Not only does boxing training and physical exercise build healthy bodies and minds but it also fosters, discipline, teamwork and mateship, all crucial skills for successful members of the community. Initial feedback around the town youth is very positive with many teenagers excited at the idea of a local, free boxing club. Generous (in principle) donations from community groups and individuals have already provided a boxing ring, bags, gloves, general fitness equipment, mats etc.

2. Provide a communal ‘safe space’ area for youth to attend afterschool. Participation in fitness or boxing classes will not be mandatory and all will be welcome to use the facilities to observe, study/ complete homework and to generally socialise in a safe, strictly alcohol and drug free environment. Donations from local groups include items such as bean bags, lounge chairs, study tables etc. A location has been identified at St Matthews Anglican Church, 7-9 Bent St Wingham and the relevant permissions have been obtained to use this building with the enthusiastic support of the local Reverend, Brian Ford. These two primary aims will be managed with the overarching idea that all activities with the youth will be free (with the exception of extraordinary activities like long distance travel to a planned bout with another club etc) and that all staff will be unpaid volunteers in a relaxed, no hassle environment where participants can do as much, or as little as they like. Equipment has been sourced and donated, and a venue has been found. There is one final step that needs to be taken which is the rent for the venue. The Church Hall has been authorised for the club’s sole use so equipment can be left set up, provided the club can raise enough to pay the rent for the Church which is currently set at $250 p/wk. WABC is hoping to secure 12 months rent in advance to be paid directly to the Anglican Church of NSW to secure this venue for sole use by the club. The local Anglican Parish has generously offered to lease the first three months for free to demonstrate how much they support this project.

So, I am writing to you today to request assistance in this final step to allow the Wingham Amateur Boxing Club become a reality. Any assistance at all, in any way that you see fit or are able to provide funds for the rent of the church hall and purchase of equipment will be greatly appreciated not only by WABC but also the families and community of Wingham. With the recent May 2025 floods that caused substantial damage throughout the Wingham community, many of our private donors who had pledged (in principle with no funds yet physically donated) have withdrawn their financial pledges due to the understandable change in circumstances caused by the flooding. Any support you can provide is needed now more than ever.

Response form the community and both state and federal MPS has been overwhelmingly supportive in both cash donations, free tradesman assistance and discounted equipment offers from other NSW amateur boxing clubs.

Once the doors are open, fundraising will be conducted with raffles, merchandise sales, parent donations and the continuation of grant applications (on which we have already had success with).