When Billy Ramsay was just 12 years old, he joined the Lochee boxing club in Dundee, Scotland. It was a few years before his older sister passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 17 and his mother, who struggled with addiction, was sent to jail. Billy was in a very vulnerable state and boxing became his sanctuary, allowing him to block out the chaos at home.
During his adolescent years, Billy attended boxing shows throughout Scotland while his friends drank and used drugs. Now at age 34 and working as a joiner, he attributes the boxing club to saving his life. It provided a community for him and taught him discipline, pushing him to make positive life choices. “When you come back and tell people about your successes, you feel good about yourself, because you’re actually doing something with your life,” Johnson stated.
Lochee Boys and Girls Club has been training young boxers in Dundee since 1946. While organizers have seen many kids like Billy walk through their doors, the area is currently experiencing a drug crisis. Lochee, located in West Dundee, is one of the most deprived communities in the country, with high rates of drug misusage compared to affluent neighborhoods. For 70 years, Derek Lynch has been boxing in Lochee and has coached hundreds of children from underprivileged households. He wants to keep the sport accessible to everyone, and the club will pay fees if necessary so that they can keep kids off the streets.
Over the years, the club has produced many talented athletes, including Commonwealth gold medalist Sam Hickey. However, due to the club’s small size, staff had to sometimes reject people from joining. Lynch wants to extend the hall to keep the club an integral part of the community. His campaign has received an outpouring of support, with residents sharing stories of the role the club has played in their lives.
In an interview with Reporting Scotland: News at Seven, Lynch shared an anecdote about an old member, who paid the club a visit one night, one hour after the birth of his daughter. He wanted to give thanks to the club that shaped him into the man he is today, demonstrating the loyalty and love that the club has gained from its community
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