Parkinson's disease boxing project to be extended

The Parky Blinders project won this year's BBC Radio Cornwall Make A Difference Award Community category

A Cornish community sport project that uses boxing to help people with Parkinson's disease stay active is to be extended nationwide.

The coaches and supporters of the Parky Blinders project said the non-contact gym work is great for people with the degenerative condition.

Participants said the exercise sessions helped them with their strength and stamina, as well as reducing social isolation.

Now £17,000 is being invested on free training sessions to help more boxing coaches around the country learn new skills and roll out the project.

Ann Curtis-Clarke said her time in the boxing gym had transformed her life

Richard Powers is the founder of Parky Blinders and one of the main coaches at the Newquay Boxing Academy.

"Boxing might not be for everyone but there is a sport for everyone, I believe there is, it is finding that right sport for yourself," he said.

"It is non-contact fun, everyone learns at their own way so it is an individual sport, which helps because each individual comes in with different needs.

"How we adapt it, how we change the sessions to the individual needs is great, in comparison to a team sport which is a little bit harder I imagine."

'Huge benefits'

Ann Curtis-Clarke is in her 70s and joined the sessions after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

She said: "They really push you, there's nothing condescending about it, you give it as much as you can.

"I have experienced huge benefits.

"When I started Parky Blinders I was walking really slowly and now I'm back to walking normal pace, so it filters through to your whole life in a really beneficial way."

The Parky Blinders group uses the facilities of the Newquay Boxing Academy

The new funding of £17,000 comes jointly from England Boxing and Parkinson's UK - nine locations around the country will stage the England Boxing Coaching People with Parkinson's course for free.

Anna Castiaux, physical activity programme lead at Parkinson's UK, said people did not have to become medical experts.

She said: "It's about having that understanding of the condition, then the coach feels confident and they know what they are dealing with, with what's coming through the door, but also to provide activities that can help people with their Parkinson's.

"Once they get into it, they just cannot stop."