County Durham Pound and Langley Park Boxing Club: Building Brighter Futures in County Durham

(From left, Jim Potter, club treasurer, Richard Carroll from County Durham Pound, Leanne Murray from Karbon Homes, Cllr Stephen Gray from Durham County Council, Ross Markwell from Lumsden & Carroll and Jason Kelly from BAM Construction, are pictured with two young boxers from Langley Park Boxing Club.)

A not-for-profit boxing club has opened in Langley Park, County Durham, providing a safe, inclusive space for children, teenagers, and adults to get fit, build confidence, and develop new skills. The venture is part of a social value initiative which delivers sustainable communities for County Durham and creates opportunities for young people.

How it Started

Founded by local coach and Karbon Homes heating engineer, Harry Thorpe, Langley Park Boxing Club was born from a desire to support his own son’s boxing journey while giving back to the community. Harry enlisted the help of fellow Langley Park resident and boxing coach James Potter and Paul Bainbridge, one of the most senior amateur boxing officials in the region, who joined him on his journey to open the club.

Thanks to Karbon Homes’ community support, the club has been able to secure a venue and now thrives with key financial backing from BAM Construction and Lumsden & Carroll, the housing infrastructure division of Esh Construction.  A number of other local organisations, individuals and funders have also contributed time, donations and resources, making it a true example of place-based, collaborative Social Value.

About the Club

Langley Park Boxing Club is entirely volunteer-run; proceeds from membership are reinvested directly into club maintenance, equipment, and competition costs to ensure its long-term sustainability and community benefit for generations to come. As a registered England Boxing club, Langley Park’s operations are overseen by the National Governing Body for the sport of boxing in England, which allows members to follow recognised competitive pathways and participate in the popular sport safely.

Langley Park Boxing Club stands as just one of the shining examples of how local partners, volunteers, and community investment can work together to create lasting social value.

This stands as just one of the many initiatives pioneered by County Durham Pound, who has to date generated over £1billion in social value investment for County Durham.

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