1 week Ago By [email protected] (Donna Clifford)
The Fusion Centre celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and we visited to hear how it all began, how far they've progressed and what they're doing for the local community by empowering the young people of our town. The organisation's aim is to respond to the needs of local people and to offer support to those facing the most challenging circumstances. Former Professional Bantamweight boxer Wayne Bloy is founder and CEO.
He said: "I retired from boxing in 2012 and started Fusion in 2013. I started with just boxing style sessions around the Grimsby area, hiring community and village halls for an hour and delivering a fitness session at an affordable cost. "After banking the money generated from that and as popularity grew and the need for more sessions, I was able to rent a premises further down Ladysmith Road at the Birdseye units.
After a year there the opportunity came up to take on this place, which was the former Clee Youth Centre." Abigail Lord, Youth Worker with one of the youth clubs at the Fusion Centre (Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive) Remembering the beginning of the journey, Wayne goes on to say: "It was basically a shed when we walked in, it had been neglected for 20 years prior, with leaks everywhere, needing roof repairs, so I got volunteers involved to get us in and open. I was desperate to get the keys and just wanted the space to do boxing programs.
Since then we've grown and grown and it's our 10th anniversary here this year." He added: "We've put about £2.4million into the centre now and try to give people the best equipment which had come from business plans and trying to attract funders to invest.
Now the numbers speak for themselves because we are basically at capacity. "Our gym has 300 members and the youth club's gone from strength to strength. We look for ways to become self sufficient also, and we generate income so the gym is one of those ways.
Wayne Bloy, Founder and CEO at the Fusion Centre (Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive) "We're just nearing completion of the green room, which is attached to the back and that's going to become a café bar, social space designed to support young people and our wider community, opening in May. "We are currently pushing our outreach project to different area's of Grimsby, trying to get into the local schools and creating an education provision here at the centre which will be our next project." Proud of how far Fusion has progressed, Wayne says: "I still get a kick out of seeing everything going on, happy faces around the centre, it's very rewarding.
I have coaches that deliver all the community sessions, I'm still involved with the competitive boxers, that's what I've done since I was 10 years old, sort of ingrained into me, it's where I started and the roots of it. "It's personal experience of what not just boxing but martial arts did for me as a young kid growing up in this area and coming to this youth club as a child. I had a troubled family life and if it wasn't for free activities with YMCA or going to karate once a week or the youth club here I don't know where I would have ended up.
"I can use myself as an example of why it's important to keep these kind of centres open. It's down to organisations like us to keep things going and try keep crime statistics down and keep kids at the youth club fed, it's come to that seriousness of it really." Youth and Community Leader Donna Thornton explains how she got involved and how she is out in the community building links throughout the town.
Donna Thornton, Youth and Community Leader at the Fusion Centre (Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive) "My son came here for boxing, I always liked what I saw and knew they were starting up a youth club so I approached them. I already worked at a youth club and wanted to be part of Fusion and something else that was just starting. "I volunteer at community groups like Grimsby Food Kitchen, Women's Aid, Rock Foundation, West Marsh Community Centre, Doorstep, Green Forrest, Sunflowers charity to build relationships, we gave hundreds of Easter eggs out to them recently.
I also go to the other youth clubs and the YMCA because it's important we all get along and all get to know each other. A few months ago I messaged all the other youth clubs and we all went for breakfast." "When I first joined, Fusion had one youth club now we have four sessions, we do a junior gym, a football team.
The junior gym now has 40 kids, that's 40 kids off the streets. We try to offer them free food when they come to the youth club and last week we had 14-16 year-olds and we all played bingo for Easter eggs. "A Sunday earlier this month we had a community day where everyone came in for free hot drinks and cake and it's a way to say thankyou for donating or just to come in and meet us and we do that at Easter and Christmas.
It's important to open the doors and let people come in and meet us, it's nice to give back to the community and that why I do this, to give something back for free. "I love the community side of things and knowing that we are making a difference and welcoming people in the community." Abigail Lord, Youth Worker at the Fusion Centre (Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive) Youth Worker Abigail Lord added: "I started volunteering a year and half ago, then a part time job came up, they asked if I was interested in applying and I got it.
I've struggled with my mental health and Fusion was really supportive. "It's a really lovely supportive place to work, like a family. Such a diverse bunch of kids I work with, such lovely kids - their ages range from five to 17 years old".
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