A boxing and fitness gym which opened in Ramsgate six months ago has experienced so much demand it is now expanding the venue to double its size.
T50 Boxing and Fitness Academy launched at the former The Window Workshop site in Whitehall Road in April.
Headed up by boxer and trainer Alex Stockley, the gym holds sessions for children and adults and also has a special focus on assisting those with autism, ADHD or poor mental health.
Alex, 27, has boxed since he was nine years old and credits it with helping him to learn to manage his temper and ADHD.
A qualified personal trainer and nutritionist, Alex decided he wanted to train other people around 18 months ago.
Previously working with fellow trainer Connor Gorham, Alex then took the plunge to open T50 and the academy has gone from strength to strength.
Now, T50 is taking over the whole Whitehall Road building with work underway to knock the wall through and renovate the second space.
Alex said: “We are outgrowing the first half of the unit and are now removing the wall to the second unit to have the whole building.
“This should be useable in two or three weeks and then we will continue adding equipment.
“We have got really busy and have added another kids’ class for three to seven year olds.
“We get around 25 kids for classes, it varies, and around 17 adults per session not including day-to-day members and clients.
“I think we are getting busier and busier because we offer a different service to other boxing gyms. We had kids learning boxing with ADHD and lots of autistic kids. No-one is forced into fighting. We do have competitive fighters but there is no pressure to do it.
“I have started one-to-one sessions with a youngster with behaviour problems and also with a man who is disabled, there is a full range of people.
“We’ve doubled the amount of kids in our classes, opened more classes up and this will double the size of the gym.”
T50 also has a new coach in the shape of Sam Coveney. Sam, who owns SJC Construction and is a club sponsor, is helping train youngsters and adult on a voluntary basis.
Trainer John O’Neil is also helping to coach youngsters.
Alex said: “(John) has been coaching boxers for 25 years. He was the first boxing coach to ever teach me as a child and now he is here helping me coach the future kids.”
The gym is also sponsored by Stuart Mann, from Reclamet.
Find T50 at 45 Whitehall Road, Ramsgate
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