Acocks Green Boxing Gym in £35k appeal over huge energy costs

Craig Storer said the gym, in an abandoned car factory, needed better heating on cold days

The owner of a boxing gym which trains youngsters and adults is appealing for help due to the huge cost of heating it.

Acocks Green Boxing Gym moved into an abandoned car factory in Tyseley, Birmingham, five months ago.

Owner Craig Storer said they put a central heating system in but it does not make a difference on cold days.

"It's electric and cost us £2,700 for one month and it didn't even warm the building up," he said.

The gym has launched a crowdfunding appeal to try and raise £35,000 to go towards buying an upgraded heating system and better glazing.

"A bit of help, a bit of sponsorship would help. There is that chance of it closing but we'll do everything in our power to keep this place open, " Mr Storer added.

About 80 people, including children as young as two years old, train regularly at the site.

One of the youngsters, Amelia, said everybody at the gym had become like family to her.

"You have a good bond with each other and you'd miss that and you'd miss, obviously, the hobby. It's just something to do, a bit of fun," she said.

Trainer Jaden Cayenne said it was a "privilege" to have access to such a boxing gym

Lucy Kings-Wheatley started at the gym, was part of the academy squad for Great Britain and said she could not imagine doing anything else.

"It just feels normal to me. It makes me feel good, everything about it, I love it," she said.

One of the gym's trainers, Jaden Cayenne, won gold in 2022 at the England Boxing National Development Championships.

"It's a privilege to have this. There are some gyms that don't have this and for us to have it is brilliant," he said.

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