Onlyvanz Fundraiser
Coast 2 Coast 4 Christian
Fundraising for The Christian Hobbs Gym
Story
Coast, to Summit, to Coast
Welcome to the Just giving page of Jon Cross and Alfie Shankland.
Christian Hobbs & The Heart of England Community Boxing Club
On Boxing Day 2017, after a family Christmas at home with parents Caspar & Louise and younger sister Isobel, super fit boxer Christian Hobbs died unexpectedly of heart failure. He was only 17.
From the age of 14, Christian went from school in the evenings to Heart of England Community Boxing Club in Hinckley, Leicestershire 3 times a week and would make up his school work late at night or in the early mornings. Shortly before Christian died the Club was told that their premises were to be demolished for housing and they faced closure as they had nowhere to go. Christian was really worried about what would happen to his club and Caspar and Louise were talking with him about how they could help.
After Christian died, Boxing Coach Nick Griffin and the Club committee decided that if they ever managed to build new premises they would name them the Christian Hobbs Gym, Home of Heart of England Community Boxing Club. For Caspar, Louise and Isobel this was a ray of light at a very dark time which ignited a sustained fundraising effort to build Christian’s Gym. Since Christian's death, the club has been evicted and moved temporarily to a derelict factory in the centre of Hinckley.
The vision for the Christian Hobbs Gym
The vision now is to build the best boxing gym in the UK. It will be used by about 80 active club boxers, boys and girls, who, if they can afford to, pay a few pounds per training session. It will have 4 rings, training areas with free weights, class rooms for boxing analysis, a café and changing facilities. It will be used for international training camps and by England Boxing. There will be liaison with the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre and with Loughborough disability sports. It will also be a base for the development of rules for disability boxing which the IOC wants to be a new Paralympic sport, and which Nick is qualified to deliver.
What will the Gym achieve?
Once you are in a boxing ring, no one cares who you are or where you are from and the respect engendered amongst boxers is amazing, quite frankly it has the power to transform lives. It has an almost unmatched capability to engage some of the most disaffected young people and help combat a massive range of social problems including crime, gang culture, educational under achievement, it improves health, fitness and community cohesion and is recognised as being especially beneficial for such conditions as ADHD and autism.
It will be a gym that Christian would be proud of.
What we are planning.
Since 2018 fundraising has got the Hobbs family close to realising their vision, however, in recent months the project has slowed and still needs your help and awareness!
From the 22nd of February, Jon Cross and Alfie Shankland will be braving the cold, aiming to cross Scotland from Aberdeen to Roshven within one week, an (almost) a straight line from the West coast to East crossing some of the most remote areas in the country. Our first leg will be a 60 mile bike ride to the Cairngorms followed by a winter crossing of the Larig Ghru and 4 more days of Hiking to Fort William, before finally, a last 40m mile bike ride to Roshven. We will be supported Matthew Shankland along with Ben Yonge and Meurig Shotton in our trusty Campervan, the whole team hopes to make (a weather dependant) ascent of Ben Nevis on our final leg. In total, a journey of over 180 miles.
Scotland meant a great deal to Christian, in fact, the trip will pass many places that were significant for him and will end at his spiritual home Roshven. It will pass over some of the same hills that Alfie and Christian used to race up as children and along the same coast where Christian showed the charm and uncanny talent to inject fun into any situation that lives on in the memory of so many people. The response to the death of Christian Hobbs was a profound testament to the person he was, he was motivated, determined, and never afraid of any challenge. He was a person that would give anyone the time of day, please consider donating to his cause in the same way.
Much Love,
the team.
Christian Hobbs & The Heart of England Community Boxing Club
On Boxing Day 2017, after a family Christmas at home with parents Caspar & Louise and younger sister Isobel, super fit boxer Christian Hobbs died unexpectedly of heart failure. He was only 17.
From the age of 14, Christian went from school in the evenings to Heart of England Community Boxing Club in Hinckley, Leicestershire 3 times a week and would make up his school work late at night or in the early mornings. Shortly before Christian died the Club was told that their premises were to be demolished for housing and they faced closure as they had nowhere to go. Christian was really worried about what would happen to his club and Caspar and Louise were talking with him about how they could help.
After Christian died, Boxing Coach Nick Griffin and the Club committee decided that if they ever managed to build new premises they would name them the Christian Hobbs Gym, Home of Heart of England Community Boxing Club. For Caspar, Louise and Isobel this was a ray of light at a very dark time which ignited a sustained fundraising effort to build Christian’s Gym. Since Christian's death, the club has been evicted and moved temporarily to a derelict factory in the centre of Hinckley.
The vision for the Christian Hobbs Gym
The vision now is to build the best boxing gym in the UK. It will be used by about 80 active club boxers, boys and girls, who, if they can afford to, pay a few pounds per training session. It will have 4 rings, training areas with free weights, class rooms for boxing analysis, a café and changing facilities. It will be used for international training camps and by England Boxing. There will be liaison with the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre and with Loughborough disability sports. It will also be a base for the development of rules for disability boxing which the IOC wants to be a new Paralympic sport, and which Nick is qualified to deliver.
What will the Gym achieve?
Once you are in a boxing ring, no one cares who you are or where you are from and the respect engendered amongst boxers is amazing, quite frankly it has the power to transform lives. It has an almost unmatched capability to engage some of the most disaffected young people and help combat a massive range of social problems including crime, gang culture, educational under achievement, it improves health, fitness and community cohesion and is recognised as being especially beneficial for such conditions as ADHD and autism.
It will be a gym that Christian would be proud of.
What we are planning.
Since 2018 fundraising has got the Hobbs family close to realising their vision, however, in recent months the project has slowed and still needs your help and awareness!
From the 22nd of February, Jon Cross and Alfie Shankland will be braving the cold, aiming to cross Scotland from Aberdeen to Roshven within one week, an (almost) a straight line from the West coast to East crossing some of the most remote areas in the country. Our first leg will be a 60 mile bike ride to the Cairngorms followed by a winter crossing of the Larig Ghru and 4 more days of Hiking to Fort William, before finally, a last 40m mile bike ride to Roshven. We will be supported Matthew Shankland along with Ben Yonge and Meurig Shotton in our trusty Campervan, the whole team hopes to make (a weather dependant) ascent of Ben Nevis on our final leg. In total, a journey of over 180 miles.
Scotland meant a great deal to Christian, in fact, the trip will pass many places that were significant for him and will end at his spiritual home Roshven. It will pass over some of the same hills that Alfie and Christian used to race up as children and along the same coast where Christian showed the charm and uncanny talent to inject fun into any situation that lives on in the memory of so many people. The response to the death of Christian Hobbs was a profound testament to the person he was, he was motivated, determined, and never afraid of any challenge. He was a person that would give anyone the time of day, please consider donating to his cause in the same way.
Much Love,
the team.