Personal Stories

Connor, England

Not so long ago, ten year old Connor was just a shadow of the boy he’s now become.  He was being bullied at school after struggling to learn as quickly as the other children and he’d regularly come home in tears, begging not to go back.  His confidence was shattered and he couldn’t see how things would ever improve.

To make matters worse, Connor lives in a very deprived area of inner city Manchester where violent gangs control the streets.  With very few ways to escape the crime and fear, Connor’s future looked bleak.

Thankfully though, Connor discovered a Comic Relief funded project called The Moss Side Fire Station Amateur Boxing Club which gave him the chance to shine.  At the club, he could focus his energy into learning to box and getting fit - and the coaches realised he had real talent for the sport.

Through going to the club, Connor’s confidence has now soared – he’s finally found something in which he excels.

The workers at the project also know that by helping children such as Connor develop these important skills from a young age, they’re far less likely to get caught up in the violence that surrounds them. When they start to believe that they can achieve great things, they also begin to work towards a much brighter future.