Street Methodist Church building saved by boxing club

Pyramid Boxing Club moved into the upper floor of the building in 2023

A church building which was falling into disrepair has been been brought back to life by a boxing club.

The Pyramid Boxing Club moved into the top floor of Street Methodist Church in 2023, after outgrowing Pilton Working Men's Club.

Reverend Colin Moore said the club had helped to fund the building's upkeep, saving it from closure.

Angela Wittleton, who attends the club, said it had been a "big surprise" to see the space being used again.

Ms Williton said the building had not been used properly for a long time

She grew up in the area and remembers how the church used to look.

"It had not been used for a few years. The heating had been turned off and it had been left to just fester really.

"I don't think I can put it into words how amazing it is to see the building being used again," she said.

Club secretary and coach Nicole Miles said the church building was a "lovely" place to work.

Nicole Miles said the boxing club had become a "lovely" community

"As you walk up the stone stairs you gradually hear the noise and then you open up the front door and then it hits you.

"We have such a wide range of people who come and attend and it's lovely, we enjoy teaching the real little ones right up through.

"We're starting a Parkinson's disease group soon and we're looking forward to getting things off the ground for it," she said.

Mr Moore said the boxing club's new base above the main hall had been "quite a surprise, but a really happy surprise".

Mr Moore said it was a "happy surprise" to have the boxing club move into the building

He said: "We were kind of under pressure as a church to keep the building and we needed to have a way of funding it.

"We approached various organisations and came up with nothing.

"It came out of the blue when the boxing club approached us to use the space permanently."

Mr Moore added: "The big thing for us was the church being used again and being in contact with the community again."