FOUR men who grew up on a Bradford estate have paid for 15 children to take boxing lessons at a club near Keighley.
Liam McCarthy, Ben Adamson, James Adamson and Aaron Mazurke, who all grew up on Thorpe Edge, are giving 15 children on the estate a chance to learn the sport at Eastburn Boxing Club.
Liam said: "Our aim is to help get kids off the streets of Bradford and the UK and into something positive.
"All four of us are friends and we've all been in a bit of bother when we younger.
"Now we taken to TikTok to tell others how we're turning our lives around.
"We're doing videos telling people not to drink.
"I myself have been sober for nine months, and it's changed my life.
"My son tragically died when he was five days old, and I made a promise to him I would stop drinking on what would have been his 18th birthday.
"I've lost three stone. I'm much healthier and it's turned my life around.
"We're trying to inspire others to change."
So, to help children on Thorpe Edge, the four men pay £5 subs for 15 youngsters to have boxing lessons at Eastburn three times a week.
Liam said: "Ben used to box at Eastburn when he was younger and it helped him get off the street.
"Ben had a hard upbringing," said Naz Jalil, head coach of Eastburn Boxing Club. "Ben reached out to us, saying 'you've done a lot for me to get me out of trouble and guided me. I now want to help the club and these kids'.
"These four men from Bradford are paying their subs and providing transport.
The kids attending the training sessions a week bring in £150 to Eastburn Boxing Club, which goes towards rent.
"I've been running this boxing club for 25 years," said Naz. "All of the coaches work full-time and we give up our time on an evening to help get kids off the street.
"We're not just a sports club. We help with boxing but also provide emotional support for the kids.
Naz explained that East Boxing Club, which has taken on the lease of the building on Main Road in Eastburn, has to pay the rent and keep the cost of subs low for its adult and child boxers.
Naz said: "Clubs are struggling financially and we're no different because all costs are going up."
"We're putting these kids on an intense programme to get them ready to be competition boxers by September.
"It's great for them because they couldn't afford to go to Eastburn or any other boxing clubs in Bradford.
"They're helping our boxing club and we're helping the community by helping these kids.
"It gives the kids a safe haven and helps with their mental health."
Liam also said he and his friends are hoping to expand their efforts by giving a further ten children on the estate the chance to attend football training at Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College.
The four men also planning a 3,500-mile Crowdfunding walk from Gambia in Africa all the way to the UK, starting in July, to fund their ventures to help children.
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