In its fight for refurbishment, one of London’s oldest youth clubs opened its doors to the community for a fundraising activity day.
Pedro Youth and Boxing Club in Hackney, founded in 1929 by Baroness Harwood, is a vital component of this community.
New chair Derek Williams said: “Pedro club is a beacon of the community, a refuge for those who need companionship.”
The Club and its members were devastated when their former chairman, ex-boxing champion James Cook MBE, died of cancer in June.
Yet the club is keen to let the community know that Cook’s legacy lives on and they are “still here”, according to new chair Derek Williams.
The club was recently selected to receive £3.5 million from Sport England and the London Borough of Hackney, yet the club needs to provide additional funds for refurbishment from its own sources to qualify for funding.
The boxing club brings in young people from across the borough, and the youth club provides tutoring in Maths and English, as well as bike riding lessons for the younger members, and a local ‘hot hub’ for the area’s older residents.
One Pedro ABC Boxer Hayden Creary-Bennett, 15, said: “It’s like a family here and I’ve learned so much.
The club is located near what was once dubbed “Murder Mile”, a mile-long stretch between Lower and Upper Clapton Road, that saw high levels of violence in the 1990s.
According to members, the Pedro club has played a vital role in addressing violent crime and gang violence in the area.
Reon Hector, 17, said: “Without the Pedro Club, this area would just be dangerous and full of bad energy.”
The club also offers exercise classes, ladies-only boxing, as well as cycling and mixed boxing classes
Main image credit: Danny Weller
For more information: The Pedro Club
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