In February 2026, Back O’th Moss Community Centre in Heywood, received a grant from the ELMC Grant Making Committee, for the sum of £1,500 to help replace well need equipment for the boxing club.
Back O’th Moss Community Centre is a non-profit organisation and is committed to improving the lives of those in need through community outreach and cost of living initiatives. Back of Moss Community Centre has been active in Heywood for around 50 years.
(Some of the younger children from the community centre already to do some work on the pads with the boxing coach of the club, Ian Lloyd)
And in that time the Community Centre has managed to create the Back O’th Moss boxing club within the centre which provides free or low-cost boxing / Fitness classes sessions to children from the ages of 5-17 years of age in two different time settings twice a weekly on a Tuesday and Thursday.
During the week the centre holds different sessions for all ages of the community including toddler music classes and a targeted over 55 luncheon club to help older members of the community make friends enjoy in conversation and more importantly helping them to have somewhere that they can go instead of falling into staying at home and enjoying a game of bingo.
The Back o’th Moss Community Centre is in the most deprived area of Heywood, and Souley relies on donations, grants and charity and hire to survive. The centre has two paid members of Staff, and the rest are all volunteers.
(Eastern Area Charity Steward sharing a photo with Bobby, one of the new pieces of equipment which the grant helped the centre purchase for the boxing club)
On Tuesday 20th of October, the Eastern Area Charity Steward Russell Perks along with the Area Chairman Andy Halford, and the Area Communications officer Lee Reilly, and also the new assistant area charity steward for the Eastern Area Kim Ho, visited the centre to see how the grant has made a difference not only to the children that attend the boxing club but the community centre in general.
On arrival at the centre we were welcomed by Gillian Hinsley who is the community centre manager, and Ian Lloyd who runs the boxing club, one if the junior session was on and we got to watch some of the younger children in the ring, and sharping up on the jab on the pads.
Ian asked if any of the members of the area team would like to have a go on the pads and are Area Chairmen, Andy Halford was delighted to step up and put on the boxing gloves.
(Eastern Area Chairmen Andy Halford lining up a few Knockout Punches)
Gillian was explaining how the centre and especially the boxing club has benefited from the generous grant from the East Lancashire Masonic Charity, has some of the members have told their friends that the club know has new equipment, this has attracted more children to attend the centre and the boxing classes.
She said the community centre and boxing club provides many young children in the area with the chance to participate in sport and keeping them off the streets, and away from being caught up in Anti-Social Behaviour, or even drugs.
Boxing is also vital for discipline and helps improve cardiovascular conditioning while boosting mental well-being by helping to reduce stress and anxiety and gives them confidence and self-esteem and help control obesity in children as well.
Gillian was also delighted that due to the new equipment they even have a new adult class, to which she said that she also enjoys attending and this was all made possible by the grant from the ELMC.
The members of the area team even got to ask a few of the older teenagers who was attending the older session a few questions, like why they enjoy boxing and what benefits they get. To which the answers where it keeps them active, keeping fit, and gives them confidence but to also meet new friends.
(Some more of the equipment that the grant helped purchase)
(The Area Chairman certainly enjoyed himself getting ready for round two)
Gillian and Ian both thanked all the members of the Eastern Area team who came on the evening, Ian said the grant has helped breathe new life into the boxing club, and he is really thankful for the kind generosity of the East Lancashire Masonic Charity for their wonderful donation.
