As the UK entered into its first national lockdown during March 2020 our fledgeling Foundation, then just over a year old, had to abruptly stop our public-facing operations. Overnight we switched from proactively working with clubs to deliver our programmes in pilot testing to shutting the doors on any new engagement and any further referrals. It was devastating.

Now, more than than 18 months on, we’re exceptionally proud to announce that the Fighting Chance Foundation is very much back into action. We’ve spent the last 18 months developing partnerships and relationships with stakeholders, further developing our charitable programmes and working with pilot groups (as permissions allowed) to test the ideas and processes we have been developing.

As we look toward 2022 fast approaching us, we’re desperate to get back to making the biggest possible difference to the largest audience we can reach. We have had to be incredibly careful with timing in terms of our return. Too soon, and our delicate self-funded programmes would be at risk of collapse if lockdown struck again. Too late, and we fail to provide for those who need our support most.

Since inception in 2019 and throughout lockdown, we’ve been immensely lucky to continue to receive full funding from British Martial Arts & Boxing Association and this has allowed us to rebuild an online presence and a delivery structure that will allow us to make a substantial impact over the coming 12 months. We haven’t received a penny in support from anyone else.

From October this year we’ll begin working with new clubs and instructors for the first time in nearly 2 years, welcoming applications from those who wish to run our charitable programmes in their clubs. By April of 2022 we hope to have overseen more than 1,000 vulnerable students across the UK in varying styles across all of our core programmes.

It’s a really exciting time for the Foundation, and we hope you’ll follow us over the coming months as our work restarts. If you’re an instructor or club, please register an interest in running our programmes and receiving all of the free support and exposure associated with this from here.

Thank you.