Sting Like a Bee – For Burnley

Sting Like a Bee - For Burnley

Maverick Stars is continuing to punch above its weight with a move into the Premier League!

The charity has joined forces with Burnley FC in the Community (BFCitC) to launch its 'Sting Like a Bee' initiative. Funded by Maverick Stars Trust, young people participating in  ‘Sting Like A Bee’ will benefit from boxing training, along with leadership courses and employment opportunities.

The project will complement BFCitC’s ‘It’s Your Turf’  Premier League Kicks Targeted programme which breaks the cycle of youth violence within communities. BFCitC delivers more than 50 community programmes, helping people of all ages and backgrounds in Burnley and the surrounding area.

Ged Byrne, BFCitC Youth Crime Reduction Manager said: "It's fantastic to link up with Maverick Stars - a charity we know all about due to the work they do throughout boxing.

"We'll be working to get young people referred to the 'Sting Like a Bee' programme through our partners at Social Care, Youth Offending Team, Police Early Action and local schools. This is the start of a great collaboration!"

The ‘Sting Like a Bee’ project will be based out of 5-Ways Boxing Academy in Burnley,

"Like many towns, we have our problems in Burnley but projects like this are vital in helping guide our young people down the right road," said Head Coach Kevin Dand. "Anyone that's ever stepped in a boxing club will tell you what a positive environment it is.

"Along with helping kids get fit and healthy, it's great that we will be able to offer opportunities like doing coaching badges and first aid courses."

Quigg’s Next Challenge

Quigg's Next Challenge

Former world champion Scott Quigg has joined forces with Maverick Stars for the next chapter of his career - helping to guide young people down the right path in his hometown, Bury.

The ex-WBA super-bantamweight champion decided to hang up the gloves after his last fight against Jono Carroll in March, and is now looking forward to his next challenge.

"I've achieved a lot in my career and I've enjoyed it," Scott explained. "People know I didn't finish school, I had no education but I was very fortunate I had a mum and dad that supported me. I had people that offered me help and direction and they helped me create a path to go on and achieve something. I know how difficult my life would have been without those people around me.

"I want to create opportunities for teenagers who are at a crossroads and might be getting into a bit of bother. Also, I want to help teenagers that are excelling in school - give them opportunities to go even further."

Scott will be spearheading Maverick Stars 'Sting Like a Bee' initiative in Bury. The programme, which helps to tackle anti-social behaviour by providing boxing training and employment opportunities, has proved to be a big success in the nine other boroughs of Greater Manchester and is now being delivered in other parts of the UK.

"I've seen what Maverick Stars has done - through a mutual friend we were connected," Scott said. "The town of Bury has done so much for me - boxing was banned in Bury but the council overturned that so I could fight in my home town. I think we can do really good things with help from Maverick Stars."

 

Mayor visits

First week of ‘Sting Like a Bee’ relaunch a success

First week of 'Sting Like a Bee' relaunch a success

Maverick Stars restarted its ground-breaking 'Sting Like a Bee' initiative across Greater Manchester last week.

The programme, designed to provide opportunities for young people through boxing gyms, relaunched at Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club in Manchester, Hamer ABC in Rochdale and Bridgewater ABC in Salford.

The programme engaged with 17 children and young adults in week one, and this number will continue to rise over the next few days with two other gyms joining the scheme.

Timperley ABC in Trafford and Tameside Elite Boxing Academy will welcome new faces to their gyms as part of the programme.

Aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour and the knife-crime epidemic, 'Sting Like a Bee' will see a series of boxing and leadership programmes rolled out in boxing gyms throughout the region, helping hundreds of young people (aged 8-25) to get fit, stay safe and up-skill.

Each of Greater Manchester's ten boroughs now has at least one designated 'Maverick' gym which has received funding and support from the charity to help engage and inspire the most 'at-risk' young people.

Special guest speakers, mentors and external visits to places including: Safety Guide, Challenge4Change and Street Doctors, will be organised for each gym. Other planned initiatives for participants include training camps at home and abroad, and plans are also in place for a 'Greater Manchester Box Cup'.

(The picture was taken before the Coronavirus pandemic, at the launch of the programme.)

Leaders Abraham Moss

Success for “Sting like a Bee” Leaders

A unique initiative which uses boxing gyms to provide opportunities for young people, is celebrating its first group of successful new "leaders'. Ten participants graduated from the course at the Collyhurst and Moxton boxing gym - and received their certificates at a ceremony attended by champion fighters Zelfa Barrett, Lyndon Arthur, and fighter - turned - trainer Thomas McDonagh. 

The young people aged between 14-16 and all pupils at Abraham Moss high school in Crumpsall - completed first aid, safeguarding and child protection, along with a 'police community clubs of Great Britain' Olympic boxing leadership award. 

The qualifications are part of the maverick stars "sting like a bee" programme which is aimed at tackling anti-social behavior and the knife -crime epidemic. Each of Greater Manchester's ten boroughs now has at least one designated "Maverick" gym which has received funding and support from the charity to help engage and inspire the most "at-risk" young people.

special guest speakers, mentors and external visits to places including: safety Guide, Challenge4Change and Street Doctors, are available for each gym. 

Putting Back – Murray’s the Man

Former world title challenger Martin Murray is backing 'Sting Like a Bee' to change young people's lives in Greater Manchester.

Aimed at tackling anti-social behavior and the knife-crime epidemic, the initiative has set in motion a series of boxing and leadership programme's rolled out at boxing clubs throughout the ten boroughs.

Murray, a British and Commonwealth middleweight champion, is back in training for his next challenge in the ring, but took time out to lend his support for the Maverick Stars initiative.

"Boxing saved my life without a shadow of a doubt," he said. "It's well documented I've been in a lot of trouble in the past and when I've looked back at those episodes in my life, the only time I was in trouble was when I wasn't boxing; when I was out of the gym.

"A boxing gym demands respect and I think boxing is a good way for kids to control aggression."

Along with his role model status as a champion fighter, Martin qualified as a youth worker ten years ago in order to help troubled young people in St Helen's. 

"A few years ago I was working a lot with the council but I had to put it to one side to focus on my [boxing] career. It's something I've always hoped I'd go back to and catch up with. I'm looking to help out in any way I can with this charity and in boxing gyms in the future."

After a professional boxing career lasting 12 years, Martin is due to fight again on November 15 with a view to having one last 'big' fight sometime next year.

maverick stars team picture

Sting Like A Bee Launch

A who’s who of the Greater Manchester boxing scene will be on hand to help launch the Maverick Stars ‘Sting Like a Bee’ (SLAB) initiative in Moss Side on Monday, 24 June.  

Aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour and the knife-crime epidemic, ‘Sting Like a Bee’ will see a series of boxing and leadership programme's rolled out in boxing gyms throughout the region, helping hundreds of young people (aged 8-25) to get fit, stay safe and up-skill.    

Each of Greater Manchester’s ten boroughs now has at least one designated ‘Maverick’ gym which has received funding and support from the charity to help engage and inspire the most ‘at-risk’ young people. 

Special guest speakers, mentors and external visits to places including: Safety Guide, Challenge4Change and Street Doctors, will be organised for each gym. Other planned initiatives for participants include training camps at home and abroad, and plans are also in place for a ‘Greater Manchester Box Cup’ – earmarked for Spring 2020.

World star Frampton backs Manchester’s ‘Sting Like a Bee’

World boxing star Carl Frampton MBE has thrown his backing behind a Greater Manchester-wide campaign that will take a unified approach to tackling knife crime.

A total of 12 clubs from the area – two from inner city Manchester, plus the 10 boroughs that make up the metropolitan county – will help to deliver the ‘Sting Like a Bee’ programme developed by the Maverick Stars Trust charity.

They will provide each club with funding and support to turn the most at-risk eight to 25-year-olds away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour and instead use boxing to get fit, stay safe and upskill themselves.

The series of boxing and leadership programmes will be run with the additional backing and support of England Boxing, Safety Guide, Challenge4Change and Street Doctors, as well as local councils, the police and a number of other local organisations.

The initiative was launched at Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club, who will be one of the participating clubs, alongside the likes of Timperley, Bridgewater Salford, Halliwell Elite, Oldham, Paramount – Stockport, Hamer, Hyde and District, Collyhurst and Moston, Bury and Majestic Boxing Academy – Bolton

“It’s very important to address knife crime as there is a bit of an epidemic going on with it at the minute across not just cities like Manchester, Liverpool and London, but all over the UK,” said Frampton, who was joined in supporting ‘Sting Like a Bee’ by trainer Jamie Moore and world professional title hopeful Chantelle Cameron.

“Boxing clubs being in the areas that they are and as the hub of many of their local communities can have a massive impact in speaking to the kids affected, helping them wise up and then giving them viable alternatives.

“It might seem like carrying a knife around is the cool thing to do because other people are doing it, but boxing clubs can spell out just how dangerous it is.”

Those present at the launch heard from Anfield ABC coach who has driven a ground-breaking anti-knife crime project in nearby Liverpool called ‘Real Men Don’t Carry Knives’.

He explained that the need to take action across the country was vital as there were 40,829 recorded incidents of knife crime in 2018 – 110 per day – while, on average, one person each day has died of a knife-related incident since the beginning of 2019.

Also in attendance was former Olympic medallist and world champion Robin Reid, who is now working with Safety Guide, a foundation helping to prevent bullying and knife crime among young people.

He said: “There weren’t kids carrying knives around when I was younger, but now kids as young as 10 can be carrying them and I’ve heard about kids on the news who aren’t even teenagers yet who have been stabbed.

“It’s about changing the mindset that carrying a knife around should not be like carrying around a mobile – and that split decision to pull a knife out of your pocket can change the lives of lots of people, not just the attacker and the victim.”

The event attracted considerably media interest both locally and nationally, with Sky Sports News, BBC Radio Five Live, The Daily Star, talkSport and BBC Radio Manchester coming along.

Among those being interviewed were Maverick Stars Ambassador Conner Tudsbury, a Moss Side Fire boxer who has designs on winning a place on the GB Performance Programme.

“I struggled at schools with my maths and English and I could have gone down the other route of carrying knives and stuff like that, but I’m glad I’ve found something that I’m good at, which is the boxing,” he said.

“I’ve got friends who were kicked out of school for carrying knives and friends who have carried knives to make them feel safe, but I’ve also got friends who have gone along to the gym to box and now they think ‘what was I doing, how could I be so daft?’ and now know they don’t need knives.”

‘Sting Like a Bee’ has won wide support from those clubs who will be leading the programmes, with Paramount – Stockport Head Coach Paul Slamon saying: “It’s a fantastic project for us all to be involved with.

“As well as being a coach in Stockport, I’m also a police officer where I work with young people and see at first hand the issues we are dealing with when it comes to knife crime.

“This is a great way of getting those young people off the streets and into something positive. The partnership with other organisations means we will be working with the right group of people and the funding means we will be able to put sessions on free of charge for those who would not have the money to pay for them.”

Charlotte Gilley, founder of the Maverick Stars Trust, has been greatly encouraged by response to ‘Sting Like A Bee’, which is expected to be followed up in the future with a Greater Manchester Box Cup – planned for Spring 2020 – to greater cement the links between the clubs.

“At the moment everyone is doing parts of it (tackling knife crime) well, with the councils, the police, the youth services and the clubs all doing their bit,” she said.

“But what this programme is doing is pulling everyone together and saying ‘how can we do this as a whole, in a unified way’, rather than doing things separately, so we can fill in any gaps in knowledge.

“It’s been superb to see the interest in the project. All the volunteers are amateur coaches, but they’re all prepared to give up their time for this, as they already do at their own clubs.

“It’s also fantastic to get such support from amateur and professional boxers past and present which has really helped lift the profile of this campaign. They are amazing role models and people are a lot more likely to listen to what they have to say than a schoolteacher or policeman.”

Part of England Boxing’s 2017 to 2021 strategy is to strengthen clubs, unlock potential and invest in the boxing community.

Head of Community Development, Ron Tulley, said: “Maverick Stars Trust has the foresight to see that by choosing to invest in boxing clubs they are also investing in an education, health and anti-crime agenda.”

Mayor visits

Mayor backs Sting Like A Bee

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham visited Timperley ABC to learn more about the Maverick Stars ‘Sting Like a Bee’ initiative.

Aimed at tackling anti-social behavior and the knife-crime epidemic, ‘Sting Like a Bee’ has set in motion a series of boxing and leadership programmes rolled out at boxing clubs throughout the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. Timperley is the ‘key’ boxing gym for Trafford.

Each participating gym has received Maverick Stars funding and will work with the police, councils, schools and other organisations to identify and help the most ‘at-risk’ young people aged 8-25. Along with learning how to get fit, stay safe and up-skill, the programme incorporates activities with key partners including: Safety Guide, Challenge4Change and Street Doctors.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Andy Burnham said: “It’s brilliant that boxing clubs around Greater Manchester are coming together as part of the Maverick Stars Trust and saying: ‘What can we do to help?’ I think that’s a fantastic offer for someone in my position to get. I’m certain they can help and reach some reach young people that other agencies will struggle to reach.

“The key is getting them through that door. It’s a big step to walk inside a boxing club for some young people, so through this initiative, if we can help them do that, then once they’re inside they’re away! They can turn negative energy into something much more positive.

“Boxing is almost the opposite of what some people think it is. It has to be a disciplined environment. When people walk-in they see the reality of what it is, what it can do for them and the confidence it can give them. That’s a massive part of it.

“Why might a young person carry a knife? It might not be because they’re hard and they think they’re the best; it might be because they’re scared. They don’t have confidence and that’s where boxing can come in. It can give them a bit more confidence, a bit more pride in themselves and might take them from a very bad place to much better place.”

 

JAMIE MOORE

Huge Turnout for Launch Event

The great and the good turned up for the launch of the Maverick Stars 'Sting Like a Bee' initiative at Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club.

Maverick ambassadors Jamie Moore, Nigel Travis, Chantelle Cameron and Conner Tudsbury were in attendance, along with other stars including Carl Frampton, Robin Reid and Zelfa Barrett.

Speakers on the day included boxing coach and anti-knife crime campaigner Alan Walsh, Dean Lynch from Challenge4Change and Stuart Maddox from Safety Guide. The media was also well represented with BBC Radio Five Live, talkSPORT and Sky Sports News all broadcasting live from the event. Hits Radio, BBC Manchester, the Daily Star and British Boxers were also in attendance.

'Sting Like a Bee' is helping to tackle knife-crime and anti-social behaviour throughout Greater Manchester by targeting 'at risk' young people and funding boxing and leadership initiatives at gyms throughout the  ten boroughs

 

AB at Timperley ABC

Sting Like a Bee

Young people in Greater Manchester are being urged to get down to their local boxing gym and 'Sting Like a Bee'! The Maverick Stars initiative is already helping hundreds aged 8-25 to get active, learn new skills and meet new mates too.

With the school holidays now upon us, it's never been more important for young people to fill time in a positive manner and have a lot of fun doing it. Along with boxing training, there are opportunities for trips to other activities with our partners: Challenge4Change, Street Doctors and Safety Guide. There are also leadership programmes and coaching qualifications on offer to help up-skill our participants - and we are linking with local businesses to provide apprenticeship opportunites.

Police, councils, schools and other organisations have been referring young people to the programme - and it's all funded by us, so what's not to like? Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is backing 'Sting Like a Bee' and recently visited Timperley ABC to lend his support. The Mayor's incoming free bus pass scheme for 16-18 year olds will also help those travelling to gyms.

 

The 'Sting Like a Bee' programme was developed in response to the growing knife-crime epidemic and other forms of anti-social behaviours. All ten boroughs of Greater Manchester has a 'key' club(s), so contact your nearest gym or email (charlotte@maverickstars.co.uk) for details.

 

Manchester: Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club / Collyhurst & Moston ABC

Salford: Bridgewater ABC

Trafford: Timperley ABC

Stockport: Paramount ABC

Tameside: Hyde & District ABC

Oldham: Oldham Boxing & Personal Development Centre

Rochdale: Hamer ABC

Bury: Bury ABC

Bolton: Elite Boxing

Wigan: Majestic Gym